Am I missing something?

[Feral Kat]

Unfortunately I'm no Audio expert so I may just be missing something obvious, essentially I have just got a Samson S-Mix (http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/processors/s-class-mini/smix/) in order to combine audio from my iPad, PC and Laptop. It does the job excellently in this regard however my problem is when trying to listen with headphones the audio only comes out of the left ear. I have tested with three sets, my Sennheiiser HD 558's and my Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro's both experience the issue but if I plug in some standard apple ear buds with a 1/4" adapter they seem to work just fine.

 

The only thing that that I can think of is maybe I need a headphone amp?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[t0wer]

I believe you are missing a channel.

you have 3 stereo sources.

stereo carries 2 channels each.

 

you are trying to input 6 channels into a 5 channel mixer.

[Guest Generallee]

Unplug one of your sources and try again

[Feral Kat]

I believe you are missing a channel.

you have 3 stereo sources.

stereo carries 2 channels each.

 

you are trying to input 6 channels into a 5 channel mixer.

 

Tried with just one plugged in, same issue.

 

I have also tested again with the apple headphones and although sound is coming from both sides it is mono rather than stereo

[creatip123]

Looking from the specs:

 

5-channel mini mixer
XLR balanced microphone input with volume control
RCA stereo inputs with volume control
1/4" stereo inputs with volume control
RCA stereo outputs
1/4" instrument level output
18 Volt AC adapter included

 

I think stereo output is only available through the RCA jacks. I think the 1/4" instrument level is originally intended to check the level of the overall mix only, thus it's mono instead of stereo.

 

Apple earbuds got 4 polarities (distinguishable by 3 isolator rings, compared to 2 isolator rings of regular stereo plug). When plugged to stereo jack, or stereo size adapter (3,5mm to 1/4"), sometimes it's not seated properly to the inside contacts, causing it to read the mono signal in the left and right polarities. 

 

Solution maybe to get an RCA to mini adapter (RCA to 3,5mm). But very advisable to use a headphone amp in between, not to boost the volume, but rather to protect the headphone, by controlling the volume. 

[ShearMe]

I think stereo output is only available through the RCA jacks. I think the 1/4" instrument level is originally intended to check the level of the overall mix only, thus it's mono instead of stereo.

 

The circuit diagram on the top shows everything in stereo - I think OP's problem is just faulty parts.

[t0wer]

Oh, they are stereo input, I didn't look far enough into it. but usually 1 channel = mono, 2 channel = stereo.

anyway, back to the problem, on the features page.

• 1/4" instrument level output

no instrument I know of is stereo.

I'm going to say it's a mono jack(maybe balanced?)

 

if you get a headphone amp and plug it from the s-mix's rca that should get you stereo.

[ShearMe]

I'm going to say it's a mono jack(maybe balanced?)

 

Again, circuit diagram.

 

[creatip123]

The circuit diagram on the top shows everything in stereo - I think OP's problem is just faulty parts.

 

Got curious and downloaded the pdf manual. I think the inputs are mono. The 1/4" output in the front is also mono. 

 

 

The highlighted words....

[ShearMe]

Got curious and downloaded the pdf manual. I think the inputs are mono. The 1/4" output in the front is also mono.

 

Hmm, it seems there's discrepancies even within Samson's own documentation.

 

[t0wer]

well that's not confusing at all. :unsure:

[creatip123]

 

Hmm, it seems there's discrepancies even within Samson's own documentation.

 

 

 

Yeah, from the first few pages, I concluded that the output jack is stereo, but it's the input jacks that are mono. Which makes sense more, with the OP's description, getting sound only from 1 ear (need to plug to 2 channels to get stereo). Reading the last page's specs, I changed my conclusion. Now I just think the writer of the manual don't really know their own products' specs.....

[Feral Kat]

Okay so I actually swapped it out with Amazon thinking it was faulty, plugged the new one in and same thing... Just come back on here and seen all your replies (Very helpful).

 

One thing I'm still unsure of is even using the RCA in the output is still mono. Would it make more sense to send it back again and try and find another solution?

 

EDIT: Would this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-502-Xenyx-mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1399843588&sr=8-3&keywords=Behringer+Xenyx) be a better option?

[ShearMe]

Would it make more sense to send it back again and try and find another solution?

 

EDIT: Would this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-502-Xenyx-mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1399843588&sr=8-3&keywords=Behringer+Xenyx) be a better option?

 

Yes, I think that would be the fastest, easiest, and cheapest solution. Just make sure you have the stereo to mono cables necessary to hook everything up.

[Feral Kat]

Yes, I think that would be the fastest, easiest, and cheapest solution. Just make sure you have the stereo to mono cables necessary to hook everything up.

 

Like these? http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000068O3C/ref=s9_simh_gw_p267_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0V56TQJ845W37FQ4BZQ8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455344027&pf_rd_i=468294

[ShearMe]

Like these? http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000068O3C/ref=s9_simh_gw_p267_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0V56TQJ845W37FQ4BZQ8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455344027&pf_rd_i=468294

 

Yes, if the device you're connecting uses 3.5mm.