This little box has been so helpful and it didn’t really cost anything to make.
It’s a box that takes one stereo signal and splits it into two, or vice versa.
While the design is not perfect, it’s invaluable for me and my one-room studio.
Parts:
—A box (I used a Hammond box, I think, but an Altoids tin would work just fine)
—Three unswitched TRS (tip/ring/sleeve) stereo 1/4-inch jacks
—Wire
Tools:
—Soldering iron and solder
—Drill
Time to complete the project:
—Less than an hour
Additional Note:
I used insulated jacks (plastic). Use of jacks with metal shafts, and a metal box, would the need for a ground (green) wire. However, building it this way might increase interference.
The only downside of the design is that if you’re using two different sets of headphones, the volumes will be different due to the impedance difference. However, if you’re aware of it, you can work around it.
Jon Tidey is a Producer/Engineer who runs his own studio, EPIC Sounds, and enjoys writing about audio on his blog AudioGeekZine.com. To comment or ask questions about this article go here.