Reddit mentions of Cable Matters 5-Pack 1/4 to 1/8 Headphone Adapter

Of course! In fact, I'm primarily a headphones listener.

The most common way would be to use a receiver or integrated amplifier, which (at least from every one I've owned and seen) all have headphone jacks.

Another option is to use a dedicated headphone amplifier. These cannot drive speakers, and are designed just for headphones. An example of one of these would be the Schiit Magni 2.

The same rules of phono preamplification apply here:

If the receiver/IA has a phono input (OR your turntable has a phono preamp built in), then you don't need to buy an external phono preamp.

If the receiver/IA does NOT have a phono input (and your turntable does NOT have a phono preamp built in), then you will need to buy an external phono preamp. As far as I know, there aren't any headphone amplifiers out there with a phono preamp built in.

Most (if not all) receivers/IAs/headphone amplifiers use 1/4" output jacks. If you have headphones that use the smaller 1/8" (AKA 3.5mm) plug, then use a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter. There's also a good chance your headphones came with one of these.

If you go the receiver/IA route, you have the ability to play speakers as well if you want. You also get more inputs. However, dollar for dollar you'll get better sound quality with a headphone amplifier.

Just grab any mixer you like and pick up one of these and you're set

Cable Matters® 5-Pack, Gold Plated 6.3mm (1/4 inch) to 3.5 mm Male to Female Stereo Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PIWB2SO/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_Qaxxwb92S4911

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-5-Pack-Plated-Adapter/dp/B00PIWB2SO/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_267_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TGTN4X27D8JMKMV6A201

Looks like that takes aux(3.5mm) , SD card and 1/4 inch, so you've got options.

Here's a CD player

1/8" to 1/4" adapter.

First, it's a headphone output, not input.

Second, headphone cables are usually (but not always) smaller than most guitar cables.

Third, the headphone output will be set to a level that the amp can't blow a normal set of headphones. That's why it's a dedicated headphone out, rather than line out (which would be line level).

In short, All you should need is a 1/4" male to 3.5mm female cable. I can't see that anyone makes one, so this and this will achieve the same result.

From your description, RS sold you the correct stuff. If it's crackly, some switch cleaner on the cable going into the amp may help (amp should be OFF), or there's a contact issue in the amp, or somewhere along the line.

Two small bits of advice for you, though;

• If the "idiots" at RS got as good a description as we did here from a self-confessed rookie, I wouldn't be surprised if the wrong items were purchased. I'd suggest you make sure there are no issues before you blame them.
  
  
• Please, get some better headphones. Beats are way too bass-heavy for guitar audio. And they're pretty low quality. You could do much worse that some half-decent "studio headphones", like these.

I've had a lot of success recording in to my iPhone with Guitar Rig and Video Pro (a video app that allows monitoring) with the iRig2. The iRig2 has a 1/4" input, so you'd need a stereo mini to 1/4 adapter.

I bought my iRig2 a couple of years ago and it works with my newer iPhone 6 SE.

One for $2.03


Two for $5.99


Five for 7.99

Huh. That's a cute little mixer. It might actually work! I didn't realize that the connector was on your controller. It sounds like it's a TRRS connector. Do you use the mic? If not, your solution should work. If you do though, you'll need to break the TRRS out into individual mic, R, and L channels before the mixer, then combine them back together again into another TRRS jack. One way to do that is to use TRRS to RCA adapters like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Wpeng-Adapter-degree-Right-angled-Stereo/dp/B01LAJTTBU

and this one: https://www.amazon.com/Camcorder-Audio-Video-Cable-Stereo/dp/B07V2VZ7KP

You would connect the mic straight through, then run the left and right channels through the mixer. To do that, you'd use TRS (not TRRS) cables like this: https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-TRS-202-Insert-Cable-Meters/dp/B000068O1J Make sure to note the difference in sizes between the 1/4 inch and 1/8th inch TRS and TRRS jacks.

Speaking of, FYI, if you go with the mixer you linked and don't use a mic, you'll need two 1/8th inch to 1/4 inch TRS adapters like these (this is a five-pack): https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-5-Pack-Plated-Adapter/dp/B00PIWB2SO/

Close, try this cable:

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMS-110-Stereo-Interconnect-Cable/dp/B000068O36/

Now if you have an AUX cord (like the wire you'd use to plug an iPhone into a car or set of speakers), that's a 3.5mm stereo minijack cable. You could use that with an adapter like this- you stick this adapter in the back of the mic's receiver pack, then use your AUX cord to go from this adapter to the laptop's Mic port.

Whether you use adapter and aux cord, or the adapter cord I linked, the result is the same.

