Will a headphone amp allow me to...

[357mag]

Right now, when I record another track to a project, I play the pre-recorded track in Reaper(that comes through my desktop speakers)while listening to my live guitar sound through my headphones which are attached to my POD X3. What I'm doing is I put the headphones kinda halfway on my head, not completely covering my ears, so I can hear both my live guitar through the phones, and the pre-recorded track through the speakers.

The reason I have to do this cuz S/PDIF is one-way only. It only allows the signal from the POD into my sound card and Reaper. It doesn't allow sound going back the other way.

Awhile back, someone told me a headphone mixer will allow me to hear the pre-recorded track in my headphones at the same time as my live guitar sound. So I'm thinking about investing in one.

Can anyone verify that by using a headphone amp/mixer, it will allow me to hear the pre-recorded track plus my live guitar sound at the same time through my phones?

[Blues Boy]

Yes, this can be done. What is S/PDIF?

I have a headphone amp (actually an old pair of computer speakers with a headphone jack) that I use for tracking. Do you have a headphone jack on your PC? You can use this without a headphone amp but the signal might be a little weak. It will get you started.

Regarding Reaper, which I use too, you will have to hit the "monitor input" button on the track you are recording. This is directly below the "record" button on the Reaper mixer.

Good luck, I hope this helps.

[357mag]

Hmm.... Some people say yes and some say otherwise. One person told me to get a small mixer instead, and that would do it.

S/PDIF is digital as opposed to analog. My X3 has both analog outputs plus a digital output. I'm using digital right now.

[Blues Boy]

Tell me more. Does your computer have a headphone jack?
Are you coming out of the POD directly into the soundcard?

If you answered yes to both questions then you should be in business.

Now, there is a little thing called "latency" that may have to be addressed but you can monitor both the prerecorded track and the new track thru headphones. Like I said, you don't even need a headphone amp, but it will boost the signal to a more workable level.

[Blues Boy]

In other words,

Stick your headphones in your headphone jack of your computer.
Open your project in Reaper.
Arm track for recording.
Press button right below the record button to monitor input of new track.
You should now hear the guitar in the headphones.
You will probably notice "latency". In other words, the guitar signal will be delayed. (don't panic, there are ways to fix this)

Try it.

[357mag]

I don't have a headphone jack on my computer. Don't have one on my speakers either. Just the headphone jack on my POD.

I was looking at this also, wondering if this would also work:

Behringer Eurorack RX1602 Pro Mixer at AmericanMusical.com

I was wondering if I could take two cords and connect from the analog outputs of my POD into a pair of inputs on the back of the mixer. Then take two cords and connect from the Main Outs of the mixer into...

...directly to my speakers or

...into my sound card

Not sure.

[Blues Boy]

To get everything in your headphones you would have to have a signal from your computer going to your pod. Are you using a laptop? Whatever jack you are using for you computer speakers can be split to accommodate a headphone amp.

Here is one for twenty bucks:

Buy Behringer Micromon MA400 Headphone Amplifier online at Musician's Friend

Go to Radio Shack and get a 1/8" mini plug male to two female 1/8inch adapter.

Plug your computer speakers into one and the headphone amp into the other.

Even with the mixer you will get latency.

Here is a cheaper solution with zero latency:

Buy Line 6 TonePort GX USB Recording Interface at Musician's Friend

This is probably your best bet. Has the pod sounds included with the software. No latency (or at least very little)

I am going to bed so someone else will have to take it from here. Good night. I hope I was helpful

[357mag]

No. I don't want the TonePort. I have the POD X3 which is way better. More expensive but I love it.

My speakers use 1/4 inch cords. I'm not using any default computer speakers or onboard sound. I'm using aftermarket reference monitors with an E-MU 1212 M soundcard.

Maybe either the headphone amp or the mixer will work for me. I need to keep asking questions I guess.

[Blues Boy]

You need to think of the toneport as a mixer. It is just another interface. You don't have to use the gearbox software. YOu can still use your pod

[357mag]

Yes perhaps. More people are telling me now to simply pick up a mixer instead of a headphone amp. It'll do the same thing, plus be more versatile.