Headphones to Delta 44 connection problem - The Official M-Audio User Forums

Il_Rata · #1 07-22-2008, 05:38 AM

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.

picothinker · #2 07-22-2008, 07:23 AM

I use a Delta 66, but with the Omni I/O breakout box which has headphone jacks. What those guys told you is basically correct. If you get an official headphone amp, you probably won't need a Y adapter, they often have multiple headphone outputs. Something like this would work well, and give you some room for expansion.

Also keep in mind that your headphone jack is stereo (tip/ring/sleeve) and the Delta 44 jacks will be mono. All three parts of your headphone jack are unable to make connection. I can't advise you on Windows.

JA · #3 07-22-2008, 08:48 AM

This is correct; the Delta 44 has 4 mono line level outputs and wasn't designed to have headphones connected directly. Output 1 is the left channel, and Output 2 the right; this is why you only heard playback on 1 side when connected to each output. You would need a headphone amplifier or a mixer with a headphone output connected to the Delta 44's outputs 1 & 2.

Check out this FAQ for an overview of the new Delta Control panel; this explains how to setup direct input monitoring to ensure input 1 is routed to output 1.