help looking for audio switcher?

ok so i want to use my wired headphones with my mac mini 2012, but i don't want to keep reaching to the back of the mini to plug and unplug the headphones
I want something i can plug in the mac mini, then have the plug right under my monitor like an extension ?
so the plug would be right in front of me

i don't know what this device would be called so i cant search for it , so post a link to amazon or monoprice if you know what im talking about ,
something cheap not expensive


a few things
my monitor has no headphone port or internal speakers
i have my pc speakers connected to an hdmi switch that has stereo output, mac & cable box connected to hdmi switch so the mac audio runs as hdmi


now i know that i would have to go in to the mac settings to change the audio output when ever i want to use the headphones , for that i installed a menubar app that lest you change output easily .
I just want to listen to music while on the mac not the cable box

I did try bluetooth headphones but i didn't like the sound quality and the audio kept dropping

FreakinEurekan said:

Hold Option key, click volume on menu bar. No app needed.

Click to expand...

Thanks didn't know that



And thanks on the cable , now the waiting game

ok i got the cable

but when its plugged in to the mac it doesn't let me select my pc speakers for audio
it switches back to headphones

i went to settings/sound/output and i select my regular speakers but it goes back to headphones right away

you guys never told me about this , I thought i could leave the cable plugged in to the mac and switch between headphones and speakers


even if i disconnect the headphones from the cable , it wont let me select my speakers

I guess the only option is Bluetooth headphones , what are some good ones under $30 ?

ok i found the solution to having headphones plugged in and switch between them and your speakers

reading this thread
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2171131

you need a cheap "usb sound card" from ebay , they sell for $3


you plug the usb sound card to your mac, it should appear in your volume options , now you plug your headphones to the sound card port

and you can switch between hdmi external speakers or headphones without unplugging the headphones

i will report back when i get the usb sound card i ordered from ebay

I'm still going to use the long audio cable from my previous post

and hopefully this usb sound card works on a usb hub

ok i got the usb sound card adapter yesterday, testing it now and it works 100%, i can now leave the headphones plugged in and switch between headphones and speakers by holding option and selecting the volume icon in menubar

here is the adapter , it ships from boston, so you can get it real fast if your in the USA

$2.78
http://www.ebay.com/itm/270925839395


I have the stereo audo extension cable right under my monitor, so i can connect the headphones without going to the back of the mac or in this case, i have the audio extension cable connected to the usb soundcard, which is connected to a usb hub


so if you are running your audio thru HDMI and cant switch between headphones and speakers without unplugging the headphones, this is your cheapest option