Headphones to Delta 44 connection problem

[Il_Rata]

Hello!

I have difficulties with the setup of my soundcard. I'm playing guitar through a Line 6 POD 2.0. Its ouputs go into Input 1 and Input 2 of the soundcard. I'm not quite sure how to connect my headphones though. Some guys on another forum told me not to connect them directly to the soundcard because they are meant to send information via line level. They recommended to buy a headphone amplifier and a Y-Stereo adapter.

Now comes a strange thing I don't understand. Yesterday I took 2 headphones, let's call them A and B. A was plugged into Output 1, all I could hear was the left side. B was plugged into Output 2, all I could hear was the right side. So far so good. Then I reversed them, A into Output 2, B into Output 1. Logically, I should hear the right side on A, left side on B, but that wasn't the case! I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! How is that possible? Will everything be ok if I buy a headphone amplifier and then connect its two mono signals to my Y-adapter which goes then to my headphones? Will I hear both L and R?

Please help me, I'm very confused. Also, I don't seem to find the options tag in the Delta control panel to make sure that Input 1 is really routed to Output 1 and so on. I'm running Vista Home Edition.

[magno]

Do you have some kind of monitors plugged in to outputs 1 and 2 of your breakout box already?
Do you want the option of listening to monitors and headphones at the same time?
I think you need to explain exactly what your setup is now so we can tell you what you may need.
The easy solution tho is to find an omni i/o breakout box.
M-audio doesn't make them anymore but if you can find a used one you'll be happy.

[thadeau]

headphones require an amplified signal, not a line level signal. the outputs of the delta 44 are line level, and do not provide and amplification. think of it like hooking up speakers directly to the back of your vcr, tv, whatever else has rca connectors. Without first running the signal through an amplifier to boost the signal/control volume, the signal will be too weak to make noise through the speakers. try "presonus hp4" or some other headphone amp/disto.
you would hook up the l/r outs(1/2 or 3/4)of your delta to the inputs on the back of your headphone amp/distro. then you plug your headphones into the headphone jack on the front of your headphone amp/distro. the volume knobs on front will provide you control of your headphone volume.
hope I didnt make it too complicated.

[brandondrury]

Answer the issues that Magno hit upon and we'll be able to help you quite a bit more.

Brandon

[Il_Rata]

Originally Posted by magno

Do you have some kind of monitors plugged in to outputs 1 and 2 of your breakout box already?

No, I don't have any kind of monitors. Here's my setup:

Guitar -> POD 2.0 -> Delta 44 -> PC (Acer Veriton M410)

And that's about it. I looked around on various online stores and found the following:

Behringer HA400 Headphone Amp from zZounds.com! for the headphone amp

Ad. 1x6,3 f.,ster./2x6,3m.mono 0,2 m, AYS-5, Goldkontakte - Steck-Adapter for the adapter

Will everything be fine that way? I thought about buying 2 stereo adapter, one for my headphones, and the second for computer speakers. Occasionally I want to play through speakers, can I connect them that way? Could you recommend me some models? I don't need any pro material, but nothing too cheap either. I'm not a student anymore, so money isn't gonna be a real problem.

Thanks for all your help

[Il_Rata]

Originally Posted by thadeau

try "presonus hp4" or some other headphone amp/disto.

I hope I got it right... if I buy this headphone amp, I won't need the adapter cable right? Or what do they mean by "mono or stereo operation"?

[brandondrury]

I don't you necessarily have to go with a 4 channel headphone amp, but that should do the job easily.

Brandon

[magno]

Originally Posted by Il_Rata

Ad. 1x6,3 f.,ster./2x6,3m.mono 0,2 m, AYS-5, Goldkontakte - Steck-Adapter for the adapter

Will everything be fine that way?

That's the wrong cable for the Behringer. You would need an insert cable.
Buy Hosa Stereo 1/4" Phone to 2 - Mono 1/4" Phone Insert Cable online

The Presonus hp4 looks pretty nice, and you would only need regular 1/4 patch cables. I would spend the bucks on that, or something similar if it were me.

I still think you should try to hunt down an omni i/o, it's like a badd ass version of the hp4.
Omni I/O Computer Audio Interface

[Il_Rata]

Originally Posted by magno

The Presonus hp4 looks pretty nice, and you would only need regular 1/4 patch cables. I would spend the bucks on that, or something similar if it were me.

Allright, I read the manual which says the following:
"When the Mono button is pushed in, each input will be summed together on each output. For example, if you plug a CD Player into the left input and press the mono button, the signal from the left input will be present in the left and right headphone and master ouput. When the mono button is not pushed in, the left output will have the left input signal and vice-versa."

Unfortunately, they don't mention if one single headphone output will play both inputs (L and R at the back of the box) simultaneously. I looked around some shops to find the Y-cable you mentioned, but most stores don't ship internationally (I live in Europe). I tried to find one on ebay, but no luck. There are like millions of cables and everyone seems to give them other names. So it's pretty hard for me to choose the right one. However, if the headphone amp will play both input signals, I don't need the adapter cable.

I read a review about the Presonus HP-4 on this french site
PreSonus HP-4 : Test de l'ampli casque PreSonus HP4
and they say that you need a headphone with high impedance because the amp deterrs the stereophonic signal if you listen at a low level. My headphones have 63 Ohms. Are they ok? They also mention that you still can hear a sound even if the amp is at its lowest level volume. But that's not the worst thing that can happen if you ask me. I'll accept it for the price I pay.

There is another headphone amp I'm interested in; the SM Pro Audio HP 4. I hope you can recommend me one of these models.

[magno]

Originally Posted by Il_Rata

Unfortunately, they don't mention if one single headphone output will play both inputs (L and R at the back of the box) simultaneously.

Both boxes are capable of this. The presonus has a switch, the SMP you would have to pull your right input cable out(to listen in dual mono).
Point presonus.
The cool thing about the SMP is that you can have two different headphone mixes...But it has no pass through/volume knob for monitors.
Do you need multiple headphone mixes?
Keep your headphones for now, they will work fine.
-Câble d'insert ,-Connecteurs 1 JACK Stéréo< 2 JACK Mono
Câble d?insert - AudioLexic
If the store you're going to does not know what an insert cable is you're at the wrong store.
Get the Presonus and forget about Y cables.