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Topic: Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume (Read 13201 times) previous topic - next topic
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Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Hey guys,

Sorry if this has been answered before, but I did search for it before posting.

I'm looking to get a new pair of speakers because I experience distortion with my current pair (which are relatively inexpensive) when I turn up the volume up beyond the level needed to hear them at my desk (and no matter what combination of volumes I use - see below).

Currently, I keep my Windows master volume at a minimum and the speaker volume at a maximum. If I need them to be louder (for example, when I'm listening to them from a short distance away), I increase the Windows volume, and the distortion becomes quite pronounced on some tracks.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't seem to remember the distortion occurring when these speakers were new (I've used them for 2 years or so). My question is - did I contribute to their sound quality decreasing by keeping them at max volume and my Windows volume very low? What are the optimum settings for the two volumes? High Windows volume and low speaker volume? Mid-level for both? The reason this occurred to me was that I've heard things about speakers being driven at full volume resulting in blowout. If I made a mistake with this pair, I'd like to not repeat it with the new set I plan to buy.

Input on this subject would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

nazgulord.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #1 –
I'm no expert, but in my experience it is better for the speakers (and audio quality) if you feed them with a "louder" signal, so that they don't have to amplify a low power signal (and its noise) so much. So my recommandation to set your computer's volume to maximum (or near that) and your speaker's volume to a relatively low level. (I think the same thing applies also to headphones with an integrated volume regulation.)

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #2 –
i doubt it that you could've destroyed them by having them at max volume. it might be just aging or something.

the only thing i want to say is that windows vol control in theory has lower quality since it's digital ( compared to speaker analog adjustment )

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #3 –
Quote from: fuflo on
the only thing i want to say is that windows vol control in theory has lower quality since it's digital ( compared to speaker analog adjustment )

Yes, but I think this affects the quality if you lower the volume in windows - then you lose bits (altough I don't think you won't notice it). AFAIK highest volume in windows is best. But I'm not sure, maybe there's also clipping?

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #4 –
We could raise a lot of oppinions here about settings.
I preffer to have moderate volume on both sides, to maitain the control from the computer (instead of having to wake up from the chair and go to the amplifier's knob) while keeping the analog noise low too. (keeping the analog volume prolonged on a fixed position can cause other problems, though)

About the speakers distorting as they are now, it could have several reasons, but i would discard speakers damaged due to volume knob being high.

The reason why they get damaged at high volumes is because clipping on the analog stage (i.e. in the transistor) causes distortions that, prolonged, can damage the tweeters, that aren't supposed to be driven that high. Also, if the amplifier drives too small speakers, you could get damaged cones (but this is pretty visible, and doesn't seem to be your case).

You could have clipping on the player's stage, either by using equalizers, DSP's, or because of the audio itself. Increasing the volume on windows would make this more apparent.

So, you have several things to try:
* do you have headphones/earphones to compare?  (Connect them to the soundcard's output, and also in the front of the speakers, if they have a connector too)
* Can you compare disabling the different dsp's of your player, and use a replaygained file?
* Also, does the speaker have low/high/subwoofer controls?



Edit: About the comment of losing bits when using the windows control. I use to have it between 4 and 8 (out of 100)*. That would represent between 11 and 12 bits. But don't mistake this with losing quality. When the volume is this low, the noise floor is already reducing the SNR further.


*Note: I live in a flat and the speakers have some power. The amplifier knob is kept at 1/4th of its volume and that way the volume doesn't disturb on the next room, while i can hear it

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #5 –
Thanks for the replies, guys.

JAZ, I will try using headphones and see what they sound like (though the only headphones I currently have are the ones that came with my iPod - lol). The speakers do have a headphone port, so I'll try both them, and my soundcard's port.

With regard to DSP's and replaygain, I play my music with foobar2000, and I don't use any of the DSPs, but almost all my files have replaygain.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by low/high/subwoofer controls, but the speakers have only a volume control and a button for extra bass. There is no separate subwoofer.

If you or anyone else has further input, that would be very much appreciated. The new set I plan to get costs a decent bit, and I don't want to spoil them before their time.

Thanks,

nazgulord.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #6 –
Quote from: nazgulord on
JAZ, I will try using headphones and see what they sound like (though the only headphones I currently have are the ones that came with my iPod - lol). The speakers do have a headphone port, so I'll try both them, and my soundcard's port.

good.
Quote from: nazgulord on
With regard to DSP's and replaygain, I play my music with foobar2000, and I don't use any of the DSPs, but almost all my files have replaygain.

Ok, i wanted to discard other causes. As such, seems that the player could play the file without clipping.

Quote from: nazgulord on
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by low/high/subwoofer controls, but the speakers have only a volume control and a button for extra bass. There is no separate subwoofer.

