Need Pro Advice On Audiophile 192 Audio Connection

I have an M-Audio Audiophile 192 and only headphones (no monitors) to listen with. The card is functioning as both my primary PC audio and for use with Sonar 8.5 Producer.
 
The 192 has a breakout cables with two pairs of audio outs, Main and Monitor, each with separate balanced 1/4" TRS jacks for Left and Right, a total of 4 jacks.
 
What cables/connectors should I use to make the connection with my 1/4" stereo headphones plug? I have received conflicting advice and I'd really like input from pros.

dude, there probably aren't any 'pros' using this card!!

heheh

Let's see:

mixer -- yes, understood, but due to budget issues I had to return small Mackie VLZ3 mixer I bought to solve this problem, thus the problem, same problem with headphone amp. I should have put this in my post.

no pros use this card -- You're probably right, but the choice of card is not the "pro" aspect of my question, it's resolving the conflicting advice. I figure it might take a pro to help me.

users manual -- yes. It tells me only what I have related about the outs.

maudio tech support -- no phone support, tried to navigate their redirects to Avid and created a login to submit a question, but they do not give you the option of selecting any of the M-Audio audio interfaces in order to do so. Thus I'm trying here in case I can get some help.

Thanks for any responses, including those above.

Right batsbrew. I saw the manual. On mine its page 18. It tells me basically the connections as I outlined above. What I'm trying to figure out is this: Do I need two (or twin) TRS plugs, one for Left and one for Right, that then resolve into into a single (female) TRS jack by means of a Y-connector? But the Y-connectors I've seen are two monos input and one TRS output. It is my understanding that mono=TS, not TRS, which is a stereo signal. Since on the 192 both Left and Right are TRS or stereo outputs, and I guess that's where I and those I've spoken with are running into confusion. Can I put TS connectors (for mono) into the 192 TRS outs? I don't know, and neither does anyone I've been able to speak to about it.

By the way, I've discovered so far is that there seems to be plenty of power for the headphones. I can hear signal just fine at half volume.

If I'm trying to put a square peg in a round hole, I guess I just need to hear that. I don't want to waste anyone's time. I wonder if I already have. Cryin' shame I had to return my small Mackie desktop mixer.

Sorry about the Mackie. Maybe a cheapo Behringer for now?

But if you think you have a temporary solution with adapter cables, go for it.

Well, maybe a USB unit would have had you up and running by now, but I don't think you made a bad choice with the M-Audio PCI card.

Good luck on a temporary solution.

john6448 - "But the Y-connectors I've seen are two monos input and one TRS output. It is my understanding that mono=TS, not TRS, which is a stereo signal. Since on the 192 both Left and Right are TRS or stereo outputs, and I guess that's where I and those I've spoken with are running into confusion. Can I put TS connectors (for mono) into the 192 TRS outs? I don't know, and neither does anyone I've been able to speak to about it."

John - yes, you can use TS cables with these outputs.  The manual states that they are "balanced/unalanced plugs" plugs.  Therein <I believe> lies your confusion.  They are not "stereo" although they use a TRS connector - rather they are "balanced".  But you can use a basic mono "TS" plug and YES, one is Left and one is Right which gives you your stereo connection. 

However, these are line level signals and I still don't think you will be happy with the output as they are not meant to be used with headphones.  If you choose to, use a "Y" cable 2 X 1/4" TRS-M -> 1 x 1/8" TRS-F.

It would be better even at the least if you had a stereo/boombox with input connections and use the headphone out of that.

Even better would be to spend $22 on THIS

EDIT: or what Frank says :-)

That interface is just as good as any other. Who say the pros don't use them? If you get a Y cable with mono on both ends and a female. You can plug in you stereo headphone and monitor via the two main outs or the two monitor outs.

After transcending several galaxies I finally got your reply. The SNR on that card is very high comparable to other recommended cards. I have been using one for quite a while with satisfactory results.

Is it possible to connect the 1/42 TRS to the RCA?


yes, this is what i do.


i have two connections, using standard high quality rca cables going into TRS-RCA adapters, i use the master pair for my monitors, and the 'monitor' pair, for my headphone amp, which is a yamaha natural sound amplifier.
works fine.