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Topic: TV Headphone Jack Hissing (Read 12584 times) previous topic - next topic
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TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Hello :-)

I recently bought a new TV. I'm using Headphones a lot, and I found the build-in Headphones Jack (3.5mm) awful. When volume is low, I can hear non-stop hissing/static noise. It improves if I turn up the volume. Based on the knowledge I have (and I don't have much), I have two options:

1. Buy an external small amp to control the volume. I can crank the volume up on the TV to get rid of the hissing, and adjust it to the actually volume with the amp. The only problem is the hassle involving with that (playing around with the TV/AMP volume and adjust it.

2. Get an external DAC with Optical In and 3.5 jack out. The Optical out don't have any hissing of course, but I'm worried the DAC won't be able to carry my headphones. I think AMP is needed anyhow.

What do you think? can I just get cheap DAC  like the Fii0 E3 and get over with it? or will I also need an AMP? any recommendation about a cheap small DAC + AMP product I can order internationally?
Thank you!

TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Reply #1 –
Option 3: get an attenuator to place between the TV and the headphones. This will attenuate the hiss. Then just turn up the volume to hear the sound.

This is probably a case of a lazy engineer who just wired the speaker signal right into the headphone jack without attenuating it to match headphone sensisivity.

TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Reply #2 –
If I understand correctly, the hiss you object to is at a constant background level and does not increase as you turn your TV volume up, right?

I would first try an inexpensive inline volume control to reduce the overall output level of the existing headphone jack, hiss and all, and then turn up the volume on the TV to bring the volume back up to where you want it. This will increase the effective, overall signal to noise ratio of the entire  system.

A random example of such a product here.

edit: Oops I see I was slower to post than pretty darn quick.

TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Reply #3 –
Editing my post as mzil already answered some of it :-)

Yes, I'm pretty sure the hissing stays on the same volume even if I turn up the volume. I'll try it at home to make sure.

The solution however will still require me to adjust the TV volume right?  The TV volume can be adjusting from 0 to 60. The hissing sound stops around 30. Without headphones, I mostly set it to 10. 
So I'll have to play around with the TV Volume up and Down often (as it's probably going to hurt if I'll forget to lower the volume down while the headphones are off and the TV plays at 30).

As a side note. Should I already be getting Headphones Amp like this?
It's quite cheap compared to what mzil has linked, and it comes with amp. I think my headphones NEEDED to be amped?

TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Reply #4 –
TV headphone outs all seem to be awful. I have a decent TV but I always end up listening through my AVR when on headphones.

TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Reply #5 –
Quote from: probedb on
TV headphone outs all seem to be awful. I have a decent TV but I always end up listening through my AVR when on headphones.



The AVR probably has a better converter (at least better numbers), and usually has a very nice digitally-controlled analog volume control  (e.g. CS 3318) driving the internal power amps.
 

TV Headphone Jack Hissing

Reply #6 –
I had a talk with a friend. He told me it's probably not worth getting an amp for the Headphones Jack, as the TV already have an amp in it.  I'll be getting the attenuator and keep tv volume up to avoid this hissing.
At least until i'll be able to get a normal AMP+DAC :-)