Using PC Headset and Speakers at the same time

[Majnu]

Hi,


I use my headsets for during gaming but would also like to use my bass shakers simultaneously.

Equipment:
Creative Ti HD Soundcard
Sony STR DA 2400ES Home Amp
Bass Shaker Speaker
Headphone

On my Creative Ti HD I have Headphone Out, Optical Out and Analog Out.

When I select spidif output on my Soundcard's Playback devices, the headphone sound cuts out. Is there a way that I can have them running at the same time?

Thanks

 

[Jim Cole]

The only way that I know of would be to install a second sound card option in your system. Right now when you select a speaker set to use in Windows, it will cut audio to other outputs and only send audio to the selected destination.

Of course if you don't mind modding things, you could possibly mod your headset to occupy the front or surround speaker port on the sound card you have already and continue to use the bass in the bass output.

 

[Majnu]

Been digging around it seems that the Asus sound cards have this feature and for other manufacturers they don't. There is software which may cause latency issues but apparently it does what I want. It's called Virtual Audio Cable

 

[Stuart Thomson]

If you could use the spdif into the Sony, you could then use the Sony's headphone jack for your phones, and use a "tape out" from the Sony to feed the signal to the bass shaker. I'm guessing that the speakers cut off when headphones are inserted, or if not there will be a Speaker cut On/Off button at the very least.

You could do the same thing with the Analog Out, thinking about it - the Sony's designed for multi in and multi out, that's the most flexible component, so let it do its stuff. Less stress on your soundcard than now, too and it's only using 1 output (spdif would be the best as I'm assuming it's optical, and so it uses less power than line voltage)

The only downside is that you'd need to turn on the Sony whenever you use the PC - but if that's not an issue, it's the way I'd go personally.

 

[Majnu]

The problem with that is that there is no dolby virtual surround processing done by the amps headphone out.

I'll give the VAC program trial a try otherwise I'll sell my sound card and get the Asus STX.

Thanks

 

[Beef36]

I find VAC is a bit laggy and distracting when racing.

I run speakers and headset using my Asus DX sound cards, but I do encounter issues.

I use SPDIF and Dolby Digital Live to get 5.1 sound out of the optical connection, but when I select the checkbox to also run the sound out of the analog connection, I can only do both channels simultaneously in PCM mode (eg stereo), not Dolby Digital Live.