Soundcards

[Rekuja]

Hey guys,

As some of you know, I purchased a pair of Sennheiser PC350's and noticed the volume doesn't go as high as I had hoped, even at 100% volume on Windows 7 they don't "boom" as much as I would like them to in video games.

My previous headset (Creative Soundblaster) were USB powered and had a sound card built into the USB, which means the volume and sound quality was very high since it wasn't powered via on-board audio.

Anyway, long story short(er) my Sennheiser are 3.5mm so they go directly into the motherboard, which means I don't have that added sound card quality like my Soundblaster had.

I did some reading and apparently motherboards don't supply enough juice for 3.5mm headphones? and that's why you don't have the amazing sound quality... SO! I purchased a ASUS Xonar DGX Gaming PCI-E Sound Card which has 3 amp modes for headphones

tldr: Will a decent sound card bump the volume or only make the sound quality better?

cheers.

p.s would I be able to re-task some of the jacks? I would like to plug my headphones AND my speakers into the sound card and switch on the fly via Windows 7 volume control panel (or the drivers)

[Wales]

People still use dedicated sound cards? 

[Rekuja]

Yeah I used On-Board literally all my life, but these 150 ohms head sets require more juice to get the most out of them

[Min Kim]

I have the PC360 for my headset that's connected just via the mainboard.
I have a Blue Yeti Microphone that goes through USB, and my DT990 headphones goes through the said microphone (this one is for movies/music).
Don't have problems listening on either one (and I'm somewhat an audiophile).

[Rekuja]

I did more research

PC350 = 150ohms
PC360 = 50ohms

So yeah.. most motherboards don't go upto 150ohms which is why I'm experiencing low volume during gaming, luckily the card I purchased goes upto 300ohms.

I'll be sorted phew

[Min Kim]

Lower ohms in a headphone means that the driving amplifier tends to need more current output and higher ohm ratings mean that the amplifier needs to have greater voltage swing.
These two factors are NOT exclusive though. Low resistance headphones still need voltage swing from the amp and vice versa.

Impedance doesn't relate to quality.  Mostly, the difference is just that higher impedances won't be quite as loud for a given amplifier voltage, and lower impedances will be somewhat harder on an amp since they'll draw more current.  For things in the 32-100 range, there's not much difference.  600 ohms might be a little quiet on some devices, depends on the sensitivity of the headphones (how loud they are per mW of power delivered).

My DT990 is 250 ohms and like I said, it's fine through my USB microphone. I haven't tested these straight on the 3.5mm jack from the mobo though, so I might give that a try later and see if I can hear any volume differences.
Hopefully what you bought helps you!

[Rekuja]

DT990 have 3 variants though, 300, 250, and 32... and since urs are 250 and tested through USB that doesn't really count also, your mobo might actually have a decent on-board audio chipset, mine currently uses Realtek ALC892 which is pretty shiet to be honest, doesn't have enough to power the 150ohms to its full potential


The problem is right there in your quote

"Higher impedances won't be quite as loud for a given amplifier voltage"

&

higher ohm ratings mean that the amplifier needs to have greater voltage swing.

My motherboard, tldr, has amp restrictions, meaning 150ohms won't be loud if I'm going directly into the on-board audio chipset.

I did some extra googling and people with PC350's had the same problem and was solved after switching to a soundcard.

remember, I didn't have this problem with my soundblaster because those came with a USB soundcard attached to the wire.

[bottlebug]

Onboard sound master race.

[Jimbob]

I need a sound card that can output 5.1 via coaxial or optical and preferably with dts live or whatever it is called

[han16]

@Wales and all other naysayers of dedicated soundcards

I must get you around, show you the difference between onboard and a decent sound card.


Disclaimer, its huge!

[Min Kim]

A decent sound card only shines with a decent sound system.

And also han, why are you always online on your Level 16 Arcanist and always inside a duty?

[Rekuja]

Made a HUGE difference to my headset, god damn.