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Way to switch between speakers/headphones ?

post #1 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:32pm
Thread Starter 
Hello,

I am still new in this forum but I need some advice.

I got myself a Xonar D2 and currently I own HD 595's and soon will get an amp (Darkvoice or Graham slee solo) but this is not important. What is important however is the fact that I need a way to switch between my speakers and headphones conviniently. I figure I need some sort of a switch for it - so my question is: is there a viable commercial product that can do that for me? Not too expensive.

Basically I am not getting a DAC amp since my Xonar has ok quality (or at least my research into it says that it has sufficent quality).
I want to connect both my headphones and speakers at the same time but I dont want to use splitter rather than a switch.

source--->
switch---->headphone amp--->
..............>headphones > speakers


I hope my awsome ASCII schematics make any sense.
Also it might be worth mentioning that I do not have extensive stereo system yet and I am planning to keep my good pc system for now. I listen mostly from my headphones anyway but if friends come over or I want to watch a movie with my gf then it would help a ton.

If anybody knows what I am talking about and can recommend me anything suitable I'd be very happy.
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post #2 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:37pm
If you have speakers, you've probably got a stereo integrated amp as well? That is a switch you could use the record line out to the headphone amplifier.
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post #3 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:40pm
Thread Starter 
no I have Z-2300 from logitech which are selfpowered.

I want something that can take 1 input and has 2 outputs so I can switch which I want to use via switch. I think I got it right.
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post #4 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:41pm
Ixos IX20 switch box?
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post #5 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 
thank you it seems to be one option, I try to look around now. If anyone has anything else to recommend then keep em coming.


So its a Y adapter with a switch. I keep hearing that using pure Y adapter might not be the best idea thats why I figured that switch might be a good idea.
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post #6 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:53pm
hang on a sec not sure that switch box is suitable, you've got one source but want to switch outputs? Basically you want two switchable outputs, not switchable inputs? For example this amp has three tape loops, so you plug output from one to your headphone amp, then another to your speakers.

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post #7 of 16
4/27/09 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arlekiin View Post
Hello,

I am still new in this forum but I need some advice.

I got myself a Xonar D2 and currently I own HD 595's and soon will get an amp (Darkvoice or Graham slee solo) but this is not important. What is important however is the fact that I need a way to switch between my speakers and headphones conviniently. I figure I need some sort of a switch for it - so my question is: is there a viable commercial product that can do that for me? Not too expensive.

Basically I am not getting a DAC amp since my Xonar has ok quality (or at least my research into it says that it has sufficent quality).
I want to connect both my headphones and speakers at the same time but I dont want to use splitter rather than a switch.

source--->
switch---->headphone amp--->
..............>headphones > speakers


I hope my awsome ASCII schematics make any sense.
Also it might be worth mentioning that I do not have extensive stereo system yet and I am planning to keep my good pc system for now. I listen mostly from my headphones anyway but if friends come over or I want to watch a movie with my gf then it would help a ton.

If anybody knows what I am talking about and can recommend me anything suitable I'd be very happy.
I use my laptop for my music collection.

USB to my Compass. Which I have connected to my headphones and to my receiver.

It's literally just one button press, I switch to speakers, press same button again, back to headphones.

It doesn't get much easier
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post #8 of 16
4/27/09 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 
what is this compass you are talking about? can you link me?

THIS

Only thing I found is this but I would like to get something more boxlike and more sturdy. If possible.

Thank you,
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post #9 of 16
4/27/09 at 3:38pm
For those on Mac running multiple outputs SoundSource might be useful app for someone reading here, I use it to switch between USB Pico and speakers all the time.
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post #10 of 16
4/27/09 at 4:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arlekiin View Post
what is this compass you are talking about? can you link me?

THIS

Only thing I found is this but I would like to get something more boxlike and more sturdy. If possible.

Thank you,
Hmm that is not the Compass, and have no idea what it is. How did you google Compass and find that?

The Compass is a box. And sturdy? 8mm thick of aluminum sturdy enough? Weighs about 11 lbs, study enough?

Audio-gd Compass.
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post #11 of 16
4/27/09 at 4:54pm
Try a Radio Shack switchbox. They're about $20 and work fine - I used one until I got a preamp. Which is another good option; look around for a used preamp at Audiogon. If you can find one with tape loops out, that'll work. That can also give you a phono preamp (you probably will want to try vinyl sooner or later) and let you add a power amp when it's time to upgrade your speakers. I keep a Conrad-Johnson PV2 around which does all of this and cost $300. You'll find good models from other manufacturers, too.
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post #12 of 16
4/27/09 at 5:00pm
Thread Starter 
thanks a ton Uncle Eric
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post #13 of 16
7/11/11 at 11:06am

This old thread seems closest to my situation, but with a twist.

 

I moved my HK AV640 into my office, and have it connected via USB. It works great, but when I want to switch to headphones, it's a pain. I can't just switch off the receiver and switch on the headphone amp (a Meier Corda Cantate.2 that also uses USB input). I have to manually unplug the USB cable (which is awkward to get to) to release the receiver's deathgrip. Then I have to close and then reopen my music player on the computer before I can actually get sound coming through the headphones.

 

Is there a USB switcher that could make this process at least a little easier with the flick of a switch?

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post #14 of 16
7/13/11 at 1:58am


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastnbulbous View Post

This old thread seems closest to my situation, but with a twist.

 

I moved my HK AV640 into my office, and have it connected via USB. It works great, but when I want to switch to headphones, it's a pain. I can't just switch off the receiver and switch on the headphone amp (a Meier Corda Cantate.2 that also uses USB input). I have to manually unplug the USB cable (which is awkward to get to) to release the receiver's deathgrip. Then I have to close and then reopen my music player on the computer before I can actually get sound coming through the headphones.

 

Is there a USB switcher that could make this process at least a little easier with the flick of a switch?


I had a similar problem.  I downloaded a program that starts on boot up and makes a custom hotkey to toggle between outputs on my computer.

 

http://blog.contriving.net/2009/05/04/a-hotkey-to-switch-between-headphones-and-speakers-soundswitch/

 

hope this helps.

 

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post #15 of 16
7/17/11 at 9:06pm

Thanks! Did it install okay? I'm a little nervous to because it isn't tested for Vista 64. However I realized I can make a shortcut to that audio device selector, and change default to headphone amp while the AVR is still on and plugged in. Three clicks is definitely easier than before!

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