Hello,

I am trying to connect my stereo headphones to the S/PDIF output from
my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card.

1. Is this possible in the first place?
2. What do I need to do to make it work?

Thx!

"TranceDelirium" wrote ...
I am trying to connect my stereo headphones to the S/PDIF
output from my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card.

1. Is this possible in the first place?

Sure.

2. What do I need to do to make it work?

You need to convert the digital S/PDIF signal back into
analog, then feed the audio into a headphone amplifier.

Don't be too surprised if you can't find anything like this
available for sale as it is a rather unusual requirement.
You have a perfectly good analog output already right
there on the 2496 card.

Richard Crowley wrote:
2. What do I need to do to make it work?

You need to convert the digital S/PDIF signal back into
analog, then feed the audio into a headphone amplifier.

Don't be too surprised if you can't find anything like this
available for sale as it is a rather unusual requirement.
You have a perfectly good analog output already right
there on the 2496 card.

Yes, but they are already feeding my monitors, so I need a way to feed
the S/PDIF into my headphones to be able to mix the output from the
monitors

Buying a D/A converter solely for this purpose doesn't make sense. So I
am searching for some alternative.

.... and yes I realize it is an unusual setup probably :-)

Thx for your answer! At least I know I am on the right way

On Sat, 20 May 2006 05:06:45 -0700, TranceDelirium wrote:


Richard Crowley wrote:
2. What do I need to do to make it work?

You need to convert the digital S/PDIF signal back into analog, then
feed the audio into a headphone amplifier.

Don't be too surprised if you can't find anything like this available
for sale as it is a rather unusual requirement. You have a perfectly
good analog output already right there on the 2496 card.

Yes, but they are already feeding my monitors, so I need a way to feed the
S/PDIF into my headphones to be able to mix the output from the monitors

Buying a D/A converter solely for this purpose doesn't make sense. So I am
searching for some alternative.

... and yes I realize it is an unusual setup probably :-)

Thx for your answer! At least I know I am on the right way

Pick up a cheap old DAT machine with a broken transport. Most have SPDIF
inputs and a headphone out and will let you record monitor the SPDIF in.

To find a DAT machine with a broken transport, look for 'sold as seen' on
ebay.

Either your monitors have built-in amplifiers or they're being driven
by an amplifier, no? If so, you could split the pair of outputs that
are now feeding your monitors (or their amplifier). The line
("aux")-level outputs of your card can easily handle two high-impedance
amplifier inputs.

Don't connect the headphones directly to the card's analog line
outputs, though. Use a headphone amplifier or some other component with
a line-level input and a headphone jack. That's so that the headphones
won't "load down" the card, and so that you can set the volume in your
headphones without affecting the volume in your monitor speakers.

Does this make sense?

--best regards

Yes, I have the Mackie HR824 that come with built-in amplifiers so I
plug-in the RCA outputs from the Audiophile 2946 directly in the
monitors.

From your post, though, it seems I definitely need to get some
additional device. I am considering buying M-Audio FireWire 410 for
live performance with a laptop at some point anyway, so maybe I will
use its S/PDIF inputs to connect the signal from my PC and then my
headphones will be hooked to the 410.

Thanks everyone for the immediate response!

My first post here and I am amazed at the speed with which people
reacted!

All the best to everyone!

TranceDelirium wrote:

I am trying to connect my stereo headphones to the S/PDIF output from
my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card.

1. Is this possible in the first place?
2. What do I need to do to make it work?

A D/A converter and a headphone amp.

Graham-Patten systems makes a really nice combined headphone amp and
converter that is mostly sold for dignostic work. It's not cheap...
it's certainly much more expensive than a used DAC-In-The-Box.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey wrote:
TranceDelirium wrote:

I am trying to connect my stereo headphones to the S/PDIF output from
my M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card.

1. Is this possible in the first place?
2. What do I need to do to make it work?

A D/A converter and a headphone amp.

Just the headphone amp would allow you to "split" the analog signal. 1
channel to the mackies, and one (plus 2-4 more) to the headphones.

paul

On 20 May 2006 05:06:45 -0700, "TranceDelirium"
wrote:

Yes, but they are already feeding my monitors, so I need a way to feed
the S/PDIF into my headphones to be able to mix the output from the
monitors

Buying a D/A converter solely for this purpose doesn't make sense. So I
am searching for some alternative.

Maybe you have a DAT or Minidisk machine that can be put into Record
Standby mode and perform this function. Otherwise you'd be more
sensible to split the analogue output.

Are you assuming that the spdif out of the Audiophile automatically
echoes the analogue out? Check that.