Using Motherboard Audio Connector for Speakers and Monitor for Headphones

Hi guys. So far, I've had my speakers plugged at the back of the PC and I'd use the front panel when I wanted to use headphones. That worked as expected, however, the front IO is not great and I often hear noise in my headphones (static, HDD activity etc, like in the olden days). Therefore, I'd like to use the audio jack on my new monitor (yes, I've set it up! ).

The problem is that Windows doesn't play nice: the sound only goes through the default sound device (as sat under Control Panel / Sound). If the default is Realtek, then the sound goes to the bookshelf speakers or the front IO; if the default is AMD HD Audio Device, then it's the built in speakers on the monitor and the monitor headphone out.

What I would like is to have the sound go to the speakers connected to the Realtek output or the monitor headphone jack (depending on whether I have headphones plugged in or not). Is that possible?!

EDIT: I'm using Windows 10, an integrated Realtek sound card (with a coax digital out for the speakers) and an AMD Radeon RX 580 connected to the monitor via DisplayPort.

 

IMO, get a 3.5mm splitter, run everything from the monitor and leave both plugged in for analog.

Auto hot swapping analog devices never really seemed to pick up sadly. And the front audio header issue is prevailently case related. You could opt to pull it out, measure it's length, and order a specialized improved one that should avoid having any feedback nasty static weird noises that plague most of them. It's amazing how many people complain about that occurring on their rear ports, and how surprised they are when i tell them to just unplug the damn front audio header cable entirely from the mobo and presto.. fixed.

your speakers don't have an audio jack either?

 

Sadly, no, the speakers don't have an audio jack. And I'd like to keep the little DAC that they are connected to.

Hmm, if the front panel is actually picking up static from the case, which is not at all impossible... I wonder if I should insulate it from the case or ground it. My case didn't have front audio and USB3, so I got a panel for a drive bay that had them. It actually has a metal front.

 

what happens if you plug into the analog rear? do you still get nasties?

Some motherboards are poorly made for the analog audio as the audio ground and the all line ground to the same thing, which also can produce it, but in any decent motherboard, usually they've isolated it on pretty much any recent motherboard worth it's salt.

If the rear uses coax for your main speakers and plugging in with analog in the rear causes a swap (it should), you might be able to get away with just picking up a quality 3.5mm extension cable that you could leave sitting on the desk or however.

 

That actually might be the best idea!