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I'm looking for a splitter: 1 male balanced mono TRS 1/4" <--> 2 female balanced mono TRS 1/4"

PashkaTLT

PashkaTLT

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Location
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Hello,
I've recently switched from my normal DAC (which had headphone output) to miniDSP Flex, and it doesn't have a headphone output.
This is how it looks:

1757894886474.png


So currently all 4 outputs are used to connect 2 speakers + 2 subwoofers.

And I think I need 2 splitters: male balanced TRS 1/4" <--> 2 female balanced TRS 1/4", so I could connect both speakers & headphones at the same time. Something like this:

1757896507881.png


I only found 1 on eBay for ~$60 which is crazy, IMHO.

Can any TRS splitter work as balanced in mono mode?

Any advice? Maybe you know where I could find such a splitter?

UPDATE:
I've realized I will likely not be able to connect my headphones this way, because the output is not amplified... So I will have to use my previous DAC+Amp only for headphones...
 
Last edited:
Not sure where you are located. You could try HOSA they carry a lot of splitter cables.
 
JustJones said:
HOSA dual mono y cable
hosatech.com

1/4 in TS to Dual 1/4 in TSF - Y Cable - Analog Audio | Hosa Cables

Find Hosa Y Cables near you. We supply Y cables with 1/4 in TS to dual 1/4 in TSF connectors made to duplicate a mono signal.
hosatech.com

HOSA stereo y cable
hosatech.com

1/4 in TRS to Dual 1/4 in TRSF - Y Cable - Analog Audio | Hosa Cables

Find Hosa Y Cables near you. These Y cables come with 1/4 in TRS to dual 1/4 in TRSF connectors made to duplicate a stereo signal and adapt a headphone jack.
hosatech.com
Click to expand...
I don't think they are balanced.

1757901892653.png
 
PashkaTLT said:
UPDATE:
I've realized I will likely not be able to connect my headphones this way, because the output is not amplified... So I will have to use my previous DAC+Amp only for headphones...
Click to expand...
The signal not being amplified isn’t the only reason it won’t work. A TRS balanced signal is incompatible with a TRS stereo signal.

Balanced TRS:
Tip = signal (+)
Ring = signal (-)
Sleeve = ground

Stereo TRS:
Tip = signal R (+)
Ring = signal L (+)
Sleeve = signal (-)

It’s another example of the confusion the audio / professional sound industries inflicts on us when they use the same connector for multiple purposes.

You can split a balanced 1/4“ TRS and send both the input of two TRS balanced components. But that’s it. It’s a mono signal and won’t – can’t - convert to stereo.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:
The signal not being amplified isn’t the only reason it won’t work. A TRS balanced signal is incompatible with a TRS stereo signal.
Click to expand...
Just to make sure I understand correctly, so there's no way to convert 2 balanced TRS mono signals into a stereo TRS signal with a simple adapter?
 
Correct - it can't be done like that. Your best bet would be to have one side of the splitters feed a separate component with balanced inputs that also includes a headphone jack. Like a pre-amp of some kind.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
 
Two options come to mind:

1. If your old DAC has SPDIF outputs, you could use one of those to feed the Flex while using cans at the same time.
2a. You could also use your old DAC separately, just for headphones. This would involve some manual output switching unless you were to unplug USB cables as needed.
2b. If your old DAC is acutely overdressed just for headphone use, you could also use something more basic to drive those, even a dongle of some kind.

It makes no sense to be using the signal out of the Flex with crossover and speaker DSP already applied.
 
PashkaTLT said:
Just to make sure I understand correctly, so there's no way to convert 2 balanced TRS mono signals into a stereo TRS signal with a simple adapter?
Click to expand...
Sure you can but you would probably need to make the cable yourself (or have it made for you).

Tip of TRS of L balanced out to Tip of TRS stereo
Sleeve of TRS of L balanced out to Sleeve of TRS stereo.

Tip of TRS of R balanced out to Ring of TRS stereo
Sleeve of TRS of R balanced out to Sleeve of TRS stereo.
 
Last edited:
AnalogSteph said:
Two options come to mind:

1. If your old DAC has SPDIF outputs, you could use one of those to feed the Flex while using cans at the same time.
2a. You could also use your old DAC separately, just for headphones. This would involve some manual output switching unless you were to unplug USB cables as needed.
2b. If your old DAC is acutely overdressed just for headphone use, you could also use something more basic to drive those, even a dongle of some kind.

It makes no sense to be using the signal out of the Flex with crossover and speaker DSP already applied.
Click to expand...
I'm currently doing 2a - my old DAC is just for headphones and I switch output in Windows when I need to switch between headphones and speakers.

Would be interesting to try option 1 - feed SPDIF output from my xDuoo TA-10 DAC+Amp to miniDSP Flex's SPDIF input, just because I've never tried SPDIF :)
I wonder if using SPDIF will send digital signal directly from my PC through xDuoo DAC to miniDSP without converting to analog and then back to digital inside xDuoo?
 
PashkaTLT said:
I'm currently doing 2a - my old DAC is just for headphones and I switch output in Windows when I need to switch between headphones and speakers.

Would be interesting to try option 1 - feed SPDIF output from my xDuoo TA-10 DAC+Amp to miniDSP Flex's SPDIF input, just because I've never tried SPDIF :)
I wonder if using SPDIF will send digital signal directly from my PC through xDuoo DAC to miniDSP without converting to analog and then back to digital inside xDuoo?
Click to expand...

Looks like that's the best way to use it.

amirm

'Review and Measurements of xDuoo TA-10 Tube DAC & HP Amp'

This is a review and detailed measurements of the xDuoo TA-10 DAC and Tube headphone amplifier plus pre-amplifier. It was kindly sent to me by the online store, Xtenik Audio. The TA-10 costs US $290.

I must confess, my impression of xDuoo is one of ultimate budget products, with looks and performance to go with that. So I was hesitant to accept this review when Steven from Xtenik Audio reached out to me. I warned him that I would write the review as I see it, bad or good. To my pleasant surprise, he was perfectly OK with that. So here we go.

Everything I thought about xDuoo...
  • Like
1757980689807.jpeg
 
Something to consider:
Even if you get a hardwired headphone splitter, the impedance of the 2 headphone pairs will need to match (in both impedance and sensitivity) to get equal volume in both. If, for example, one set is 30 Ohms and the other is 300, the power will divide unevenly so the 30 Ohm one will get 10x the power of the 300 Ohm one.

Since your OP mentions running speakers plus headphone off the same outputs this may not be a deal killer, but be aware cranking up the speakers may fry the headphones (or vice versa, depending on the specs of both).
 
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