What is this gadget? It's made by Sennheiser

[SharpyWarpy]

The attached photos, have a look and can somebody tell me what this is and/or what it's for? The end of the main body accepts a 2.5mm stereo plug, one that must have a small diameter plastic molding over the soldered connections because it's a small opening there. The main body has a rotary volume control and an off/on slide switch. The end opposite the 2.5mm female jack has two wires, each terminated with a 3.5mm male stereo plug. One of these plugs has a mic icon embossed on it and the other has a headphone icon. I found this thing at a local Goodwill store and paid 99 cents for the thing so I could bring it home and figure out what the heck it's for. Thanks in advance.

 

[DUG]

It could be an adapter from a 3 or 4 connection earpiece/microphone headset (or earbud) used for cel phones to regular computer speaker / microphone set

99 cents...autopsy

 

[SharpyWarpy]

It could be an adapter from a 3 or 4 connection earpiece/microphone headset (or earbud) used for cel phones to regular computer speaker / microphone set

99 cents...autopsy

Autopsy has been performed. The 2.5mm jack has only 3 connections, ground, right and left. Or put more technically sleeve, 1 ring and tip. You may be right about it being used to connect a cell phone to computer. But would that be of any use? And why the on/off switch or the volume control? Why the stereo plugs, why not mono? Thanks for your reply.

 

[DUG]

I had an older cel phone that only had one ear bud and mic...

Do you want it?

Where did the mike output connect to? might be straight through to one of the inputs or through the switch.

 

[gmphadte]

It is a mic for a pc. Connect your headphone to the socket provided.

 

[SharpyWarpy]

I had an older cel phone that only had one ear bud and mic...

Do you want it?

No, thank you. I have one of those that I rarely use any more. But thank you.

 

[SharpyWarpy]

It is a mic for a pc. Connect your headphone to the socket provided.

I had it apart and did not see a mic.

 

[theAnonymous1]

Looks like an inline volume control with an on/off switch for the mic. Probably also converts seperate sound and mic jacks to a single 4-pin output for a headset.

The potentiometer in these things are usually around 500R.

 

[SharpyWarpy]

Looks like an inline volume control with an on/off switch for the mic. Probably also converts seperate sound and mic jacks to a single 4-pin output for a headset.

The potentiometer in these things are usually around 500R.

When I had it apart I saw only three soldered connections on the jack so a four pin headset would not be of any use.

 

[troystg]

The mic is in the device, it enables "regular" headphones to be used on a PC for two way communication.

 

[SharpyWarpy]

The mic is in the device, it enables "regular" headphones to be used on a PC for two way communication.

As I said, I had it apart and didn't see a mic. I'll take it apart again.

 

[grommeteer]

It has been explained already! The thing is an adapter that connects a certain Sennheiser headset to a sound card. It uses only one ground for mic and the mono headphone. The pot is the volume ctrl for the headphone. The switch is used to mute the mic.
I was using these things for an intercom my company makes. It bugged me that I could not use the little chip amp in that intercom (TDA 7050) in BTM because the headphone had one side grounded.
So, no mic in the gadget. Hardly any use without the headset.

 

[SharpyWarpy]

It has been explained already! The thing is an adapter that connects a certain Sennheiser headset to a sound card. It uses only one ground for mic and the mono headphone. The pot is the volume ctrl for the headphone. The switch is used to mute the mic.
I was using these things for an intercom my company makes. It bugged me that I could not use the little chip amp in that intercom (TDA 7050) in BTM because the headphone had one side grounded.
So, no mic in the gadget. Hardly any use without the headset.

Well, all righty then! Thanks for your detailed description. What kept throwing me off was the use of stereo plugs on both mic and headphone. Now I see only one non-ground connection was used, either tip or ring. Thanks again.