Two identical sound cards

Interesting question... If they're identical you may have issues with drivers/software. There could also be other issues, it really depends on how your setup will go; if for example you want to output the same signal to 2 devices simultaneously on Windows 7 it won't work without a lot of fiddling with external (paid for) software and some real annoyances when you try and load certain software it conflicts with, so if you can tell us why you want to do it the way you're planning on going about it then I can offer more of an insight.
 
I was looking for a sound card that supported two sets of devices both using 3.5mm jacks (from a headset and the Aego M) but thought with all the good things said about the Xonar DG (and considering it's only £19) it might be worth getting two instead of paying more for a soundcard that'd support both being plugged in.

There's probably a much easier way to do it that I haven't noticed.
 
Couldn't you just get a headphone splitter cable if you want the same sound to go to 2 places? That is what I do with my Xonar and it works great.

Yeah, unfortunately I'm not after the same sound going to both devices.

Does anyone know of any sound cards that'd support two different sets of devices both using 3.5mm inputs?
 
Does anyone know of any sound card that can output different audio to two different devices. For example, having a game playing through the speakers, but having Skype/Teamspeak through the headset? I thought the Xonar Essence STX might, but apparently it mutes the other outputs when you select one.

Thanks.
 
It's not possible with analogue headphones and speakers.

The only way it might be possible, is if you have one device that is using SPDIF connection to the sound card, and another that uses analogue. That way, you could connect some speakers that have a digital connection, for eg, and use SPDIF as Windows default audio, which any game would then use.

VOIP would be set to use analogue connection on the sound card, which you would have a headset connected.

Digital and analogue are treated as separate sound devices.

In theory that should work, as long as digital and analogue connections on the sound card can be used simultaneously by different applications.

You can't connect two analogue devices to a sound card, and have each device with a different sound source being sent to it. You would have to have two sound cards, or a sound card and onboard audio.
 
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Maybe you can through software? IE get itunes and windows media player, set them to output through different devices?

Iv done this with skype, iv had a friend listenign to music on earplugs while i use my main gaming headset plugged into the jacks at the back of the motherboard and set the skype sound and audio coming from my headset.
 
It's not possible with analogue headphones and speakers.

The only way it might be possible, is if you have one device that is using SPDIF connection to the sound card, and another that uses analogue. That way, you could connect some speakers that have a digital connection, for eg, and use SPDIF as Windows default audio, which any game would then use.

VOIP would be set to use analogue connection on the sound card, which you would have a headset connected.

Digital and analogue are treated as separate sound devices.

In theory that should work, as long as digital and analogue connections on the sound card can be used simultaneously by different applications.

You can't connect two analogue devices to a sound card, and have each device with a different sound source being sent to it. You would have to have two sound cards, or a sound card and onboard audio.

Unfortunately I bought the Aego M 2.1 speakers and only after realised optical would've been really helpful.

I use a USB soundcard that came with my headset for Vent whilst outputing game sound from an internal soundcard. Works fine.

Yeha, that's looking like the only option. Problem is, I wouldn't know which to have on the PCI soundcard and which to have on the onboard sound (Carcharias headset and the Aego M speakers).
 
Carcharias' really deserve something better than onboard audio, or a cheap USB sound card. Same goes for the Aego's really.

If the Carcharias' are mainly used for VOIP though, then I'd connect those to your onboard audio, and have the Aego's connected to a sound card.
 
Carcharias' really deserve something better than onboard audio, or a cheap USB sound card. Same goes for the Aego's really.

If the Carcharias' are mainly used for VOIP though, then I'd connect those to your onboard audio, and have the Aego's connected to a sound card.

Do you think two identical sound cards (Asus Xonar) would have compatibility issues?
 
Don't know TBH.

I have two Xonar's, but they are not the same model, and are in different PC's.

I would imagine that two identical cards would have issues, but two Xonar's of different models might work together. I don't that of course, but it wouldn't surprise me if two identical cards caused problems.
 
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