Adapter to add a microphone to standard headphones?

cpumonkey · Jan 6, 2016

I have a number of high quality headphones, so I would rather no spend money on dedicated gaming headphones just because I need a mic. Does anyone know if a microphone/adapter that attaches inline to any headphone is available that works with the new Xbox
One controller? I am looking for something that standard headphones plug into, that contains a microphone, then that microphone connects to the Xbox One controller. Something like

this, but has a port that my headphones can plug into.

:)

Arminator · Jan 6, 2016

Blue snowball

Since the Blue Snowball is an USB microphone, it does NOT work with the Xbox One currently.

Only microphones that plug into the analogue 3.5mm jack of the controller will work. Also make sure, that when you want to use a standard 3.5mm jack microphone, that you will need an adapter that puts the microphone and ground contact at the correct position
with a CTIA adapter.

Theory of Game · Jan 6, 2016

Xbox one - Third Party Headset on the new Xbox one Controller with 3,5mm Audiojack

Sounds like your adapter might be using the other plug standard (OMTP) than the one the Xbox is expecting (CTIA). That's the case with other headsets like Beats or Apple Earpods that have trouble with the microphone not working. If that's the case, you'll
need an adapter to convert your adapter to the correct standard.

support.xbox.com/.../connect-compatible-headset

Mike Pasco [MSFT] · Jan 8, 2016

I've heard good things about ModMic (Antlion) but I was put off by the price so ended up just getting a dedicated headset and can't comment on it myself.

Smiling Cat-FAB725BA-E75F-400C-9250-ECD9955C9C75 · Oct 31, 2018

Well if you have a the newer controller with the built in 3.5mm audio port all you need is a male 3.5mm four pole TRRS to 2x 3.5mm 3 pole TRS female jacks. If you don't have that port you need the

headset adapter. Quick search and found one on
Amazon.com. You can see in the customer galleries of how people are using it with the XBox One. With this setup you can just plug in your headphones into one port and whatever 3.5mm TRS standard microphone you want into the other. If you look around more
you might find a cheaper cable or something similar you can pick up at a local retailer. The thing you need to make sure of is if the adapter cable is CTIA standard and not the OMTP standard. Sounds complicated, but all it means is CTIA uses ring 2 for ground
and the sleeve for Microphone and it's reversed for OMTP. Here's the
wiki page if that doesn't make enough sense it's under section 7.1.

Smiling Cat-FAB725BA

Well if you have a the newer controller with the built in 3.5mm audio port all you need is a male 3.5mm four pole TRRS to 2x 3.5mm 3 pole TRS female jacks. If you don't have that port you need the

headset adapter. Quick search and found one on
Amazon.com. You can see in the customer galleries of how people are using it with the XBox One. With this setup you can just plug in your headphones into one port and whatever 3.5mm TRS standard microphone you want into the other. If you look around more
you might find a cheaper cable or something similar you can pick up at a local retailer. The thing you need to make sure of is if the adapter cable is CTIA standard and not the OMTP standard. Sounds complicated, but all it means is CTIA uses ring 2 for ground
and the sleeve for Microphone and it's reversed for OMTP. Here's the
wiki page if that doesn't make enough sense it's under section 7.1.

Mike Pasco [MSFT]

I've heard good things about ModMic (http://www.modmic.com/) but I was put off by the price so ended up just getting a dedicated headset and can't comment on it myself.

AMSteen

...we have tried different head phones and it still does not work any idea or do i need to send the controller back.

Are the headphones official Xbox headsets with a large connector that looks like an USB plug, or is that a third party headset with a 3.5mm headphone jack and three rings on the connector?

If it is a 3.5mm jack headset, be aware that there are two standards for the 3.5mm jack called OMTP and CTIA. On both standards, the microphone and ground pin are reversed.

So it might be that the controller is listening on the ground pin, while the headset microphone is "talking" to the ground connection on the controller.

If the headset is a OMTP standard headset, you will need a OMTP to CTIA adapter (since the adapter simply crosses two wires, the adapter works also the other way around).

Thanks

ArminatorX

...we have tried different head phones and it still does not work any idea or do i need to send the controller back.

Are the headphones official Xbox headsets with a large connector that looks like an USB plug, or is that a third party headset with a 3.5mm headphone jack and three rings on the connector?

If it is a 3.5mm jack headset, be aware that there are two standards for the 3.5mm jack called OMTP and CTIA. On both standards, the microphone and ground pin are reversed.

So it might be that the controller is listening on the ground pin, while the headset microphone is "talking" to the ground connection on the controller.

If the headset is a OMTP standard headset, you will need a OMTP to CTIA adapter (since the adapter simply crosses two wires, the adapter works also the other way around).

OftKilted

For sound isolation, I recommend either closed-back over the ear, or in-ear style earbuds.

The Xbox Controller with 3.5mm adapter and the Xbox Controller Stereo Adapter are both able to use standard Android earbud style headphones and maintain microphone compatibility. (the iPhone compatible headsets aren't compatible with the microphone)

If you are looking for inexpensive earbud style, thewirecutter has a nice article here on cheap in-ear headphones:

The Wirecutter: The Best Cheap In-Ear Headphones to Replace Your Stock Earbuds ( http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-headphones-under-40/ )

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the site above linked site.

Adapter to add a microphone to standard headphones?