PC Headset to XBOX 360 Adapter With Game Audio

Are you as tired of the uncomfortable XBOX 360 Headset as I am and also want better sound quality like you get with the headsets that you use with your computer?

Make a converter to use that nice comfortable headset on your XBOX 360  either with or without game audio.

Below is the one I just made to use my Razer headset with my XBOX 360, this one has Pseudo Stereo but I am including a design for stereo game audio and left channel game chat as well.

Step 1: Parts List and Tools Needed

Parts List
1.  x 1  RCA Cable 1 to 3 feet long
2.  x 1  2.5mm Jack Male
3.  x 1  3.5mm Jack Male
4.  x 2  3.5mm Jacks Female
5.  Package of Heatshrink Asst.

Tools
1.  Wire Cutters
2.  Wire Strippers
3.  Soldering Iron
4. Solder and  Flux
5.  Blow Dryer for Shrinking Heat Shrink
6.  (Optional) Test Meter for checking continuity and confirming which connectors are for the Tip, Ring , and Sleeve.

Step 2: Preperation

1. Cut the RCA ends off of the RCA Cable.
2. Divide the cable into 8 inch lengths approximately.
3. Strips outer insulation off the ends of the cables about 2 inches in on each side.
4. Separate the shielding from the inner wire and twist together.
5. Strip the inner wire enough to connect to the jacks and allow for soldering.
6. Take covers off of jacks and mark with heat shrink which will be the mic and the speaker and slide onto the wires you will use to make the connections.
7. Decide which version to make from the wiring diagrams.

Step 3: The Build

I have designed two variations of the adapter cable:

Both adapters have the option of adding a jack to receive game audio from a stereo receiver’s headphone out jack.

1. Pseudo Stereo for both game chat and game audio. (Adapter pictured at start)

2. Stereo game audio and game chat on the left channel only.

If you do not want game audio through your headset then just ignore the jack connection in the upper right of the wiring diagrams and make the Y cable only.

Follow my wiring diagrams to identify what color wire gets soldered where.

Legend:
Orange - Ground
Red - Mic
Green - Speakers

Mic connection:
1. Make sure the jack sleeve is on the wire first.
2. Feed the ground wire through the hole on the "Sleeve" connector of the Mic 3.5mm female jack.
3. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
4. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
5. Feed the Red wire through the hole on the "Tip" connector of the Mic 3.5mm female jack.
6. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
7. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
8. Slide the jack sleeve up and thread on to close the housing.

Speaker connection: (Without Game Audio) (With Game Audio Skip to step 18)
9. Make sure the jack sleeve is on the wire(s) first.
10. Feed the ground wire through the hole on the "Sleeve" connector of the Speaker 3.5mm female jack.
11. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
12. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
13. Feed the Green (black or white) wire through the hole on the "Ring" connector of the Speaker 3.5mm female jack.
14. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
15. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
16. Solder a small wire bridge connecting the Tip and Ring connecters together (on the speaker jack not the mic jack). This makes the chat route to both the left and right channels of the headset.
17. Slide the jack sleeve up and thread on to close the housing.

Speaker connection: (With Game Audio)
18. Make sure the jack sleeve is on the wire(s) first.
19. Feed 2 ground wires through the hole on the "Sleeve" connector of the Speaker 3.5mm female jack.
20. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
21. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
22. Feed 2 Green (black or white) wires through the hole on the "Ring" connector of the Speaker 3.5mm female jack.
23. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
24. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
25. Solder a small wire bridge connecting the Tip and Ring connecters together (on the speaker jack not the mic jack). This makes the chat and game audio route to both the left and right channels of the headset.
26. Slide the jack sleeve up and thread on to close the housing.

XBOX 360 controller connection:
27. Make sure the jack casing is on the wire(s) first.
28. Feed the ground wires from the speaker and mic wires through the hole on the "Sleeve" connector of the XBOX 360 2.5mm Male jack.
29. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
30. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
31. Feed the Green (black or white) Speaker wire through the hole on the "Ring" connector of the XBOX 360 2.5mm Male jack.
32. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
33. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
34. Feed the Red Mic wire through the hole on the "Tip" connector of the XBOX 360 2.5mm Male jack
35. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
36. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
37. Slide the jack sleeve up and thread on to close the housing.

If you’re making an adapter without Game Audio skip the following:

Game Audio 3.5mm Male Jack to Speaker 2.5mm Female Jack:
38. Make sure the jack sleeve is on the wire(s) first.
39. Feed the ground wire from the second green wire coming from the Speaker 3.5mm female jack through the hole on the "Sleeve" connector of the Game Audio 3.5mm Male jack.
40. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
41. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
42. Feed the Green (black or white) wire from the second wire coming from the Speaker 3.5mm female jack through the hole on the "Ring" connector of the Game Audio 3.5mm Male jack
43. Apply flux to the area and heat briefly with the soldering iron until the flux burns away.
44. Heat the joint and solder the connection. Trim the excess wire from the back of the joint to avoid contact with other connectors, wires, or the casing.
45. Solder a small wire bridge connecting the Tip and Ring connecters together. This makes the Game Audio route to both the left and right channels of the headset.
46. Slide the jack sleeve up and thread on to close the housing.

Congratulations!
If your soldering went well you now have an adapter that lets you use a PC-Headset with your XBOX 360 with or without game audio.