How to run two headsets through one audio jack on my laptop?

[bookorlandochristopher]

So I recently bought two headsets so I could record two people doing audio commentary. The issue is EACH headset has both a mic and headphone jack. So I figured out a splitter would do the trick for one headset but not both as in I don't really want to attach a splitter to another splitter since the quality would become less and less. Is there any other adapter or some other way to essentially get the 4 jacks (two mics, two headphone) into the one audio outlet on my laptop to make it work?

 

[salerhino]

Maybe get USB to 3.5mm mic and audio converter?
I can say that it preserves good quality of sound.

Something like this:
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mWrU9t_p3wuJqZiQqcYoFQw.jpg

 

[Paperdoc]

You are dealing with two different needs for adapters. First you have two headsets that each have separate earphone and microphone jacks, right? Then you have a laptop with a single hole for ONE jack, so you cannot even plug BOTH jacks from one headset into that single jack.

Second item first. Look at the two jacks on one headset. Each has THREE contacts on it - tip, ring, and sleeve. For an earphone pair, these provide Left, Right, and Ground connections. For a microphone, they provide Mic (mono, not stereo usually), (unused), and Ground. What you do not see directly is what is inside the hole on your laptop. It is designed for a slightly different jack that has FOUR contacts - tip, ring1, ring2, and sleeve. These provide Left and Right earphone, Mic, and Ground.

So you need two types of adapter. One can be used to combine the two headsets in parallel into one pair of jacks - one like this, and you need TWO of these.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812104103&cm_re=headphone_splitter-_-12-104-103-_-Product

Use one to combine the EARPHONE jacks from both headsets into one jack. Then use the other to combine the MIC jacks from the two headsets together.

Now you need ONE of a different adapter like this

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200956&cm_re=headphone_splitter-_-12-200-956-_-Product

Note that this one specifies that it converts the female 4-contact socket hole in your laptop into TWO female (hole) 3-contact sockets - one for the earphone connection, and one for the mic connection. You would plug the other two combiner-adapters into these two output legs. This latter unit does not appear to have any clear label on it for which output arm is for which connection, but it may be marked when you actually get it. Or, you may have to experiment.

 

[The Paladin]

to record 2 voices you need dual mic channels. the only way I know how to do this is with a desktop PC.
you could use a external mixer, plug headphones to it and record the signals into laptop through the usb connector to the pc from mixer,. but you would have to look further in that range of things

 

[Paperdoc]

That's right. Merely doing what you sought and I suggested just connects the two headsets in parallel, and gives you NO individual control over either earphone set or either microphone. To achieve that, you need what The Paladin suggested - a more complex audio connection system and a software application that gives you that individualized control.