[Mr.T]

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
"AZ Nomad" wrote...
Richard Crowley wrote:
The simple and inexpensive method is to just use a "Y-cable"
which connects the Left and Right outputs together to form a
monaural signal combined from both. This is effective most of
the time, and with reasonable quality.

That's a terrible solution. If you mix them and the outputs don't
like being shorted together then you'll end up with horrible
distortion.

Yes that is the common theory. However, I have actually done
this many times and I have NEVER had "horrible distortion".
Sorry to hear that you have had such poor luck.

The reason this works is that the analog outputs from most
audio equipment (consumer and professional) is NOT zero
impedance. They all have some amount of output resistance,
most typically with a simple series resistor in the output if you
look at the circuit schematics. Pro equipment typically has
~600 ohm resistors in series with the outputs, and consumer
stuff has at least 1K and likely higher.

Which is perfectly true for line level outputs, but NOT necessarily for iPod
headphone outputs.


Now it is true that SOME equipment may have very low output
impedance and will be affected by shorting to another output,
but I have personally never encountered such equipment.

I don't have an iPod, but it probably comes under "such equipment".
Whether it will be affected can usually be determined by trying it :-)

MrT.