Volume problem with phone tap

[Picatta]

OK, I made a simple phone tap by splicing a phone cord with a headphone cord.  The problem is that when it is plugged in, the voltage (I think I heard somwhere it is 9) loss causes the phone to lose volume, and become hard to hear.  I was wondering if there was a way to counteract that. 

I had the thought to attach the positive part of a 9-volt battery to the tip (green) line on my home-made phone tap, and the negative part of the 9-volt to the ring on my tap.  I was wondering if this would:

A: Solve the problem
B: Fry headphones
C: Fry wiring
D: B and C
E: None of the above

[computerwiz_222]

This wont work... The voltage in phone lines is around 70VAC. headphones are not designed to handle this. As well phone lines are full-duplex which means they send data (voice) both ways on only two wires. This will most likely fry the headphones. If you want an easy tap then go to the dollar store and get a phone earpiece. Plug it into a phone with a headphone jack. Next hardwire a plug to the headphone that can be plugged into the computer (3.5mm mono) I wrote a guide on doing this somewhere else.

[silentneep]

The problem is that compterwiz's solution requires a phone with a headphone jack.  An alternative solution--if you have a phone you're not using hanging around--is to take that headphone cord that you've already ruined and splice/solder it in place of the phone's earpiece... that is to say: open the phone up and cut the two wires going to the speaker that sits in the top, and connect those wires to the wires that go to your headphones.  There should be two wires for each ear (four wires total), so connect the two insulated wires to one wire in the phone, the two non-insulated to the other.

If you want to simply listen and not be heard, you can just clip and tie off the wires going to the mic part of the phone, or you can install a mute switch or volume control of some sort.

Just an alternative idea, because I'm feeling helpful.

[computerwiz_222]

Exactly, If you want to get fancy you could find an olod handset, just one with a speaker and microphone, no buttons or anything. Put in a chasis mount 3.5 mm mono jack. Then you can use your phone normally then when you need to record, just use a 3,5mm male to male cable to connect you laptop.