Surround Sound Audio Switch?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim (More info?)

This may be a bizarre request, but I don't think it's too much out there. I
have Two PC's and an XBOX hooked up to a Creative DDTS-100 Dolby Digital
decoder box. The thing is great as it has lots of inputs: three optical,
three stereo, and a coax. It has the three 1/8" (3.5mm) mini-plug outputs
for 5.1 surround output to my Creative 5.1 speakers.

Speakers sound great, but 75% of the time I use my Zalman 5.1 headphones
which also uses the three 1/8" jacks. I tried using a splitter so output
would go to speakers and headphones simultaneously, and just turn off the
speakers when I want to use my headphones, but there is some feedback in the
speakers at times.

I have seen some speaker switches for regular stereo headphones, but nothing
that will switch three inputs simultaneously. I have seen the Zalman
amplifier:

http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=111&code=024

But it just has volume control and no switch. I may try it and see how well
it works, but it cost $70.

If anyone has any ideas of other options, I'm all ears

I am even willing to build my own box, if anyone can point me to a good
audiophile website and/or good site for buying electronics parts. I would
think something like this would be relatively simple to build, just to
switch between two sets of three-wired audio sources. Maybe not. Maybe
something exists???

Thanks!

 

[Colin]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim (More info?)

> This may be a bizarre request, but I don't think it's too much out there.
I
> have Two PC's and an XBOX hooked up to a Creative DDTS-100 Dolby Digital
> decoder box. The thing is great as it has lots of inputs: three optical,
> three stereo, and a coax. It has the three 1/8" (3.5mm) mini-plug outputs
> for 5.1 surround output to my Creative 5.1 speakers.
>
> Speakers sound great, but 75% of the time I use my Zalman 5.1 headphones
> which also uses the three 1/8" jacks. I tried using a splitter so output
> would go to speakers and headphones simultaneously, and just turn off the
> speakers when I want to use my headphones, but there is some feedback in
the
> speakers at times.
>
> I have seen some speaker switches for regular stereo headphones, but
nothing
> that will switch three inputs simultaneously. I have seen the Zalman
> amplifier:
>
> http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=111&code=024
>
> But it just has volume control and no switch. I may try it and see how
well
> it works, but it cost $70.
>
> If anyone has any ideas of other options, I'm all ears
>
> I am even willing to build my own box, if anyone can point me to a good
> audiophile website and/or good site for buying electronics parts. I would
> think something like this would be relatively simple to build, just to
> switch between two sets of three-wired audio sources. Maybe not. Maybe
> something exists???
>
> Thanks!

Hockey. I'm not really sure what you are asking? (Its late at night here)
Discounting the X-Box, I also have 5.1 speakers and headphones with my PC,
used to have the Zalman 5.1's but switched to the Medusa Speedlink 5.1
headset with combined boom mic.

Check this review and pics, epically the pre amp.

http://www.firebox.com/?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=691

I use this headset in conjunction with my Audigy 2 for 5.1 sound for games,
also DVD playback, and the results are outstanding. I have also owned the
Zalman 5.1 headset in the past, and sound quality is far superior with the
Speedlink, so I sold my Zalman 5.1 headset, but not before I had the
opportunity to test both side by side before the Zalman got sold. I actually
had my Zalman 5.1 plugged in side by side with the Medusa, no contest, I
could swap back and forth. This is the best gaming and DVD playback headset
ever, the Medusa's have 4 speakers in each ear, the Zalmans only 3. You have
more comfort and a superb quality boom mic built in with the Medusa Headset
and the 5.1 presence is there, much more so than it is with the Zalmans in
games. The Medusa's are made in Germany and are cheaper than the Zalman in
the UK, you also get a whole lot more flexibility as far as adaptability
with the wires. Last I heard there was no outlet in the USA? but have a
look, there may be now.

HTH

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.flight-sim (More info?)

