Envy 14: Combo headset/mic smartphone 3.5mm jack

I think this deserves its own thread since it's not something people would be aware of. I did a Google and found that Thinkpad owners have a similar / the same issue.

The ENVY 14 does not come with a microphone jack. It still has the headphone 3.5mm jack, but the other 3.5mm(?) jack is a combo headset/mic jack for smartphones. The picture next to the jack actually indicates this, but I thought it was a regular mic jack that wasn't working properly.

To use normal PC headsets, an adapter is needed.

I have personally tried this one: Amazon.com: Headset Buddy: PC Headset to 3.5mm Smartphone Adapter: Convert Dual 3.5mm to 3.5mm, PC Computer Headset to…
As far as I can tell, you get real stereo sound, not mono like the description seems to say.

 

This explains a lot, thanks
Tested it and it detects a microphone when I use my iPhone headphones (the one with the mic). Sweet.

 

Also from the service manual concerning that jack:

Be sure that the device cable has a 4-
conductor connector that supports both audio-out
(headphone) and audio-in (microphone).​

 

There must be some simple adapter out there that you plug your mic into and acts as a dummy headphone.

To be honest this is kinda dumb. Most all PC headsets have separate headphone and mic jacks.

 

This is great, I can use my iPhone headset for games now. I no longer have to use my MacBook.

 

Is the mic/headset jack supposed to be able to fully take a 3.5mm headphone? It seems a little smaller than the headphone only one.

 

Sort of weird, so I see there's a regular output jack, as well as a jack for a full headset (mic+headphones).

So, if we want our regular headset mics to work we gotta get an adapter? Any recommendations?

 

The adapter I linked in the first post _should_ work. A Thinkpad user reviewed it saying it works.

The issue is, it's a little hard to Google this (at least, I don't know what the proper key terms should be). So, I'm wondering if anyone can find a cheaper adapter somewhere.

 

I was having the same issue. What to google?

 

So will this also fix the hiss? So I don't have to buy something like this too:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/hp-envy-hdx/504259-static-e14s-headphone-jacks-5.html#post6554656

 

Be aware that the adapter linked on Amazon.com only outputs BINAURAL sound ("Works with stereo headsets, outputs binaural (both ears) sound with a mono channel" - taken from product features) whereas the one you can buy directly on theheadsetbuddy.com outputs true STEREO sound ("This Headset Buddy outputs stereo sound for stereo headsets." - from product description on theheadsetbuddy.com).

I ordered mine directly from theheadsetbuddy.com, but haven't received it yet cause I live in Germany and shipping takes a while. Will report back once I got it concerning stereo sound.

The link for anyone interested:
Computer PC Headset Smartphone Adapter, Dual 3.5mm to Single 3.5mm

 

You could also try an adapter to change a normal mic+headphone setup into a USB device:
Amazon.com: Syba SD-CM-UAUD USB Stereo Audio Adapter, C-Media Chipset, RoHS: Electronics

 

I didn't read the product description when I ordered it (Amazon Prime shipping is a great thing), but I don't think that's correct. In the Beats Control Panel, "test speakers" outputs sound separately as it should. I also tested an AAC audio file I have with dialog that I know is separated in left and right channels, and it sounded right. (I removed one side of my headset and then the other, the channels were definitely not identical.)

The adapter I received from Amazon's seller looks identical to that Headset Buddy link btw.

 

Hi,

I'm having a similar problem, but not quite. I simply want to record. I bought the Envy-14 Beats purely for the audio, because I do a lot of recording and editing and I like the equalization options that it offers before you even go into editing (as someone who is used to live sound, this is convenient for me.)
I'm trying to record, but it won't recognize my mic as a mic. It thinks my mic is mono headphones (which it's NOT.) What do I do!? I really need to record and the quality of the integrated mic array is just not good enough for anything more than video chat.
Can anyone help?

 

You need a combo 4-pin headphone/mic -> separate headphone and mic adapter.

You can find one here: Amazon.com: Headset Buddy: PC Headset to 3.5mm Smartphone Adapter: Convert Dual 3.5mm to 3.5mm, PC Computer Headset to iPhone, Blackberry, Droid, Palm, Samsung, LG, HTC: Electronics

Same as the first post.

 

So I just plug my mic into the mic part of that adapter and don't use the headphone part?

 

Yep.

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