Comment by fsckboy

>I also need an IC to convert the I2S signal (currently sent to the MAX98357A) to a headphone output. I haven't researched options yet. The motherboard will need additional routing to send the I2S signal from the ESP32-S3 to both the MAX98357A and this new IC. Suggestions welcome!

isn't a headphone just a high impedance speaker? you just grab the same output that goes to the speakers and reroute it through a big resistor to the headphones.

did a little searching, here you go (the extra resistance isn't that great)

https://samtechpro.blogspot.com/2014/03/how-to-use-speaker-o...

i suggest put efforts into stereo for speaker and headphones, more pleasing, and wouldn't stereo set the stage for truer brain development?