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Using a pair of headphones as a microphone?

MrTomnus
By MrTomnus
in Audio
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Hi, I don't have an external mic at the moment, but I have two pairs of headphones that both have in line microphones. I want to be able to use one of them to hear sounds from the PC/game, and the other to use as a microphone to transmit my voice when I play with a friend. I tried to get it to work yesterday but it just wouldn't... I have tried:

 

Plugging into the front and selecting input as microphone

Plugging into the front and selecting line in

Plugging into the back and selecting microphone

Plugging into the back and selecting line in

 

The only one that almost worked was the back line in. Steam microphone test lit up, but when I spoke it didn't detect anything. Does anyone know if this will work? I know both mics work perfectly fine. I'm using onboard sound if that helps.

| My first build: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/117400-my-very-first-build/ | Build for my friend's 18th: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/168660-pc-for-my-friends-18th-with-pictures-complete/ |


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Are the headphone mics with 3 pole design on the jack? If so you might want to get a splitter.

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Are the headphone mics with 3 pole design on the jack? If so you might want to get a splitter.

Yup, it has the three splits in the jack if that's what that means :) Okay, I'm going shopping today hopefully so I'll look for one and see if it works. Thanks for the advice!

| My first build: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/117400-my-very-first-build/ | Build for my friend's 18th: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/168660-pc-for-my-friends-18th-with-pictures-complete/ |


ATH-M50X Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/165934-review-audio-technica-ath-m50-x/ | Nintendo 3DS XL Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/179711-nintendo-3ds-xl-review/ | Game Capture Guide: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/186547-ultimate-guide-to-recording-your-gameplay/


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Yup, it has the three splits in the jack if that's what that means :) Okay, I'm going shopping today hopefully so I'll look for one and see if it works. Thanks for the advice!

That technically 4 pole and youll need a splitter, good ones arnt cheap and they are not the mpst reliable.

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That technically 4 pole and youll need a splitter, good ones arnt cheap and they are not the mpst reliable.

Hm, okay thanks for the info. It doesn't need to be amazing as I will be buying an external mic soon, I just need something that works in the meantime. So I should look for a 4 pole splitter?

| My first build: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/117400-my-very-first-build/ | Build for my friend's 18th: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/168660-pc-for-my-friends-18th-with-pictures-complete/ |


ATH-M50X Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/165934-review-audio-technica-ath-m50-x/ | Nintendo 3DS XL Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/179711-nintendo-3ds-xl-review/ | Game Capture Guide: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/186547-ultimate-guide-to-recording-your-gameplay/


Case: Corsair 200R CPU: i5 4670K @ 3.4GHz RAM: Corsair 8GB 1600MHz C9 Mobo: GIGABYTE Z87-HD3 GPU: MSI R9 290 Cooler: Hyper 212 EVO PSU: EVGA 750W Storage: 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD Display: Dell U2212HM OS: Windows 8

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Hm, okay thanks for the info. It doesn't need to be amazing as I will be buying an external mic soon, I just need something that works in the meantime. So I should look for a 4 pole splitter?

To be honest you will probably get a decent mic for the price of a decent splitter. I could be wrong as mic quality varries as everything :D but i have a 5$ mic i bought 5 yrs ago and it's still rockin with a decent quality

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Hm, okay thanks for the info. It doesn't need to be amazing as I will be buying an external mic soon, I just need something that works in the meantime. So I should look for a 4 pole splitter?

Yea the one I recommend is startech and is on amazon and possibly newegg.

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The HID Liberator: A Cherry MX Mechanical Keyboard Build Log | A Simple Mod: Silencing the EVGA 750Ti FTW w/ ACX

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Hm, okay thanks for the info. It doesn't need to be amazing as I will be buying an external mic soon, I just need something that works in the meantime. So I should look for a 4 pole splitter?

Noooooooo...

You need a "headset adapter" not a "splitter"

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Noooooooo...

You need a "headset adapter" not a "splitter"

Idk what it technically is but it does split the audio and mic...

UPDATED An enthusiasts guide to video feat. MPC-HC + madVR | NEW UPDATE Supertower Build Log: Anthrax 8.0 ~ 02/21 - Follow!