The volcas have built in speakers, so you'll be able to play and hear both at the same time with no extra equipment! But, if you need a cheap mixer to have both go into one set of headphones (if you have roommates who maybe don't want to have to listen in as you slowly learn new instruments), a lot of people are suggesting the Basil Dude, which is great. An even cheaper option is the Behringer Micromix, though it's not battery powered, and all the ins/outs are 1/4 inch mono, so you'll need to grab some of these for the inputs and one of these for the output. But, the cost of all that is still less than half of the cost of a Dude.

Nowhere specifically, I typically just grab a handful from a local Guitar Center or music store, but a quick can through amazon get me some results like these here which look about right.

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-Premium-5-Input-British/dp/B000J5UEGQ + https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-5-Pack-Plated-Adapter/dp/B00PIWB2SO/ref=zg_bs_3224439011_20?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Y3ZGNZSK0VV2T8PN6XBS use cables from the headphones out and then use the small adapters (depending on where you live they are easily available from shops like maplins(in the uk, if you are in the uk)) and then plug them into the mixer and plug the headphones into the mixer, audio levels can be changed for both instruments, and the mix etc

What might be the easiest thing to in your situation is to buy this

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Micromix-MX400-Low-Noise-4-Channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=behringer+micromix&qid=1558924992&s=gateway&sprefix=behringer+micro&sr=8-1

And take the aux outputs from the devices into that with the output into the speakers.

You'll also need these too since the mixer uses 1/4" receivers unlike the 1/8th typically found in your computer and other things

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-5-Pack-Plated-Adapter/dp/B00PIWB2SO/ref=pd_aw_sim_267_1/132-0546880-0771553?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00PIWB2SO&pd_rd_r=2e1519e2-8029-11e9-b0f3-5fc5494b71c2&pd_rd_w=6hA0x&pd_rd_wg=i2flh&pf_rd_p=469620d9-3e90-496d-9dc8-b19f900ba5fe&pf_rd_r=XTMD004EXACYSXN3MJVQ&psc=1&refRID=XTMD004EXACYSXN3MJVQ

Mod mics? You mean something like this? Those aren't going to be amazing, but honestly I've known people who record their show using their laptop's internal microphone and it sounded okay. It's more important to use what you have and produce something rather than sit on your hands and produce nothing.

That board you linked claims to have 8 inputs, but it actually has 4 stereo channels, two of which are mic-level and two are line-level. If you have more than 2 people, that's probably not a great option. I also wouldn't recommend that particular mixer because it has no USB-out. It's also going to be outputting stereo, which is to say two audio channels. You can record in stereo, but it will give you less control when editing. If you want to get a board like that, I'd recommend this one from Behringer. It's substantially the same, but has USB.

Incidentally, how many people are you going to have on your show? If it's more than two, what I'd actually recommend is something more like this 4-channel audio interface. To use those mod mics you'll need some adaptors for the 1/4" microphone plugs. But it will let you record up to 4 individual audio channels, and if you decide to upgrade to better microphones in the future you'll be able to use the same device.

You might be able to find it for less than $100, but that's the first one I came up with.

If you have more than 4 people, I think you'll have a hard time finding an effective solution for less than $100. But again, I think the quality of your show is more about the content than the fidelity of the audio.

In the adapter front, do you have this type of adapter for input 1 and input 2?

The output from the PC may not be enough drive for the mixer and the common ground connections will definitely not be at the same potential as the TV and this causes ground loop problems and the noise you hear.

I would suggest you buy a small USB to RCA/1/8 DAC, something like this that connects to the PC and has enough drive for the mixer. Goodness knows what output impedance the PC's headphone jack has, so using the DAC will overcome this limitation.

So the sequence for the PC : PC USB Port -> USB Cable A to B -> USB DAC -> Ground loop Isolator -> 1/8 cable Male/Male -> 1/8 F to 1/4 M TRS Adapter -> Mixer.

For the power supplies is not so simple. The Converter for the TV, Mixer and New DAC will have different power supplies, some 5V, 12V etc. Each is independent and 'floating', that's the problem. Ideally the -ve or 0V of each supply should be connected to mains ground and each other in a star pattern. That will guarantee no buzz, but in a consumer system, it's not so simple to achieve, since the connectors aren't readily accessible to add grounding wires.

An ifi Groundhog has enough connections to connect the mains ground to a common supply, an alternative without too much hacking and is reliable. It's also possible to use an additional Isolator in the TV line to the mixer. This should block 60Hz crud.

For now, try with the additional DAC from the PC. The DAC above is about the minimum type, you can spend $120k on DACs, so the scope is very broad.

There are several ways to find solutions to buzzing noises, each is just as complex to solve as each other, there's sometimes several steps to achieve quiet before finding the silver bullet.

Use that cable then use two 3.5mm->6.3mm adapters, like these