Sound card Advice.

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ooogz

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Hello, I got myself a pair of Sennheiser GSP 500 headphones.
Upgraded from a pair of sennheiser HD 555s. The hd555s got a little louder on the same motherboard, not by much.
Problem is games seem soft. Very soft. Apex legends is the game I'm currently playing and everything is set to 100 but the sound is soft. I've tried messing with a few setting, u uninstalling drivers etc with no help. The only thing that helps is A volume booster program but I don't think the quality Is there.
I have a cheap Asus motherboard that uses realtek alc 887 but sounds crappy.
Thinking of getting a decent sound card or maybe even an amp. But I don't want to pay too much. Maybe R1500.

The gsp 500 have a 28ohm impedence if that makes a difference.

Any recommendations for a sound card or amp that would give the gsp500s some more power?

Thanks
 
My ASUS motherboard lets me choose the amplification level. Sure yours doesn't? Installed the correct audio drivers?

Volume is extremely loud (Sennheiser HD 280 Pro).

My Maximus X uses the Realtek ALC1220S chip though.

Untitled-1.jpg
 
Make sure that you selected your plugged in device to be headphones and not speakers as well..
 
genetic said:
My ASUS motherboard lets me choose the amplification level. Sure yours doesn't? Installed the correct audio drivers?

Volume is extremely loud (Sennheiser HD 280 Pro).

My Maximus X uses the Realtek ALC1220S chip though.

View attachment 686295
Click to expand...
No, mine doesn't allow me to change amplification level.
Mobo is an asus x370-a prime.
Not that great. Installed correct drivers, updated drivers etc...
 
WAslayer said:
Make sure that you selected your plugged in device to be headphones and not speakers as well..
Click to expand...
Yes, I have done that, switched from speakers to headphone, changed from back to front Jacks etc... Sat and tried for about 8 hours last night with no results besides the volume booster program.
 
My TV plays music a bit louder.
The music on the pc is louder then gaming but also not like crazy...
Also tried diablo 3 for example and its also soft.
 
I think you might need some sort of headphone amp, but I'd just wait to see what others say before splashing out, because I could be wrong.

Something like these. There might be some cheaper alternatives around, but that was the only one I could think of because I used to have one (but it wasn't xbox branded, but it was the same thing).

It sounds to me like your motherboard isn't powerful enough to run your new headphones, which is why its so soft.
 
I've changed my mind. Apparently you only need amps if your headphones have an impedance of 50 or higher. Yours are 28. I have headphones that have an impedance of 32 and they work fine on all my stuff. I'm not really sure what to suggest now.
 
mr_norris said:
I've changed my mind. Apparently you only need amps if your headphones have an impedance of 50 or higher. Yours are 28. I have headphones that have an impedance of 32 and they work fine on all my stuff. I'm not really sure what to suggest now.
Click to expand...

It's more complicated than that. A higher quality DAC will provide more power (measured in mV and mA to power a higher impedance set of headphones). Ohms isn't the deciding factor. It's the limiting factor.
 
genetic said:
Well, if you're a true audiophile, the Asus Xonar is cheaper, has a great SNR of 103dB and an ESS DAC over the MkII's lesser specs and bigger price. (unless USB mobility is your deciding factor).

Should power big headphones decently.

Great purchase IMO.
Click to expand...
Which Asus Xonar though? :P

See see the budget DG model goes for like R500, while the ASUS Xonar Essence One Sound Card goes for R13 000. I expect there to be a bit of a quality difference too :D
 
I won't say I'm an audiophile, always like to get the best I can get at that point. Just paid a hefty price for the headset so don't wanna spend too much on a sound card. I don't mind buying a sound card cause I know that sound cards probably last longer then most components unless I buy a motherboard with an awesome onboard sound...

I have another question if you don't mind.

I used a sound booster program and it seemed to work. I put the sound booster on max and controlled the volume via Windows volume. Think I should have done it the other way.

Apex legends was much louder but I felt the quality might have taken a punch some how.
Diablo 3 was horrible quality... Can't explain it..
I know the headset is OK as it cna go louder.

Just wanted to ask if any one knows how a program can make the headset louder, but yet my onboard sound can't?
 
ooogz said:
Just wanted to ask if any one knows how a program can make the headset louder, but yet my onboard sound can't?
Click to expand...
Speakers are just based on electricity, so the software just boosts the signal and probably trashes it in a way the onboard sound wouldn't try to, precisely because if you push it that far then the quality degrades in the way you're describing. It's like when you try boost a photograph's exposure beyond the amount of dynamic range the camera captured ... you'll just end up with digital mess, as the computer tries to guess what is there but in reality the data doesn't actually exist because it couldn't be captured.
 
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