Mic Issues

[ECGxUNCbassbone]

So I got a set of Turtle Beach HPA2s that I hook up to my 360 with a 5.1 decoder.  I connect the controller to the mic output (pink connector) via a 3.5mm extension cable and a 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter.

My issue is that every now and then it stops detecting my mic.  The 2.5mm connector seems to be very long, and looks like a mono connector (instead of a stereo connector).  I was wondering if there is a possibility that finding a 2.5mm stereo connector would alleviate my issues.

Not so much a problem as a concern, but a drawback of using the PC headset is that the voice chat comes through mixed with the front channel.  Instead of being loud, like a normal 360 headset, voices get drowned out by explosions etc.  I was wondering if there is any way to boost chat volume (a capacitor here, a resistor there)?

[HiddenVenom]

The cutout could be the controller itself. I've got two that used to do that intermittent working-not working sort of thing. They are both busted now so I just use a third.

As for chat boost... My pair of PX21s have a similar feature and I often find it annoying because I always have chat volume reasonably loud so I can always hear but the boost just deafens me...

It could be as simple as a few components, but it might be worth looking into some amplifier designs with similar chat boost features.

[ECGxUNCbassbone]

Well the headset already has a built-in amplifier, with separate level controls for each channel.  If I really want to hear the chat, I just turn up the front channel all the way, but I just feel like I'm wasting the headset's potential by upsetting the balance between channels :/

[HiddenVenom]

hmm...
My neighbour builds amps for a living... I would ask him, but he's not been near the house for over a year...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are the signals to the speakers analogue or digital?

[ECGxUNCbassbone]

I have the optical output hooked up to the decoder box, which changes the signal to analog (hence the different color plugs).  The signal getting to the headset is analog (I think).

[HiddenVenom]

Hmm... I'm not really too sure... You could try some amp circuits you find on the web, using the output of the game sound as an input for a circuitwhich controls chat volume.