Is There An Easy Way To Switch Between Speakers And Headphones?

[LivingGhost]

I have a 5.1 speaker setup (Logitech Z-5500), Zalman 5.1 headphones, and a Creative X-Fi Platinum.

 

Is there an easy way to switch between the two without having to crawl my computer every time I want to use my headphones instead of my speakers?

 

Thanks.

[Fireonice]

Get a spliter and just turn the volume down on your speakers every time you want to use your headphones.

[airman]

Get a spliter and just turn the volume down on your speakers every time you want to use your headphones.

 

 

that would work, however i wouldn't suggest it. splitters reduce the quality SIGNIFICANTLY. do what i did and buy another sound card. keep your logitechs on the really nice sound card, and pick up a $10 or $15 dollar sound card from newegg (the one that i got is excellent, better than my onboard) and whenever you want to use your headphones, just go into your sound properties and change the default device for sound playback to whatever sound card you have it on.

 

works great.

[DECwakeboarder]

You could use a standard 3 plug tv input (can't think of what that's called, the yellow, red, white connector) switcher to switch between them.

 

-Was thinking you had the Zalman amp too, which has RCA (?) connectors on it, but if you don't you'd have to get a miniplug to RCA cord to go to the switcher, standard RCA cables to go from switcher to speakers, RCA to miniplug for the headphones and then a female-female miniplug adapter to hook the headphones up....that should all run you about $10-15.

[Verran]

You could use a Plantronics switch like I have. It's great. I got it when I worked at best buy for like $6 at my cost, but they're about $15 retail. It even kills the mic input from a headset when the speakers are selected so you don't get feedback. Highly recommended.

[BoyBandsMustDie]

Get a spliter and just turn the volume down on your speakers every time you want to use your headphones.

 

 

There are some nice splitters out there that are gold plated and what not. I am using that set up with my klipsh pro media's and a logitech head-set.

 

The only tip I can tell you is when you use one or the other, make sure the volume is all the way down on the other just to help you keep the quality.

[BionicSniper]

if you want to get a better sound card. AUZENTECH's X-Plosion allows me to have an analog stero device pluged in while i have DTS enabled. I've upgraded to the best op amp i can buy for my headphones.

[robAP]

i understand the problem now.

theres 3 1/8" plugs for the headset for the full surround stuff.

 

dependon on where you live there might be aradio shack. radio shack can save your A when you least expect it. so go there. get 3 splitters. then get 3 6-foot extension plugs. theyre about $3 each. plug them in the back onto the splitters and the speakers onto the splitters as well. keep the headset plugged in the whole time i suppopse and just turn off the speakers when you dont need them. havev fun.

[Nodgiles]

You could use a Plantronics switch like I have. It's great. I got it when I worked at best buy for like $6 at my cost, but they're about $15 retail. It even kills the mic input from a headset when the speakers are selected so you don't get feedback. Highly recommended.

 

I used to have on untill my dog decided to chew through the wire. It worked great up untill that point. Now I just have speakers with a headphone jack built into them. Once I plug in my headphones to the jack it kills the speakers^^

[SMeeD]

Can you switch between two 5.1 setups with that thing?

[LivingGhost]

i understand the problem now.

theres 3 1/8" plugs for the headset for the full surround stuff.

 

dependon on where you live there might be aradio shack. radio shack can save your A when you least expect it. so go there. get 3 splitters. then get 3 6-foot extension plugs. theyre about $3 each. plug them in the back onto the splitters and the speakers onto the splitters as well. keep the headset plugged in the whole time i suppopse and just turn off the speakers when you dont need them. havev fun.

Thank you, yeah, there is one right here, I will do that.

[hardnrg]

this might not be the easiest way to do it, but it's what i'd do... if you know anyone that is handy with a soldering iron, you could convince them to make you a 5.1 switch with a few simple components:

 

Parts

• 9 x 3.5mm stereo sockets
  
• 1 x 6PDT switch (six pole double throw, could be push or slide type)
  example: 6PDT slide @ Jameco (data sheet)
  
• 2x screws to mount switch
  
• small project box
  
• 1m stereo screened signal cable
  

Schematic