HeadTAP - ARTcessory
Sometimes floor monitors are a problem. There isn't enough room for them
onstage or someone sits in and can’t hear the monitors or the drummer can’t hear
them well enough. Or perhaps it’s a pick-up gig or a rehearsal and you didn't
have enough time to set them up. In any case, sometimes it would be preferable
just to put on headphones and somehow connect them to the PA. That's where a
headphone tap comes in. This is a passive device with an input to connect the PA
or monitor amplifier and an output to connect the headphones. A volume control
regulates the headphone level and internal resistors keep the unit’s impedance
high enough to protect the headphones. It also protects the amplifier from
encountering too low a load impedance while powering tap units, the speaker
system or several tap units by themselves. A good tap will also work with a
stereo headphone amplifier for use in recording situations when you want to add
headphones for additional performers.
Specifications:
- The HeadTAP provides quick and convenient tapping facilities to permit
powering headphones directly from an amplifier
- Dual parallel 1/4” stereo/mono input jacks permit daisy-chaining taps
and/or speakers
- Stereo/mono input selector button
- Dual 1/4” stereo/mono headphone jacks
- Level control
- Input impedance: 150 ohms
- Dimensions: 3.75 x 2.875 x 1.5 inches (95mm x 74mm x 40mm)
- Weight: 1lb (454g)
Usage:
a.) If the power source is mono (i.e. one channel of a PA power amp or
mixer/amp), connect a speaker cable either from the amp or a spare jack on a
speaker to the input jack on the HeadTAP. Now set the pushbutton to Mono
(down).
b.) If the power source is a stereo headphone amplifier or the headphone
output on a mixer, plug a stereo or balanced 1/4” to 1/4” patch cord directly
into the headphone output. Connect the other end of the cable to the HeadTAP's
Input jack and set the pushbutton for Stereo (out).
c.) Connect headphones to either of the Headphone Output jacks on the
HeadTAP or both of them if you are connecting two headphone sets.
d.) Adjust the Volume control as desired. Remember to also turn up the
volume of the amp, mixer, headphone amp, etc., so that there will be
sufficient power to drive the HeadTAP(s).
e.) To add another HeadTAP to the circuit, simply run a stereo or mono
(depending on the usage) 1/4” to 1/4” patch cable from the Parallel Output
jack on the Head TAP to the Input jack on the next HeadTAP. Multiple HeadTAP's
and headphones can be interconnected this way.
f.) The HeadTAP is a passive device and requires no batteries or power
adapter.