A2zs

[The General]

All the soundcard does is provide a signal for the amplifier to amplify ...

 

[003]

Nope, it has it's own opamp (more than one in the case of a decent sound card). If you had a sound card with no opamps, and just line level outputs (there are sound cards like this, mine for example), your speakers would not work without an external amp, unless the speakers have an amp built in, as some computer speakers do.

If you have a line level output then you would want the volume at maximum (+0dB). When you lower or raise volume on a sound card with an opamp(s) the amplification level is simply changed. You can not "lower" the volume of a line level output, because it is already +0dB. When you "lower" the volume of a line level output, since it can not go lower, the digital signal is simply attenuated which causes a drop in bit depth, and lowers that quality of sound.

 

[The General]

Nope ... If you had a sound card with no opamps, and just line level outputs (there are sound cards like this, mine for example), your speakers would not work without an external amp, unless the speakers have an amp built in, as some computer speakers do.

So really, you mean "Yep" because you say no, then spew out a prime example of what I said that you disagreed with.

COOL.

 

[003]

Umm, what? Are you talking about when I said some speakers have an amp built in? Some do. You were saying that sound cards do not do any amping, they do, but poorly. If they didn't, those speakers (and headphones) that you just plug into the sound card and do not plug into the wall would not work.

 

[Crysalis]

you guys have each other confused - read each others posts again from the beginning

 

[DarkMortar]

Never have master volume over 80%

 

[joshd]

yea, that sorted it. i have the master on 50% at the moment and the speakers a bit louder and it is fine.

cheers people.