Audio 5.1 Speakers w/ 3.5mm headphones

[BennyJi]

Hi there,

Probably a silly question but I can't seem to see the wood for the trees here.

I have arriving a new headphone setup which runs through the 3.5mm plugs (currently on my onboard sound [z87 expert])

I am also looking at a set of Creative Inspire T6300 5.1 speakers.

My question is thus:

How would I be able to plug these both in? Or would I have to swap each one out as I switch between the two playbacks

I am also looking at picking up an Asus Xonar STX sound card if that makes the solution easier to find

Regards

 

[xStampede]

If you have a modern PC case then it has a cable that you connect to motherboard. When you connect the headphones in that jack the motherboard sound card automatically turn off the 5.1 speakers so you don't have both on.

Do your PC case have the jack?

 

[ssddx]

the rear green 3.5mm jack is typically used for both headphones and your front speakers. if you want to have both plugged in you're going to want to use your your front jack on your case.

otherwise you'd be swapping them out. technically you could have them hooked up with a splitter... but that would give you complications later on if you were playing a 5.1 source so i'd suggest an either-or environment.

if you had the speakers hooked up in the rear and the headphones in the front you'd have to manually swap your default audio device in sound properties if you didnt plug them in and unplug them when done (the headphones).

 

[xStampede]

If you don't have 3.5 jack on front of the Case, then your cheapest solution is to buy 4$ USB soundcard for headphones and microphone with virtual surround 7.1.

You just have to switch playback device, it's 2 click job each time if you have a shortcut on your desktop.

I bought this one over a year ago, free shiping from China, you just have to wait 2-6 weeks, 4$ only and it works perfectly, it's same as you get with SteelSeries 150$ headphones lol.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/External-USB-Audio-Sound-Card-Adapter-To-7-1-Surround-Steel-Sound-For-Laptop-PC-/271109368447?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f1f60aa7f