Puzzler: Apple Pro Speakers plug & jack adapters OR another solution?

Norm Nager · 01-02-2004, 04:11 PM

Apple Pro Speakers plug & G4 speaker jack adapters OR can you suggest another solution, please?

OPTION A: Does anyone know where one could buy:

1. Adapter for my "Apple Pro Speakers" to plug into one of the top arms of a 1/8" Y-shaped splitter?

2. Adapter for my 733-mhz G4 QuickSilver tower speakers jack so I could plug into it the base of the Y-shaped 1/8" splitter?

Frys' Mac specialist told me what I need are adapters from 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm but that they don't sell them. Neither does Radio Shack.

Apple sales and tech support both told me Apple makes no parts that would do the job.

What I'd like to do is plug the base of the Y-shaped splitter into an adapter to the G4's speakers jack and the Apple Pro Speakers into the adapter on one of the top parts of the Y. On the other top part of the Y, I'd plug in my 40 feet of extenders to some Radio Shack speakers in the living room.

[OPTION B: OR Is there any other way to hear sound through both the speakers jack and the headphone jack at the same time?

The G4 has a speakers jack and a headphone jack. But you can't hear music out of both at the same time: If you plug anything into the headphone jack, it cuts off all sound from the speakers. And because the G4 tower is under my desk and all the ports are on the back of it, one has to crawl under the desk with a flashlight to be able to insert or remove the headphone jack. That's so cumbersome that it's not a viable option.

DeltaMac · 01-02-2004, 05:58 PM

Check out Detour by Rogue Amoeba. It'll allow you to send audio through any combination of inputs and outputs. Also check THIS PAGE for a selection of unusual audio-type products. (iFire and iMic are the best.)

jhillestad · 01-03-2004, 12:38 AM

I believe those speakers are digital or something. I didnt think a headjack convertor would be enough, the output needs to be digital as well. I'm not a 100% sure. To be honest, the speakers look cool but aren't that powerful. I replaced mine with creatures then logitechs...

Norm Nager · 01-03-2004, 01:47 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by DeltaMac Check out Detour by Rogue Amoeba. It'll allow you to send audio through any combination of inputs and outputs. Also check THIS PAGE for a selection of unusual audio-type products. (iFire and iMic are the best.)

Thanks very much for the Griffin Technolgy and Rogue Amoeba urls, DeltaMac.

Griffin Technology's ProSpeaker Breakout Cable could well be the solution! The web description of the cable looks most promising . I'll call when they're back from the holidays Monday.

A future--but not the current--version of Detour might work. I downloaded and test drove it yesterday and then had the following exchange with Rogue Amoeba tech support:

Me: "The Detour preference panel did not give me an options for the Apple Pro Speakers mode. I did hear both the internal speaker at the same time as the headphone-jack-connected speakers in the other room, but not the Apple Pro Speakers, which I'd prefer to the internal speaker. . . ."

Tech Support "Currently, this is not possible. It's something we're considering for the future, but we'll have to see what happens."

Norm Nager · 01-05-2004, 02:09 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by Norm Nager Griffin Technology's ProSpeaker Breakout Cable could well be the solution! The web description of the cable looks most promising

I called Griffin Technology and was told that nothing they sell, including the ProSpeaker Breakout Cable, would help provide a solution.

Ah, well, we tried!

DeltaMac · 01-05-2004, 04:36 PM

The answer is - headphone extension cable - 3 ft should do the trick. plug into the headphone jack, run other end to convenient place. Plug in standard 'Y' headphone adapter to the extension. Plug speakers from other room to one side of the 'Y'. Plug another set of 'standard' speakers for use next to the computer to the other side of the 'Y'. The only way to use the Apple Pro speakers in this combination is (you can't unless you unplug the headphone extension, which you said you don't want to do because of the location under your desk)

saint.duo · 01-05-2004, 09:08 PM

I don't know if it will help you (your dilemma is a little confusing to me), but the Griffin iFire will allow you to connect the Apple Pro Speakers to a regular audio jack and firewire port.

