Listen to two radios at the same time

[tdenfuny]

This isn't really a scanner question, but related. I hope it is appropriate for this forum. If you have two scanners and you want to listen to both at the same time using headphones, how do you best do that?

I know that you can buy things that split a headphone jack into two. But can you get something similar that will combine two headphone lines into one line?

 

[wtp]

just a thought

you might go for the right/left stereo thing not mono.
i have thought about it for the portables.
but at home i just run them all and try to sort it out.

 

[mmckenna]

RDL Homepage makes some interesting little products that might do what you want. Take a look at their site and look at the "stick-on" products. We've used a few of these various little gadgets for things at work, specifically mixing multiple radios into one mono output to an amplifier in a fire station. You might need to get a bit creative with it, but it's doable.

 

[Ubbe]

If you can tolerate to have one scanner audio in left ear and the other in right, then this type of cable can be used:

6ft 3.5mm 2-Mono Male to Stereo Female Audio Joiner Cable, CablesOnline AV-Y08K | eBay

To mix two sources to one headphone:

SkullCandy Motorola Dual Audio Mixer Stereo Headset w/ PTT NNTN5751 PNNTN5751PA | eBay

Other option are to use a proper stereo mixer with headphone output, that often include a pan adjustment with each input to place the audio anywhere in the stereo image from left to right.

/Ubbe

 

[DPD1]

Look on some music equipment dealer sites. Just search under 'mixer' or 'headphone mixer'. You will find all kinds of models. Specifically, off the top of my head... something like the ART MacroMix would probably work for you.

 

[davidzimmerman]

2 radios same time

I monitor 4 radio's same time with NO head phones lol

 

[davidzimmerman]

2 rados same time

I monitor 4 radios same time NO head phones lol

 

[ofd8001]

At night I'm listening to one scanner and one iPod through the same set of headphones. I have a "Y" connector (2 males x 1 female). I believe I got the connector at Radio Shack years ago.

 

[majoco]

I monitor 4 radios at one time via a 4-channel mixer fed from the external speaker outlets on the radios into a good speaker. The mixer has tone controls and a master volume so I can kill the lot with one control.

 

[bharvey2]

Either a line or headphone mixer would work depending upon you output source from the radio. If you listen to just two, wiring a stereo headphone for one right/one left will work too. Don't tie the outputs of two sources directly together. That is bad for the output stages.

 

[Ubbe]

I monitor 4 radios at one time via a 4-channel mixer fed from the external speaker outlets on the radios into a good speaker.

Is this a standard line mixer and you have to use an active amplified speaker for the output,
or have you found a 8 ohm loudspeaker input to 8 ohm loudspeaker out mixer?

/Ubbe

 

[sparklehorse]

What's very worked well for me is to wear a set of small, foam earbuds (like iPhone earbuds) that are connected to one scanner, and then wear a set of large headphones over the top which are connected to the other radio. This gives you good audio from both units in both ears, and isolates you well from background room noise. Then you can adjust the volume balance to your liking, for instance making one radio barely audible so you can keep tabs on it without it being too distracting.

.

 

[majoco]

Is this a standard line mixer and you have to use an active amplified speaker for the output

The mixer is a four channel kitset that I made up about ten years ago - I don't think it's available now.

K5353 - Silicon Chip Magazine Versatile 4 Channel Mixer Kit - Altronics

At one time I used a pair of computer speakers - now I have a small stereo amp in the back of the cabinet driving a pair of small three way speakers - sounds good!