Mono or stereo splitters

I just got back from radioshack, and I bought a few things to make my digital speakers work alittle better. I bought a 1/8 mono headphone plug to 2 phono plug y adapter. Did I need to get stereo to make this work, or will mono work ok?
I have heard in other forums that you are supposed to use mono rather than stereo when using surround sound.
BTW- Cant test it yet cause I am still waiting for my Audigy 2 to come in the mail. (cant wait)

 

It may be a good thing you haven't tested it yet. It would be a good idea to check the manual carefully before you proceed -- and if necessary, check with the card manufacturer.

Plugging a mono plug into a stereo jack will short one channel to ground -- which will fry the output stage of the shorted channel if there's any significant output power involved. The other way around (stereo plug in a mono jack) usually just means that one channel gets no signal.

Count the number of conductors that have to be provided for in the connection. A mono plug or jack will provide for two conductors; a stereo plug or jack will provide for three. You can see how many are provided for in the plug -- just count the metal segments in the shaft and tip.

If the connection has to provide for more conductors than that, you'll probably need a Cannon or DIN connector. If that's the case, you won't be able to get it wrong. Either the plug will mate with the jack, or it won't.

Stereo headphones usually need three conductors, i.e. a stereo plug/jack. (Big surprise ) Satellite speakers usually need two conductors -- for each speaker.

 

Thanks for the reply, but I am putting the splitter in a wierd position. This is my setup, if it will help you figure this out.

Soundcard--->Y Adapter Audio Cable (mono to two phono)--->Analog to Digital A/V Signal Converter--->Toslink Calble--->Logitech 5500z Speaker Control Center

I have the two phono plugs that will plug into the red and white ports on the converter, and on the other end of the converter I have a toslink jack which will go to the speakers.

Let me know if this will work cause I just tracked my soundcard, and it is two towns over on the delivery truck on it's way to my house!!!!

 

I have no idea about the rest of the hookup -- but I'm concerned about what you may do to your sound card.

If that's a stereo jack you're about to put a mono plug into, one channel will be shorted to ground by the shaft of the mono plug. It won't do the card any good.

If the sound card's jack is a line-level output (i.e., designed to feed a set of powered speakers), you may get away with it. But I wouldn't bet on it. Even if there's no damage, the loss of voltage in the one channel may upset the balance of the other.

If that jack provides enough output to drive an unpowered speaker, you probably will fry one channel in your sound card.

But if the jack on your sound card is a mono jack, you should be OK. But check the card's manual. Carefully.

 

Audigy provides a line level stereo output, not a speaker output. But you're right; should use a stereo out cord, and adapt as necessary at the other end to avoid plug/jack mismatch.