Switching between Headset and Speakers

Bramill

Bramill

Bramill

Associate
Joined
16 Sep 2009
Posts
158
Hi guys,

I have a

Asus Xonar D2X sound card,
Sennheiser PC 360 heahphones,
AE Aego 2.1 speakers

What I need to be able to do is switch between the two without having to go to the back of my pc and switch the cables round. The main reason for this is that I have my TV plugged into my pc and I use it for watching films from my bed so the headphones won't reach.

The sound card has somehow removed my motherboards realtech audio as a playback option, so I can't just plug my speakers into the motherboard at the minute, which I would be happy to do. However I'd like to have everything plugged into the sound card if possible.

Anyone here know how to solve this?
 
The Aego's built-in amplifier and the low impedance of the headphones should allow you to run both through a splitter. Alternatively, you can buy a stereo switch although you'll probably need some RCA-jack adapters.
 
easy
run headphone from front audio panel
run speakers from the back
in audio control panel in next to your clock switch between fp headphones & speakers.
 
D2X doesn't have a front audio header. :(

Either a splitter, which although easiest, isn't the best way to go about it; or a headset/speaker switch, which is the better way of doing it. There is very little choice since Platronics discontinued theirs. This is the only one I that I've seen that has a microphone connection as well. This one only has connections for two 3.5mm outputs, so the microphone would need an extension to reach the sound card. The RCA option that Inferno spoke of will work, but it won't be any different to the second link as they only have outputs. To connect a microphone, the switch needs an input pass through, which the first link does.
 
Thank you for the suggestions guys. I see there is a simple elegant solution to using the sound card for both.

I'll have to go down the route of using my motherboards on-board sound for the TV. The problem I have is my realtek audio device has disappeared from my devices and I've tried reinstalling the driver.

Can anyone offer any guidance?
 
After a quick search for audio switch:

Plantronics Audio Switcher

PC Headset Mic Microphone and Speaker Audio Switch Box
 
Last edited:
Platronics discontinued that, although there might be some sites that have a few left. There is a seller on ebay, but they are expensive coming from the US.
 
Marsman said:
Has it been disabled in the BIOS?
Click to expand...

I have enabled the onboard audio in the bios and it now shows in my devices, however when I when I select it as the default playback device, the sound continues to come through the headphones. I guess the Asus Xonar D2X Audio Center is overriding windows.

Any ideas how I can switch between onboard and my sound card for sound output?
 
Might be worth looking into a creative sound blaster z - I had one and I could connect both the headphones and the speakers to the soundcard and switch to either one in the software.
 
Bramill said:
I have enabled the onboard audio in the bios and it now shows in my devices, however when I when I select it as the default playback device, the sound continues to come through the headphones. I guess the Asus Xonar D2X Audio Center is overriding windows.

Any ideas how I can switch between onboard and my sound card for sound output?
Click to expand...

Strange. Sound card should not override anything, if another device is set to default. Windows should use whatever is set as default.

Might depend on what you are using to play the audio with. If you are using a media player, the player might be set to use the D2X, rather than system default. Many have the option for this, but it does have to be set by the user. By default, any software will use system default.

Buying an Soundblater Z, as suggested above is an option. Could sell the D2X. Just an idea. :)
 
An rca switcher would be cheapest way, would need 3.5 to rca adaptors though but one input going in and then 3 coming out for a couple of quid on eBay
 
I've managed to set my motherboard as the default audio output for vlc, which was my main concern. However I don't know that it's possible to do this for firefox or any other web browser for when I'm watching iplayer
 
So you can't change the output device in audio properties? (or you can but if makes no difference?)

I use nircmd to switch between headphones and speakers. Easy to set up and you can macro it to keyboard shortcuts. Which is far more convenient than the system tray toggle during a game.
 
inogen said:
So you can't change the output device in audio properties? (or you can but if makes no difference?)

I use nircmd to switch between headphones and speakers. Easy to set up and you can macro it to keyboard shortcuts. Which is far more convenient than the system tray toggle during a game.
Click to expand...

Yeah when I right click on the speaker icon at the bottom right tray in windows 7 and choose playback devices, changing the default doesn't make the sound come through the speakers but I do lose the ability to control the volume until I switch it back.
 
The way I do it is use onboard motherboard audio for speakers and sound card for headphones.

The quality of the onboard sound these days is so good there isn't much perceivable difference in quality between onboard and dedicated soundcards.

Its not the ideal solution though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom