So I want to get really cheap decent setup. Currently my speakers are Logitech X-2300's, some of the best speakers Logitech has ever manufactured, and they have a volume control that also has a headphone input, typical for any speaker setup. These speakers plug into my onboard 3.5mm jack. Yeah, I know it's really bad to produce with that but it's all I've got. I'm thinking of getting a pair of Audio Technica M20X's, because it would be a really good upgrade from using Sennheiser CX-300 II earbuds primarily for producing. The only problem is, is that I would be plugging those headphones to my Logitech speakers which are connected to the static mess that is the onboard 3.5mm.

Would using a 3.5mm female to USB male adapter be just as good as using an adapter? I'm thinking that it wouldn't, because everyone would be doing that if it was, but I have my suspicions. How would the quality change? Would the static mostly go away to a point where monitoring with the M20X's would be actually doable?

Thanks.

I'm a little unclear on your question. Are you saying asking if a 3.5mm to USB adapter - which would allow you to plug your headphones into your computer's USB port - have the same effect as an audio interface?

If that's what you're asking, then the answer is no. An interface is helpful because it has converters that convert analog to digital signal and vice versa. They are high quality, almost certainly better than the onboard soundcard in your computer. I don't think something like the Audio Technica ATR2USB compares to something like a proper interface like a Focusrite Scarlett. Focusrite Scarlett Solo comes highly recommended as a starter USB interface.

Yeah, that was my question. I knew it likely wouldn't be the same as an audio interface, but I just wanted to make sure. And I had no idea Focusrite made a Scarlett Solo, that was a surprise!