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Work from home audio setups

M

McKMini

pfm Member
Interested in how people combine their Skype, Zoom etc requirements with listening to the radio or streamed music. I'm having to swap headphones when my Skype rings and wondered if anyone has a way of using one set of cans for both?
 
I don't use cans, but I just ask Alexa to stop if a call comes in. She is currently streaming Radio 6 Music to my Nait1 :)
 
I use headphones connected to my laptop for Zoom and Teams calls but use speakers via the hi-fi for music. I just tend to switch my amp to standby mode when I'm on a call as it's within easy reach.
 
I'd probably do that too but I'm just using my preamp as a headphone amp at the minute and don't have any spare speakers around.
 
I have actually just bought a USB mic on ebay earlier this week because I am also sick of swapping from headphones to the company-provided headset.
 
I’m wondering if a usb mic will work for me as my work PC has a very restrictive security policy. It won’t let me use my PXC550’s as a headset via USB for instance and Bluetooth on Windows 10 seems flaky at best.
 
I'd just ask your IT department. I checked with mine and they confirmed that USB audio devices were exempt from the otherwise strict security policy. It sounds like it might be a no though if the PXCs aren't working.
One other idea, you can also get microphones with a 3.5 mm connector. There should be a 3.5 mm mic input on your computer and I doubt that this would be blocked.
 
Yeah I’m thinking the way forward is splitting the 3.5mm headset connection into mic and phones with an adapter. Get an external mic and some sort of mixer for outputs from amp an PC.
 
If you have to run Citrix on your PC are you automatically precluded from running a streamer or listening to music via Radio Paradise or similar?
 
Corporate W10 laptop here, with a Nobsound amp via USB into Toa NFM's, using the laptop mic too so no headset. Spotify seems to mute correctly when a call comes in. That said, Zoom and Teams seem to be well behaved with respects settings but Skype keeps resetting itself and I have change back manually to Custom after each Skype call.
 
KZ ZS10 Pro earbuds, Comply tips and my HP laptop has Bang & Olufsen sound hardware, whatever that means... I tend to use the TIDAL desktop app for music.
 
McKMini said:
Yeah I’m thinking the way forward is splitting the 3.5mm headset connection into mic and phones with an adapter. Get an external mic and some sort of mixer for outputs from amp an PC.
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I didn't realise you are listening to your music through a separate amp. A mixer isn't a bad idea, if you don't mind the cost.
 
iparks said:
One other idea, you can also get microphones with a 3.5 mm connector. There should be a 3.5 mm mic input on your computer and I doubt that this would be blocked.
Click to expand...

The headset I use is one that can either by used via a USB connection or, by unplugging the 3.5mm socket from the little USB dongle thingie, directly into the headphone/mic socket of the laptop. The latter is what I do as I've never seen any particular benefit from using it via USB.

Our laptops are heavily locked down but do still allow USB connections for headsets etc.
 
LostAtSea said:
Corporate W10 laptop here, with a Nobsound amp via USB into Toa NFM's, using the laptop mic too so no headset. Spotify seems to mute connectly when a call comes in. That said, Zoom and Teams seem to be well behaved with respects settings but Skype keeps resetting itself and I have change back manually to Custom after each Skype call.
Click to expand...

I find Skype a bit shite for that. Mine seems to want to try and route the sound etc. via HDMI to my monitor so needs reset each time. Thankfully only one or two customers still use Skype as most of the rest are fine with Teams or Zoom.
 
Copperjacket said:
If you have to run Citrix on your PC are you automatically precluded from running a streamer or listening to music via Radio Paradise or similar?
Click to expand...
The work PC is very locked down and the IT policy draconian. I don't even use it to access the internet if I can avoid it. So using a separate source for music is best for me. I think the laptop would accept some of the more basic USB headsets but that does mean swapping headphones. I'd like to mix the two sources so I can hear the Skype ring then at the push of a button mute the music.
 
My work Apple iMac running Audirvana, feeding USB input on PS Audio Sprout100 integrated amplifier (sitting right next to the computer), which in turns drives nearby ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 bookshelf speakers on B&W Stav24 stands. For headphone listening I connect my Grado SR325e to the headphone jack on the front of the Sprout. And though totally unnecessary, I use a very cool Woo Audio HPS-R stand for the Grados.
 
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