Build Logs: Anthrax (2016.02.14) | Chibi PC (2014.09.22) | ThePylon (2015.10.26) | Mystery Build #4 (????.??.??) | Mystery Build #5 (????.??.??)

The HID Liberator: A Cherry MX Mechanical Keyboard Build Log | A Simple Mod: Silencing the EVGA 750Ti FTW w/ ACX

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Hm, okay thanks for the info. It doesn't need to be amazing as I will be buying an external mic soon, I just need something that works in the meantime. So I should look for a 4 pole splitter?

 

For the price of that splitter you're halfway to a zalman clip on mic so perhaps just get the mic?

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Noooooooo...

You need a "headset adapter" not a "splitter"

Oh okay, thanks :)

 

For the price of that splitter you're halfway to a zalman clip on mic so perhaps just get the mic?

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that mic! Is it any good?

| My first build: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/117400-my-very-first-build/ | Build for my friend's 18th: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/168660-pc-for-my-friends-18th-with-pictures-complete/ |


ATH-M50X Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/165934-review-audio-technica-ath-m50-x/ | Nintendo 3DS XL Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/179711-nintendo-3ds-xl-review/ | Game Capture Guide: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/186547-ultimate-guide-to-recording-your-gameplay/


Case: Corsair 200R CPU: i5 4670K @ 3.4GHz RAM: Corsair 8GB 1600MHz C9 Mobo: GIGABYTE Z87-HD3 GPU: MSI R9 290 Cooler: Hyper 212 EVO PSU: EVGA 750W Storage: 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD Display: Dell U2212HM OS: Windows 8

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Oh okay, thanks :)

 

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that mic! Is it any good?

 

Yeah it's pretty good but I had to turn on boost for mine to get it loud enough. 

My personal rig - 4790k 4.8Ghz, Asus Z97 Pro (wi-fi ac), Corsair Dominator Plat 4x8GB, SLI GTX 1080 TI FE, Samsung 850 Evo 1TB, Crucial MX100 512GB, EVGA G3 1000W, and cooled by a hardline liquid cooling loop. 

 

Safe Practices and Complete Guide to Buying/Selling on the Classifieds and other forums

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Yeah it's pretty good but I had to turn on boost for mine to get it loud enough. 

Awesome, I'll think about that :)

| My first build: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/117400-my-very-first-build/ | Build for my friend's 18th: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/168660-pc-for-my-friends-18th-with-pictures-complete/ |


ATH-M50X Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/165934-review-audio-technica-ath-m50-x/ | Nintendo 3DS XL Review: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/179711-nintendo-3ds-xl-review/ | Game Capture Guide: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/186547-ultimate-guide-to-recording-your-gameplay/


Case: Corsair 200R CPU: i5 4670K @ 3.4GHz RAM: Corsair 8GB 1600MHz C9 Mobo: GIGABYTE Z87-HD3 GPU: MSI R9 290 Cooler: Hyper 212 EVO PSU: EVGA 750W Storage: 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD Display: Dell U2212HM OS: Windows 8

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Idk what it technically is but it does split the audio and mic...

Colloquially, you're right, but technically not.

A splitter turns one signal into many, an adapter interfaces between different connections (ie: 4 pole to dual 3 pole)

PC Build in LTT Gallery - JBL J88 - Fostex T50RP (Modded) - Pioneer SE-A1000 vs audio-technica ATH-AD500X - Skullcandy Aviator  
audio-technica ATH-T400 - CHC Silverado and Laredo - Clip-On Headphone Roundup - Sony LinkBuds

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Colloquially, you're right, but technically not.

A splitter turns one signal into many, an adapter interfaces between different connections (ie: 4 pole to dual 3 pole)

It does do that in the adapter... :P

I know, I know. Either way unless your going to make a custom one or get one made, my best experience has been with the startech ones.

UPDATED An enthusiasts guide to video feat. MPC-HC + madVR | NEW UPDATE Supertower Build Log: Anthrax 8.0 ~ 02/21 - Follow!

Build Logs: Anthrax (2016.02.14) | Chibi PC (2014.09.22) | ThePylon (2015.10.26) | Mystery Build #4 (????.??.??) | Mystery Build #5 (????.??.??)

The HID Liberator: A Cherry MX Mechanical Keyboard Build Log | A Simple Mod: Silencing the EVGA 750Ti FTW w/ ACX

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