Hey guys. My three month old son does not like it when I blast movies on my speakers so yesterday I tried using headphones on my denon 2809ci and there is no sound coming from the headphones. The headphones work fine on other sources. Is there anything I need to do on the receiver to have it send the signal to the phones? When i plugged them in the speakers went silent as expected.

You might just need to crank up the volume a lot on the volume control of the Denon until you start hearing anything especially if they are higher impedance cans.

I think you have to set down mix to stereo or simply be using the stereo feed from the player and not DD or similar.

Your manual says the following, so it sounds like everything should be automatic and that you may have an actual bug or issue.

"Plug the headphones into the PHONES jack on the main
unit.
The sound from the speakers and pre-out connectors is automatically
cut."

This may sound silly but maybe make sure you are plugged into the Headphone out Jack and not the Setup Microphone In Jack.

Well I will try turning the volume way up I guess. I'm definately using the headphone jack not the mic. Headphone is the 1/4 jack. maybe there is a problem with my adapter.

If your Denon's volume control starts at -80, you might not hear anything or the sound might be very faint until you get into -20 or -10 on the dial, might even need much more depending on the impedance and sensitivity of the headphones.

Is there is separate headphone settings? I never had a receiver or processor that did not have a separate "+/-" db to add or substract from the main volume.
The adapter seems to be the culprit as even at -60/-70 you would hear something. Not loud, but you would not mistake it for silence.

Hi Listener,

Those 1/4-inch phone adapters and jacks are notoriously unreliable. Try cleaning the contacts and wiggling the connector around if you are using the adapter. I know one of my stereo mini-plug to 1/4-inch phone plugs is always intermittent unless I clean the plugs and firmly insert it.

Regards,

Thanks guys. It sounds like it may be the adapter indeed. I tried listening at -20 with no sound. If cleaning it doesn't work I'll pick up another adapter.

Hmm... reeaaaallly... I didn't know those were unreliable. That could explain a problem I had this weekend.

When you say "the headphones work fine on other sources" do you mean different pieces of equipment (like an iPod) or do you mean that the Denon provides the headphones with sound on AM/FM but not on Blu-Ray (or something)?

Is it possible that the Denon requires an analog input for the headphone jack and that the source component you are trying to listen to is only connected to HDMI or SPDIF?

I haven't encountered a receiver that doesn't just play at least the front 2 channels through the headphones, regardless of input or data type. That would seem like an odd oversight on the part of the designers.

Does the headphone work fine with other components while using the adapter?

by other source I meant my ipod and PC.

It turns out it was both my adapter and my headphone extension cord. I think it's time for some good wireless headphones. Any suggestions? I think I will start a new thready for that.

Hi kcarlile,

Yes, it's just a spring-loaded mechanical connection inside the adapter or inside the receiver, and they oxidize and get dirty or dusty.

My mantra for using those headphone connectors/adapters is: "When in doubt, shove it in and out."

Cheers,
Alan

OK. you are just trying to set us up now! heh heh.

And this would apply to, say, a 1/4" unbalanced input jack as well?

Sure, Ken; inserting the plug throws a mechanical switch, redirecting the power output.