Headphone + Speaker simultaneously, possible?

[Odin75]

Hi there guys.
Well, I'm about to change my X-Fi XtremeMusic sound card. About a month ago, my sound card started to give me weird sounds in games. I reinstalled the drivers, and now is even worst. Games sound completely distorted, only works OK in regular Windows. About a week ago the problem fixed itself, but I still have a problem where the sounds would distort if I play more than 1 sound stream at a time (WMP + Youtube), and sometimes my videos will fast forward by themselves (all players, even flash). Also, once in a while, my friends in Ventrilo say I sound like a chipmunk and I sometimes hear them as chipmunks too. I have completely clean, and reinstalled the drivers from the website and and the problem persist. I give up, and want to make an upgrade and add a feature I'm really hopeful is available by now.

I'm wondering if it's possible to use an AuzenTech X-Fi Forte (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829156010), and use the headphone and speaker inputs for different audio simultaneously. I currently use my X-Fi for general sound, but use onboard audio for Ventrilo. I'd like to hear the game from the speakers, but my Ventrilo conversation from the headphones. Like a PS3 does. Is this possible with a single sound card, or using 2 sound cards is still the only solution?

Thanks.

[Arainach]

Using 2 sound cards is your only option.

[badcaps]

Certain Realtek onboard solutions offer 7.1 + Stereo output, whereby you can produce 7.1 surround sound from the rear i/o panel and stereo output via the front panel connector.

They show up as different devices which allows you to use ventrilo on one and everything else defaulted to the rear panel.

Alternatively you could simply use USB headphones with your single sound card.

[Uncle Jim]

Install ASIO driver (asio4all) and DJ Tractor or a similar app and you can have 2 independent playbacks from the same sound card.

[leezard]

the easiest option is a USB headphone, I use it with my set up kind of th same way you are describing and it works fine

[Odin75]

@All
Yea, I was thinking just getting a USB mic, but then read everywhere that the converter sound-cards they bring are normally horrible. However, I purchase a Plantronics .Audio 650 anyways a couple days ago because my headset is beat down pretty bad. It should arrive next week. I'll use 3.5mm for the PC, and USB for my PS3.
I was just hopeful that the X-Fi Forte sound-card could handle both since it has a headphone amp, which I won't be able to use.

Install ASIO driver (asio4all) and DJ Tractor or a similar app and you can have 2 independent playbacks from the same sound card.
Can you tell me more about this? I've read a little bit about it, but seems it only supports several input, as opposes to several outputs which is what I'm trying to do.
Also, X-Fi cards seem to support ASIO 2.0 already. What does this mean?

thanks all.