Speakers and headphones at the same time?

[me227]

I have an X-FI extreme music and when I want to switch from speakers to headphones I have to fiddle about and switch the plugs on my soundcard.

Is there anyway to have both plugged in but only one enabled at one time and be able to switch outputs within Windows? I was looking at the Asus Xonar DG 5.1, would this solve this problem?

I know you can buy a splitter cable or an audio hub but i'd prefer not to.

 

[Marsman]

Firstly, splitters are not the best idea. Having speakers on, and headphones connected to the same cable, is not the best idea in the world. Using a splitter is fine, if the headphones being used can be detached from the cable, when speakers are on. Goldring headphones for eg. A switch is best way to go though, just sadly there is very little choice, as was mentioned in another thread. Plantronics make one, but it cheap as chips with piddly wires. Some people just end up making their own, due to the lack of decent choice.

Xonar DG is a great sound card, for people not wanting to spend too much on one. For what you get, £20 is a downright bargain. I have a DG, and also an X-Fi XM. As much as the DG is great for £20, the X-Fi XM is a better sounding card, not by a great deal IMO, but it is noticeable. Although, that might depend on headphones or speakers used. Using the front case audio, can be hit and miss, especially if you bought a sound card, mainly for that feature. EMI is a common problem, which the cable going from the sound card to the front case, can pick up. Another common issue is a ground loop. In some cases this can be easily rectified, in others it can be more difficult.

Buying a switcher, even a cheap one, probably is the best idea.

 

[C64]

You could try and source a second hand xfi front panel bay as I believe that switches to headphone out when you plug the phones in to the front.But hardly worth the cost unless you get it cheap.

The best idea I had was putting my case sideways next to the desk with monitor on on a sameish level height desk with the rear ports facing the monitor side.If you have a wide desk just bung the case next to monitor sideways cuts down on dust too.

Another alternative is an amp or speakers with headphone out but this degrades the signal and on top of that most headphone outs on full sized amps and pc speakers are pretty bad.

A way round round that would be to buy a headphone amp to boost the headphone out on the pc speakers or amp even a cheap booster like the E5 would work wonders but still wont be a patch on direct input to soundcard or headphone amp direct to soundcard.

Using a switch will degrade the sound quality but not as much as listening from pc speaker headphone sockets.

It does baffle me that still no soundcard company has come up with a card that has a dedicated headphone socket.

Best thing is have pc sideways rear exposed imo.

 

[cjkennedy]

my creative audio control panel has an option under headphone detection, automatically mute speakers, just untick that and then you get sound from speakers and headphones if you connect em to your cases front panel

 

[AtaRo]

Get a heahphone amp that has at least a dual out and connect your headphone and speakers to it.I'm using a zalman 5.1 headphone
amp. to connect my goldring and my cheap creative 5.1 speakers at the same time.