Can I use the iMac Speakers along with the Headphone output ???

[djbeta]

Hi,

I have an iMac G4.. the speakers are the non-usb type round Harman-Kardan speakers. They plug into a little port on the computer that looks kind of like a single RCA input (but a little smaller)...

Could anyone recommend a way that I would be able to use those speakers ALONG WITH the headphone output from the iMac for additional speakers ?

many thanks in advance

[Zammy-Sam]

This won't work. Does the harman cardon speakers have cinch plugs? Then you could simply use a jack-doubler and plug two speakers to that. But this won't give you "3d sound". The two speaker-pairs will run on mono..

[djbeta]

yes, the harman kardans have one cinch plug that plugs into the mac..

my question is... how on earth do they get stereo sound out of one cinch plug ? i'm sure the iMac doesn't ship with two harman kardan's that play in mono..

so you're suggesting i split the headphone output or the single cinch output ?

[Zammy-Sam]

one single cinch? Are you sure you are not mixing it up with the jack? A jack plug (like headphones) supports 2 channels. If you take a closer look at the cable you will see it has a two cables bound together. The cinch cable mostly has a bigger plug. Every or at least most of the amps use a 2xcinch (red and white) on 1x jack.
What I proposed was to take a jack doubler, plug your speakers and the new ones as well. Your current speakers will still run in stereo, but the new pair of speakers will get the same signal and thus you will get mono between the two speaker pairs.
Why are you trying to do this?

[djbeta]

The iMac speaker wires join together and come to an end that looks kind of like a typical RCA cinch connector, but it's actually a mini-stereo headphone jack in the middle surrounded by a little metal ring (looks like a connector I've never seen before and I'm a dj) I'm doing this because the lab who uses this computer wants to run a few speakers into other parts of the lab and would like to utilize the little harman kardans that came with the imac.

anyone have an idea of what type of connector those harman kardans have ?

[Zammy-Sam]

sounds like some professional work that you want to do with it. Maybe you should think of Airport Express? The problem is, that you can't use different sound-plugs at the same time. I have a bluetooth headset and I can't have the sound on my internal speakers, my audio out and the bluetooth headset at the same time. So, if you want to have a low-cost solution, the jack doubler is the only way. In worst case you will need an adapter for your harman kardon plug..

[ElDiabloConCaca]

The Apple Pro Speakers use a proprietary connection that resembles a 1/8" headphone jack plug, but it isn't.

You're not gonna get what you want out of this. The Apple Pro Speakers must be plugged into the Apple Pro Speaker port on the computer, and any 1/8" plug devices you have must be connected to the 1/8" audio-out port of the computer.

The reason is that the Apple Pro Speaker port is powered, while the 1/8" audio-out port is unpowered. That's why you don't have to plug the Apple Pro Speakers into any kind of power, while you must plug in any powered speakers that you use with the 1/8" audio-out port (or suffer through barely-audible sound).

As far as I know, there are no converters that convert from one plug to another, although I'm sure one could be fabricated -- I wouldn't attempt it, though, unless you're skilled with electronics (and I don't mean you have no trouble programmign a VCR) and know the ins, outs and inner workings of both of those ports.

I would suggest ditching the Pro Speakers altogether, then splitting the audio out of the 1/8" jack as suggested.

[djbeta]

thanks a bunch.