Headphones and speakers simultaneously? How?

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jtwiedemann

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Aug 28, 2016
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Would like to be able to listen to headphones and speakers simultaneously on my PC with no sacrifice in sound quality. What would be the best option? Amp with 2 outputs?
 
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I use an amp with 4 outputs. My headphones and my speaker system are connected to it, so I can just turn the volume sliders for the system I want to listen to, and never have to touch the Windows volume bar.

Amp: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultra-Compact-4-Channel-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B000KIPT30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472485879&sr=8-1&keywords=behringer+headphone+amp

Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=6.3mm+to+3.5mm+adapter

I found the longer adapters to work best with headphones, possibly a pole issue.

Regarding sound quality, an amp literally amps, not increasing or decreasing sound quality.


All the best!
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jsmithepa

jsmithepa

Polypheme
Jun 14, 2014
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Depends on your own definition of "sound quality." Purists would not put up with anything less than an external DAC+headphone Amp on their headphones.

Can you do it? Sure, just have to make the proper wirings. Some Mobo are wired in such a way when you plug in the headphones, your speakers automatically disables, but that should not deter anybody with a soldering iron and know how to use it.
 
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jtwiedemann

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Aug 28, 2016
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Do you have any external amp/dac recommendations for $150 or less? Also, will my wireless Steelseries Siberia 840 headphones benefit from it? It has a receiver that plugs into the pc.
 
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ssddx

ssddx

Titan
May 27, 2009
17,054
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first, software option would be to use something like virtual audio cable. you can output from two ports. windows itself doesnt like more than one device at a time but it can be tricked to allow it.

second, you could always go the splitter route but you may or may not need an amp on the one side for your headphones. technically using a mixer device with multiple outputs fits into this category as well. not needed, but if you used low level devices it works as a volume control as well.

i would suggest playing with VAC or similar programs first followed by experimenting with a splitter. you're likely using powered speakers so i'm not worried about them but as for the headphones you may want an amplifier connected on the their side but you can test that out.

be aware, many dac units may only have a single output. yes, i agree they are nice for headphones or for quality increase in general but they may not solve your problem in the least.

headfi is not a bad place for some information if you take it with much salt given how opinionated things are there. if you can weed through what is said you can certainly gleam some information at times.
 
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Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163

Dignified
Mar 8, 2015
5,283
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I use an amp with 4 outputs. My headphones and my speaker system are connected to it, so I can just turn the volume sliders for the system I want to listen to, and never have to touch the Windows volume bar.

Amp: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultra-Compact-4-Channel-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B000KIPT30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472485879&sr=8-1&keywords=behringer+headphone+amp

Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=6.3mm+to+3.5mm+adapter

I found the longer adapters to work best with headphones, possibly a pole issue.

Regarding sound quality, an amp literally amps, not increasing or decreasing sound quality.


All the best!
 
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