general question about gaming headphones and my PC soundcard

[ualdriver]

I just purchased my first gaming headset, a Plantronics Gamecom Commander and I have a SoundBlaster X-Fi Extreme Music sound card for my PC. I have a Logitech THX 5.1 surround sound system normally plugged into the soundcard.

I plugged the headphones directly into my soundcard in the back of the computer using the two jacks (black and pink) and also tried the headphone USB connection. Using BF4 as a reference, the quality and richness of the sound was MUCH better plugging directly into the soundcard. From what I have read after searching on this forum, that is to be expected because the soundcard is doing the processing and sending a high quality sound signal directly to the headphones from the sound card output jack.

So I'm finding that I have to get on my hands and knees, unplug one of the Logitech speaker jacks, then plug in the microphone and headphone jack for my gaming headset into the soundcard.

So my question is this: Is there some sort of adapter with a length of cord that will allow me to share that one common jack that both my headphones and speaker system use? Or can you not not have two things sharing one jack on the soundcard? I guess I'm just looking for an option so that I don't have to dive under the desk on my hands and knees, plugging and unplugging various jacks every time I want to game. There has to be a more elegant solution?

 

[fralexandr]

do your speakers have an easily reachable headphone jack?

you could probably just get a 3.5mm extension cable for the microphone and just plug the headphones into your speakers.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...xtension+cable

otherwise I guess you could use an audio splitter, but then there might be issues with volume levels and speakers not auto turning off when headphones are plugged in.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...dio%20splitter

 

[ualdriver]

do your speakers have an easily reachable headphone jack?

you could probably just get a 3.5mm extension cable for the microphone and just plug the headphones into your speakers.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...xtension+cable

otherwise I guess you could use an audio splitter, but then there might be issues with volume levels and speakers not auto turning off when headphones are plugged in.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...dio%20splitter

Yes I just noticed they do. My Logitech 5.1 speaker system has a separate little hard wired remote with volume control on it and a few other buttons. But there is a headphone jack in it.

But if I plug into that, am I getting my good "soundcard processed" sound or am I going to get lesser quality sound, like I was getting when I used the USB connection?

 

[fralexandr]

Should be the same signal being sent to/output through your logitechs; should be pretty easy to test that right?

 

[ualdriver]

Should be the same signal being sent to/output through your logitechs; should be pretty easy to test that right?

yes good point.

 

[tamm]

Do you have the 5500s or 906s?
The 906s have a slight difference in sound quality depending on the headphone jack used (usually just the max volume)

 

[ualdriver]

Should be the same signal being sent to/output through your logitechs; should be pretty easy to test that right?

So I tried playing BF4 with the headphones plugged into the Logitech speaker jack.......the sound quality was terrible. It was very "tinny" and I had to blast the volume on the headphones and the controller for the speakers just to get it loud enough to be useable. Seems kind of weird that it would be like that.

 

[ualdriver]

Do you have the 5500s or 906s?
The 906s have a slight difference in sound quality depending on the headphone jack used (usually just the max volume)

The side of the headphones say CDR-6650.

 

[tamm]

How is your Logitech hooked up to the soundcard exactly. Green headphone wire out or something else. It seems your headphones are running on one channel only.

 

[ualdriver]

How is your Logitech hooked up to the soundcard exactly. Green headphone wire out or something else. It seems your headphones are running on one channel only.

I have them hooked up as a 5.1 system. Green to Front jack on soundcard (Line out 1), black to rear (line out 2), yellow to center/subwoofer (line out 3).

 

[fralexandr]

edit: nvm got confused with wording
Seems like tamm was asking which model of logitechs you had. I'm guessing something to do with headphone amps?
the z-5500 (older logitechs) had headphone amps, whereas the newer 906 doesn't.

edit: removed stuff for accuracy

 

[ualdriver]

edit: nvm got confused with wording
Seems like tamm was asking which model of logitechs you had. I'm guessing something to do with headphone amps?
the z-5500 (older logitechs) had headphone amps, whereas the newer 906 doesn't.

the x-fi xtrememusic has a headphone amp

Thus, your plantronics might benefit from having a headphone amp? all reviews I've seen mention the plantronics coming with a built in amp though

I just found the set I have on the Logitech website. I have Z-5300e Logitech speakers.

As far as headphone amps are concerned, the xtrememusic has a headphone amp? My speakers and headphones share the same jack. Doesn't the amp just work for whatever is plugged into the soundcard? I know nothing about soundcards!

 

[fralexandr]

hmm guess the xtrememusic doesn't have a dedicated headphone amp, dunno what's causing the audio issues then (low volume even with volume turned up all the way is usually caused by not enough amplification, and some sound characteristics can be effected by that).

I guess you might look at getting either a different sound card (with front panel support) assuming you have front ports on your case, something like the asus xonar DG or DX or a 3.5mm audio switch.
a generic audio splitter (aka y splitter) might work as well, but you'll probably get lower volume out of your speakers/headphones (not sure if you'll get tinny sound though)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Audio_MP3.html

 

[tamm]

I think the issue is with the logitechs then. If you get a tinny response when:

Your plug your headphones --->logitech headphone jack----->sound card

 

[ualdriver]

hmm guess the xtrememusic doesn't have a dedicated headphone amp, dunno what's causing the audio issues then (low volume even with volume turned up all the way is usually caused by not enough amplification, and some sound characteristics can be effected by that).

