Switching to stereo when headphones are plugged in

|Thomas| · 18 Jun 2011 at 13:55

Hi everyone,

I've been having a really strange problem for a while now, which after much googling I'm at a loss to solve.

Basically I have a cheap 5.1 setup (logitech x-540) and stereo headphones (using a jack, not usb). Both of which are running through my onboard soundcard ('VT1708S' apparently).

At the moment when I plug in my headphones, the computer still registers it as a 5.1 output and only gives it the sound going to the front left and right speakers, meaning I miss all centre and rear speaker noises.

I was wondering, is there a way to register the fact that the headphones are stereo, and for windows to change its output to stereo when they're plugged in?

My motherboard also came with some third party software called via HD audio deck, but it doesn't seem to have an option to do this. I can run my headphones as an independent stereo output device, but the problem is it won't switch between the speakers and headphones automatically, I have to choose which device to play through everytime which is less than ideal...

Any help would be greatly appreciated

, also I'm running windows 7.

cjkennedy · 18 Jun 2011 at 15:52

Hmm pretty sure this is down to the drivers so if theres no others avaiable not a lot you can do with the onboard audio, my creative card downmixes everything to stereo if i plug in headphones.

Can you not use the headphone jack on your x-540? when i do that on my z5500's it downmixes so i would have thought it would on yours too

|Thomas| · 18 Jun 2011 at 16:07

cjkennedy said:
Hmm pretty sure this is down to the drivers so if theres no others avaiable not a lot you can do with the onboard audio, my creative card downmixes everything to stereo if i plug in headphones.

Can you not use the headphone jack on your x-540? when i do that on my z5500's it downmixes so i would have thought it would on yours too

Unfortunately not

, the headphone jack on the speakers seems to do exactly the same thing. Needless to say, they are cheap

.

I might look into getting a soundcard then, I'd be more than happy to spend some cash to get this working.

cjkennedy · 18 Jun 2011 at 18:17

|Thomas| said:
Unfortunately not , the headphone jack on the speakers seems to do exactly the same thing. Needless to say, they are cheap .

I might look into getting a soundcard then, I'd be more than happy to spend some cash to get this working.

ahh, sucks that the speakers do that. Yeah i guess new sound card or speakers is the only way if theres no option in the drivers

|Thomas| · 18 Jun 2011 at 18:39

cjkennedy said:
ahh, sucks that the speakers do that. Yeah i guess new sound card or speakers is the only way if theres no option in the drivers

Any recommendations for sound cards?

Also could my front headphone/microphone jacks be hooked up to the card as opposed to the motherboard?

Sorry about my ignorance, I know basically nothing about sound systems.

edit: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-012-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= Do you think this is a good deal? Thanks for your help

cjkennedy · 18 Jun 2011 at 19:55

|Thomas| said:
Any recommendations for sound cards? Also could my front headphone/microphone jacks be hooked up to the card as opposed to the motherboard?

Sorry about my ignorance, I know basically nothing about sound systems.

edit: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SC-012-AS&groupid=701&catid=11&subcat= Do you think this is a good deal? Thanks for your help

yeah you plug the front panel connector into the sound card, not sure what to recommend, i have an x fi titanium and its good although creatives drivers are a bit poor so id go for an asus, not sure what model but hope that helps anyway

mraerosmith1981 · 18 Jun 2011 at 19:58

It's down to the drivers but for a good but reasonably priced solution the Asus Xonar DG

|Thomas| · 18 Jun 2011 at 20:11

I think I'll grab the Xonar DG whilst it's on deal

. I guess if it doesn't work I can send it back under the DSR.

Thanks guys for your help, much appreciated!

Rroff · 19 Jun 2011 at 14:30

Are you leaving the center/rear speakers connected when plugging in the headphones?

|Thomas| · 19 Jun 2011 at 14:49

Rroff said:
Are you leaving the center/rear speakers connected when plugging in the headphones?

I'm plugging in the headphones through my front jack, leaving all my speakers plugged in at the back.

Rroff · 20 Jun 2011 at 15:46

Ah ironically something all the cheapy crap onboard/integrated realtek based soundcards I have handle fine but none of my more expensive ones do

|Thomas| · 21 Jun 2011 at 11:17

Just as a quick update, I've just fitted the Xonar DG and it works perfectly

, thanks again for your help guys.