[bbodin]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but...


I have an Onkyo SR-600. I don't have any headphones with a 1/4 in stereo jack, so I bought a 1/8 in to 1/4 in converter and plug that into my headphone jack of my amp and attach my headphones.


My problem is I'm only getting sound in 1 ear (for Sat, Tuner, DVD, doesn't matter). I'm sure the headphones work correctly, regardless I've even tried multiple headphones and got the same result. I even tried another converter and still got the same.


What could be the problem? Is there a specific "1/8 to 1/4" converter I need that I'm just using the wrong one? Is something wrong in the amp itself?


Any suggestions for investigation would be appreciated.

 

[mtntech]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bbodin /forum/post/12908492


What could be the problem? Is there a specific "1/8 to 1/4" converter I need that I'm just using the wrong one? Is something wrong in the amp itself?

Did you make sure the adapter is for stereo and not a mono jack?

I had a similar problem with an radio shack mini-adapter for a Palm Treo.

 

[bbodin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mtntech /forum/post/12908623


Did you make sure the adapter is for stereo and not a mono jack?

I had a similar problem with an radio shack mini-adapter for a Palm Treo.

The one I tried says "Accepts 1/8" stereo phone plug, Fits 1/4" stereo phone jack". I assume since it says "stereo" that is the correct one?


I also separately tried a Y-adapter (as I tried to connect it to a gaming chair) which says "accepts 2 phono plugs, fits 1/4" stereo jack), but that also only played the sound out of one of the chair's speakers.


That's the main thing I want to figure out...if it's possibly just the wrong adapter I'm using as I don't want to take the thing apart to fix if it's not actually broken

 

[millerid]

I have a different Onkyo receiver, but I am having the same problem using a 1/8 to 1/4" converter to be able to listen though headphones. Were you able to resolve your problem?

 

[bbodin]

nope...in fact was just troubleshooting this and had my receiver cover off and realized it looks much more complicated in there then I had hoped.

 

[bbodin]

found this on another forum

Quote:
It sounds like you have the wrong cable, or at least the wrong end on the cable. A stereo 1/4 inch phone plug will have three distinct connectors on it. The metal tip will be one area with a very narrow plastic ring between it and a metal ring that is maybe 3/16 of an inch followed by another narrow plastic ring, then the rest of the connector shaft as the third conductor. The large shaft is the ground or common connector, the right is typically the right channel and the tip is typically the left channel. If the metal ring is not on your phone plug it is a mono plug, not stereo. This would cause you to hear only the one channel when plugged into a stereo jack.

Another possibility is that the jack you are plugging into is not a standard 1/4 inch stereo jack. It might be a short version or a mono version. These are harder to identify and you would need to open the amplifier to check it out. If you bought the amp from a local store, they should be happy to give you some assistance on this problem. Take your cable with you.

I checked and based on this description I do have a stereo adapter (it has the 3 rings), but still sound in 1 ear. I'm not sure I understand the 2nd part "Another possibility is that the jack you are plugging into is not a standard 1/4 inch stereo jack. It might be a short version or a mono version."

 

[millerid]

I'm not sure about that 2nd part either, but I do know that if I plug the 1/4 adapter into the reciever, I can take the 1/8 end of the headphone jack and wiggle it around just inside the adapter and get sound to come out of both sides of the headphones. I also tried to write to Onkyo, but they have not replied.

 

[bbodin]

actually got it to work, sort of.


I plugged my headphones into a MONO 1/8 inch adapter, then plugged the MONO 1/8 in adapter into a STEREO 1/4 inch adapter, then plugged that STEREO adapter into my jack. I now get sound out of both ears and I'm not sure why that is.