Issue with Asus R701V 3.5 mm female headphones using S/PDIF connector in mono mode.
Issue with Asus R701V 3.5 mm female headphones using S/PDIF connector in mono mode.
It seems there might have been an error in the forum, sorry about that. The Mods or Admin should be able to move it. I own an Asus R701V, which is an older notebook. When connecting four different sets of headphones into the 3.5 mm female S/PDIF connector on the side of the machine (https://www.manualslib.com/manual/242560...=20#manual), they function in mono, even when I switch between the speakers L and R in the Realtek HD Audio Manager. The output appears as if it’s coming from both ear pieces. Interestingly, the Realtek HD Audio Manager shows an analog signal, not digital. However, I have an Avencore 4-pole TRRS to 3.5 mm stereo and mic splitter cable (female to 2x male). When both male connectors are connected—mics and headphones—the stereo sound works. But if only the male connectors are used, it behaves like the headphone connection, with L and R outputting through both headphone inputs. I’ve tried plugging headphones into the headphones connector on the notebook and using the splitter with the microphone, but still getting mono instead of stereo. I’m trying to figure out why this happens and if there’s a better way to connect the headphones to achieve stereo sound, or an alternative connector to use besides the splitter.
The three search engines I rely on are not very helpful (goo~, bin~, duck~). Their AI mentions S/PDIF as digital, headphones as analog, and suggests digital-to-analog converters, but the visuals of the S/PDIF connections look entirely different from what I see on my ASUS R701 female port, which just appears to be a standard 3.5 mm female connector. It’s not clear what’s inside. This looks like a simple question for a naive user, sorry for the confusion.
Welcome to the forums, newcomer! Please note the four distinct headphone models fitting into the 3.5 mm female connector labeled S/PDIF. Kindly specify the make and model of each device you’re using. During this time, which operating system are you utilizing? Ensure you’re running the most recent BIOS update for your laptop. Then proceed by manually removing the audio driver from the Control Panel (assuming Windows) and reinstalling it using audio drivers from Asus’s support page for your machine. (A screenshot is available, though image uploads aren’t allowed here.) Share your images on platforms like Imgur or DropBox, and provide a link here for us to review. The thread has been relocated from the Computer Peripherals section to the Laptop Tech Support area.
There isn't a 3.5mm S/PDIF standard available, which means ASUS designed one channel to be switchable to digital output. This allows using a 3.5mm stereo to RCA adapter cable instead of a separate mono port, which is more expensive but better suited. Since you'd hear a screechy sound on one channel rather than silence or mono from both, it's unlikely the device is actually switching to digital. The most probable cause for mono loss is a bent stereo contact that matches the other channel's ring, allowing your splitter to function despite the mismatch. You might try inserting headphones nearly fully in but not quite, or check if any contacts have bent and can be straightened.
If the jack is damaged, the easiest and most affordable option might be a USB to stereo sound adapter; there are many models available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-...xknqT&th=1