Hi, I have an audio related question. I figured this would be very simple, but after a couple hours of google searches I can’t really find a solid, definitive answer.
I simply need to connect two headsets (pilot, co-pilot) to my PC. My PC has a typical green/pink connector that I currently use for one of my headsets, and I was thinking I could just get a USB adapter for the other (usb end into PC, other end of adapter has green/pink connections). However, I’m seeing all kinds of conflicting information about the onboard PC soundcard not being able to recognize two headsets, etc. I have seen a couple videos where people show how to set up dual headsets in a shared cockpit (one PC) environment like I’m doing, so I know it’s possible. I just didn’t see how they’re connecting both headsets to the PC and whether some sort of “external soundcard” is neccessary with the second headset.
I will add one caveat here…I will also be running MSFS game audio through the headsets, and I’m wanting to utilize the THX 7.1 surround sound audio that came with them (Razer). This is where I’m also curious whether having one headset connected through a USB adapter or something like that might cause issues there. Would I need a USB adapter that states it is 7.1 surround sound capable?
I may be making this way harder than it needs to be, but I just couldn’t find a straight forward answer when searching, so I thought I’d turn to the pros. Thanks in advance for any help!
A headphone splitter is a nifty device that lets you connect multiple audio outputs to one headphone jack. All you have to do is plug the audio splitter into your PC’s headphone jack and secure your headphones to the splitter
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The premise is correct however the device you have shown is for splitting a combination jack into separate headphone/microphone.
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You get them for 2 headset as well I just used this foto for to show you. Go to a good tech store and they should be able to help you.
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Audio splitters do work, but it’s worth noting that they split the available power on the output and depending on the impedance of the headphones you’ll lose volume in both, potentially to the point where they will be too quiet for use.
There is software out there like VB-CABLE (https://vb-audio.com/) which would allow you to mix two discrete sound outputs to a single virtual audio device that MSFS could use. Also, MSFS itself allows you to use two outputs - one for the main sound, one for communication audio (ie radios).
The question is, do you just want your full PC audio output to two sets of headphones simultaneously, or are you looking to achieve an intercom effect? The latter is basically impossible to do without specialist hardware like the Flight Sounds kit (Flight Sounds Ltd - Premium Flight Sim Aviation Intercoms).
About the 7.1 audio - I’m assuming this is so-called ‘positional’ audio which is actually a simulation of multi-channel audio to a stereo output, sort-of like a binaural setup. Knowing Razer, I’d be very surprised if you can have two headsets connected this way at once. If it is purely a virtual effect and the headset plugs into a standard stereo jack, then using a splitter should let you replicate the effect to both headsets. You can get a powered splitter - basically a multi-output headphone amplifier - which corrects for the power loss of splitting the output (like this: 4-Channel Portable Stereo Headphone Amplifier).
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Yes,
splitters are ok but you need also take to account about lower sound output due share, simply as electricity rule. I had one student here on 2019 and did many flights on Vatsim as learning and used this splitter on my NTB as Voice Client, no problems and good functionality.
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So in regards to the intercom effect, yes that is the goal, and I have a great tutorial to follow that shows how to do exactly what I’m wanting, so no real issues there. (starts at about 4:35 My Shared Cockpit Setup Explained! - YouTube ).
My main thing is how do I hook both headsets up to the computer and have it recognize each headset individually. I’m thinking I may need to go with some sort of USB adapter for the second one that has its own sound card.
In the end, the 7.1 surround sound thing isn’t a huge issue, would just be nice to have. If it only works for one headset that’s fine, I just don’t want the loss in quality/volume in both which based on a couple of these replies is what seems to happen with splitters.
Plug two in (through whatever method) and grab something like VoiceMeeter (Free).
Set your computer audio output to VoiceMeeter as the master, and then you can configure each channel in VoiceMeeter to output to whatever sources you’d like.
I use to use this for the ButtKicker.
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Yes! VoiceMeeter is exactly what the guy uses in the tutorial I’m following. In terms of plugging in both headsets and getting it to recognize each individually, could I just use something like this for the second one? https://a.co/d/4vdWp2s
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Yep,
Really anything would work, I wouldn’t worry too much about having two plugged in via a splitter like others have mentioned.
You aren’t listening to rock music through Harmon Kardon studio headphones… It’s a simulator.
But up to you 
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Haha, true, but I would like as decent sound as possible because I’m going to be running ALL audio through them…including game audio…not just VATSIM. I felt like it would be more immersive that way.
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For sure, whatever route you decide to go, VoiceMeeter should get you there.
I used it for quite sometime without issue before going another route.
My partner geeks out on this stuff as well, sometimes I’ll connect a bluetooth speaker and put it upstairs so she can hear the VATSIM chatter and I use VoiceMeeter in that instance as well.
If you have any issue setting it up, you can hit me up on discord skypilotYTS#0670
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Awesome, thanks! Just curious, did you have a shared cockpit set up that required two headsets before? If so, can I ask what you moved on to from VoiceMeeter?
OK, so yes, if you need each headset to be seen as a separate output device in Windows so you can do intercom mixing then yeah, you either need an additional sound card with analog headset output (USB sound adapters are generally good for this) or a USB-native headset. The UGREEN one you linked would be fine, I should think. I mean, high-quality digital audio is easy to do these days even in cheap devices. I wouldn’t pay for audiophile-grade stuff for this application
Voicemeeter is very cool (it’s from the same company as VB-CABLE). Didn’t occur to me that it could be used to create an intercom, but of course it can. The only thing I’d worry about is that with two people in the same room, even wearing headsets, you’ll get lag between the sound of your voice they can hear from outside the headset, and your voice coming through the headset in intercom mode. A bit like when you can hear your own voice coming back from the other side of a video conference. That’s so annoying. But YMMV.
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I was editing my post as you typed so some of it is in there
The company makes a payware that uses sim events rather than audio for the buttkicker so I didn’t need it to have an audio channel anymore.
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Yeah, that was my only concern as well. The razer headsets I got are supposed to be fairly noise cancelling, so i’m hoping between that and having the game audio running through them it’ll help from hearing the other person’s actual voice leaking through, but we shall see! 9 times out of 10 it’ll be just me, but I made it a cockpit for two so my wife, son, and my dad could also fly along when they want!
Thanks again for all the help…in the finishing stages now, it’s so close I can taste it 
I drive my buttkicker device with a BFF card, and their software does just that. You can edit how strongly it responds to various sim events. I love it. Sadly the company has stopped making the cards so over time I’m sure I’ll have to replace it, but I wouldn’t be without it now.
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Buttkicker is something I think I’m going to explore later on, maybe as an “upgrade” option to my cockpit after it’s all broken in. I made a post about it in here a few weeks ago looking for some advice, but I think if I go down that rabbit hole this project will never get done! Plus looks like there’s some new things happening with seat pads that I may want to watch…my problem with buttkickers is the wiring and having them mounted to seats that slide on rails. Probably not a huge issue, but if there are now seat pads that do similar things I may want to see where that tech goes first…