Headphone signal level

[Rob Lewis]

Actually, most headphone outputs are well below speaker level since 
headphones are far more sensitive than speakers. You'd blow out the 
headphones or your ears if you ran typical speaker-level signals into 
them.

Especially since you almost certainly have a headphone volume control, 
there should be no problem. Start with the volume low (or off) and 
bring it up gradually to the optimum level. Easy.

Only theoretical drawback is that you'd probably have a tiny 
(insignificant) bit more noise & distortion than from a real line level 
output, since the signal has been through a couple more stages of 
amplification.

Also beware that many Walkman-type devices put a big bass "mega-boost" 
on the headphone signal to make up for the cheap little headphones. 
Switch this off if possible.

On Sunday, May 18, 2003, at 05:17 US/Pacific, Macintosh Digital Video 
List wrote:

> Actually headphone jacks are close to speaker level because that is 
> what is in the earpieces - little speakers. If you do use headphone 
> output or speaker output, use attenuating cables inbetween that and 
> your iMic. That will know the level down low enough to be safe for the 
> receiving electronics.
>