Audio output changer in Windows 7

Colonel_Panic

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Messages
328
I have a set of 2.1 speakers that I use regularly for music and videos, but also a Logitech USB headset for gaming/Skype convos and I regularly switch between them. Right now that means going into Control Panel and choosing default output. I've tried a number of different utilities that claim to change the audio output from the taskbar, but none of them work really well.

Has anyone else found a good utility that can switch between audio devices easily and unobtrusively?
 
In Windows 7, the easiest way to switch audio output devices is to right-click directly on the volume icon in the Tray - that brings up a context menu for choosing which device is enabled or the default. Right-click on the volume icon, select Playback devices, then choose which device you want as the output - that device is designated by the green and white check mark.

When you're done with one device, choose the other, etc.
 
Exactly what Joe Average said. I do that very thing and it works fine.

When I watch movies on the home theater system, I choose my onboard S/PDIF output, when I wanna use my headphones, I switch to the X-Fi for its full sized headphone output.

All it takes is right clicking the volume icon in the tray, selecting "playback devices", clicking the one I wanna use, and clicking "set as default".
 
If you make your headset your default playback device, then it will enable it when you plug it in and switch back to the onboard sound when you unplug it.
 
Thanks guys. I'm surprised I didn't try the right click method before... that looks like the easiest way of doing things.
 
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