2 Default playback devices

[Cokelover58]

So I have a USB headset and Xonar sound card, I want the same sound to come out of both of my playback device. I will leave the power of my surround sound off until i want to use it. So I know that windows cant do this but I was wondering if a program can do it for me. I found a workaround but there is a draw back.

Sound Devices -> Playback Tab -> Set sound card to Default Playback device
Go to Recording Tab -> What U Hear -> Right-click -> Listen Tab
Check Listen to this Device -> Drop Down Playback to your Headset

So with this I wont be able to use my mic, which I need. I would just switch manually but I would have to restart my game to get the sound to work, which just takes to much time. Any ideas?

 

[royalcrown]

I don't have any ideas but why do you want both going at the same time ?

[Juan Remes]

I don't have any ideas but why do you want both going at the same time ?

Because human laziness...

 

So I have a USB headset and Xonar sound card, I want the same sound to come out of both of my playback device. I will leave the power of my surround sound off until i want to use it. So I know that windows cant do this but I was wondering if a program can do it for me. I found a workaround but there is a draw back.

Sound Devices -> Playback Tab -> Set sound card to Default Playback device

Go to Recording Tab -> What U Hear -> Right-click -> Listen Tab

Check Listen to this Device -> Drop Down Playback to your Headset

So with this I wont be able to use my mic, which I need. I would just switch manually but I would have to restart my game to get the sound to work, which just takes to much time. Any ideas?

I guess there will be a 3rd party software that makes this possible, but i dont know which one.

Why dont you set your surround setup as default and use a headset plugged from it?(2.5mm) I know your headset is usb and it need drivers to work, but using the surround setup as a bridge is a more viable way to workaround what you want  to do (IMO)

[Cokelover58]

I like to either watch youtube or play games with my surround sound on but then a friend will call me on skype or join TS. So i would like to just hit the power button on my surround sound and pick up my head set like nothing happened instead of changing default devices. If I did that I would have to close out of my game and then restart it with the new default device to get it to play through my headphones. and the game I mostly play now is Rust, which if you have played it, is an extremely long load time.

[Cokelover58]

Why dont you set your surround setup as default and use a headset plugged from it?

What do you mean, plug my headset into my sound card? you lost me.

[royalcrown]

I have a headset and speakers now, you can set the headset to be the "default communications device" and set the speakers to default and it should do what you want, just double check that Skype is using the headset. Unless you are wanting something else and I am not getting it, you shouldn't have to switch anything then and you'll get only the Skype on the headset while the game stays on surround. 

[Cokelover58]

I have a headset and speakers now, you can set the headset to be the "default communications device" and set the speakers to default and it should do what you want, just double check that Skype is using the headset. Unless you are wanting something else and I am not getting it, you shouldn't have to switch anything then and you'll get only the Skype on the headset while the game stays on surround. 

No 1 wants to hear my game + themselves through my mic while talking, it just isn't pleasant. Also i will have music playing at sometimes.

[Grrizz]

You might be able to do that with 'virtual audio cable' software (google ), I've read about it as a potential work around for an issue I was having but haven't used any of them yet so couldn't speak from experience.

[Cokelover58]

You might be able to do that with 'virtual audio cable' software (google ), I've read about it as a potential work around for an issue I was having but haven't used any of them yet so couldn't speak from experience.

I have also found this as an answer, but when I try to use it, it will only let me use a microphone as a audio "dupe". Not sure if thats the way to put it. When i watched a video I could only fine how to play music through streams (guessing streamers use this).

[royalcrown]

No 1 wants to hear my game + themselves through my mic while talking, it just isn't pleasant. Also i will have music playing at sometimes.

Okay, but windows can turn it down for you as well. Not trying to avoid your question, just pointing it out in case it fixes your issues. The link applies to 8 and 10 too.

 

http://www.askvg.com/fix-windows-7-automatically-reduces-system-volume-for-games-pc-calls/

[Grrizz]

I have also found this as an answer, but when I try to use it, it will only let me use a microphone as a audio "dupe". Not sure if thats the way to put it. When i watched a video I could only fine how to play music through streams (guessing streamers use this).

Yea, I was looking into it as a recording solution to break apart separate audio sources for recording then recombining them to output, it was a while go that I was looking so I couldn't give you more detail or software names but there was one nice one I saw with a GUI that you could "connect cables" between each source, output and virtual input/output as desired.

[Guest Ranterbach]

Voicemeeter and this video. The version of Voicemeeter I linked is technically Voicemeeter Banana. The only difference between it and the standard Voicemeeter is that Banana offers additional input/output and a newer "audio engine." It can accommodate 3 physical soundcards and 2 virtual devices. 

[Cokelover58]

Thanks Ranter, I just left the house for an errand but I will let you know how it turns out when I get home.

[Cokelover58]

Voicemeeter and this video. The version of Voicemeeter I linked is technically Voicemeeter Banana. The only difference between it and the standard Voicemeeter is that Banana offers additional input/output and a newer "audio engine." It can accommodate 3 physical soundcards and 2 virtual devices. 

Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted. I do have one question though, I'm not sure if you are familiar with this software or if you where just kind enough to do some quick searching, but do I have to keep the program open all the time? When I close the program all audio will stop.

[Guest Ranterbach]

Thank you. This is exactly what I wanted. I do have one question though, I'm not sure if you are familiar with this software or if you where just kind enough to do some quick searching, but do I have to keep the program open all the time? When I close the program all audio will stop.

 

Sorry about the late reply. I do use Voicemeeter myself. I originally found it when looking for a solution to record my mic, Skype, and game audio separately. By default, it will open with Windows start, and stay in the system tray. If you "close" the UI, it will still run in the background. It's effectively your new audio device, so it'll make sure you actually want to close the program.