Headphone 'de-amplifier'

[Krom]

I have a reasonably nice pair of in ear sound insulating ear buds for traveling or other loud environments. They mute out over 30 decibels from the outside, but no matter what I do on any device I try to use them on even at the lowest volume level available they are still too loud. Are there any inexpensive devices I can buy or make that will allow me to cut the volume level down to tolerable levels for portable MP3 players? Preferably something small that does not require any additional power and won't distort the sound any.

[Foil]

Weird... my wife asked me about this very thing yesterday. The earbuds that came with her portable mp3 player are too loud, even at the lowest volume setting (the next-lowest volume setting is \"silent\").

I was thinking of getting her either an analog in-line volume control to use with the earbuds she has, or a new pair of earbuds with an inline volume control. The former is proving to be difficult to find at any local electronics stores; and the latter is just a bit too expensive, especially because the earbuds she has are pretty good quality.

I'll post if I find anything.

[Foil]

Their site didn't show it, but it turns out my local Radio Shack has a 1-ft. stereo extension cable with an inline analog volume control for under $8.

[Krom]

That might do the trick, let me how it works out.

[Foil]

Actually, when I went to the local Radio shack and looked at it, I decided to go with the other option (new pair of earbuds with an attached volume control). The little inline volume control just looked \"cheap\"; short, tiny, easily-breakable wires, and the attenuator box looked like it would just fall apart.

Something like http://www.amazon.com/Labtec-AC14REGN-4 ... B00006HSHM would be 10x better, and only a couple more dollars.

[pATCheS]

God forbid anyone bother try putting resistors between each channel and ground.

[Asrale]

I have a reasonably nice pair of in ear sound insulating ear buds for traveling or other loud environments. They mute out over 30 decibels from the outside, but no matter what I do on any device I try to use them on even at the lowest volume level available they are still too loud. Are there any inexpensive devices I can buy or make that will allow me to cut the volume level down to tolerable levels for portable MP3 players? Preferably something small that does not require any additional power and won't distort the sound any.

Are these "in ear sound insulating ear buds" made by Shure or Etymotic?

http://www.headphone.com/products/cable ... dapter.php

http://www.headphone.com/products/cable ... nuator.php

[Krom]

It is a pair of these: http://www.headphone.com/products/headp ... re-e3c.php

[Asrale]

You'll want the item I linked second then. Designed specifically for Shure IEMs and it'll beat anything you can find at Radio Shack for sound quality.

[DCrazy]

God forbid anyone bother try putting resistors between each channel and ground.

When you're dealing with audio you can't simply put resistors in places. Each component you add to an audio path creates distortion, feedback, and noise. That's why we pay $10,000 a pop for sound cards at our radio station -- they actually test each component (or at least batch of components) to make sure they don't generate signal noise.

Remember, dirty power = dirty signal!

[Canuck]

God forbid anyone bother try putting resistors between each channel and ground.

Hehe pads anyone?

http://www.bcae1.com/lpad.htm

Resistors alone would work but reduce the low end quality and imparts a tinny sound to the music to me.

Adding caps helps to restore the bass;

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-RCpad.htm

but an active pre-amp/eq. will be better.