independent volume for BOTH headphone jacks?


  1. Posts : 14
    win 7 ultimate 64
       #1

    independent volume for BOTH headphone jacks?


    windows 7 64bit ultimate. laptop has 2 headphone jacks. i have 2 different sets of speakers hooked up to the jacks, both are playing fine, however one set of speakers is significantly louder than the other due to being higher quality speakers, is there a way to independently control the sound of the 2 different headphone out jacks? In example, headphone jack 1 at 80% while the better speakers plugged into headphone jack 2 are set at only 48%?

    thanks so much for your time!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 797
    Windows 7 Ultimate (x64)
       #2

    It's been a long time since I've seen a setup like this, but back in the day when I had multiple audio output jacks there was indeed a way to control the sound independently for each jack. This had to do with the controls for the sound card. If somehow you're missing these, look up the sound card manufacturer's web site for updated driver/software.

    If all that is OK, then simply right-click on the sound icon in the taskbar and choose "volume mixer". This should show controls for all connected devices. If it does not, then choose "volume control options" and check the (top) box "all devices ..." This should do it from the Windows side.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 8,135
    Windows 10 64 bit
       #3

    Don't the speakers have volume controls? That would be the easiest way to do it. On many laptops the two headphone jacks are just wired in parallel and in cases such as that there is no way to independently control them.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 14
    win 7 ultimate 64
    Thread Starter
       #4

    fireberd said:
    Don't the speakers have volume controls? That would be the easiest way to do it. On many laptops the two headphone jacks are just wired in parallel and in cases such as that there is no way to independently control them.
    yes the speakers have controls, but it would be so much easier to have control from my laptop. and i do not think it is wired parallel because when you go into the independent dual headphones properties it says jack 1 volume, jack 2 volume. i dont think HP would put that there if it did not work but i duno, sigh....
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 2,528
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #5

    Ok that sounds promising...

    Right click the speaker icon on the tray area (right side of the task bar). THen click Playback Devices.

    You should hopefully see entries for both headphone jacks. If you do, Click each one, then the properties button and you should be able to set the output levels for each one independently.

    If setting the levels for one changes the levels for hte other or if only one shows up then the driver or hardware may not actually be able to do it :/
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 14
    win 7 ultimate 64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    fseal said:
    Ok that sounds promising...

    Right click the speaker icon on the tray area (right side of the task bar). THen click Playback Devices.

    You should hopefully see entries for both headphone jacks. If you do, Click each one, then the properties button and you should be able to set the output levels for each one independently.

    If setting the levels for one changes the levels for hte other or if only one shows up then the driver or hardware may not actually be able to do it :/

    when i right click and go to playback devices this is what i see:

    speakers and dual headphones: default device

    Independent dual headphones: default communication device

    spdif: disabled

    now the problem is the LEVELS in "speakers and dual headphones" there is only one to change as far as volume goes. HOWEVER in my "independent dual headphones" the LEVELS says JACK1 volume and JACK2 volume. therefore i know it has the ability to adjust both jacks independently. the problem is though, i cannot get the "independent dual headphones" to become my default device. instead it is always my default communication device. i have re-installed the drivers and restarted my computer. if i could just get it to be the default device then it would be playing music then under the LEVELS i could adjust jack1 and jack2 volumes like it shows. any ideas? HP wants 135$ to tell me the answer.... SIGH
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 2,528
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #7

    Gah! $135! >

    I'm curious as to why you're not able to select the device as the "Default Device". Is the "Default Device" button/drop list at the bottom of the playback devices dialog greyed out? Or of the two entries only contains the "Default Communications Device" option?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 14
    win 7 ultimate 64
    Thread Starter
       #8

    fseal said:
    Gah! $135! >

    I'm curious as to why you're not able to select the device as the "Default Device". Is the "Default Device" button/drop list at the bottom of the playback devices dialog greyed out? Or of the two entries only contains the "Default Communications Device" option?
    if i single click on "independent dual headphones" to highlight it. then at the bottom it says "set default" if i click that it gives me 2 choices 1) default device (which is black) and 2) default communication device (which is greyed out and check marked) so no matter if i click number 1 a million times it will never change it
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 2,528
    Windows 7 x64 Ultimate
       #9

    The green checkmark which indicates the default device always stays on whatever else was selected?

    Sounds like a driver issue. :/ Maybe check if there is an updated sound device driver... Not sure what else to do, other that more spelunking around the various audio control panels. WHat a device can or can't do is nearly always up to the specific driver (Like the ol "record what you hear" debacle).
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 14
    win 7 ultimate 64
    Thread Starter
       #10

    fseal said:
    The green checkmark which indicates the default device always stays on whatever else was selected?

    Sounds like a driver issue. :/ Maybe check if there is an updated sound device driver... Not sure what else to do, other that more spelunking around the various audio control panels. WHat a device can or can't do is nearly always up to the specific driver (Like the ol "record what you hear" debacle).

    another crazy thing about it is, if i go into my "independent dual headphones" which is the one i cant get set to my default device. and i go to LEVELS, then jack1 and jack2 and i drag the volume bar up or down and let it go, it makes the ding noise when i release the volume thingy. and if i go to test, and click that, it sends music out of both jack1 and jack2. and i can independently change the volumes to where only jack1 or jack2 will do the test. so now i KNOW the sound is independent. i just have to figure out how to make the "independent dual headphones" my default device instead of my default communication device
      My Computer


 

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