Rear Audio Jack isn't working?

[ilyas.baqaie]

OS: Windows 10
MOBO: ROG STRIX B350-F gaming

I had bought myself a pair of Hyper X Cloud Alphas today but the audio jack wasn't being picked up and only the mic was (rear panel). I have never used the rear audio jack as before my head phones were usb.

When i plug in my head phones with the spliter the mic is connected but the audio isn't and the jack information says it is connected to the front panel. How can i see if it is my headphones or the audio jack that isn't working and if its the audio jack is their any fix?

 

[Paperdoc]

You say, "When i plug in my head phones with the spliter ...". What is this Splitter? Let me explain my question.

One type of splitter is used to connect two or more output devices (like headphones and a speaker) to a single source jack so both can be heard. But there's another type for a different purpose.

The heaphones you have use a particular design of connector on the end of the cable. Look at it closely. It has FOUR contacts: Tip, Ring1, Ring2, and Sleeve. In this system, often Tip is for the microphone, the two Rings are for left and right stereo signals, and Sleeve is common Ground. Now, most output jacks on a mobo or sound card do NOT use this system. Instead, they use separate jacks: one for the front two stereo signals, and another for the microphone. For each of these, the plug has only ONE Sleeve (3 contacts). The plug for the front speakers (and headphone) uses Tip for one stereo channel, Ring for the other, and Sleeve for Ground. The Mic plug uses Tip for the mic, Sleeve for the Ground, and may NOT use the Ring at all, or MAY use the Ring for the second channel of a stereo mirophone. So, that 4-contact plug your headphones has will not work properly with a 3-contact jack. For that purpose you need another type of adapter or "splitter" that separates the four contacts system on the end of your headphone cable into two plugs of the 3-contacts type that DO match the jacks on your audio outputs. It looks like this

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIABU95R43693&cm_re=headphone_adapter-_-9SIABU95R43693-_-Product

Note that it specifies that its female jack has FOUR positions (matches the plug on the end of your headset cable) and there are two output arms ending in 3-position plugs. One is color-coded green to plug into the front speaker jack on your sound card or mobo back panel or into the front panel earphone jack, and the other coded red for the microphone jack.

So, when you said "splitter", did you mean the first type or the second? The second type I explained really is an adapter to convert from one plug type to another, but some might call it a Splitter because it has two cable arms. If you do not have one of these adapters, get one to solve your problem.

 

[ilyas.baqaie]

Yes i have the second type of splitter you described. Thanks for answering my question. But is there anyway i can know for sure that my motherboard is 3-contact audio jack?

 

[Paperdoc]

Virtually all are that way. Look at the jacks grouped together on the mobo's rear jack panel. Normally there are six audio jacks to allow for up to a 7.1 speaker system. With common color codes (possible these are not exactly right) they are
Lt Green: Left / Right Front Speakers
Orange: Front Center / Subwoofer
Grey: Left / Right Rear Speakers
Black: Left / Right Side Speakers
Lt Blue: Line In
Pink: Microphone

In each case, note that the jack contains connection for TWO items only, so it provides two "hot" signals and a common Ground. That's a 3-contact system.

On the front of your case there normally are two jacks that accept also 3-contact plugs. Color codes often are Black or Lt Green for the earphones, and Pink for the Mic. The cable that feeds to this set from the mobo is separate, and will be plugged into a Front Audio header on the mobo. So at least the mobo-based audio system has a separate way to deal with speakers at the rear panel and headphones on the front. You CAN plug headphones into the rear panel (using the front left / right jack for the earphones portion) or into the front jacks.

Because the front panel jack pair also is the 3-contact system, you still need that adapter cable to be able to plug your 4-contact headset into either the front or the rear jack systems.

 

[smorizio]

also make sure in the realteck audio control panel the front and rear audio chanel are split there a small check box to click to make them two audio streams. if the back are gold with stamped icons. play a music song and start with the center channel. also make sure in windows sound setting your using realteck speaker as output and not hdmi.

 

[Paperdoc]

Thanks for Best Solution. I hope it's all working now.