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Thread ID: 29031 2003-01-08 07:53:00 Headphone volume tommy (2826) Press F1
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111990 2003-01-08 07:53:00 A member of the family has poor hearing and likes to use headphones when on the computer but would sometimes like the volume to be louder. With integrated sound on the motherboard there is no option for increasing the volume beyond that of the normal volume controls like you can with amplified speakers. If a soundcard was installed would this permit the volume to be increased further somehow? If not, are there any other options? tommy (2826)
111991 2003-01-08 07:58:00 The normal on-board sound has no headphone socket, many people use the "Line Output" but the volume is low.

Many amplified speaker sets offer a headphone socket on the centre Bass Boost speaker, which would probably be a cheaper option than a full amplified sound card.
godfather (25)
111992 2003-01-08 08:01:00 We use a headphone on the PC with a volume control on the cord, so some can crank it up and some can turn it down without having to tweak software or the Windows settings. We just leave Windows on full volume.
That could help too, but yes some ports are amplified and some aren't.
robo.
robo (205)
111993 2003-01-08 08:23:00 Thank you for the replies. Unfortunately the speakers on that computer do not have headphone socket. Godfather is probably right about the Line Output being used for the headphones although the headphone jack is at the front of the computer case along with two USB ports. The headphones used do not have volume controls on them.

From your replies I deduce that amplified sound cards are available. What is the terminology that one would look for to indicate that a sound card is amplified and would provide more volume for headphone use?
tommy (2826)
111994 2003-01-08 10:03:00 If you can attach speakers to the sound card directly, its amplified.
That does not imply it will have a headphone socket however.

For about $90 very good amplified speakers with proper headphone sockets, controlled by the volume control on the speakers should be available however. Check them out first at places like Dick Smith Electronics stores
godfather (25)
111995 2003-01-09 04:50:00 I suspect that most of the PCI sound cards don't have amplified outputs. After all, most people buty the "500W" :D :D :D amplified speakers. Some of the Philips monitors have an amplifier, and a headphone socket. Graham L (2)
111996 2003-01-09 06:13:00 I think you are right Graham. Just had a look around on the web, and only early SB cards seem to have that, and I suspect they were ISA bus so unlikely to fit modern PCs.

A lot of HP computers had an integrated amplifier in the case, which allowed them to drive speakers direct as well.

The cheapest (and probably the best) option still looks like a set of amplified speakers with headphone output, as a plug and play solution.
godfather (25)
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