SoundCard Volume

  • Thread starter Thread starter Buck Turgidson
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Buck Turgidson

I have tried 2 different PCI sound cards, and each one works but the volume
is very low. I have adjusted all the master sound controls and checked all
the settings. I have also tried both cards booted under the Linux OS on the
same machine.

Is there anything else I can tweak other than the master sound settings to
get more volume out of the cards?
 
Buck Turgidson said:
I have tried 2 different PCI sound cards, and each one works but the volume
is very low. I have adjusted all the master sound controls and checked all
the settings. I have also tried both cards booted under the Linux OS on the
same machine.

Is there anything else I can tweak other than the master sound settings to
get more volume out of the cards?
Click to expand...

are you using *amplified* speakers
there are very few sound cards with built-in amplification
 
are you using *amplified* speakers
there are very few sound cards with built-in amplification
Click to expand...

I'm afraid I don't know. It is a HP Pavilion circa 1999. It had a Rockwell
Conexant (Riptide) sound card originally. The speakers don't use any
external power, so I don't think they're amplified.
 
I'm afraid I don't know. It is a HP Pavilion circa 1999. It had a Rockwell
Conexant (Riptide) sound card originally. The speakers don't use any
external power, so I don't think they're amplified.
Click to expand...

That's the problem. Why not use the original sound card?
There aren't many semi-modern cards with integral speaker
amp, but one that comes to mind is a Creative CT4810.
However, not all cards on the 'net designated as a "CT4810"
have the amp, it can be seem on pictures of the card as a
long thing DIP chip towards the top left side, and a jumper
nearby to switch the amp on/off depending on whether
amplified speakers are used. It has fairly good sound
quality but only 2 channel stereo sound, and one needs know
if the seller used a representative picture or picture of
actual product since some CT4810 don't have the amp.
Here's a picture of one w/amp:
http://www.codecountry.com/ebay/CT4810.jpg
 
That's the problem. Why not use the original sound card?
There aren't many semi-modern cards with integral speaker
amp, but one that comes to mind is a Creative CT4810.
However, not all cards on the 'net designated as a "CT4810"
have the amp, it can be seem on pictures of the card as a
long thing DIP chip towards the top left side, and a jumper
nearby to switch the amp on/off depending on whether
amplified speakers are used. It has fairly good sound
quality but only 2 channel stereo sound, and one needs know
if the seller used a representative picture or picture of
actual product since some CT4810 don't have the amp.
Here's a picture of one w/amp:
http://www.codecountry.com/ebay/CT4810.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks. Are you saying that most speakers now are externally powered?
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Thanks. Are you saying that most speakers now are externally powered?
Click to expand...

any speakers that require an AC plug-in will have an amplifier in them
and should work just fine
(most speakers are now amplified)
it will be easier to do get some amplified speakers
than to find and replace your sound card...
the speakers can be purchased for as little as $15 new
 
Thanks. Are you saying that most speakers now are externally powered?
Click to expand...

Yes most are externally powered within past few years. HP
has been one of the last to keep using passive speakers with
the amp either on a sound card or even integrated onto the
motherboard itself. Compaq used to do it too, maybe some
others but they were even older.
 
I have tried 2 different PCI sound cards, and each one works but the volume
is very low. I have adjusted all the master sound controls and checked all
the settings. I have also tried both cards booted under the Linux OS on the
same machine.

Is there anything else I can tweak other than the master sound settings to
get more volume out of the cards?
Click to expand...

I was putting an old system together for someone (from donated bits
and pieces) and had exactly the same problem.

Passive (non-powered) speakers worked on some Soundcards but on this
particular system the maximum level was very low. Initially I tried to
find software that would boost the level but all the advice I received
suggested that this would cause distortion to the signal and wasn't
the best way to solve it.

In the end I put a pair of powered speakers on the PC and it was OK.

Whether the problem was actually caused by the combination of passive
speaker and particular soundcards or perhaps more likely the
Motherboard (can't recall the model but it was an old Compaq) I am not
fully certain.

KM
 
I was putting an old system together for someone (from donated bits
and pieces) and had exactly the same problem.

Passive (non-powered) speakers worked on some Soundcards but on this
particular system the maximum level was very low. Initially I tried to
find software that would boost the level but all the advice I received
suggested that this would cause distortion to the signal and wasn't
the best way to solve it.
Click to expand...

It can also overload and damage it, sound card and
motherboard with only line-level out are not meant to drive
loads, it's not just a matter of how loud it is.
In the end I put a pair of powered speakers on the PC and it was OK.

Whether the problem was actually caused by the combination of passive
speaker and particular soundcards or perhaps more likely the
Motherboard (can't recall the model but it was an old Compaq) I am not
fully certain.
Click to expand...

There are no soundcards or motherboards that "start out"
able to drive passive speakers. In any that can, there is a
separate amp (chip) providing this additional functionality.
These amp chips look nothing like a sound chip or codec,
have relatively large thick packages and at least quite
heavy gauge pins to help 'sink heat away, if not a heatsink
on it too.
 
any speakers that require an AC plug-in will have an amplifier in them
and should work just fine
(most speakers are now amplified)
it will be easier to do get some amplified speakers
than to find and replace your sound card...
the speakers can be purchased for as little as $15 new
Click to expand...

thanks to both for the info. I have the Rockwell Riptide card, but it
doesn't work in Linux, which is my primary OS. Maybe Santa will bring me
some AC powered speakers....
 
any speakers that require an AC plug-in will have an amplifier in them
and should work just fine
(most speakers are now amplified)
it will be easier to do get some amplified speakers
than to find and replace your sound card...
the speakers can be purchased for as little as $15 new
Click to expand...
Do you think something like this is adequate?
 
I have tried 2 different PCI sound cards, and each one works but the volume
is very low. I have adjusted all the master sound controls and checked all
the settings. I have also tried both cards booted under the Linux OS on the
same machine.

Is there anything else I can tweak other than the master sound settings to
get more volume out of the cards?
Click to expand...

1. Open up the full mixer and crank up the the volume for the ones you
typically make use of. The two biggies are WAV, MIDI, and *maybe*
CD-audio.

2. If you're not already doing so, use a set of powered (amplified)
speakers. PCI sound cards usually aren't amplified. The amplitude is
good enough for headphones, but there's just not enough power to
really run a set of speakers at decent volume without help. If your
speakers are battery powered, try changing the batteries and turning
them on. The plug-in type will give you more volume, and better sound
quality.
 
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