Running headphones through PC speakers question.

MegaPinches

MegaPinches

MegaPinches

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First of all I don't know **** about audio, not interested in high end gear I have no ear for it but would like to get the optimal setup with what I have.

I'm just wondering how this all works, I have basic onboard audio (ALC892 ) and cheap z533 logitech speakers which has a volume dial on the desk that I plug my headphones into, apologies if I sound like your grandmother asking to download her emails but do these speakers/amp act as a DAC to my headphones, i.e are my headphones using the sound chip (if there is one?) in my Z533 amp or is it just using the audio straight from the mobo onboard audio chip?

The reason I need to know is that I want to carry on having my headphones plugged into this logitech dial I use as its handy but am waiting for the B550 motherboards to come out to grab one with the better ALC1220 audio rather than the ancient ALC892 codec on the b450 MAX boards (for ryzen 3000 build), but is this a waste of time if im using the sound chip in the Z533 amp (if it has one?) anyway or am I actually using the onboard audio.

Hope you follow that.

Cheers

Pinches
 
Ah thanks that answers it, though I hoping for announcement of a B550 version of the msi gaming carbon soon with its higher spec audio and lan, i'm sure they will make one.

Cheers
 
EsaT said:
Analog connection speakers always use source device's D/A converter.
And it's unlikely such speakers have proper headphone amplifier.

B550 will be budget board chipset, so most of those mobos will likely continue using ALC892.
Anyway if you're using headphones for everything, integrated sound cards lack features for good use of headphones in gaming and playing movies.
They lack HRTF for binaural sound simulation.

Human doesn't actually have some "stereo" hearing. We hear binaurally:
Meaning shape of the head (+pinnae) causes direction dependant changes to signal received by both ears from sound source.
Brain then processes location of sound source from those signal differences.
These binaural cues can be simulated mathematically.
And when listened using good (not necessarily expensive) headphones you'll get very good directionality and even sense of sounds coming from farther than next to ear.
Click to expand...

Any recommendations on a cheap external DAC for better headphone quality?
 
EsaT said:
While OEMs might have their B550 variant based boards sooner (would be needed for Christmas sales) all information points to retail B550 boards being multiple months away.


DAC is fashion term for selling device in place of sound card with even less features/funtionality than integrated Realteks.
Those don't even have any mic inputs. And even lot simpler things than HRTF are beyond them.
So without game itself or some "virtual sound card" software to do HRTF, best gaming immersion they can do with headphones is lovely sound inside either left or right ear, or in center of the head immersion.
Not a great gaming experience...
Compared to what any headphones worth their price sticker can do when fed binaural sound.
Though listener's head shape differing more from average is variable which can wreck sound positioning badly.

There are plenty of USB sound cards.
Though in cheaper ones selection isn't exactly great and most of them are rather old models and hence driver support isn't very certain for long term.
(especially with MS contantly breaking things in Wintoys10 patches)

Again if you're just listening music, there's no need for some super special parts for turning bits to analog signal nowadays...
After removing psychological biases of non-blind listening:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-pc-audio,3733-19.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for info, I think i'm clutching at straws hoping b550 comes in november after the microcode update but its probably looking Q1, I can always switch boards out if I get really anal.

Ah what I ment by dac in my situation was a USB soundcard, suprised by that link, are you saying then that between the two codecs I mentioned in my first post there's no real difference when it comes to music, just gaming. I only use superlux headphones anyway so nothing high end, good enough for my broken ears and I have a few different types. Probably stick with what i've got then.

Cheers
 
Yea slippery slope, cheers for info. I'll stick then, my ears are knackered anyway, superlux do me they pretty decent sound for money, I couldn't bring myself to drop 150 on headphones!

cheers
 
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