I guess you might look at getting either a different sound card (with front panel support) assuming you have front ports on your case, something like the asus xonar DG or DX or a 3.5mm audio switch.
a generic audio splitter (aka y splitter) might work as well, but you'll probably get lower volume out of your speakers/headphones (not sure if you'll get tinny sound though)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Audio_MP3.html

Excellent. This is why I love forums like this. I would never have known a switch like that even existed. I just bought a Y splitter from Amazon, so I'm going to try that first. If it works, it will be a $5 solution. If not, I'll give that switch a try.

I would assume to hook that switch up correctly, I would get a double ended 3.5mm jack cord with male ends on each end and plug into the input side and soundcard, then plug the black jacks from my headphones into A or B, and the Logitech speaker black jack into the other A or B, and then I would be good to go (hopefully)?

I'll look into those soundcards that you mention during my next build. Again, I didn't even realize you could hook up a soundcard to the front jacks of the computer case. I thought only the MB could be hooked to those.

Thanks for all of that. I'll report back with what works in case anyone else runs into this problem.

 

[ualdriver]

I think the issue is with the logitechs then. If you get a tinny response when:

Your plug your headphones --->logitech headphone jack----->sound card

Possibly so. I didn't exactly spend a ton of money on these speakers, either, so I'm not expecting much from them.......and they're getting old. I'm wondering if the headphone jack on the speaker controller just doesn't put out enough voltage(?) to power headphones like mine? Maybe it was just designed for earbuds?

 

[tamm]

Would a splitter effect signal strength for the headphones?

 

[ualdriver]

Would a splitter effect signal strength for the headphones?

I'll let you know when the splitter arrives in a couple of days

 

[jolancer]

signal strength won't be affected by the splitter if both devices aren't turned on at the same time.. even if they are though, signal strenth still maynot be noticably affected because i assume your Logitech 5.1 speakers use there own power source(outlet to the wall).

you mentioned turning up the physical volume controls on your devices, but you didn't mention if you checked the software volume control's. Open the advanced controle's not just the icon in windows, sometimes the volume is all the way up but the "wave" ouput in advanced is all the way down. And don't ask me how why or witch devices/drivers do this cause idk, but then also check your Soundblaster driver output volume from its branded icon cause idk which devices do this but sometimes there software volume control is not linked to windows volume and actually both control seperately. EDIT:I havn't used win7/8 so that above paragraph maynot apply, but easy enough 2 check

your card's name sounds fancy, it may already have a terminal for the front pannel outputs. If your card has empty pins on the inside that don't connect to anything, then you probably can... some of those cards, i dont know which models, come with a 3.5" front pannel that installs on the front of your case and has all the physical volume controles and jacks there for your exact reason. If your card has the internal terminals, you can probably also find creative audigys front pannel for it online somewere for future reference.

 

[ualdriver]

signal strength won't be affected by the splitter if both devices aren't turned on at the same time.. even if they are though, signal strenth still maynot be noticably affected because i assume your Logitech 5.1 speakers use there own power source(outlet to the wall).

you mentioned turning up the physical volume controls on your devices, but you didn't mention if you checked the software volume control's. Open the advanced controle's not just the icon in windows, sometimes the volume is all the way up but the "wave" ouput in advanced is all the way down. And don't ask me how why or witch devices/drivers do this cause idk, but then also check your Soundblaster driver output volume from its branded icon cause idk which devices do this but sometimes there software volume control is not linked to windows volume and actually both control seperately. EDIT:I havn't used win7/8 so that above paragraph maynot apply, but easy enough 2 check

your card's name sounds fancy, it may already have a terminal for the front pannel outputs. If your card has empty pins on the inside that don't connect to anything, then you probably can... some of those cards, i dont know which models, come with a 3.5" front pannel that installs on the front of your case and has all the physical volume controles and jacks there for your exact reason. If your card has the internal terminals, you can probably also find creative audigys front pannel for it online somewere for future reference.

Thanks jolancer!

 

[ualdriver]

All through jolancer.....

So the splitter arrived today, and I plugged it in to the soundcard. Then I plugged in the Logitech speaker jack and the headphones jack into each jack of the splitter on the other end. I played with it for a few minutes, and the best I can tell is that BOTH the Logitech speakers and headphones work at the same time when I do this. There's no noticeable decrease in sound quality or volume with both the speakers (which have their own AC power source) and the headphones plugged in at the same time.

So it looks like my problem is solved. I'll just leave both the speakers and headphones plugged in at the same time, and just turn off the volume to whatever I am not using at the time.

 

[tamm]

Thats always a plus Congrats and enjoy!

 

[alangrift]

Have you checked the website of where you bought the headphones? They could possibly sell an adapter for it or find one online if you google your headset for accessories.

 

[ualdriver]

Have you checked the website of where you bought the headphones? They could possibly sell an adapter for it or find one online if you google your headset for accessories.

No I didn't check, but my problem is pretty much solved using the splitter as described above.