[AZ Nomad[_2_]]

On Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:12:11 GMT, GregS wrote:
In article , AZ Nomad wrote:
On Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:27:39 -0700, Richard Crowley wrote:
"AZ Nomad" wrote...
Richard Crowley wrote:
The simple and inexpensive method is to just use a "Y-cable"
which connects the Left and Right outputs together to form a
monaural signal combined from both. This is effective most of
the time, and with reasonable quality.

That's a terrible solution. If you mix them and the outputs don't
like being shorted together then you'll end up with horrible
distortion.

Yes that is the common theory. However, I have actually done
this many times and I have NEVER had "horrible distortion".
Sorry to hear that you have had such poor luck.

If you listen using something better than $5 computer speakers, the
distortion isn't subtle.

Most of the audio is not dead short. Its only the extreme left or right
stereo info thats shorted. The bass is mostly all mono.

As a general rule I insert 100 to 1 K resistors in stuff I build.
Some older op-amps were less tolerant of capacitive loads.
To get full current transfer out of a typical op-amp you need a 600
ohm resistor. An audio grade driver needs about 15 ohms. .015ma and
07 ma. respectively. I would NOT connect two headphone outputs
together.

Yes. It isn't 100% distortion; perhaps only 3-10%.
I'd rather have the passive mixer; it's less than a buck worth of
resistors even at radio shack prices and about a half hour of cutting
and soldering to make the mixer cable.