DeltaMac · 01-05-2004, 10:16 PM

Appears Norm Nager wants to connect speakers (in another room) to the headphone jack, and listen to the Apple Pro speakers at the same time. Are there other options?

saint.duo · 01-06-2004, 09:25 PM

Ooooooh.

I'd use a headphone jack splitter, connect that to the headphone jack on the tower, and then hook the iFire to one port on the splitter, and the other speakers to the other port on the splitter.

The signal quality may degrade too much, though. I'm not sure. Probably depends on the speakers and the things being played.

Norm Nager · 01-07-2004, 12:02 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by saint.duo I'd use a headphone jack splitter, connect that to the headphone jack on the tower, and then hook the iFire to one port on the splitter, and the other speakers to the other port on the splitter. . . .

Aha! I just ordered iFire. I called Griffin Technology once again and the person I talked to this time LISTENED carefully and said that this would allow me to move sound through both my Apple Pro Speakers AND my conventional speakers in the other room, albeit with some loss of volume.

After Delta Mac thoughtfully suggested iFire as one of three options the other day, the person I talked to at Griffin was so focused on the ProSpeaker Breakout Cable that when I mentioned iFire he said Griffin didn't have anything that would work.

The volume difference might not be too noticeable inasmuch as I do not set it that high. 40+ years ago, a professor of music appreciation told me I had a "tin ear." That was then; tinnitus is now. So a bit of degradation of sound would be unlikely to bother me.

If it did, with my conventional 8-foot extension coming out of the earphone jack to the splitter, I'd be able to disconnect either set of speakers with ease while playing the music to one room or the other. Yes! No more crawling under the desk with a flashlight.

Delta Mac, I shouldn't have given up so easily when I first mentioned to the Griffin guy iFire as an alternative to the ProSpeaker Breakout Cable. Your suggestion was excellent, indeed.

Saint.duo, I'm so glad you persisted in recommending iFire.

Thank you both very much!

Respectfully, Norm

globeriding · 03-24-2004, 05:48 PM

I'd like to know how this turned out for you... I am contemplating about doing the same thing. Is volume and sound degradation serious with the iFire and the splitter?

Thanks.

Keith.

Norm Nager · 03-24-2004, 06:57 PM

Quote:


	Originally posted by globeriding I'd like to know how this turned out for you... I am contemplating about doing the same thing. Is volume and sound degradation serious with the iFire and the splitter? Keith.

Hey, I did not get an "A" in Music Appreciation in college long ago so I may not be your best authority. That said, it sounds great to me and my family.

Respectfully, Norm

M. Elkins · 05-02-2004, 10:07 PM

I wanted to connect my G4's audio output to my Sony amp. I bought a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter from Jaycar Electronics (similar to Radio Shack) here in Sydney and discovered that although the ProSpeaker port is a 2.5mm jack, its shell is proprietary. So the 2.5mm adapter's contacts wouldn't line up correctly and my G4 complained that an unrecognized device had been connected. The Griffin ProSpeaker breakout cable appears to use Apple's shell, so I intend to buy one to rewire with RCA connectors.

DeltaMac · 05-03-2004, 07:08 AM

Why not just use the headphone port? It's already 3.5 mm, no special adapter needed, and should be the same output level.

M. Elkins · 05-06-2004, 04:23 AM

That is a very good observation. The reason is that I'm connecting my Mac to both my video editing system and to my home theater system in a different room through the two ports. The headphone port acts as a cheap (free) A/B switch.

