Using built in speakers + external speakers?

[jive]

I have some speakers that plug in to the wall and in to headphone jack - the problem is - when they're plugged in I lose all the out put from the built in speaker? Is this normal or is it a problem? I'd like to be able to use both...

Any help, jive :]

[yellow]

This is normal. Think about it.. when you plug in headphones, typically it's so only you can hear the sound (through the headphones) and all external sound is shut off.

[jive]

So there's no way around it? I'd like to add some speakers to my iMac...

[yellow]

What about USB speakers? Or whatever proprietrary speakers Apple has for whichever iMac you have?

[jive]

If you could point me in the direction of such a product I'd be very grateful - I seem to only be able to find speakers that plug in through the headphone jack...

[yellow]

Google(uk) is your friend.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=USB+speakers&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

Or.. look at the Apple Store online for even better notions of which speakers can be used with your iMac.

[nsutt22]

if u plug your speakers in half-way u can get a kind of dual sound. sometimes it cancles out a speaker or two haha. this is just a funny not seriouos fix. haha

[bigandy]

my iMac G3 DV does well with internal speaker + external sound, through the line out... my PMG5 does too.. but with most macs, which have one output, like the MB, MBP, iMac, and Mac mini, i think you can only select one output at once in the System Preferences.

there's probably a way around it, however, because it's software controlled. maybe sniff around a few preference apps like Onyx and so on to see if they can do it (but i know onyx can't).

[Subiklim]

There IS in fact a way around it. Get Boot Camp, boot into windows, and bam! Headphones and internal speakers.

It's quite irritating.