So I was not sure where to put this but as it could be used to any audio applications including consoles I've put it here, if wrong feel free to move it. I’ve basically got sick of switching my headphones between PC, TV and whatever else. I like my headphones and do not want to change them. what i want to do is build a little project box audio switcher with 3 inputs and 3 outputs, a switch to switch between the 3 inputs, 2 of the outputs outputting the same signal at the same time then a switch between them and the third output. the inputs will be analogue stereo audio as will the outputs here is a simple diagram to explain what i want to do: Now I’ve not really done much with audio signals before so need help with a few things and also some basic things. Firstly with the 3 stereo inputs i need a switch solution to switch between the 3 inputs on demand so that’s 6 inputs 3 x Left + Right Secondly a switch solution for the outputs, to switch between outputs(in the diagram) 1 and 3 working at the same time, or 2 working on its own. preferably the switching solutions would be a simple push of a button, 1 button switching between inputs and the other between the outputs. I don’t mind the device being powered and may throw in some LEDs but other than that would like to keep it as simple as possible
Wouldn't you be able to accomplish this with a tptt switch? It'll allow for selection between three hookups to the switch. and for the output one a dpdt swtich should work. example of the dpdt switch, tptt would just have a 3rd input pole http://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/attachm...ngle-drill-grain-mill-dpdt-switch-diagram.jpg
Your diagram is missing, your description is confusing and you only seem to have waited a day In the studio, we use patch bays, not switches. That's your simplest solution. Or a small mixing desk. Switch-wise, I can't understand what you want to do, but you could use a however many pole rotary switch for 3 way switching, or just push buttons. Obviously be careful of using devices with different impedances (or headphones and speakers) where it would matter.
i can see the diagram fine, it's hosted via imageshack, I'm impatient my psychology doesn't allow me to wait unoccupied for any length of time kind of like a 3 year old. basically what i want to do is have up to 3 devices (eg PC, TV, whatever else) headphone outputs going into the box, and be able to select between the 3 for output to either speakers, or heaphones basically so i don’t need to keep swapping my headphones between the tv and pc and whatever else i use them for. and have an optional output for recording. i suppose a 3P3T rotary switch for selecting between the inputs, and maybe a toggle switch for the outputs
You don't want to be recording headphone level, though. Personally, I'd be taking line outs into a small mixer, which is connected to a pair of headphones. And, of course, has a main out, too. By far the best solution all round. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Behringer...866?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e83cbda4a You could buy one of those crappy switch boxes the likes of Maplin used to sell, but... meh. *EDIT* Trust me, the diagram is broken. Even copying the URL and pasting it, it doesn't work. Oh, thinking about it, the 802 only has 2 stereo inputs... so maybe not that model, but you get the idea
hmm i'll try linking it again, that mixer is way overboard for what i want/need not to mention big, diagram probably explains better what i'm looking to do http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/46/avxu.png/
It's not big at all. It's EXACTLY what you want to do, if you're taking all sorts of different sources and trying to pass them out to headphones AND speakers AND a recording device. You need a mixer for that. Of course, you could build your own (plenty of diagrams available) to do what you want... just remember it's best to have a separate headphone amp. Here's an old console manufacturer who actually released their circuit diagrams... you could probably learn from them and make something more compact, although yeah, these are probably overkill! http://www.ddaconsoles.com/
I will look into them, may also help with other things too, any input i plan on using with this box will already be headphone standard, so to clarify, the 3 outputs don't need to be working at the same time, it's either speakers, or headphones and recording (although recording is optional but would be nice). i really am terrible at explaining what goes on in my head lol
Yeah, but you don't want to use a headphone out to record. Nor do you want to use it to connect speakers. You take the line out from whatever device (it's best for example to take the audio from your consoles rather than your TV) into a mixer, which then has a headphone amp. It also has a recording loop for a tape recorder, and speaker outs. So you get the best of everything. Of course, there's another way of doing this that most people will already use - a hi-fi amplifier! It'll have multiple inputs, a nice rotating source select, speaker outputs, appropriate line out for a recording device, and a headphone socket And you can get one cheap from a junk shop or boot fair.
A receiver or hifi amp would be nice but too big I'm working with very limited space. the speakers i use are a 5.1 set which i am able to on top of the 5.1 inputs also input an aux, via 3.5mm jack, why would i not want to record from headphone output or pass this through to speakers? example setup would be PC headphone socket, TV headphone socket(mainly used for xbox360 sound), 3rd source eg MK1 Megadrive headphone jack or dreacast audio out(via vgabox) > box then output to headphones or speakers
You record from a line source, not a headphone source. Headphones are for listening. And you record as early in the chain as possible. Using your example, and my example: Xbox 360 --> Amp (direct line out or even HDMI) --> record device. Here, you are dealing with line out audio, into the amp, then line out. Xbox 360 --> TV (designed to give out sound to crappy speakers) --> headphone socket (changed impedance for even crappier headphones) --> recording device (WRONG impedance). Well, you might as well get a dictaphone and hold it up to your television's speaker, you're changing the signal so much. At best, you'll degrade your audio signal. Line out is designed to feed a high impedance device and you shouldn't get too much noise or distortion. Headphone amps drive low impedance headphones. At worst, you could overload something and cause damage. This is how you do it: You could buy/build something smaller, but if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Make the space Put the TV on the amp if you have to! lol.
keyboard is directly infront of the TV(which is also the pc monitor) lol but my speakers are already powered so on that device the speaker outputs just wouldn’t be used only the line outs(and obviously headphones)?
Use proper speakers instead of the PC speakers. The devices are mostly not capable of 5.1, especially through a headphone socket, so you might as well use proper speakers and a proper amp if you can. You could use something along the lines of this... although the sockets are less than ideal... you get the idea, though: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PULSE-3-C..._HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item35ce70c500
i want to use my 5.1 speakers as i mostly use them for everything else, including PC, i know the other devices don't do 5.1 but that's irrelevant, there's no room for any more speakers. that device is pretty much what i wanted to put together, only with switching rather than mixing, volume etc still controlled by the individual devices, but with only using 3.5mm jacks would be interesting to see inside one of them
