Table of Contents
There might have been a time when you would have thought about adding more headphones to a mobile or tablet. Well, to solve the problem, you can use a splitter. So, I have added most of the essential information about headphone splitters.
You will find what they are, the types of splitters, how to overcome the challenges while using a splitter, and how exactly you can use the same. The latter part also gives the exact answers to the questions that will solve most of the queries when using a headphone splitter.
What Is A Headphone Splitter?
A Headphone Splitter is a device or cable that splits the audio signal and will allow you to add two or more headphones to be connected so that people can listen to the audio using those headphones.
It gets plugged into the audio source on one side, a PC, mobile, tablet, or laptop, and the other cord gets plugged into the headphones. They are small in size with high portability. Their weight may depend on the number of ports they support. The more the number of ports the splitter support, the bulkier it will be the size of it.
Do headphone Splitters Affect Sound Quality?
A decent headphone splitter might reduce the decibel level of the audio as the sound waves travel through additional wires, and they will create resistance in the path because of the increase in the number of headphones. Still, in most cases, it should not distort the sound quality.
Also, this decrease in volume level may not be noticeable to you or the other listeners most of the time; additionally, it does not apply to all the splitters. Therefore, it may vary from model to model. However, you can connect an external amplifier to reduce this issue, which will help maintain the audio level. Before purchasing, you must look at a few factors to ensure that the audio splitter generally provides good sound quality and lasts long.
For instance,
Metal plating:
If you are considering using a headphone splitter with multiple ports, you should prefer a gold or nickel metal plating for the connector. This is because these are the most non-reactive of all metals, which helps them avoid corrosion in the long run.
Also, they are a good conductor of electricity, which is an excellent factor for maintaining a reliable connection.
Double Shielding:
Double shielding improves sound quality, reduces sound interference, and prevents distortion by avoiding signal loss. This is important as the headphone splitters offer two or more audio output sources, which increases the chances of external sound interference.
Length and quality:
Low quality and a long wire in a splitter may lead to electrostatic resistance, lowering the sound output frequency and reproducing a distorted sound. And so, in the case of cabled splitters, the length of the cord plays a vital role in ensuring the sound quality of the audio.
To avoid any distorted effect on the sound quality through a headphone splitter, you should take care of factors like the metal plating, the length and quality of the cord, and the double shielding.
Types Of Headphone Splitters
-
6-Way Snowflake Shaped Headset Hub
The 6-way snowflake-shaped headset hub has six ports; Its name resembles the shape of a snowflake. You can connect one of the ports to the audio source, and the others act as a splitter to share the audio on the rest of the headphone jacks.
Through these, five people can enjoy the audio content together. The manufacturers have used a nickel coating to protect it from corrosion and amplify audio connectivity; it is built of nickel coating, mainly surrounding the 3.5 mm audio jack.
-
Dual Headphone Jack
Designed with ABS plastic and a PVC cable, this splitter jack has a durable and compact functionality, and you can carry them easily from one place to another. These are the most common type of headphone splitters since they are affordable in price and have a robust design.
-
5 Jack Audio Splitter
As its name suggests, a 5 Jack Audio Splitter allows five headphones to connect simultaneously. It acts as a primary hard-wired connection for the main audio source. It also has inbuilt features like mix-ins and fade-in options, which each audio player’s main controls can control. It supports mobile phones, iPods, laptops, Mp3 players, and portable DVD players.
-
3.5mm Stereo Audio Jack Adapter
This budget-friendly splitter offers two to three audio headphone sources from the primary input source. It is one of the most popular and affordable models offering the audio with the most clarity. In terms of design, the manufacturers have used a PVC jacket with a pin port, a long cable of 7 inches, and a jack of 3.5 mm, providing a small and durable design to make it easy to carry around in small spaces.
-
3.5mm Y-Splitter Cable Adapter
The Y-splitter cable provides connections for two headphones at a time. It includes a 3.5 mm pin port or plugs that supports several devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. While buying a cabled audio splitter providing dual connections, you must pay attention to the length of the cords, as there might be varying levels of the cords available for such splitters.
Also, suppose you prefer longer cables (range up to 50 inches) to have freedom of movement. In that case, there is a high chance that you may also need an amplifier to enhance the volume levels, and if you prefer shorter cables (range up to 10 inches) to avoid tangling, then there is no need for an amplifier.
What Does A Headphone Splitter Do?
A headphone splitter connects dual or multiple headphones to route the same audio. It comes with a jack of 2.5mm or, more commonly, 3.5 mm and can be connected to any smartphone, laptop, or tablet. Due to its simple and easy-to-use design, you can carry it easily from one place to another. Though, their weight depends on their size. A multi-splitter might be bulkier in comparison to a dual splitter. Due to their nature, they connect family and friends and bring them out of isolation with their devices.
How To Use It?
When using a non-cabled splitter model like a 6-way snowflake-shaped headset hub, a 5-jack audio splitter, or a dual headphone jack, you can connect the single port or plug on one side of the splitter through the audio source with a cord that mostly comes with the port. You can connect the other jacks on the opposite side of the accessory through your headphones.
In the case of the cabled splitter model, you get a long cable on one side, a single-pin port, or a plug to connect to the audio source. And on the other side, there will be dual or multiple jacks depending on your preference, to connect with headphones to split the audio. Before buying a splitter, make sure to take into consideration how many ports you need. The fewer ports a splitter has, the less bulky it will be.
Frequency Asked Questions/ FAQs
No. A headphone splitter is for splitting the route of an audio coming from a mobile, PC, or a tablet whereas a microphone splitter splits the audio coming from a microphone.
Usually, most of the splitters work with most of the headphones but there can be exceptions.
Generally, there is no impact on the sound quality when you use a splitter. Only the sound volume may decrease. You can use an amp to overcome this situation, and you will be good to go.
Connect one port of the splitter with the audio source through a cord and the rest with the headphones jack.