Is there a switch that allows you to go between PC speakers & headphones/ mic?

I have a set of of 5.1 headphones with a mic attached that i use for online racing. When i'm not racing i want to hear audio through my Logitech 5.1 speakers without having to disconnect the cables in the back of my PC. This switch would have to have 5.1 connections for both devices and then plug directly into my xfi sound card...Any help is much appreciated!!!!

 

Hi,i have the same problem but i have not found a way round it yet without buying a front port soltion like the x-fi titanium pro fatality

 

have you got a sound card, or is it the onboard sound???

If its just onboard, why not buy a sound card, and then plug headphones into one, and speakers into another... then just enable/disable them as you need

you could also get a cheapy 5.1 usb dongle and do it that way...

 

If you're using Windows Vista or Windows 7....it's in the sound properties....right click on the speaker icon and select "playback devices"

The Creative software "should" have a similar feature to select the active output device as well...

 

Ok guys right now my 5.1 analog headphones are plugged into my xfi sound card using 4 connections. Which means my 5.1 speakers cannot be, therefore no audio to the speakers. I'm looking for a device that enables both speakers and headphones active with the ability to switch between the 2 by a flip of a switch. I found a Plantronics device but it only allows stereo reproduction not 5.1.

Plantronics device: (stereo only)

 

X-Fi Extreme Audio cards have gotten to be relatively cheap....

Perhaps...something similar to this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102035

 

Thanks
I cant find anything about being able to run this along with my internal sound card. Seems like its designed to extend laptop sound and pc's stuck with on board sound only. I'm wondering if it will cause a conflict. If this works i could just plug the speakers into it, and leave my headphones connected to my soundcard. Do you think that will work?

 

Being USB, it shouldn't conflict, though you can e-mail Creative's tech support and ask them. I had no issues running an X-Fi Go! with my XtremeGamer...you just switch the default audio device as needed, and disable the device that's not in use. That's what I did anyway...

 

I was thinking, if i bought the external sound card as soon as i plugged the usb in, windows would recognize that i'm trying to install a second sound card. It will not install it because of my existing PCI sound card, so it will not work. Its like trying to activate on board sound and expecting the pci sound card to work as well. 1 cancels out the other..

 

you could make your self one for very cheap

 

This is creative response to my question:

Thank you for writing in to Creative.

May I confirm with you whether you are referring to the X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro sound card?

It is advisable to disable the onboard sound card from BIOS when using our sound card. Please be informed that 2 sound cards cannot work simultaneously since only one sound card will be set as the default playback device. Kindly refer to the link below for instructions to set default playback device in Windows:

Setting the default playback device in Windows
http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=64868

 

I have used an audigy 2 zs, xonar dx and onboard all at once and could switch between them easy with 5 or so clicks. Adding more sound cards doesn't cancel others out.. You just need to change the default play back device.

 

http://store.turtlebeach.com/cabhpa618to318mst.aspx

Thats what I bought so I can switch from 5.1 speakers to 5.1 headphones without disconnecting anything. Worth every cent.

And you dont have to change any sound card settings or anything.