Audio Device Issues on New Build

[millermusing]

Ok, so I just built a new system a few weeks ago, and all things considered it's working wonderfully. Here are the specs:

 

Motherboard: MSI z97 PC Mate

CPU: i5 4590

GPU: EVGA GTX 960 ssc 2GB

Memory: Hyper Fury 8GB DDR3

PSU: Corsair 600w

Drives: 1TB HDD

            120 SSD

            CD/DVD Drive

 

The issue I need help with involves the way the system handles audio devices. When I plug in my plain old earbuds, an MSI window pops up, with a list of input devices, and asks me to confirm which one I'm using. The headphones option is already selected, so I just hit ok, and everything works fine. The problem arises when I switch audio devices while using them. 

 

Let's say I'm playing Sims 4, and listening with my earbuds. Then my wife comes home, and wants to listen to the game while I play, so I unplug the earbuds, and plug in the little portable speaker. The system doesn't recognize the change in audio devices, and the audio simply stops working. If I quit Sims, unplug and replug the speaker, and do the same confirmation in the MSI window, then reopen Sims, then everything works fine.

 

There's a similar issue when I do something like this while listening to Spotify.

 

My thought is that it may have something to do with the fact that there are no internal speakers, so when I unplug the earbuds or whatever, I'm removing all audio devices, and that freaks the system out. Do I just need to invest in some desktop speakers that I can leave plugged in all the time?  Or is there some setting I can change in BIOS or something to have the system just recognize my front I/O aux port as the default audio device?

 

I'm new to all this, so be gentle if I've posted this in the wrong place, or if I'm missing a really obvious solution. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!