Hot switching between 5.1 speakers and headphones

CaptainShiznit · 28 Oct 2016 at 16:37

Hey,

So while I'm pretty well versed with computers, I've never got a proper grasp of audio and need some help.

I currently run a 5.1 surround speaker setup using the black/green/orange plugs. I also have a 5.1 headset that uses the same 3 plugs plus mic and USB power. I want to know what my best option is for hot swapping between these two. Right now I have to get round the back and pull one out to plug the other in. Is there a switcher box I can buy? A certain sound card? Anything for the convenience of just picking up my headphones, pressing a button and away / vise versa.

Cheers

rids57 · 28 Oct 2016 at 17:45

Couldn't find any switches that handle two sets of 5.1 outputs, so I think the cheapest way of doing it would be to get a Xonar DGX sound card. That way you can have the speakers connected to your mobo audio and your headset connected to the sound card and just use the Windows Sound control panel (right click the speaker icon at the right hand side of the tool bar) to select the desired output.

james_2k · 31 Oct 2016 at 20:48

or maybe look at replacing the headset with a usb one? or ditch the 5.1 headset and go normal headphones and a soundcard such as the strix with switcher box. not ideal i know, well it is ideal, its awesome haha, but expensive to swap. depends how much you want to keep having a surround headset.

Using normal headphones alongside the spdif output which is connected to my speakers on the asus card and switching is as easy as hitting the big button, its amazing

Or like rids says, second sound card, im sure there will be some batchfile type shortcut you could use to swap the outputs.

edit:

maybe you could use something which connects to your optical out like...

ESYNiC Digital Audio Decoder to Analog 5.1 Converter - Support Digital Optical Coaxial DTS AC3 Dolby Signal and Stereo(R/L) Audio Signal into 5.1 / 2.1 Analog Output

search on the rainforest, dont want to link to them incase i incur the wrath, then you could have all connected and swap with a utility, have a look here https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/..._audio_output_device/?st=iuyjlwez&sh=1713ca2f

CaptainShiznit · 6 Nov 2016 at 12:42

james_2k said:
or maybe look at replacing the headset with a usb one? or ditch the 5.1 headset and go normal headphones and a soundcard such as the strix with switcher box. not ideal i know, well it is ideal, its awesome haha, but expensive to swap. depends how much you want to keep having a surround headset.

Using normal headphones alongside the spdif output which is connected to my speakers on the asus card and switching is as easy as hitting the big button, its amazing

Or like rids says, second sound card, im sure there will be some batchfile type shortcut you could use to swap the outputs.

edit:

maybe you could use something which connects to your optical out like...

ESYNiC Digital Audio Decoder to Analog 5.1 Converter - Support Digital Optical Coaxial DTS AC3 Dolby Signal and Stereo(R/L) Audio Signal into 5.1 / 2.1 Analog Output

search on the rainforest, dont want to link to them incase i incur the wrath, then you could have all connected and swap with a utility, have a look here https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/..._audio_output_device/?st=iuyjlwez&sh=1713ca2f

Thanks a lot for this, gonna look into it.

Terminal_Boy · 6 Nov 2016 at 12:45

All the Creative sound cards I've owned had a control panel app that allowed source/output switching.

Marsman · 6 Nov 2016 at 13:02

Terminal_Boy said:
All the Creative sound cards I've owned had a control panel app that allowed source/output switching.

True, but that applies to the outputs only in the sound card though; swapping between stereo (headphones) and 5.1 speakers connected to the same card?

OP basically has 2 sets of 5.1 connections. A sound card will take stereo and 5.1, which is no use for 2 sets of 5.1.

Sound card is fine for one set of 5.1, then use onboard for the other, as has been mentioned in the above posts.

CaptainShiznit · 6 Nov 2016 at 19:19

Marsman said:
True, but that applies to the outputs only in the sound card though; swapping between stereo (headphones) and 5.1 speakers connected to the same card?

OP basically has 2 sets of 5.1 connections. A sound card will take stereo and 5.1, which is no use for 2 sets of 5.1.

Sound card is fine for one set of 5.1, then use onboard for the other, as has been mentioned in the above posts.

That's precisely right. Looking for a way to use my 5.1 headphones without pulling cables.

Marsman · 6 Nov 2016 at 19:40

If you go with the Esynic 5.1 decoder, you'll need to make sure that your motherboard has Dolby Digital Live. It uses Creative's Core3D rather than Realtek but there is no mention of DDL among the specs, so I don't know whether that's been included.

With boards that use Realtek, it's possible to install cracked drivers that enable DDL and the DTS equivalent, as it's often disabled on a software level by the board manufacturer on all but the premium boards. As the board you have has Creative instead, that wont be possible if it isn't part of the included software package.