New Scarlett 2i2 user. Can I use my laptop as a source for headphones/speakers??
Jan 4, 2014 at 7:40 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 2

kaybish90

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This is most likely a very silly question, but I'm no techspert and couldn't find an answer elsewhere...
 
I'm in the final stages of set-up and would like to get some recording done, however, I don't have speakers for the line outputs OR headphones that can be plugged into the interface. My question is whether or not I can use my laptop speakers in place of the ones that plug in, (Not sure how that can be done if so) AND also use a set of BOSE headphones that have a smaller jack, one that's too small for the interface, to be connected to the laptop instead?
 
Time and money are not on my side and I've got some projects to complete. What are my options, if any? Help!
 
Nov 23, 2014 at 1:33 AM Post #2 of 2
Hi. I saw you had no help, so I thought i'd help even though it's almost a year since you posted this.

I think you just want to use your laptop output because you can't use your headphones on the Scarlett interface. If so, I'm gonna assume you don't know cable terminology (or not much), so I'm gonna pass on some knowledge. The headphone out on your laptop (and any similar looking jack) is called an "eighth inch jack" (or 1/8 jack for short). They're also called "three point five millimeter jacks" (or 3.5mm jack). The larger jacks on the back (and the middle of the front sockets) are "quarter inch" sized (1/4 inch jack). You can get a 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch jack converter for very cheap online. Here's a search for it: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS470US470&ion=1&espv=2&es_th=1&ie=UTF-8#q=1%2F8%20to%201%2F4%20adapter

You can also buy these at Best Buy or your local instrument shop/guitar shop. You can get them at Guitar Center for the cheapest (besides online). 

You'll put the converter in your headphone jack (the jack next to the big Monitor knob). Then your headphones go in the converter. 

I highly recommend what I did just and hour ago, and use your Scarlett as your audio driver. Assuming that you've installed the drivers for the interface already, you can set it as your driver by right-clicking the volume icon in your system tray, clicking on the "playback devices", right clicking on Scarlett box, and clicking on "Set as default device". Then, you should do back-and-forth listening tests for 30 minutes with a big smile on your face like me, because the difference in incredible on PC (with factory soundcard).

Hope this helps.

-fellow 2i2 user
 

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