Xbox One 3.5mm Headset Adapter (Warlord Version)

Intro: Xbox One 3.5mm Headset Adapter (Warlord Version)

Here I show you how to create a 3.5mm headset adapter for your Xbox One.  This is useful for using your aftermarket headphones for your Xbox 360 with your Xbox One.  Of course you could use a 2.5mm jack if you'd like since all the connections would be the same.  I chose to use a 3.5mm jack since it is a common standard size and you can pick up all of the parts at your local electronics hobby store to make this today!

Instructions can be used as a guideline for converting the Xbox One chat headset to a 2.5 or 3.5 male or female adapter, stereo chat output, separate microphone and audio jacks for PC headsets, etc.  Troubleshooting tips are on the final page.

Supplies used in this tutorial:
~1/8" (3.5mm) STEREO phone jack (3 conductor, screw type housing)
~rosin core solder

Equipment:
~solder iron
~de-soldering bulb or braid
~multimeter (to check continuity)

Optional supplies:
~PET cable sleeving
~gutted paracord for cable sleeving
~2x 1/8" (3.5mm) STEREO phone plug (3 conductor, screw type housing) for making accessories
~heatshrink
~electrical tape
~hot glue

Optional Equipment:
~hot glue gun

STEP 1: Remove the Back Plate on the Adapter Plug

The adapter has a plastic backpiece that snaps over the back of the housing to hide the screws.  Simply flip the housing over and pry this piece off.  I was able to do this with my fingernails, otherwise I would suggest a plastic pry tool to prevent marring.

STEP 2: Open the Adapter

There are five (5) Torx 5.5 screws that hold the adapter together.  Unscrew them and lift the rear adapter housing away.

*Keep an eye on the adapter support pins an Torx screws.  These parts are small and easy to lose.

STEP 3: Make Your Connections

I chose to replace the stock flat wire since it's very flimsy and the insulator stretched out too easily.  For this I used stereo audio cable which has three conductors: left, right, and ground (common).

In order to correctly make the connections to the board you must know what each of the solder pad connections are.  They are from left to right:

*GND ~Ground (common)~ to be used for both the speaker and microphone
*MIC ~Microphone (+)
*HPR ~Headphone Right (+)
*HPL ~Headphone Left (-)

While both HPR and HPL are used with the stock headset, only one is necessary as all the chat sound you'll receive will be mono anyway.

Carefully De-solder the pads and solder the appropriate wires to GND, MIC, and HPR; if you are keeping the stock wire you can skip this step.

STEP 4: Add the Female Connector.

In this step you wire your female connector, I'm using a 3.5mm connector because it's pretty much standard which means easier to find.  I also find it to be much more durable than 2.5mm.

I soldered the ground and hooked everything up in order to test the terminal connections before final soldering.  in the picture you'll see the configuration that worked properly for me.

Don't forget to slide on the housing before soldering your connections.  Test continuity with a multimeter between the pads and the soldered terminals to ensure good connections.  When done screw on the housing.

If you are using the stock wire:

White is MIC
Blue is Headphone Left (+)
Bare (copper) is ground
Black is Headphone Right (+) ~DO NOT USE~ cut and tape this wire.

See picture text for terminal connection points.

STEP 5: Reassemble...

tighten the five (5) 5.5 Torx screws.  Note that if using a round cable routing through the stock strain relief isn't necessary as the wire will be tightly clamped by the housing thanks to the placement of one of the Torx screws.

STEP 6: *Optional MODS* Paracord Sleeving! Accessories! Reuse the Stock Chat Headset!

If you don't alway want to wear your aftermarket headsets while playing and still want to chat with your friends, you're in luck.  You can keep using the stock XBOX ONE headset with the new adapter you made.

All you need to do is attach a male 3.5mm plug to the end of the chat headset in order to keep using it.  You will be attaching 4 wires to 3 terminals and 2 will need to be grounded together in order to function properly.  See the pictures for details.

PLEASE NOTE: I replaced the flat cable with 4 lead speaker wire here so the colors you see in the pictures are not representative of what you will see with your headset.  Original colors are indicated in the text.

Paracord sleeving!  paracord can easily be used as sleeving by cutting to length and gutting (or removing) the inner strands.  Then it can be slid over cabling and secured with heatshrink on both ends.  It's available in a multitude of colors and patterns and it's an extremely simple mod to do.  The benefits of sleeving cables with paracord include:

~Increased wear resistance (to the cable jacket)
~Maintains good flexibility (versus PET sleeving)
~Premium (custom) appearance
~tangle and knotting resistance (reducing wear to the internal wires)
~increased longevity

STEP 7: *Optional* Accessories! Create a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Adapter Cable!

If you're going from a 2.5mm female audio port on the Xbox 360 to a 3.5mm adapter like in this tutorial, you'll need to make an appropriate 2.5mm to 3.5mm jumper (adapter) cable.  This is pretty straight forward, I just cut the tip off of a 2.5mm stereo cable and attached the 3.5mm male end on instead.

Continuity was tested with a multimeter, tip to tip, ring to ring, and sleeve to sleeve.  Test with your aftermarket headphones and rewire if necessary.  I can't give too much instructions here as this depends on what headphones you are using and what type of input it is expecting.

