Installed a sound card - why won't my headphone jack work?

GangsterSte · 22 Dec 2010 at 04:43

Ok guys,

Ended up buying a Xonar D2 7.1 card and it is great! Really makes a huge difference over onboard sound. My only minor issue is the front headphone jack on my tower will not work now. This is very problematic as I find I switch from speakers to headphones at least twice a day, which means I have to get under the desk and switch the audio cables, after two days of doing this it has gotten to the stage where I can not bare it anymore! Grrrr... So I was wondering if there is any way to get my headphone jack on my tower working again? It is not working at a guess because I disabled onboard sound. Would be ever so thankful if a solution is available, can't bare the hassle of switching now! Another week of this and I will simply play muted... lol

Cheers,

Steve.

hyperst · 22 Dec 2010 at 07:47

Is there a connector on the top of the sound card for your front panel connectors to go to?

Philtor · 22 Dec 2010 at 08:26

Yeah you need to connect the front panel HD audio connector to the header on the Xonar D2 and then manually select FP Headphones within the Xonar audio centre as it doesn't switch automatically when the headphone jack is connected.

Uriel · 22 Dec 2010 at 08:38

I thought that the D2 didn't have a front panel connector? I don't think mine did when I owned one.

Marsman · 22 Dec 2010 at 11:34

Uriel said:
I thought that the D2 didn't have a front panel connector?

You are correct.

Philtor · 22 Dec 2010 at 11:52

Oops. I just assumed all the Xonars did

Auraomega · 22 Dec 2010 at 12:00

There isn't a front audio connector on the D2/X cards which I think is a massive oversight. The only option you really have is using the D2 for speakers and using your onboard for headphones via the front port, or continuing on with swapping the cables... or you could buy a good quality headphone splitter or extension cable so you wouldn't need to get behind the PC all the time.

Marsman · 22 Dec 2010 at 13:05

Auraomega said:
There isn't a front audio connector on the D2/X cards which I think is a massive oversight.

Certainly agree. Baffled why they put one on their 'audiophile' Essence/Xense cards, but don't include them on their 'home theatre' cards, such as the D2/D2X.

Auraomega · 22 Dec 2010 at 14:14

I'm more baffled by the fact they add them to their cheap cards but not a card close to £100. Doesn't the D2/X have an inbuilt headphone amp too, but no headphone connection? Ridiculous.

Greebo · 22 Dec 2010 at 14:26

Massive oversight on Asus's part there and I totally agree.

I was the same so I bought a splitter. Job sorted. You could even get a splitter and wire up the front headphone socket if you know what you are doing.

Marsman · 22 Dec 2010 at 14:37

Greebo said:
You could even get a splitter and wire up the front headphone socket if you know what you are doing.

Outstanding idea! Never occurred to me, that one.

Uriel · 22 Dec 2010 at 15:00

Auraomega said:
Doesn't the D2/X have an inbuilt headphone amp too, but no headphone connection? Ridiculous.

Nope. There isn't a dedicated amp on the D2 or D2X.

They were the first Xonar cards to be launched. Amps and front panel connectors etc came for later cards following feedback from reviewers and users, amongst other reasons.

GangsterSte · 22 Dec 2010 at 15:53

Greebo said:
Massive oversight on Asus's part there and I totally agree.

I was the same so I bought a splitter. Job sorted. You could even get a splitter and wire up the front headphone socket if you know what you are doing.

Spliiter seems a solid solution, really good idea, so I am going to give it a try. Not 100% sure how this would work tho. I put the splitter in, then put the headphones and 2.1 sound system cables in, then is it just a case of pressing something on desktop? In order to switch from headphones to speakers, and vice-versa?

Cheers.

Auraomega · 22 Dec 2010 at 20:11

Uriel said:
Nope. There isn't a dedicated amp on the D2 or D2X.

Oh I thought I read somewhere there was, must have got confused with another card.

GangsterSte said:
Not 100% sure how this would work tho. I put the splitter in, then put the headphones and 2.1 sound system cables in, then is it just a case of pressing something on desktop? In order to switch from headphones to speakers, and vice-versa?

Nope, both devices would run together so effectively you'd have your speakers and headphones running at the same time, it's then just a case of turning off your speakers when you want to use your headphones. If you don't want your headphones running all the time an extension cable might be the way forward but it means swapping connections all the time (but without the hassle of crawling behind the PC).

Marsman · 22 Dec 2010 at 23:47

It's a pity there are no reasonably good speaker/headphone switchers about. Plantronics do one, that looks ok, but it has piddly thin cables.

Auraomega · 23 Dec 2010 at 00:44

Marsman said:
It's a pity there are no reasonably good speaker/headphone switchers about. Plantronics do one, that looks ok, but it has piddly thin cables.

I looked in the past for myself and as you say they are very hard to come across, I guess if someone had the ability and parts available it could be a good none complicated project. Kinda tempted now

Marsman · 23 Dec 2010 at 01:34

Yes, I thought that too. It's something I probably would try if my headphones didn't have a detachable cable.