Where's your PC's headphone jack?

2003-12-26 21:42:01

I'm shopping around both for a new sound card and new 2.1 speakers, and one nagging question I'm keeping in the back of my mind is how I'm going to keep an easily-accessible headphone jack around.  Seems there are two possibilities: Either on the speakers or on some form of front panel for the computer.  I think I'd prefer it on the front panel, but the only sound card that seems to come with a front panel is the Audigy 2 Platinum, which is not only too expensive , but I don't need any of the connections on that panel except, of course, the headphones.

I've looked at a number of other front bay devices that offer USB, Firewire, headphone and mike, but it seems in all cases those cables are supposed to be routed out through a PCI slot and onto the connections on the back.  Thing is, that's kind of untidy, but also, if I did that for a headphone jack, I then wouldn't be able to plug the speakers into that jack. 

Also, I've read but didn't really understand some discussion about cards with a dedicated headphone amp.  What's the importance of that, and how much should I be concerned with it, either on the card or the speakers' headphone jack?  My headphones are Sennheiser HD-457. (Yes, they're cheap and excessively boomy, but I only discovered HA a few months ago, and this is my first real foray into audiophile hardware.  Besides, they were for Christmas, and if I had asked for any more expensive phones, I don't think I would have gotten them.)

So I guess what I'm asking is, which is the better option to plug in headphones: the sound card or the speakers, and if the sound card, is a headphone amp on the card important for 32 ohm headphones, and either way, how should I route it to the front of the computer?

Where's your PC's headphone jack?

Reply #1 – 2004-01-04 18:49:40

I have a short extension cable plugged in the soundcard (revo) which I use to plug/replug either headphones or different speakers.

It's definitely the cheapest and simplest solution.

Where's your PC's headphone jack?

Reply #2 – 2004-01-06 23:30:18

Well, lollerberry nailed it for the cheap and easy.

Myself, I use a NAD 1155 Preamplifier to power my Grado SR325 cans.  RCA cables out from the Audiophile 24/96, into one of the inputs on the preamp - then i get a nice hardware volume control too.  To go out to speakers, you could simply run another cable from the output of the preamp into the speakers - this particular preamp switches the rear output off whenever you plug in the headphones, then switches it back on when you unplug them.

This (and the 1130 which is a similar model) preamp can be had for ridiculously cheap on eBay or whatever, and you'll have your first entry-level hi-fi component.    Not to mention the headphone amplifier built in is surprisingly good, as is the phono stage.

--jeff

Where's your PC's headphone jack?

Reply #3 – 2004-01-06 23:39:54

I use an extension cable so it doesn't matter to me.  If you really want a front jack though, it would not be hard to add one provided you have a power drill and a $5 worth of radioshack connectors.

Where's your PC's headphone jack?

Reply #4 – 2004-01-07 20:32:32

if you run full cans (normal headphones not small ones)
the power from the sound card is not great enough to drive the headphones enough so you will need an amp.

believe me i tried it with some AKG headphone and an audigy, mp3 player and then a normal HIFI headphone out. such a sound difference.

oh, the AKG headphone even say use me on protable players, which is a great shame cause they do not sound like what they could sound like.

portable headphone amp or headphones which run on low power (sony)

Where's your PC's headphone jack?

Reply #5 – 2004-01-07 21:51:26

Maybe a headphone amp with outputs to hook your speakers up? I use SPDIF optical out from my soundcard, going to my DAC/amp. Connections to the speakers come from the amp. You should be able to do the same thing with analog connections if you don't want to pay for an amp with a DAC.

germanjulian's point is a good one. Should you eventually get some "higher-end" headphones, one of the best ways to get bad sound from them is to underpower them 

Where's your PC's headphone jack?

Reply #6 – 2004-01-07 23:34:53

Like "Mikey" said. Radio Shack has all of your needs(not an intentional plug), plus it's easy on your wallet.
I bought some of the gold plated connectors and adapters(and they weren't no more expensive than the non-plated ones), and some of then were also angled for clearance. I have a Santa Cruz card and the jacks are configurable, depending on the set up you want, but I didn't need a amp to hear threw my headphones(Bose), or talk threw a microphone that I also have hook up, and still run the speakers with no problem, with all the jacks in the back of the computer.
I do use a pre-amp, for the turntable I have connected. The sound i get is incredible, and I'm satisfied