[SOLVED] Headphones not loud enough

Solution
That motherboard's onboard audio controller is more than capable of driving that headset; you do not need an amp.

Previous advice about front audio jacks is valid and worth ruling out; hardware and materials used to make and route those jacks are often of inferior quality, plus you have to deal with an extra cable and connector between your audio controller and jacks - which can alter impedance or introduce EMI.

Previous advice about disabling Nvidia HD Audio drivers is also important to follow.

Enabling Loudness Equalization can cause this same symptom when all else is working correctly, so make sure you're carefully testing that setting. It should generally be OFF.

Try Disabling "allow applications to take full control of this...
Could you show us your volume bars everywhere? Windows Volume, Sound settings speaker volume etc? Do you have any audio software installed where there are volume bars too?

If you're watching a youtube video and you find the volume too low you can install "Volume Master" extension where you can boost your volume to 600% with it.
 
D

Deleted member 217926

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I'd think the above poster is on the right track. Make sure you have the volume turned up everywhere. I haven't used integrated audio in years to be of more help but play around in the driver and in Windows settings. You are plugging straight into the motherboard right?
 

Youngguns

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Nov 30, 2013
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Could you show us your volume bars everywhere? Windows Volume, Sound settings speaker volume etc? Do you have any audio software installed where there are volume bars too?

If you're watching a youtube video and you find the volume too low you can install "Volume Master" extension where you can boost your volume to 600% with it.
View: https://imgur.com/a/6Zsguar





everything is on high for my headphones including the volume adjuster on the headphones cup
And its not so much youtube videos its more for sound and footsteps in games. Im at a disadvantage if i cant hear the enemy
 
D

Deleted member 217926

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Shouldn't you be plugged into Headphones and not Speakers?

Also do you have an Nvidia card? Uninstall their audio drivers if you do. They come as a default part of the driver package unless you do a custom install. They break everything.
 

Youngguns

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Nov 30, 2013
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Shouldn't you be plugged into Headphones and not Speakers?

Also do you have an Nvidia card? Uninstall their audio drivers if you do. They come as a default part of the driver package unless you do a custom install. They break everything.
The headphone jacks are on the front of the pc and they dont go any louder nor does the microphone jack work (on the front)
I need to use the rear jacks to get the mic running, and the rear jacks come up as Speakers for some reason

-Yes i have an Nvidia, what drivers am i uninstalling and how?
 
You plug your headset in the Line out at the rear.

The speakers icon is just there because it's what the icon is when you plug something in the line out at the rear.

It would not be the first time that people have issues with the front audio jack. Use the rear audio jack.

Is the volume ok?
 

specterk

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Dec 1, 2011
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That motherboard's onboard audio controller is more than capable of driving that headset; you do not need an amp.

Previous advice about front audio jacks is valid and worth ruling out; hardware and materials used to make and route those jacks are often of inferior quality, plus you have to deal with an extra cable and connector between your audio controller and jacks - which can alter impedance or introduce EMI.

Previous advice about disabling Nvidia HD Audio drivers is also important to follow.

Enabling Loudness Equalization can cause this same symptom when all else is working correctly, so make sure you're carefully testing that setting. It should generally be OFF.

Try Disabling "allow applications to take full control of this device" in audio device settings, if you haven't already.

Having a non-standard bit depth and sample rate set for a device can sometimes cause volume inconsistencies in games with poorly-implemented audio (there are many, particularly in the FPS genre). Try restoring to defaults.

You may need the Realtek Audio Console installed (packaged with motherboard drivers) to gain enough access to the chipset's low-level audio configuration for optimal functionality. Annoying when that's the case, but worth a shot.

With that said, that motherboard family does have longstanding known issues with audio quality, distortion and low volume on a wide range of audio chipset drivers for a lot of different audio peripherals. After trying all of the above, my next step would be to disable windows driver updates, uninstall the current audio driver, then reinstall the audio driver from your motherboard driver CD (or the earliest version available on the MSI website if you don't have one). If that doesn't work, I would try several different versions of MSI's audio driver packages from the same source if you haven't already. After that, try driver packages from Realtek.
 
Solution

Youngguns

Distinguished
Nov 30, 2013
36
0
18,530
That motherboard's onboard audio controller is more than capable of driving that headset; you do not need an amp.

Previous advice about front audio jacks is valid and worth ruling out; hardware and materials used to make and route those jacks are often of inferior quality, plus you have to deal with an extra cable and connector between your audio controller and jacks - which can alter impedance or introduce EMI.

Previous advice about disabling Nvidia HD Audio drivers is also important to follow.

Enabling Loudness Equalization can cause this same symptom when all else is working correctly, so make sure you're carefully testing that setting. It should generally be OFF.

Try Disabling "allow applications to take full control of this device" in audio device settings, if you haven't already.

Having a non-standard bit depth and sample rate set for a device can sometimes cause volume inconsistencies in games with poorly-implemented audio (there are many, particularly in the FPS genre). Try restoring to defaults.

You may need the Realtek Audio Console installed (packaged with motherboard drivers) to gain enough access to the chipset's low-level audio configuration for optimal functionality. Annoying when that's the case, but worth a shot.

With that said, that motherboard family does have longstanding known issues with audio quality, distortion and low volume on a wide range of audio chipset drivers for a lot of different audio peripherals. After trying all of the above, my next step would be to disable windows driver updates, uninstall the current audio driver, then reinstall the audio driver from your motherboard driver CD (or the earliest version available on the MSI website if you don't have one). If that doesn't work, I would try several different versions of MSI's audio driver packages from the same source if you haven't already. After that, try driver packages from Realtek.
Ok sweet thanks Also ive noticed the volume bar never goes past half way even if i use my g560's to blast and shake my entire room. (if that helps narrow it down but i will try the above)
View: https://imgur.com/a/KnxvPrC