Switching a Audio Interface between work and gaming station

[bsan]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to simplify my setup because juggling two keyboards, two mice, and two headsets is getting pretty old. Right now, I've got everything separated and only share the screen between my work laptop and gaming PC.

I’ve already found a good combo for the keyboard and mouse with the Keychron Q1 HE and the Zowie Model U (Both have multiple ways to connect to devices and switch between those).But now I’m stuck on the audio side of things.

I’m ready to ditch the headset and upgrade to an earphone and mic setup, but here’s the catch: how do I easily switch this setup between my work docking station and my gaming rig? I know I could connect everything to an interface, but I’m not sure how to toggle it between setups without a hassle.

One idea I had was to use a USB switch, but I’m worried about latency or any weird interruptions. Anyone out there tried this before? Is it a smooth ride, or am I asking for trouble?

The whole thing should be compatible with Linux and Windows, because I need Linux for Work.

Would be great if someone with more experience could help me out with that.

 

[tollertyp]

I would say: A USB switch is just another USB hub - with the capability to switch the "wired port".

 

[Rickmer]

Aren't you looking for a KVM?

Connect your peripherals to the KVM and then your laptop and gaming PC both to the KVM. Then you can switch between the machines with a button click.

There's some monitors that have a KVM built in, such as the Dell UltraSharp U4025QW.

Wendel of Level One Techs also sells highend KVMs fit to use for gaming.
https://www.store.level1techs.com/products/p/14-kvm-switch-dual-monitor-2computer-z5erd-n6mbj

Linked is a 2 PCs & 2 Monitors combination, but there's lots of variants that include up to 4 montitors and/or 4 PCs.
Or options that include USB-C: https://www.store.level1techs.com/p...yport-usb-c-kvm-with-usb-power-delivery-9w6rj
Or variants with HDMI instead of Display Port. You'll have to look around a bit to find the exact right fit for your needs.

Ergänzung (31. August 2024)

One idea I had was to use a USB switch, but I’m worried about latency or any weird interruptions. Anyone out there tried this before? Is it a smooth ride, or am I asking for trouble?

Wendell explains why and in what ways USB switching is quite difficult in this LTT video:

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If you don't have the patience for the full video, the most important timestamp is 14:51 Why did you make this, Wendell?

In short: There's a reason that Wendell's KVMs have separate and clearly labeled USB ports for mouse/keyboard and general use.

 

[bsan]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I’m not actually looking for a full KVM switch setup. I’ve already got my keyboard and mouse sorted out since both can switch between devices without needing to mess with cables or receivers. My main concern right now is finding a good solution for my audio setup.

I’m considering using a USB microphone with a 3.5mm jack for headphones or some USB audio interface, but I’m unsure about how well this will work if I add a USB switch into the mix. My main worry is whether there would be any latency or interruptions when switching between my work laptop and gaming PC.

As a USB Switch I Found something like this:

I’m aware that USB switching can be tricky, as Wendell from Level One Techs explains, but I’m trying to find a more affordable solution that’s specifically for audio. I’d prefer not to invest in a full KVM setup, especially since my keyboard and mouse are already capable of switching between devices seamlessly.

 

[Marcellus5000]

Interesting Question. As far as I read Your post right, You do not give information to an specific Hardware and what exactly is Your intention.

Do we talk about an USB semi pro Audio Interface at like a Focusrite, with an analog Headset and Mic.
Ore do You have some (in audio context) cheap Gamer USB Headset with a mic?

So with Gamer HW I would not be concerned aboute latency. Also I could imagine, that latency is not a big deal with an real Audio Interface, when using ab USB Switch. As long the laptop and gaming PC recognize the Audio Interface (behind the switch) and that is wath I would be more concerned about.
At least: You imho have to try and test that settings with the specific USB Switch and Audio Interface and never change the (physikal) Ports again, if it runs.

 

[bsan]

Interesting Question. As far as I read Your post right, You do not give information to an specific Hardware and what exactly is Your intention.

My main intention is to use one audio device combination on both of my setups without switchen the devices everytime i want to use them on the other setup.
My plan is to buy either the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro or a nice pair of IEMs like the Moondrop Aria 2.

For the microphone, I’ve been looking into options since I posted here and found the Sennheiser Profile USB microphone. It offers a plug-and-play setup, which I think would be helpful with Linux, as it doesn’t require any extra drivers.

The idea is to connect the microphone to a USB switch (see the image from the previous post) and then plug the IEMs or the Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro into the microphone.

I’m not very familiar with interfaces (interface suggestions very welcome ), but I would consider a similar approach if I go that route. This way, I could potentially use a better XLR microphone. (XLR Mics suggestions also very welcome )

The following shows how I would connect the devices with each other:

So the setup with the interface would be: Microphone + IEMs/DT990 -> Interface -> USB Switch -> Gaming Rig/Work Station.

The cheaper setup with the USB Mic would be IEMs/DT990 -> USB Microphone (eventually Sennheiser Profile USB) -> USB Switch -> Gaming Rig / Work Station


I prefere more to the Interface Setup but the main part that gives me a headache is the USB switch. I hope this doesnt make to many problems like latency or a bad audio signal.

I’d like to know if this setup would work smoothly or if there’s anything I need to consider. For example, can I use any interface with Linux? Is there latency caused by the switch that could affect gaming? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Rickmer]

By my understanding there's no easy way to plug any single digital audio interface into two computers without the USB switch, which will lead to potential problems.

I believe you can use two interfaces and connect/sync them using ADAT or AVB, but for one that's pricey and two I'm not even entirely sure that ADAT would work like that. AVB almost certainly does, but then you're looking at a starting price of 700€ per interface.

For example, can I use any interface with Linux?

No.

I distinctly remember Linus running into trouble because his GoXLR interface has no Linux drivers during the LTT Linux challenge.

I’m not very familiar with interfaces (interface suggestions very welcome ), but I would consider a similar approach if I go that route. This way, I could potentially use a better XLR microphone. (XLR Mics suggestions also very welcome )

I used to use a simple USB microphone which worked very well for me for many years. I mostly used it for phone calls in homeoffice and all feedback I got was that it sounds way better than the headsets from work.

(Which is not difficult because those were and still are cheap pieces of trash and I'll never understand why we don't have better headsets when our job includes hours of phone calls.)

Either way, a cheap-ish USB microphone will go a long way.


I later needed a new boom arm due to getting a bigger desk and used the opportunity to upgrade the rest of my audio setup. It's probably complete overkill, but I now use:

• Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th gen: One input and output is enough for me. I got 4th gen over 3rd gen mostly because 4th gen has the XLR port in the back instead of in the front, which makes cable management a whole lot easier.
• I bought a used Audio Technica AT3035 on ebay