Hi,

My laptop (IBM Thinkpad) has a regular headphone jack on the side and this
works great when I'm undocked. Unfortunately, when I'm plugged into the
docking station (as I am all day at work), it disables the headphone jack
and enables a line out jack on the docking station.

I've tried plugging headphones directly into the line out jack, but have
found that this does not produce a good result, and from a bit of reading
I've done I gather that this is because the impedance is different.

So what can I do to connect headphones to the line out jack? Is there some
sort of adapter I can pick up at Radio Shack?

Thanks very much for your help.

"News Reader" wrote in message
...
Hi,

My laptop (IBM Thinkpad) has a regular headphone jack on the side and this
works great when I'm undocked. Unfortunately, when I'm plugged into the
docking station (as I am all day at work), it disables the headphone jack
and enables a line out jack on the docking station.

I've tried plugging headphones directly into the line out jack, but have
found that this does not produce a good result, and from a bit of reading
I've done I gather that this is because the impedance is different.

So what can I do to connect headphones to the line out jack? Is there some
sort of adapter I can pick up at Radio Shack?

Thanks very much for your help.


I use a SoundProfessionals "Headbanger" amplifier.

--
M Stewart
Milton Keynes, UK
http://www.megalith.freeserve.co.uk/oddimage.htm

"News Reader" wrote in message

Hi,

My laptop (IBM Thinkpad) has a regular headphone jack on the side
and
this works great when I'm undocked. Unfortunately, when I'm plugged
into the docking station (as I am all day at work), it disables the
headphone jack and enables a line out jack on the docking station.

I've tried plugging headphones directly into the line out jack, but
have found that this does not produce a good result, and from a bit
of reading I've done I gather that this is because the impedance is
different.

So what can I do to connect headphones to the line out jack? Is
there
some sort of adapter I can pick up at Radio Shack?

Radio Shack sells their version of the well-known Boostaroo headphone
amplfiier for about $25. It's basically a battery-powered headphone
amp with about 6 dB of gain and a relatively high input impedance. It
might just do the job for you.

If you operate it below clipping it is actually very clean. Some have
even used it as a mic preamp.

Unfortunately it does not have a power input for operation from the
power line. I power mine with a 5 volt DC wall wart via a little
contraption made from dowels and brass screws that simulates 2 AA
batteries.

Thanks very much for both suggestions. I think I will give the Radio
Shack option a try since it is cheaper and I can pick one up on the way
home today. If that doesn't work, maybe I'll see if I can return it and
consider buying the much more expensive (but probably much better)
"Headbanger" product.