Would using optical disable other rear inputs in Windows?

[psynsleep]

Hi, I'm considering buying either the Edifier 1855DB or Wavemaster cube neo (any idea which one would be the best? I wanna keep it 2.0). I'd like to use the line in on the back of my pc for my headphones, means I'll connect the speakers via optical to my mainboard. My question is, if I do that, are other rear inputs (such as the line in I'd use for my headphones) disabled during that? To be clear, I don't want to use speakers and headphones at the same time, but want to be able to switch device in Windows with no issues, and not have to crawl down to plug out the speakers to make the headphones work.
Maybe dumb question cause the answer might be obvious to you... but I'm not sure, and before I buy it and realize at home my plan isn't working out because exactly this happened, or maybe even something else I haven't thought about , I'd rather ask you.

Also, a normal toslink cable like this is the correct one, right? Or does the speaker input have to be round, rather than shaped like the usual SPDIF input?

Thank you in advance )

 

[staticV3]

You can switch between both outputs very easily in Windows. No need to physically disconnect one.

I assume you meant Line out when you wrote Line in.

Please don't plug a headphone directly into the line out port. It's not built for that.
Your motherboard should have a dedicated headphone out port in addition to Line out. Please use that one.
Line out is for plugging into external Amps or mixers.

 

[Palladium]

You can switch between both outputs very easily in Windows. No need to physically disconnect one.

I assume you meant Line out when you wrote Line in.

Please don't plug a headphone directly into the line out port. It's not built for that.
Your motherboard should have a dedicated headphone out port in addition to Line out. Please use that one.
Line out is for plugging into external Amps or mixers.

If it's Realtek integrated audio (99% of PCs are), the choice of jack doesn't matter for headphones or line out since its auto-sensing.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Please don't plug a headphone directly into the line out port. It's not built for that.
Your motherboard should have a dedicated headphone out port in addition to Line out. Please use that one.
Line out is for plugging into external Amps or mixers.

It's a bit more complex than that actually, thanks to jack retasking capabilities. If the proper (non-generic) audio drivers are installed, you can expect to be asked what it is that you just plugged in with two or three options to choose from, and the chip will reroute things internally to match.

There may still be differences in external components between jacks, of course, so you might only get DC coupling with low output impedance on one while the other has to make do with coupling capacitors and 75 ohms in series.

 

[psynsleep]

I assume you meant Line out when you wrote Line in.

Ah, yea I did, sorry. I meant the output which is typically colored green. on my MB all are just black with a writing underneath, so I confused which one I meant.

Any idea which speakers are better? It's hard to find objective reviews about them, like the ones you can find here on the forums. First was leaning towards the Edifier MR4, but since the others got an opt in, I'd rather have that so I can use the other input for my headphones.