This is just a general PC audio (off the shelf soundcard) question for Windows 8 x64.....
(I'm trying to help a friend sort this out)
 
He wants to use his headphones for gaming and only hear the sounds from the game while at the same time, listen to music via PC speakers. What's the easiest way to accomplish this (hopefully, without buying anything extra to do this....).   
 
Win XP allows you to send separate audio signal to separate devices, but I'm not sure if Win 7/8 allows this....
 
 
 
 
 Edit: Possible answer...setting it up like this (below)?
 

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/240894-49-using-sound-cards-board-installed
 
I am not sure but I do not think that anyone does that.
Maybe I looked up the wrong thing, (??)
 

spacealf
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/240894-49-using-sound-cards-board-installed
 
I am not sure but I do not think that anyone does that.
Maybe I looked up the wrong thing, (??)
 

Yeah, in that Tomshardware scenario, they're using 2 different sound cards. 
 
In my friends case:
1 soundcard 
1 pair of headphones (which comes with seperate drivers for the device)
1 pair of PC speakers
 
Using 2 different audio sources he wants: music to be played from desired software (using PC speakers) and at the same time to play video games where only the sounds of the game are coming through headphones. 
 

I've tried multiple approaches and haven't been able to get it to work.
(Just sayin'...)

craigb
I've tried multiple approaches and haven't been able to get it to work.
(Just sayin'...)

That seems to be the popular consensus from what I've read. I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't offered a solution to this.......it's not like it's a highly complex problem.......on the contrary.

Mesh
 I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't offered a solution to this.......it's not like it's a highly complex problem.......on the contrary.

Must be just me that thinks it's an odd thing to want to do then ?

paulo

Mesh
 I'm surprised Microsoft hasn't offered a solution to this.......it's not like it's a highly complex problem.......on the contrary.

Must be just me that thinks it's an odd thing to want to do then ?

I must admit I'm wondering how he can 'listen' to music while hearing something else through headphones...takes all sorts tho eh?

I know you guys will hate me for that but... Get a Mac. ;)
 
I used to use two different DAWs on the same laptop, sometimes I had them both running at once to quickly rebuild the mix I'd created one into the other, quickly comparing. Numerous times I inadvertently initiated playback in one while the other was already engaged. Both played simultaneously. 
 
Admitting that you assign different outputs to those two apps, or that your hardware allows you to pick the headphone source, like a Focusrite Scarlett does, you accomplish exactly what you want. Just to be sure I am testing it right now, playing back one of my Logic projects one the studio monitors while I'm messing with the standalone version of Korg's MonoPoly in the headphones. Works A1, though I can't figure out why I'd want to do that...

Rain
I know you guys will hate me for that but... Get a Mac. ;)
 

We don't hate you Rain, we just feel sorry for you. ;)

paulo

Rain
I know you guys will hate me for that but... Get a Mac. ;)
 

We don't hate you Rain, we just feel sorry for you. ;)

Reciprocally. ;)