"Colin" <Colin@NONEOFTHATSPAMSTUFFkatana1000.plus.com> wrote in message
news:42686e55$0$94529$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
>
>
>> This may be a bizarre request, but I don't think it's too much out there.
> I
>> have Two PC's and an XBOX hooked up to a Creative DDTS-100 Dolby Digital
>> decoder box. The thing is great as it has lots of inputs: three optical,
>> three stereo, and a coax. It has the three 1/8" (3.5mm) mini-plug outputs
>> for 5.1 surround output to my Creative 5.1 speakers.
>>
>> Speakers sound great, but 75% of the time I use my Zalman 5.1 headphones
>> which also uses the three 1/8" jacks. I tried using a splitter so output
>> would go to speakers and headphones simultaneously, and just turn off the
>> speakers when I want to use my headphones, but there is some feedback in
> the
>> speakers at times.
>>
>> I have seen some speaker switches for regular stereo headphones, but
> nothing
>> that will switch three inputs simultaneously. I have seen the Zalman
>> amplifier:
>>
>> http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=111&code=024
>>
>> But it just has volume control and no switch. I may try it and see how
> well
>> it works, but it cost $70.
>>
>> If anyone has any ideas of other options, I'm all ears
>>
>> I am even willing to build my own box, if anyone can point me to a good
>> audiophile website and/or good site for buying electronics parts. I would
>> think something like this would be relatively simple to build, just to
>> switch between two sets of three-wired audio sources. Maybe not. Maybe
>> something exists???
>>
>> Thanks!
>
> Hockey. I'm not really sure what you are asking? (Its late at night here)
> Discounting the X-Box, I also have 5.1 speakers and headphones with my PC,
> used to have the Zalman 5.1's but switched to the Medusa Speedlink 5.1
> headset with combined boom mic.
>
> Check this review and pics, epically the pre amp.
>
> http://www.firebox.com/?dir=firebox&action=product&pid=691
>
> I use this headset in conjunction with my Audigy 2 for 5.1 sound for
> games,
> also DVD playback, and the results are outstanding. I have also owned the
> Zalman 5.1 headset in the past, and sound quality is far superior with the
> Speedlink, so I sold my Zalman 5.1 headset, but not before I had the
> opportunity to test both side by side before the Zalman got sold. I
> actually
> had my Zalman 5.1 plugged in side by side with the Medusa, no contest, I
> could swap back and forth. This is the best gaming and DVD playback
> headset
> ever, the Medusa's have 4 speakers in each ear, the Zalmans only 3. You
> have
> more comfort and a superb quality boom mic built in with the Medusa
> Headset
> and the 5.1 presence is there, much more so than it is with the Zalmans in
> games. The Medusa's are made in Germany and are cheaper than the Zalman in
> the UK, you also get a whole lot more flexibility as far as adaptability
> with the wires. Last I heard there was no outlet in the USA? but have a
> look, there may be now.
>
> HTH
>
>

What I want to do is switch between essentially two sets of 5.1 speakers
whether it is headphones or speakers (which use the three 3.5mm jacks). I
have 5.1 speakers, and my 5.1 headphones (Zalman). But there is no switch
box or decoder out there that has two 5.1 speaker outputs on it.

I tried the Medusa's but was unimpressed. Mainly because it doesn't support
5.1 sound with the XBOX. To me the sound was comparable to the Zalman's, and
the Zalman microphone, while I was a bit perplexed at first, surprisingly it
pics up my voice rather well attached to my headphone cord.

I have a decoder box (Creative DDTS-100) that will accept digital inputs
from the XBOX, my one PC (used for productivity and occassionaly DVD
playing), and my gaming PC (5.1 a MUST!). The DDTS-100 is great for inputs
except that it doesn't have dual outputs, unfortunately. So I either have to
have my headphones or speakers hooked up to it. I tried to use a "Y" cable
to connect both headphones and speakers, but it corrupts the output with
some feedback and sounds like shite. Now if I just had a physical switch to
alternate between the two I would be set!