iPod External speakers, guitar amp, adapters (Help)

[Astral Cars]

Okay, I don't relaly know which forum this belongs in, but I'm hoping someone might know the answer.

Currently my PB is set up with a maxell headphones splitter coming out of the headphones jack. In one I have a set of speakers plugged in and in the other a guitar amp (using a 1/4" cable and a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter.) The problem that occures is that only one of the speakers works. The left one plays the left channel and the guitar amp also plays the left channel. Now obviously the amp is only going to play one channel and it's hooked up with a mono cable and adapter, but the speakers should both work. Obviously the headphones splitter should be stereo, because otherwise it would be a really poorly designed product. The speakers are plugged in with the stereo cord that came with them and both do work if I just plug them in directly. So does anyone know why the right speaker isn't working and why the right channel doesn't come through anywhere?

 

[rjphoto]

Okay, I don't relaly know which forum this belongs in, but I'm hoping someone might know the answer.

Currently my PB is set up with a maxell headphones splitter coming out of the headphones jack. In one I have a set of speakers plugged in and in the other a guitar amp (using a 1/4" cable and a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter.) The problem that occures is that only one of the speakers works. The left one plays the left channel and the guitar amp also plays the left channel. Now obviously the amp is only going to play one channel and it's hooked up with a mono cable and adapter, but the speakers should both work. Obviously the headphones splitter should be stereo, because otherwise it would be a really poorly designed product. The speakers are plugged in with the stereo cord that came with them and both do work if I just plug them in directly. So does anyone know why the right speaker isn't working and why the right channel doesn't come through anywhere?

I take it you have already tried swapping the plugs around?

Pull the plug out and make sure it has 3 sections on the tip for stereo. I have a few 1/4" splitters that are not stereo.

 

[Jay42]

Yep, I second the suggestion about making sure the plug is stereo. Should have three metal sections or two colored bands.

 

[Poeben]

You might want to try using a 1/4" TRS plug to go to your guitar amp. Basically, if you plug in a MONO TS plug into a STEREO TRS jack you will short one of the channels. That sounds like what may be happening. It will also affect your speakers too since you will be shorting both sides of the splitter.

Now, my question is..why are you hooking up your powerbook to a guitar amp?!?

 

[Astral Cars]

First off, yes, the headphones splitter is stereo as I already mentioned. And I have tried switching the amp and the speakers.

I was kinda wondering as Poeben mentioned if plugging something mono into one makes them both mono, if that is the case, that is my problem.

As for the why, basically because the speakers I have are only slightly better than the ones in my PB, so the guitar amp (even though it's tiny and not that nice) gives me better sound and much louder possibilities as well. The reason for keeping the speakers hooked up to was for the sake of getting the left and right channels and the amp would be used to add volume to the mix as a whole.

Any further suggestions are more than welcome.

 

[Poeben]

Also, I forgot to mention that if you only plug in the 1/4" mono cable part way into the splitter it should work out better for you. Depending on how far you put it in will affect what channel(s) you will hear. Not a great solution, but can work in a pinch.