Modding a Zoom MS-60B for stereo headphone use

Jan 30, 2017
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This takes 10 minutes if you're handy with a screwdriver and a soldering iron.

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1. Remove these 6 screws and set the bottom plate and battery compartment aside.

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2. Solder a piece of wire across the two inner terminals of the output jacks. This turns the Right jack into a stereo out. The Left remains mono. If you'd rather convert the Left jack, solder the wire between the two outer terminals. No soldering iron? A scrap of paperclip and some superglue might work (I've never tried this).

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Now you can plug phones straight in and hear your effects in stereo. Of course, you can just use a Y cable if you don't want to make any mods, but I prefer a nice clean connection. Best to use low-impedance phones. I like the Sony MDR-V6.

I once did this to an MS-100BT and added a toggle switch to turn the headphone mod on and off, thus retaining the option of having two individual mono outs. In this case, I plan to use this MS-60B exclusively as a headphone amp and so will never need two mono outs.
 
I've done this with both of my MS60B now and love the added utility.
On my F16 board I have a cheap headphone amp and the left mono going to my amp
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For the other that I keep in my recording chain or throw in my go box it makes it easy to patch in as needed.