Connecting two headsets to a single PC

[Quattro Pete]

This is for audio conf purposes (like Skype).

Say you want two people on the same end of a laptop to be able to listen as well as talk, but not using the built-in speakers and built-in mic due to poor audio quality issues.

Can I just use two headsets connected to the laptop using two splitters (one for headphones and one for mic)? I know it'll work fine for the listening part, I'm just not sure about the speaking part. If the two people are sitting fairly close to each other, won't the two mics interfere with each other?

I guess I should just try it and see, unless you guys have other fairly inexpensive ideas.

I've got two of these and two of these on the way.

 

[FirstNissan]

Splitters will work just fine. I use it for headphones all the time. Never used it for the mic, but dont see why it wont work.

 

[dparm]

I bet if you use USB headsets you can just plug both in at once.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: FirstNissan
Splitters will work just fine. I use it for headphones all the time. Never used it for the mic, but dont see why it wont work.


Mic probably won't work because the impedance of the mics are much lower than the input end of the amplifier (or ADC on the computer), and the voice input from one mic would probably end up in the other mic like 2 paper cups with a string in between.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Mic probably won't work

What to do then?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: dparm
I bet if you use USB headsets you can just plug both in at once.

USB headsets are their own audio cards in itself. Therefore, each one will be visible as a separate audio device by the OS and by Skype, and therefore you will not be able to use both at the same time. You'll have to pick one.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Mic probably won't work

What to do then?


a secondary input source (USB / cardbus / PCMCIA sound card).

 

[Quattro Pete]

But skype won't allow you to use two different sound cards simultaneously, will it?

 

[OVERKILL]

Why not just get a good mic that you can both use?

 

[Rand]

Splitter works fine for headphones.. you just want one mic though or you will echo etc. and it may just not work.
get a freestanding mic and use that.

something like http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q...ed=0CI8BEOUNMAA

a 10 dollar logitech would work too but those are directional.
so you may have to sit close together for good quality.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Splitter works fine for headphones.. you just want one mic though or you will echo etc. and it may just not work.
get a freestanding mic and use that.

something like http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q...ed=0CI8BEOUNMAA

a 10 dollar logitech would work too but those are directional.
so you may have to sit close together for good quality.


Great minds sir, great minds

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete

I've got two of these and two of these on the way.

Update: Just got these and connected them both up. Everything works perfectly fine, no mic interference at all (mics have noise cancelling) and the sound quality is very good.