STEP 8: ... and ENJOY!

You're now ready to rock out like you should have been able to on day one!

STEP 9: Troubleshooting

The following troubleshooting comes from my experience doing this mod.  In order to prevent answering many common issues please read through the following to see if your issue is addressed.

GENERAL

~test your connections with a multimeter using the continuity test to ensure solid connections.
~intermittent issues are likely damaged insulator, loose wires, poor soldering, etc.
~stock wires are enamel coated, they cannot be stripped conventionally to expose the conductor if you cut the wire.  You must melt off the enamel or scrape it off before soldering.

COMMON ISSUES

1) The XBOX ONE registers that I am talking (microphone icon in chat lights when talking) but I can't hear other people talking.

1A) Speaker is not properly grounded.  Do not ground to HPR, the speaker must be grounded to the same GND as the microphone ground is using.


2) Battery life on my controller is terrible after completing this mod, otherwise everything works fine.

2A) Speaker is not properly grounded.  Do not ground to HPR, the speaker must be grounded to the same GND as the microphone ground is using.


3) The other people in chat can hear themselves echo (and my microphone icon in chat lights when they are talking).  Echo stops when my mike is muted.

3A) Possible short.  Check continuity between solder pads, there should be none.  Positive continuity indicates a short in the wiring, solder, or terminal (plug);  Identify and correct.  Additionally incorrect wiring in an adapter cable could create a similar situation.

Comments

[NatsuD19]

Mr Warlord is there any way i can get game sound on chat adapter

[CarlosJ77]

Can hear the audio game or only chat ?

[Zrako]

Hi , trying to find out the way of using razer usb headset on xbox one , do you think it will work ? Instead of using 3.5 jack , wire the usb to the brick.

[mbrittb00]

Also, what gauge wire do you recommend. 22 AWG?

[mbrittb00]

I know this is a bit of an old post, but I'm looking at doing this, however I'm not sure which conductor to connect each wire to. From looking around the web I have yet to find a diagram of a mono-headset 3.5mm plug.

Stereo with micTRRS plugs are typically wired : Left (T), Right (R), Ground (R), Mic (S), and Straight Stereo are TRS : Left (T), Right (R), Ground (S). In the case of mono-headset is the following correct:

HPR -> Tip (speaker)

MIC -> Ring (Microphone)

GND -> Sleeve (Ground)

Thanks.

[R3L04D3D]

Hey, can you use the original xbox one headset on the ps4 if you attach the 3.5mm plug? I'm looking for a nice simple mono chat headset and the xbox one version is the only one I really like...

[lilmang18]

Hey man ive been having trouble with my adapter and headset lately with wires breaking. I have astros x50's so i have to use the 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapter it came with but unfortunately it broke. Could you possibly assist me in coming up to a solution to get around buying a new one

[jadir.lino]

Thx for the tutorial man, I have one problem tough, the headset i'm trying to connect uses a 4 parts 2.5mm jack, instead of the 3 parts standard, so I can get mono audio from it but I can't send any audio information. do u know how to proceed in this case?

[ecto311]

Does this let stereo sound come through like the newer headset adapter does? Could I mute the tv and hear the game sounds throught this?

[Ashen7]

it doesn't seem to work that way. I have been trying to do this since I don't care about chatting. I wired a plug to HPL, HPR and GND while leaving the MIC connection empty, but alas, nothing.

[Kemaleon]

Thanks for a very informative guide, its awesome! But I have a few points that need clarifying:
You say in your troubleshooter "speaker is not grounded properly" but I thought it wasn't grounded? We are dealing with three wires so where is the speaker being grounded? What have I misunderstood?
Also when solder to the board you said solder to HPR. Does left or right matter?
And finally I'm getting the friend-echo
problem but have checked all connections and tried three different cables. Can you think of anything else that could cause this?
Thanks again, great work!

[Kemaleon]

Figured it out! I connected the HPR (black cable) and cast off the HPL (blue cable) and works perfect!

[warlord]

Glad you got everything sorted. There may be some variations on this mod depending on how you implement it and what brand headsets you use. I switch between Tritton Axe Pros the stock headset and a modified PC headset without issue.

[krew317]

awesome tutorial!

would it be possible for you to post the links of where you got the material

great job!

[warlord]

All the materials were purchase in store at radio shack except for the PET sleeving which was purchased on ebay from furryletters.

[TWAN330]

Omg I love this tutorial and your quality and detail how much would you charge for this service everything in the pictures ? Email me at [e-mail]

[warlord]

Thanks for the kind words and... I don't offer any services.

[croberson6]

Hello first off I want to say thanks a lot for showing everyone this. This was a great and out of everyone mod I've see this has been the cleanest and has looked the most professional! I do have a question though? I finish my adapter following the instructions and the chat function does work but I can't hear anyone talking through my turtle beaches. Is this because we didn't use the hot spot from the extra wire? Of did I do this wrong

[warlord]

Thanks. The turtle beaches use a 3 wire system mic, speaker, ground. If chat is working then ground and mic are good. Check the soldering job on your speaker connection. HPR (normally black) is not used.

[warlord]

Thanks for the comment. The 3 core audio cable was re-purposed from an old audio patch cable. The 4 core was from a cellphone hands-free headset.