[Orion] Q: Multiple Audio Connections to an Orion I

[Eric Rosenberg]

My audio requirement are getting somewhat complicated, so I'm asking for 
help from these austere groups.

Microphones into the Orion:
 There are two mike choices:  A Studio One and a Heil Headset (HC5 
element).   The Heil goes directly into the sound card Mike input, out 
of the sound card into the Orion's rear Mike input. The Studio One 
doesn't need to go into the sound card, instead directly into the Orion 
Mike input, presumably in rear.  My thought was to plug both into a 
simple A/B switch that would feed the sound card, but am concerned that 
the mike's electrical differences are significant enough that this might 
be a problem... one mike would work well, the other not. True?  I do 
have one of those Behringer mixers at my disposal, should I need it.

Multiple Headphones out of the Orion:
I've used a Y-cable, but now have a need to have more headsets (my kids) 
on-line while turning off the speaker. Instead of plugging in the single 
headset when I'm alone and the multiple headsets when the group is 
listening, I'd like to have one device control all the functions (feed 
multiple headphones and control the on/off function of the speaker that 
is normally done when one plugs the headphones into the front panel 
jack.  I have a headphone amplifier box that I could plug into <where?>, 
but don't know how I'd control on/off speaker.

Any thoughts?

If this is confusing or otherwise unworkable, please tell me!

Thanks,
Eric W3DQ
Washington, DC