X-Fi Headphone+Speaker solution

[Ramsey]

First of all, I'd like to thank the head-fi forums for being a great source of information for my audio needs. That being said, there's one thing I haven't been able to find a good information on. (If it turns out that I just haven't looked hard enough, I apologize.)

I'd like to switch easily between my headphones and speakers on my X-Fi while in gaming mode. I've found a few solutions on these forums and elsewhere, but none that I felt were ideal...

- 3.5in drive bay front panel:
I have experience with this and felt that it lowered the audio quality significantly. (Could this have been the fault of something going on inside the computer case?)
Plus, I'd have to plug and unplug the headphones every time I want to use them, which is something I'm ultimately looking to avoid. I have a crazy concern about wearing down the jacks.

- Plugging headphones in to the headphone jack on speakers (Klipsch 2.1):
I've tried this and felt that the small loss in audio quality was acceptable. However, doing this also means that I'd have to plug and unplug the headphones every time I want to use them.

- Remapping outputs in Audio Creation mode:
While Audio Creation mode works out great for music listening, it's horrible for gaming because it causes a noticeable performance decrease.

- Simple Splitter:
I have no way of stopping the audio from going to my headphones while I'm using the speakers. (The sound from the headphones isn't that audible when the speakers are on, but I'm concerned that doing this on a regular basis would wear down the headphones. Am I being too over-protective of things?)

- Simple Switch:
I've found a couple briefly mentioned on the forums -- MK5 switch/MK10 switch and Plantronics switch. I haven't seen anything about how these are in terms of quality, though.


If you're using both headphones and speakers with your X-Fi, how are you doing it?

Are there any other (relatively cheap) solutions that I've left out here? Do my options open up significantly if I'm willing to spend more money?

 

[SprySpectre]

Although I don't own an X-Fi, I think there is a way to do this iirc. It's less of a pain than reaching around your computer and swapping cords and all that crap....just disable/mute the headphone when you want to listen to speakers via the creative software or sound control panel.

 

[Ramsey]

I think I'd need two seperate outputs to do that, and the problem with the x-fi card by itself is that it only gives me one.

 

[bhjazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsey - 3.5in drive bay front panel: I have experience with this and felt that it lowered the audio quality significantly. (Could this have been the fault of something going on inside the computer case?) Plus, I'd have to plug and unplug the headphones every time I want to use them, which is something I'm ultimately looking to avoid. I have a crazy concern about wearing down the jacks.

Hey there. Welcome!

The front panel for just about any sound card will degrade the sound because Creative decided to connect to it through a flat ribbon cable originally meant for hard drives, etc. (At least that is how they avhe done it in the past.) Best to avoid this.

To me, though, plugging in and unplugging is probably your best bet. By the time you couls dignificantly wear down the jack, you'd be ready for an updated sound card anyway.

Have fun!

 

[slunk007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramsey Plugging headphones in to the headphone jack on speakers (Klipsch 2.1): I've tried this and felt that the small loss in audio quality was acceptable. However, doing this also means that I'd have to plug and unplug the headphones every time I want to use them.

Do this. That's what I do when I'm gaming. Your speakers are probably on your desk within an arm's reach. If I need to switch from headphones to speakers while playing Day of Defeat: Source, what you're describing is exactly what I do. Of course, I do it only after a round (or after I die). I honestly don't notice a difference in sound quality in my A900s when they're plugged into the headphone jack on my 2.1 speakers. I don't have time to think about whether or not that explosion or gunshot had the right timbre or wasn't airy enough.

It's one thing to be concerned about audio quality when gaming, but it seems silly to be TOO concerned with SQ while gaming.

While gaming on my headphones via the headphone jack, I can still hear footsteps and be able to place where they are coming from so I don't get shot... oh yeah... and it sounds awesome.

 

[Ramsey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slunk007 Do this. That's what I do when I'm gaming. Your speakers are probably on your desk within an arm's reach. If I need to switch from headphones to speakers while playing Day of Defeat: Source, what you're describing is exactly what I do. Of course, I do it only after a round (or after I die). I honestly don't notice a difference in sound quality in my A900s when they're plugged into the headphone jack on my 2.1 speakers. I don't have time to think about whether or not that explosion or gunshot had the right timbre or wasn't airy enough.

If I use the jack on my speakers, I'd assume that I shouldn't also use an amp in the mix? Do the volume levels on the speakers or on my computer matter at all?

 

[necropimp]

here is how i have it run

X-Fi -> ratshack headphone splitter -> mini->rca cable -> meta42 -> HD580
................................................->speakers

i turn the speakers off when i listen to headphones and the meta42 is turned off when gaming... i use x-fi mode switcher for switching between ACM and GM

 

[Kaluminati]

Quote:

Originally Posted by necropimp here is how i have it run X-Fi -> ratshack headphone splitter -> mini->rca cable -> meta42 -> HD580 ................................................->speakers i turn the speakers off when i listen to headphones and the meta42 is turned off when gaming... i use x-fi mode switcher for switching between ACM and GM

This is interesting, I have the x-fi platinum and I have been using the Drive bay to run my headphones from. I had no idea the quality would be degraded.

I use the logitech z5550s which require 3 jacks to be connected to the sound card. Any idea what kind of connectors I'd need to connect both the headphones and the speakers to the soundcard directly at the same time?

 

[necropimp]

same setup just use the splitter on the first output jack... set game and entertainment modes to 5.1speaker and set ACM to 2/2.1speaker...the speaker settings can be different between modes

 

[Kaluminati]

Quote:

Originally Posted by necropimp same setup just use the splitter on the first output jack... set game and entertainment modes to 5.1speaker and set ACM to 2/2.1speaker...the speaker settings can be different between modes

Okay that makes sense. Sorry it hurts my head to think about splitting connections etc. As odd as that may sound ;P Thanks.

 

[Ramsey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by necropimp i turn the speakers off when i listen to headphones and the meta42 is turned off when gaming... i use x-fi mode switcher for switching between ACM and GM

When my amp (a PA2V2) is shut off, my headphones still receive some signal if everything else is still hooked up. Would this be any different if I got another amp?

 

[Kaluminati]

Quote:

Originally Posted by necropimp same setup just use the splitter on the first output jack... set game and entertainment modes to 5.1speaker and set ACM to 2/2.1speaker...the speaker settings can be different between modes

Hm well I got a headphone splitter and the headphones from the amp run into it as well as the front speaker connector for the z5500s into the first jack on the x-fi, the right speaker on both the z5500s and the cans does not produce any sound. I got the wrong connector I'm guessing.

 

[necropimp]

yeah you might have grabbed a mono splitter... i almost did when i got mine

 

[Ramsey]

Some sound still comes out of my headphones when the amp it's connected to is off. I can barely hear the sound, so that in itself isn't a problem... but should I be concerned about this for other reasons? Is it ok that sound is coming out of my headphones when I'm not using them?

 

[Disiskurt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhjazz The front panel for just about any sound card will degrade the sound because Creative decided to connect to it through a flat ribbon cable originally meant for hard drives, etc. (At least that is how they avhe done it in the past.) Best to avoid this.

This is the first I've heard of this on the forum. I bought an X-Fi Platinum because I thought having some more common and useful inputs and outputs would be a lot more convenient than dealing with four 1/8" jacks (ex: I wouldn't mind using toslink at some point and I would prefer to use a normal coaxial cable rather than 1/8" to RCA.) If this is true, I'm very surprised there wasn't more warning from other users.