Audiointerface for switching inbetween Speakers and Headphones rapidly?

[ItsTworty]

Recently got home my new studiomonitors to use as speakers in my den. Love the sound so far but i have two issues that are bugging me quite a bit.

1. As i use headphones daily to speak with pals on discord etc. I have to physically plug in and out cables from my pc as to switch the output.

2. I have interreference in the signal from the MB to the speakers.

 

So I'm on the market for an external soundcard / audio interface which offers the ability to switch in-between the headphones and speakers at a button press, Which seems a lot harder to find than what i expected.

 

Started looking at "gaming" accessories and found that the ASUS Xonar U7 MKII almost was what i was looking for, if it wasn't for the fact that the product is outdated and EOL i would have tried it.

Been looking around at many different products but does anyone know of a product that would fit my criteria's, as i seem to not find what I'm looking for?  
 

(Speakers are active and my headphones are super easy to drive at 32 ohm.)

Thanks in advance  

[pas008]

something like the sound blaster x3

[Hybris5112]

I use a Sound Blaster AE-9 sound card/external amp combo that could do what you are looking for so long as you don't mind having Sound Blaster Command open in the background.

 

There is a way to switch outputs on the device without the background software being open but its finicky to the point its easier to use the switch in the software. Really wish Creative would allow for a keyboard shortcut for this function.

[GuiltySpark_]

Are both of these output's individual outputs in the Windows Sound control panel? I routinely switch between my Schiit Modi DAC, my JBL powered monitors and my Logitech gaming headset using key combo's through AudioSwitch. 

 

https://soundswitch.aaflalo.me/

 

I cycle through them with Ctrl-Alt-F11 and there is even an OSD to show which device you have selected. 

[ItsTworty]

19 hours ago, Hybris5112 said:

I use a Sound Blaster AE-9 sound card/external amp combo that could do what you are looking for so long as you don't mind having Sound Blaster Command open in the background.

 

There is a way to switch outputs on the device without the background software being open but its finicky to the point its easier to use the switch in the software. Really wish Creative would allow for a keyboard shortcut for this function.

I looked this up and it looked very promising until i realised that it would cost almost 400 euro where I'm at and noone even has them in stock 

[ItsTworty]

19 hours ago, rickeo said:

Are both of these output's individual outputs in the Windows Sound control panel? I routinely switch between my Schiit Modi DAC, my JBL powered monitors and my Logitech gaming headset using key combo's through AudioSwitch. 

 

https://soundswitch.aaflalo.me/

 

I cycle through them with Ctrl-Alt-F11 and there is even an OSD to show which device you have selected. 

Sadly not, i wish i could have solved this with software this time but i have to get either an external dac+amp combo or something like a Sennheiser GSX 1000 

[ItsTworty]

@rice guruYo do you you have any recommendations? You always have some good tips  
Neither of my speakers or headphones are hard demanding but i wanna get rid of the electrical interference from everything being close to my GPU. 
Some dac + amp combo that has dual output for both headphones and an output to speakers maybe?

[ShearMe]

I use a Mayflower Electronics ARC Mk2, which has a power on/off switch built into the volume knob. Windows is set to switch to it when the DAC turns on, and when it turns off Windows switches back to it's rear output for my speakers.

 

Any device that will not be detected by USB when "powered off" should accomplish the same thing.

[HenrySalayne]

@ItsTworty

Swissonic M-Control +

 

There is a wide range of so called "monitor controllers" which allow you to switch outputs and control the volume.

Alternatively you could get something like the Fluid Audio SRI-2, which is basically the same thing with a built-in audio interface.

[The Flying Sloth]

Monitor controllers will do what you're looking for but other simple options for audio interfaces are the Behringer UMC202HD and Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

[ItsTworty]

35 minutes ago, The Flying Sloth said:

Monitor controllers will do what you're looking for but other simple options for audio interfaces are the Behringer UMC202HD and Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

Would you say that there is a reason to go for the more expensive Focusrite product out of a audio quality standpoint?
(The price here for the Focusrite is about 2x the price of the Behringer, hence why im asking.)
Both the Behringer and the Focusrite seems to do what im looking so thank you for the recommendations!

[rice guru]

21 hours ago, ItsTworty said:

@rice guruYo do you you have any recommendations? You always have some good tips  
Neither of my speakers or headphones are hard demanding but i wanna get rid of the electrical interference from everything being close to my GPU. 
Some dac + amp combo that has dual output for both headphones and an output to speakers maybe?

What is your full setup audio wise? with specifics

[The Flying Sloth]

11 hours ago, ItsTworty said:

Would you say that there is a reason to go for the more expensive Focusrite product out of a audio quality standpoint?
(The price here for the Focusrite is about 2x the price of the Behringer, hence why im asking.)
Both the Behringer and the Focusrite seems to do what im looking so thank you for the recommendations!

I tend to err on the side of value for money so I'd suggest purchasing the Behringer but some people have concerns over the policies of the company and their tendency to 'borrow' the designs of others.
In the end it's up to you but I for one do not think the Focusrite is twice as good of a product. 

[ItsTworty]

3 hours ago, rice guru said:

What is your full setup audio wise? with specifics

Well right now its very simple:

Speakers: Yamaha HS7, powered studio monitors so no amp needed there, just clean signal needed (input: TRS or XLR.)
Headphones: Philips Fidelio X2HR, unsure of specifics but they are very easy to power.

I'm only using a 3,5mm to dual TRS cable from my motherboard to the speakers.
And the headphones are also directly connected to the PC through 3,5mm on the front.

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, ItsTworty said:

Well right now its very simple:

Speakers: Yamaha HS7, powered studio monitors so no amp needed there, just clean signal needed (input: TRS or XLR.)
Headphones: Philips Fidelio X2HR, unsure of specifics but they are very easy to power.

I'm only using a 3,5mm to dual TRS cable from my motherboard to the speakers.
And the headphones are also directly connected to the PC through 3,5mm on the front.

any AMP /DAC combo with a RCA out's should work fine. the way they work usually is you unpluf the headphone and it will automatically output to the RCA out. 

 

I personally have a unique solution to my personal problem as someone that rocks 3 DACS in their setup each with a purpose and needed a nice quick solution that was in addition to letting me control volume on software digitally on a physical knob I can program the buttons built in to the knob to switch between DACS which is great cause now I can switch from speaker DAC to Headphone DACS at a press of a button. if your happy with the sound your getting form the front and rear panel a PC panel is a $50 solution that could solve this for you I think allowing you to switch form front audio to motherboard at a press of a button.