[SOLVED] Headphone jack and external speakers?

[thepersonwithaface45]

Hey guys, quick question here- I was gonna opt for those hyper cloud X headphones, but they have a 3.5mm jack. I have some bose external speakers already in the line out on my motherboard, an asus z390e-
My question is, do both the headphones and the external speakers use the same jack? And if so, I'd have to use either one or the other, and I wouldn't be able to just change audio device via windows?
Thanks

 

[DrummerManSpike]

Yes, both would need the line-out (lime) port for audio. Ideally your case would come with front panel audio/mic in ports, however if it does not, you will have to use either the headphones or the speakers in that port, but not both.

The solution to this is to get a sound card, either internal or external, as they will come with additional audio ports. There are plenty of cheap external USB sound cards that can plug into any USB port (I use mine on a front USB port as all my rear ones are taken up), and often can produce better audio quality than the motherboard alone will provide. For reference, I use the Creative Sound Blaster Play 3, which was around $20. It has separate headphone and mic ports, and comes with its own audio driver software to control frequencies, bass strength, separate audio in/out, etc. I'd recommend doing a bit of research on them to see which one will fit your needs the most based on your budget and the needed specs (refer to your desired headset to see what it's max audio quality is compared to your motherboard, things like min/max frequency, bit rate, kHz, etc). Internal sound cards are more expensive and produce better sound, but are really only needed for higher end setups with more than just 2 speakers, or high end studio headphones.

 

[thepersonwithaface45]

Yes, both would need the line-out (lime) port for audio. Ideally your case would come with front panel audio/mic in ports, however if it does not, you will have to use either the headphones or the speakers in that port, but not both.

The solution to this is to get a sound card, either internal or external, as they will come with additional audio ports. There are plenty of cheap external USB sound cards that can plug into any USB port (I use mine on a front USB port as all my rear ones are taken up), and often can produce better audio quality than the motherboard alone will provide. For reference, I use the Creative Sound Blaster Play 3, which was around $20. It has separate headphone and mic ports, and comes with its own audio driver software to control frequencies, bass strength, separate audio in/out, etc. I'd recommend doing a bit of research on them to see which one will fit your needs the most based on your budget and the needed specs (refer to your desired headset to see what it's max audio quality is compared to your motherboard, things like min/max frequency, bit rate, kHz, etc). Internal sound cards are more expensive and produce better sound, but are really only needed for higher end setups with more than just 2 speakers, or high end studio headphones.

Thanks! Do you know how the case headphone jack connects to the mobo? I assume I plugged in what needs to be plugged in from my case.
Also, do you need a soundcard if you start going into the world of amps/dacs? I have been looking at studio headphones but had a hard time finding a closed back pair that don't require an amp that are also good for gaming / music / youtube, and ended up back at the hyper x's

 

[thepersonwithaface45]

Yes, both would need the line-out (lime) port for audio. Ideally your case would come with front panel audio/mic in ports, however if it does not, you will have to use either the headphones or the speakers in that port, but not both.

The solution to this is to get a sound card, either internal or external, as they will come with additional audio ports. There are plenty of cheap external USB sound cards that can plug into any USB port (I use mine on a front USB port as all my rear ones are taken up), and often can produce better audio quality than the motherboard alone will provide. For reference, I use the Creative Sound Blaster Play 3, which was around $20. It has separate headphone and mic ports, and comes with its own audio driver software to control frequencies, bass strength, separate audio in/out, etc. I'd recommend doing a bit of research on them to see which one will fit your needs the most based on your budget and the needed specs (refer to your desired headset to see what it's max audio quality is compared to your motherboard, things like min/max frequency, bit rate, kHz, etc). Internal sound cards are more expensive and produce better sound, but are really only needed for higher end setups with more than just 2 speakers, or high end studio headphones.

I ended up ordering a pair of akg 702's, based on this guys recommendation:

The Best Headphones for Gaming [In Depth Guide]

Hey guys! Before we get started, check out Apos Audio. They are a great up-and-coming distributor with a phenomenal-looking website and excellent customer service. They also offer free shipping, the lowest price guarantee, a 2-year

homestudiobasics.com

It was coming down to those or the beyer dynamics, but the first studio heaphones I wanted were AKG 712s- These seem to be pretty similar, and my mobo should be able to drive them. Will be looking for a replacement cable now, hear the stock one isn't too great!

 

[DrummerManSpike]

Thanks! Do you know how the case headphone jack connects to the mobo? I assume I plugged in what needs to be plugged in from my case.

If your case has front panel audio jacks, the related cable inside will plug into the bottom left-most header on the motherboard, labeled AAFP on yours specifically. Which case are you using? I can verify for you.

Also, do you need a soundcard if you start going into the world of amps/dacs? I have been looking at studio headphones but had a hard time finding a closed back pair that don't require an amp that are also good for gaming / music / youtube, and ended up back at the hyper x's

That I'm not sure about, you'd have to open up a thread in the audio section for more professional audio advice, I only know the relative basics there.

 

[thepersonwithaface45]

If your case has front panel audio jacks, the related cable inside will plug into the bottom left-most header on the motherboard, labeled AAFP on yours specifically. Which case are you using? I can verify for you.



That I'm not sure about, you'd have to open up a thread in the audio section for more professional audio advice, I only know the relative basics there.

I'm using a corsair 5000D, pretty sure I remember plugging in a cord that matches that description!

 

[DrummerManSpike]

Yep, headset jack right on the top next to the USB slots! You can plug that CloudX in there and keep your speakers plugged in the back, no sound card needed. Generally if both are plugged in, the headphones will take priority over the speakers, but this is easily changeable in Windows settings or sometimes the in-game settings, depending on the game. It's easiest for me just to unplug the headphones entirely when I want to use my desktop speakers.

 

[thepersonwithaface45]

Yep, headset jack right on the top next to the USB slots! You can plug that CloudX in there and keep your speakers plugged in the back, no sound card needed. Generally if both are plugged in, the headphones will take priority over the speakers, but this is easily changeable in Windows settings or sometimes the in-game settings, depending on the game. It's easiest for me just to unplug the headphones entirely when I want to use my desktop speakers.

Yessir, picked up some AKG 702s and got my desktop speakers and my headphones on different 3.5mm ports, thanks!