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I just got the Phantom NZXT case (specs) for my PC. It works great for me, but this thing is so huge it barely fits in my desk! Now, it does fit, but since the 1/8 in audio output and USB ports are on the top, I can't plug in any of the USB ports or my headphones. Since this thing has 5 drive bays on the front, I'd like to get a USB drive bay with a 1/8 in output for my headphones. I can find plenty USB bays on google, but none of them include an headphone port. If I search for "USB bay with aux" I get a bunch of links to amplifiers, which are clearly not what I'm looking for. Does this even exist?

Requirements

  • 5.25"

  • At least two USB inputs (but preferably more) and one headphone output.

  • The cheaper the better. 20 USD would be ideal, but I could go up to 35.

Preferences

  • USB 3.0 would be nice, but 2.0 would work fine also.
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3 Answers 3

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Just about any front panel audio will work for you. I merely searched for "audio 5.25" and found this product for $14 (customs and VAT may apply). It fulfills exactly your requirements and nothing more. It's also worth noting it's "HD audio" - that's the most recent spec of connecting audio jacks to mainboard (the part that makes your computer detect plugging of jacks and let you decide in software what function will it perform).

However if you're really after simply replicating AUX jack from the back of your computer, then products like this archaeological artifact are surprisingly still available. The point is visible on the last pic: those cables doesn't even connect to internal mainboard ports at all! They're just "dumb" male jack to female jack extension cords. If you have such special needs, they will trick your computer into thinking that something is always plugged in, even if there is nothing attached to the front panel. Fun fact: it will even work just as well on the desk, outside of your computer.

Side note: as your case has bay door that will block access to front panels, maybe regular extension cords: a pair for headphones/mic and another for USB, plugged into back will serve your purposes better?

Yet another thought: many monitors have USB hubs and audio out (from HDMI) jack. There is a slight possibility you already have everything you need : )

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It looks like your case has standard front-panel audio. If that's correct, it makes finding compatible front-panel bays much easier.

The cheapest 5.25" bay I've been able to find is this $40 bay from Kingwin, which in addition to two USB 3.0 ports and HD audio, has an eSATA port, an everything-under-the-sun card reader, two fan controllers, and a temperature display.

However, 3.5" -> 5.25" bay adapters are cheap and easy to find. With one of those, a $20 3.5" bay from Silverstone gets you four USB 2.0 ports, HD audio, and a FireWire port (or if you don't care about looks, $18 gets you the same thing in silver); $25 from Silverstone gets you four USB 3.0 ports and HD audio.

I don't have any experience with these, but Silverstone has a decent reputation, and a simple front-panel port is difficult to mess up -- it's just a bunch of wires soldered to the appropriate jack, with no electronics involved.

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I'd try these ones from eBay:

USB 3.0 and audio front panel 3.5 to 5.25 drive adapter

The adapter is $3 the front panel is ~$11 although shipping usually is not too fast from Hong Kong.

I have a similar front panel (without audio). The USB 3.0 ports work well for me.

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