dumb studio question

[breaktwister]

There is probably an easy solution to this cos it seems like a really dumb question:

I want to use headphones to check my mixes. My monitors are connected directly to my PC soundcard (M-Audio Audiophile 2494) but theres no goddamn headphone socket on the card!!

Is this the case with all 'music' soundcards? I mean, even bog standard inbuilt soundcards have a headphone socket.

Am I missing something here? Why has my soundcard not got a socket for headphones?

[hydrogen]

Very common for soundcards.

My suggestion is to get a quality external mixer or a monitor switcher with a headphone jack.

[victorgonzales]

I ran a cheap ass dj mixer off my card for that reason and also to runa mic through.

[upekah]

I ran a cheap azz dj mixer off my card for that reason and also to runa mic through.

that's what I do too!

[sherman]

Mine has two and that's just on the front!

[solconnection]

do you have multiple outs on your soundcard? you can get a cable that splits jack-in to 2x rca out and then put a ministereo to jack converter in to that. then use your soundcards mixer software to control the volume.

[mclean1979]

Not on the 2496, just realised this myself after upgrading my monitors

[G3rard]

I've had this card in all my PCs for I dont know how long.

A cheap unit to buy for headphone input and controlling the volume of your monitors is the Samson C-control. Its a monitor control unit so you can control up to 3 sets of monitors and a set of headphones. You can A-B a track instantly on a few sets of monitors and if you work in the box its a handy little unit for quickly changing the volume. If your lucky you can pick them up off ebay for anything between £20-50.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep03/a ... amsonc.htm

As other people have said the other option is a cheap DJ mixer.