Got my Sonic Voom headphones, now what?

[kodaz]

i just got my new sonic voom today. Reading the posts i see this part:

> red - unused
> green - unused
> red/green - left audio
> gold - shield or ground
>
> 2nd cord...
> red - unused
> green - unused
> red/gold - right audio
> gold - shield or ground

My question is does this mean i connect the red AND green to the left audio.

The red AND gold to the right audio?

I was hoping to understand this a bit better before i tackle it.
thanks
Kodaz

 

[Pixl]

Sorry for the confusion, the spoken word just does not aways convey the original message. I should try to put together some pictures of this procedure. But mean time when you get the wire cut and stripped of it's jacket you will see four bundles of wire. One bundle has red hair wires twisted together, next bundle has green hair wires, next bundle has both red and green hair wires twisted in sort of a striped pattern distinctly different from the other bundles. That is the one you need for +left audio. Gold is your ground. Similar procedure for the right audio when you get that stripped. Just tin the ends of the bundles you need and splice them on to a RCA cord.

Jim

 

[kodaz]

thank you

 

[Pixl]

I might add before you cut anything test the setup with the headphones, make sure it is decoding AC3 audio and pass thru regular audio.

 

[SATire]

I've not had any time to look at this lately but mine just works as pass-through so far, it's not decoding anything. But, I didn't have to cut any wires.

 

[kodaz]

mine do decode ok, and by following the kind folks here instructions, my coolsat 6000 now decodes ac3!! I am very pleased with the results. This forum rules.
Thanks for the help.
Kodaz

 

[Pixl]

mine do decode ok, and by following the kind folks here instructions, my coolsat 6000 now decodes ac3!! I am very pleased with the results. This forum rules.
Thanks for the help.
Kodaz

Kodaz,

Did you do the headphone cable mod? How is your sound level?

 

[SATire]

So are we saying that this only works with the wiring mod then?

 

[kodaz]

I cut the wires after that box that is supposed to be an inline amp, the volume is very good from that point. I did not solder to rc plugs but rather I used one of those old old old headphone jacks and adapted down to miniature. That way I can hook it to anything in my home easy. My favorite thing to hook to is one of those FM transmitters.
I tested it hooked to the aux on my receiver and tested it connected to the fm transmitter.
Both ways I have darn good sound, not perfect, but good. This mod with this decoder is most cost effective!! I would recommend it to anyone short on cash.

 

[Pixl]

Nice Job. Glad it worked out for you.

Jim

 

[SATire]

I wish I could just find a two decoder, rack mount solution and not have to mess with such tiny wires

 

[Pixl]

So are we saying that this only works with the wiring mod then?

It should work with the stock headphones with no mods. If you get pass thru audio on from standard sat channels but nothing from AC3 channels then there is something defective with your decoder. Also you don't have to cut and solder wires, see Iceberg's post #2 at the beginning of this thread. It's just that the audio level is lower with a patch cord, but still usable.

 

[SATire]

I bought two of them, connected as Ice suggested. Both do the exact same thing, audio pass-through, no AC3 decoding.

 

[Skyscanner]

Satire
I always find it suspicious when 2 units are "bad". If I had your trouble, here are some things I would look at.
1 Is your rx directly feeding your Sonic?
2 Are you using optical or coax? Connections secure?
3 Is the Sonic set accordingly? Look at the led. Switch it to the proper mode. Power loss means you have to reset.
4 Are you using the AC adapter? Is it working? Led must be lit.
5 Make sure the slide switch is all the way left in the "DC 5V on" position, not "charge" or "batt on". Set for coax or optical.
6 [I know this is a dumb question] Are you on a channel that has AC3 such as "Create" on 125W?
As others have said, you should get AC3 through the phones. I think that if you recheck the slide switch and other connections, it will work for you. Once you get AC3 through the phones, you can do the mod TantalusFld came up with, works like a charm. Mine will produce extra volume to the point of overmodulation, and I actually have to dial it back.
ss ><>

 

[SATire]

>I always find it suspicious when 2 units are "bad".

I just figured there's nothing wrong with the units since they act the same way.

>1 Is your rx directly feeding your Sonic?

Not sure what you mean on #1.

>2 Are you using optical or coax? Connections secure?