01-02-2004, 04:11 PM	#1
Norm Nager All Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 962	Puzzler: Apple Pro Speakers plug & jack adapters OR another solution? Apple Pro Speakers plug & G4 speaker jack adapters OR can you suggest another solution, please? OPTION A: Does anyone know where one could buy: 1. Adapter for my "Apple Pro Speakers" to plug into one of the top arms of a 1/8" Y-shaped splitter? 2. Adapter for my 733-mhz G4 QuickSilver tower speakers jack so I could plug into it the base of the Y-shaped 1/8" splitter? Frys' Mac specialist told me what I need are adapters from 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm but that they don't sell them. Neither does Radio Shack. Apple sales and tech support both told me Apple makes no parts that would do the job. What I'd like to do is plug the base of the Y-shaped splitter into an adapter to the G4's speakers jack and the Apple Pro Speakers into the adapter on one of the top parts of the Y. On the other top part of the Y, I'd plug in my 40 feet of extenders to some Radio Shack speakers in the living room. [OPTION B: OR Is there any other way to hear sound through both the speakers jack and the headphone jack at the same time? The G4 has a speakers jack and a headphone jack. But you can't hear music out of both at the same time: If you plug anything into the headphone jack, it cuts off all sound from the speakers. And because the G4 tower is under my desk and all the ports are on the back of it, one has to crawl under the desk with a flashlight to be able to insert or remove the headphone jack. That's so cumbersome that it's not a viable option. Last edited by Norm Nager; 01-02-2004 at 04:16 PM.

03-24-2004, 05:48 PM	#11
globeriding Prospect Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 13	results.... I'd like to know how this turned out for you... I am contemplating about doing the same thing. Is volume and sound degradation serious with the iFire and the splitter? Thanks. Keith.

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01-02-2004, 05:58 PM	#2
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	Check out Detour by Rogue Amoeba. It'll allow you to send audio through any combination of inputs and outputs. Also check THIS PAGE for a selection of unusual audio-type products. (iFire and iMic are the best.)

01-03-2004, 12:38 AM	#3
jhillestad Triple-A Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 141	I believe those speakers are digital or something. I didnt think a headjack convertor would be enough, the output needs to be digital as well. I'm not a 100% sure. To be honest, the speakers look cool but aren't that powerful. I replaced mine with creatures then logitechs...

01-05-2004, 04:36 PM	#6
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	The answer is - headphone extension cable - 3 ft should do the trick. plug into the headphone jack, run other end to convenient place. Plug in standard 'Y' headphone adapter to the extension. Plug speakers from other room to one side of the 'Y'. Plug another set of 'standard' speakers for use next to the computer to the other side of the 'Y'. The only way to use the Apple Pro speakers in this combination is (you can't unless you unplug the headphone extension, which you said you don't want to do because of the location under your desk)

01-05-2004, 09:08 PM	#7
saint.duo MVP Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,077	I don't know if it will help you (your dilemma is a little confusing to me), but the Griffin iFire will allow you to connect the Apple Pro Speakers to a regular audio jack and firewire port.

01-05-2004, 10:16 PM	#8
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	Appears Norm Nager wants to connect speakers (in another room) to the headphone jack, and listen to the Apple Pro speakers at the same time. Are there other options?

01-06-2004, 09:25 PM	#9
saint.duo MVP Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,077	Ooooooh. I'd use a headphone jack splitter, connect that to the headphone jack on the tower, and then hook the iFire to one port on the splitter, and the other speakers to the other port on the splitter. The signal quality may degrade too much, though. I'm not sure. Probably depends on the speakers and the things being played.

05-02-2004, 10:07 PM	#13
M. Elkins Prospect Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2	I wanted to connect my G4's audio output to my Sony amp. I bought a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter from Jaycar Electronics (similar to Radio Shack) here in Sydney and discovered that although the ProSpeaker port is a 2.5mm jack, its shell is proprietary. So the 2.5mm adapter's contacts wouldn't line up correctly and my G4 complained that an unrecognized device had been connected. The Griffin ProSpeaker breakout cable appears to use Apple's shell, so I intend to buy one to rewire with RCA connectors.

05-03-2004, 07:08 AM	#14
DeltaMac League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 7,958	Why not just use the headphone port? It's already 3.5 mm, no special adapter needed, and should be the same output level.

05-06-2004, 04:23 AM	#15
M. Elkins Prospect Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2	That is a very good observation. The reason is that I'm connecting my Mac to both my video editing system and to my home theater system in a different room through the two ports. The headphone port acts as a cheap (free) A/B switch.