Windows 10: Audio Advice Sought - Simultaneous Headphones and Speaker

Hi
I have recently built my first Desktop. Bit like a Meccano set (yes I am that old). My problem is that I am hearing impaired and want to use my headphones to listen to programs we watch on the TV (from where we have them stored on the computer), while my wife listens to the speakers. The dialogue is too quiet for me, and the music too loud.

We use an HDMI cable for the video from the graphics card (AMD Radeon R9 390) to the TV, but have to make alternate arrangements for audio. I have set up a bluetooth connection to a BOSE Soundlink Mini using Blue Soleil software (the bluetooth connection from the mobo - that I paid extra for over the standard Z87 - does not work). I have my headphone plugged into the front sockets on my desktop. The Z87 uses Realtek HD Audio Manager.

I can use either the headphones or the speaker, but not both. Obviously I want to use them simultaneously.

I have looked everywhere on-line and through the Windows info and I am now very confused. To a luddite like me this should be easy to do.

Can anyone offer advice please.

:)

 

Headphones and speakers playing at the same time; headphones not recognized

 

Headphones and speakers playing at the same time; headphones not recognized

If your machine is a desktop vs laptop and uses Realtek HD audio, and you have installed the

current Win10 Realtek drivers, the setup for headphones with speakers working independently is as follows -

(If it's a laptop you may want to visit the mfg's forums.)

Depending on which version AC97, and the software you are using ...

With the headphones plugged into the front panel jack -

- Open the Realtek HD Audio Manager (Realtek HD should be in Control Panel, but you

can also add a short-cut to the Task Bar Notification area).

- Click on the yellow folder icon in the upper right of the window and make sure the tick box

next to Disable front panel jack detection is clear.

- In the Device advanced settings option if you select

- Make front and rear output... simultaneously , the speakers will be disabled when the headphones are plugged in,

and the speakers will function when the headphones are unplugged.

- This option also allows you to set-up the configuration (Sound Effects, etc.). for the headphones

to be different from the speakers.

(The option Mute the rear...plugged in does not offer an option to set-up a different configuration

for the headphones from the speakers, but works the same otherwise).

- If you tick the box next to Disable front panel jack detection and select

Make front and rear output... simultaneously the speakers will not work. Headphones only.

- If you select - Mute the rear...plugged in both speakers and headphones will operate simultaneously,

and when the headphones are unplugged the speakers will still function.

- This option combines both speakers and headphones, so there is no separate option for EQ on the headphones.

- Other brands of PC audio may have different terms and setup options, but you should be able to get the

same results from experimentation.

.

 

For analog audio, not HDMI, a simple solution is to connect a Y connector at the speaker output (green) and then connect both headphones and speakers. See picture. But connecting the HDMI cable enables HDMI audio by default. You may have to change that from Playback Devices (right-click on the volume icon).