That's fine, The extra bass, depending on how it is implemented, could cause distortion, but I guess you already tried disabling it before starting this thread.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #7 –
What sound card does your PC have, or is it onboard, USB, etc.? I had an old Sound Blaster AWE32 (it was MASSIVE!  ), and I noticed if I had the volume in the Windows mixer at anything from around 3/4 to full I would get significant distortion on my hi-fi (using the analogue line-in). Not sure if the card was wrecked (got it for free lol) or if they normally did this but I guess this could happen with other sound cards too, especially older ones like that.

I have used many other PCs and sound cards with the same hi-fi and haven't experienced the same problem outputting at full volume from the PC. Generally I would use max volume on the PC and change it on my hi-fi or in Foobar.

What's your "Wave" volume set at?

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Zilog Jones on
What sound card does your PC have, or is it onboard, USB, etc.? I had an old Sound Blaster AWE32 (it was MASSIVE!  ), and I noticed if I had the volume in the Windows mixer at anything from around 3/4 to full I would get significant distortion on my hi-fi (using the analogue line-in). Not sure if the card was wrecked (got it for free lol) or if they normally did this but I guess this could happen with other sound cards too, especially older ones like that.

I have used many other PCs and sound cards with the same hi-fi and haven't experienced the same problem outputting at full volume from the PC. Generally I would use max volume on the PC and change it on my hi-fi or in Foobar.

What's your "Wave" volume set at?


This might have had something to do with the drivers.  I used a few different versions of Ubuntu and my onboard sound would distort if the volume was higher than 85% or so.  The onboard sound works just fine in Windows XP and Vista.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #9 –
i prefer keeping wave volume settings at max, main volume at half, and speakers volume at whatever. a while back i noticed the bass of my speakers would get distorted whenever the main volume was close to max. i was using win 2000 or xp.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #10 –
I personally keep windows around 90% volume level. Window Media Center seems to adjust it randomly and if I'm not careful, it will auto-raise it super loud. So Windows is loud and the speakers are kept quite low, just in case if something raises the PC volume, it doesn't blast my ears out!

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #11 –
Quote from: [JAZ] on


Edit: About the comment of losing bits when using the windows control. I use to have it between 4 and 8 (out of 100)*. That would represent between 11 and 12 bits. But don't mistake this with losing quality. When the volume is this low, the noise floor is already reducing the SNR further.


Pretty sure the Windows volume control just adjusts the gain to the output stage amp on your sound card.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #12 –
What is the point of the projection clock post?  Is it some type of advertisement?  I really hate it when people/companies go into forums advertising products especially when the ad had nothing to do with what we are talking about.

I have always kept the system/WAV volume at the highest setting and then used the speakers to adjust the volume.  This has never really been an issue as one of my speaker sets has an IR remote while another one has a physical knob that is located right next to my keyboard.  I prefer keeping the system volume at max as it prevents one of my speaker systems from hissing.  The hiss can be heard when the source volume is not high enough and the speakers must be turned up to a really high level.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #13 –
Quote from: Zilog Jones on
I had an old Sound Blaster AWE32 (it was MASSIVE!  ), and I noticed if I had the volume in the Windows mixer at anything from around 3/4 to full I would get significant distortion on my hi-fi (using the analogue line-in).


I also had that card. It was the X-Fi of the mid 90's. Its sound quality wasn't exceptionally good. I believe the noise floor was around 70dB or so. I can't recall now, but I believe i used to have the master volume at half instead of top. These soundcards (Especially the SoundBlaster 16), had digital amplification, (with the DOS mixer you could add x1, x2 and x4), so i guess it could have been clipping in windows.


Quote from: odigg on
This might have had something to do with the drivers.  I used a few different versions of Ubuntu and my onboard sound would distort if the volume was higher than 85% or so.  The onboard sound works just fine in Windows XP and Vista.


Linux (Alsa) is another subject completely. Several driver-brands  that play fine in windows at 100% volume do that in Alsa.


Quote from: Mike Giacomelli on
Pretty sure the Windows volume control just adjusts the gain to the output stage amp on your sound card.


Not completely sure what you mean, but there are soundcards that implement master volume in software instead of hardware.

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #14 –
i have similar issues with my driver using linux (onboard hd audio) and if it is at >75% it starts to distort a little bit.  100% is unbearable.

i keep system sound at 70% with my logitech 5.1 system and that actually sounds clear/clean/great near max speaker volume.


later

Raising Windows volume vs Raising speaker volume

Reply #15 –
Sorry guys, been a bit busy the past few days.

Anyway, I tried my headphones, and did not experience distortion from them. It seems that the general opinion here is to keep windows volume at medium or high and not drive the speakers at max volume. However, from what I understand, the opinion also seems to be that driving them at max volume over an extended period of time shouldn't really cause distortion and that it can be caused by drivers.

Thanks again for the replies.

nazgulord.