speakers SP-404s

[noahlennox]

first post!

sup y'all?

im chillin chillin,

just picked up a sp404 - and im just tryin to start fuggin w it. i bought rca cables w a headphone connector. i wanted to beable to hear the sound out of my regular speakers (by pugging into the headphone jack of the speakers) there pretty crappy logitechs. its just not producing sound. im plugging the rca cables in line out and the other ened into my speakers headphone jack, is there any other option?????????
NL

[sharpmotif]

The headphone jack of your speakers is most probably to use with headphones (as in "headphone out").

They probably have somekind of line in (RCA, 1/4", 1/8") or a 1/8" stereo plug. It would be easier to just use a 1/8" to 1/4" stereo adapter and plug that into the phones out of your SP-404. You could also buy/make one of those cables with a 1/8" stereo jack on one end and two RCA mono jacks on the other.

[noahlennox]

yuk, my speakers dont have a line in...looks like i gotta buy new ones...Thanks for the reply motif, GOOD LOOKS

[sharpmotif]

Which model do you have?

If it is the ordinary "computer speakers" type then you definitely have a cable with a 1/8" stereo plug.

[PHeMoX]

Welcome to the forums!

first post!

sup y'all?

im chillin chillin,

just picked up a sp404 - and im just tryin to start fuggin w it. i bought rca cables w a headphone connector. i wanted to beable to hear the sound out of my regular speakers (by pugging into the headphone jack of the speakers) there pretty crappy logitechs. its just not producing sound. im plugging the rca cables in line out and the other ened into my speakers headphone jack, is there any other option?????????
NL

The headphone jack is not an INPUT, but only an OUTPUT, so yeah that won't work if I understand you correctly.

Perhaps you can use a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter so you can use the headphone out of your SP-404 into your speakers normal cable and then use the headphone output on your speaker for your headphones???

Such an adapter costs like 2 bucks, where new speakers would cost you a lot more.

If you're planning on buying cheap but good new ones though, I can recommend the Edirol MA-15D. It's under 200 bucks and will give you really excellent sound quality and features (like Line in). I use them all the time.

[formal]

Yeah, like Phemox said. Just buy an 1/8" to 1/4" adapter and plug it into the "headphone out" of the SP. Most people got these laying around since they come with headphones so ask your friends if you don't got one.

[Rhua]

Just to make sure: Is there some kind of quality difference between the regular rca line out and the headphones output?

[formal]

This might help answer some questions on cables and inputs. As far as I know to get the best sound quality you will want the connector with the most metal to conduct the current/signal. RCA inputs seem to be used because they are more durable than 1/4" and cheaper as well. It has always been that the more expensive gear uses 1/4" while the cheaper gear uses RCA. In the case of headphone out VS RCA out, I think you will get similar quality if you use the 1/8" to 1/4" adapter. Your best bet would be a 1/4" stereo cable to minimize signal loss. As always, the shorter the cable, the better.


http://www.tweakheadz.com/all_about_cables.htm

[LoneStar]

This might help answer some questions on cables and inputs. As far as I know to get the best sound quality you will want the connector with the most metal to conduct the current/signal. RCA inputs seem to be used because they are more durable than 1/4" and cheaper as well. It has always been that the more expensive gear uses 1/4" while the cheaper gear uses RCA. In the case of headphone out VS RCA out, I think you will get similar quality if you use the 1/8" to 1/4" adapter. Your best bet would be a 1/4" stereo cable to minimize signal loss. As always, the shorter the cable, the better.

I'd like to add, the main reason to use 1/4" TRS connectors (apart from tradition) is because you can use switched jacks, where plugging in a plug breaks a pre-made connection and establishes a new one (involving the signal you are plugging in). Can't do that with RCA. Also, with 1/4" you can use stereo jacks for symetric signals, which reduces quality loss and interference pickup greatly, especially for long cables of 5 or more meters. Also, 1/4" is much more robust mechanically.

Anytime you don't need long cables nor outstanding robustness nor switched jacks, RCA does the job perfectly fine. Just don't use those cheapass ultra thin wires you get supplied with cheap stereos or cd players.

[PHeMoX]

Just to make sure: Is there some kind of quality difference between the regular rca line out and the headphones output?

Not something you would really normally notice, but obviously you'll get stereo through only one cable so you'll lose the advantage of a split signal. For many of these types of gear though, they most likely were designed with pretty intensive headphone usage in mind, being portable and such, so I think it's fine.