My geosat only has coaxial but my traxis has both. I've only tried coaxial so far.

>3 Is the Sonic set accordingly? Look at the led. Switch it to the
>proper mode. Power loss means you have to reset.

Switch is set to coaxial. There's not much to set on these things but I've looked at that also.

>4 Are you using the AC adapter? Is it working? Led must be lit.

Yes, both battery and AC work and it's connected to AC.

>5 Make sure the slide switch is all the way left in the "DC 5V on" position,
>not "charge" or "batt on". Set for coax or optical.

Yes, it is in the On position, not battery.

>6 [I know this is a dumb question] Are you on a channel that has AC3
>such as "Create" on 125W?

It's a fair question . Yes, I've tried many AC3 channels. Regular audio passes through while AC3 does what it usually does, sound like an amped up modem.

>As others have said, you should get AC3 through the phones. I think that
>if you recheck the slide switch and other connections, it will work for
>you.

I checked that also. I hooked up the phones to see if that would make a difference, none.

>Once you get AC3 through the phones, you can do the mod TantalusFld
>came up with, works like a charm.

I'd love not to have to but sure will if I can get these things to output AC3. I'll try the optical port next. Maybe the coaxial ports don't work? I didn't find anything in the menus for options on turning them on/off.

 

[Skyscanner]

Satire,
Is the audio from your receiver going directly to your Sonic unit, or is it branched off somehow where the Sonic is not getting full audio from your receiver? Did you turn up the volume control on the Sonic unit? Where 2 Sonic units on 2 different receivers produce the same no-result, it would seem the problem lies somewhere in the setup or cabling, but I suppose it is theoretically possible all 4 units are bad, I just doubt it. I would completely disconnect everything you have, for testing purposes run either the audio coax or optic cable directly between between your receiver and Sonic unit then plug in the phones. Hook up video without audio [you only want your audio in your phones for now], tune to an AC3 channel. I don't know what you mean when you say the AC3 sounds like an amped up modem. This could possibly be some sort of feedback, so make sure your audio is only going to your phones for now. It almost sounds like you have audio from your receiver's RCA plugs connected to your TV in addition to your receiver's coax or optical connected to your Sonic unit at the same time [undesirable]. Disconnect the red/white Rca audio plugs from between your receiver and TV if they are connected.
It seems it should work unless you have a bad receiver audio out [doubtful] or a bad Sonic unit [possible but doubtful since you've tried 2 different units], a bad cable, cable with poor connection, Sonic not set up properly, or Sonic audio not turned up. When you finally get AC3 in your phones, you can direct the audio into your TV or whatever device you have that plays your audio, but you have to get AC3 in your phones first. All things being equal and if connected and set up properly, I have never heard of this not working. Without seeing your setup, this is as simple as I know how to explain it. Keep playing with it, you'll get it.
ss ><>

 

[Mr Tony]

Also satire check the settings on the Geosat. I know my Coolsat 5000 has a option to turn the SPDIF on or off.

Let me try and hook my sonic voom to the geosat I have and see if it works.

 

[Mr Tony]

Satire
I just tried mine on the GeosatPro I have and it worked just fine

Hooked up the optical plug to the GS200 and to the Sonic Voom. Used a 1/8" to 2 rca cable on headphone 1. Tuned up a known AC3 channel (360 North on 137W) and audio came out fine...lower volume than normal audio but I just cranked up the volume on the sonic voom

 

[Skyscanner]

Satire
I just tried mine on the GeosatPro I have and it worked just fine

Hooked up the optical plug to the GS200 and to the Sonic Voom. Used a 1/8" to 2 rca cable on headphone 1. Tuned up a known AC3 channel (360 North on 137W) and audio came out fine...lower volume than normal audio but I just cranked up the volume on the sonic voom

Ice,
If I had to guess, I would guess that he has all 3 plugs of his RCA cable AND his Sonic coax or optic outputting at the same time, but who knows w/o being able to see it?
ss ><>

 

[SatelliteAV]

Or is there confusion on coaxial vs optical..... You stated that the GEOSATpro has coaxial and that is the selection you have made on the unit....... Except that the GEOSATpro DVR1100c and DSR100c/200c have optical outputs not coaxial.

Be sure that the correct input is selected.