Headphones and splitters

[Guest Guest]

Hi all

 

I've been asked by a member of staff if we can buy some headphones to use with our laptops for music lessons, more specifically they'd like two pairs plugged into each laptop as the pupils will be working in pairs. Now my immediate thought was getting headphone splitters but then I've been doing some reading and apparently the volume will be reduced for each pair of headphones. Has anyone got any advice on whether this would be a workable solution or a better way of achieving what we need?

 

Cheers

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Unless you have switchable jack slots I'd suggest a splitter. You may lose some gain but you can usually boost that in most software if need be. Also headphone quality will determine the quality, clarity and volume.

[Love_Sausage]

Splitters should work fine, even the cheap ones from ebay. Be prepared to lose a few once the students realise how handy they are.

[Norphy]

If a passive splitter doesn't cut it (entirely possible), a headphone amp with multiple outputs may work too:

 

Behringer MicroAMP HA400 Headphone Amp at Gear4Music.com

[Guest Guest]

Cheers for the advice guys. Any recommendations on some solid, decent headphones for music which might last a bit longer than your typical fare?

[Guest Guest]

If a passive splitter doesn't cut it (entirely possible), a headphone amp with multiple outputs may work too:

 

Behringer MicroAMP HA400 Headphone Amp at Gear4Music.com

 

I'll give this a go if the splitters don't work out, these would definitely work well.

[Norphy]

Cheers for the advice guys. Any recommendations on some solid, decent headphones for music which might last a bit longer than your typical fare?

 

Not really, in my experience no matter what you buy ends up being chewed, pulled apart, vandalised, spat upon, sat upon and used to strangle other students within about 20 minutes of being put out. Unless you need something which isolates the students from outside noise to an extent I'd get the cheapest you can find and give the teacher four times as many as the class needs.

[XiJ]

As above - although I'm talking primary I would say they get broke as easily if they cost £5 or £50 (or more)

[TechSupp]

Got to take my hat off to the heavy duty ones that Hills Components supply, had lots so far and since september have not had any broken, cables destroyed etc. and they are as cheap as other cheap and nasty ones that last two minutes, only about £4 to £5 if I remember. Give them a ring, they are very helpful. They come with their own storage bags and that has helped as once we got them I made a rule that rather than have them out and connected all the time, they have to be put away in bags after use otherwise they don't get them next time. We have the odd ones left out, but so far it's better. No end of problems win them getting tangled etc when they were permanently left out. Splitters I have had from various places but I bet Hills do them as well. Get the ones that have cable fly leads rather than a complete moulded block as they tend to break the port on the PC due to their infexibility. Hope that helps.

[Guest Guest]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I've got a good idea of what to do now! I use Hills already so I'll give them a call. TechSupp do you know what the name of the heavy duty headphones are at all? Cheers

[chazzy2501]

btw don't get the solid splitters, they are large and offer to much leverage and pupils will end up breaking the headphone sockets. Use a y shape cable headphone splitter.

 

ALSO I've not tried this but couldn't you use 2 pairs of usb headphones?

 

 

like this (NB I've not tried these headphones and I don't know if you can use 2 usb headphones at once) Just thought it might be worth exploring as usb sockets are more hardy than 3.5mm headphone sockets!

 

Trust Pulsar USB Headset | Ebuyer.com

 

(Technically a headset)

[Norphy]

No, with USB headsets each headset is treated as a separate sound card and (AFAIK) Windows won't output to two sound cards at once. At best you'd be able to get one app using one sound card and another using the other. I used to do that with Skype, using one for chatting with my other gamers and the game using speakers out of the main sound card. Edited April 30, 2013 by Norphy

[Guest Guest]

I think I'm going to stick with the splitter option, we're running Dance eJay for Schools (2005) too so I'm just grateful for it to be working in Windows 7 let alone anything else!

[jmak]

They had piles of the Y shaped 2-way splitters on a cable in Poundland when I was in yesterday - and also a wide choice of headphones - all priced at £1

 

(I live an exciting life...)

[Love_Sausage]

I was looking on ebay for the ones I had, when I came across this:

 

3.5MM Extension Earphone Headphone Audio Splitter Cable Adapter Female to 2 Male | eBay

 

I've no idea.