Solve : Sound problems - weak (not loud) sound??

1.	Solve : Sound problems - weak (not loud) sound??
Answer» The current computer I use is not able to go as "loud" as my previous computer. My current computer is not new now, but it is a GOOD 5 years or so newer than my previous one, I'm sure, so why the "power" of the sound is extremely weaker than my previous computer baffles me. Previous computer was WINDOWS ME, current one is XP Media Center Edition. There's a good chance I have no idea what I'm talking about SINCE I just do not know this stuff, but what does the "sound card" in a computer do? Is that what determines how powerful the sound is, how loud it can go, in a computer? If the case with me is that my current computer just has a weak sound card, can I/how do I replace it with a more powerful one? This computer was not custom built and I have never messed around with any computer hardware stuff, but it is definitely not beyond me to learn how to do such things, so how difficult would replacing a sound card be? I don't know what kind of stuff my previous computer used, but my new one does have this thing called "realtek hd audio", whatever that is. I have listened to both my previous computer and my current one through speakers and headphones and earphones with the sound being louder across all on the previous, so that is not the issue. Any more information you NEED about my current computer to determine why it would just have weaker sound than another computer, any other computer, just ask but be sure to tell me how to retrieve such information.Start>Control Panel>Sound>Volume Tab, make sure that Device Volume slider is all the way to the right; click on Advanced, make sure that Master Volume slider is at or near top. Quote from: drmsucks on August 06, 2008, 09:21:00 PM Start>Control Panel>Sound>Volume Tab, make sure that Device Volume slider is all the way to the right; click on Advanced, make sure that Master Volume slider is at or near top. Both of those are fine, that's not the issue.What are you listening to - CD's, MP3? What program are you using to listen? Do you have the volume settings correct in the program? Quote from: drmsucks on August 06, 2008, 11:08:55 PM What are you listening to - CD's, MP3? What program are you using to listen? Do you have the volume settings correct in the program? Have listened to everything in the past, CD's, games, and various music FILE types, but yeah, most of it is just mp3's now. Use winamp, but even with games the sound was low which does not use winamp. Winamp has the volume bar all the way up though.Could be that the sound on the new computer just doesn't have the power that the old one did. It seems like you are using onboard sound if you have Realtek HD Audio. If this is the case, you can add a separate sound card - yes, you'll be able to do it. Prices range from $10 - $200; I haven't used a separate sound card for 10 years or so, so I can't make a recommendation. More than likely you'll need a sound card for a PCI slot - post your motherboard or computer mfg and model and we can determine for sure. Someone else will be along to recommend a sound card, I'm sure - but it would be useful to know what your sound requirements are - music, gaming, etc. Quote from: drmsucks on August 06, 2008, 11:52:11 PM Could be that the sound on the new computer just doesn't have the power that the old one did. It seems like you are using onboard sound if you have Realtek HD Audio. If this is the case, you can add a separate sound card - yes, you'll be able to do it. Prices range from $10 - $200; I haven't used a separate sound card for 10 years or so, so I can't make a recommendation. More than likely you'll need a sound card for a PCI slot - post your motherboard or computer mfg and model and we can determine for sure. Someone else will be along to recommend a sound card, I'm sure - but it would be useful to know what your sound requirements are - music, gaming, etc. Alright, thank you for your help. Don't know where to find that information about my computer model or the motherboard though, but it's an HP computer. I will only really be listening to music, I just like listening to my music loud.. don't get quite the same punch from low volumed music as you do from it being super loud.The HP model number will be on a sticker somewhere on the tower. When the computer is on, you can try to access the system information by pressing the key combination: CTRL+ALT+S. Quote from: drmsucks on August 07, 2008, 09:20:05 AM The HP model number will be on a sticker somewhere on the tower. When the computer is on, you can try to access the system information by pressing the key combination: CTRL+ALT+S. The model is a1610n, for anybody interested. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?lc=en&cc=us&product=3239117&dlc=en&Looks like you will, in fact, need a PCI sound card. Quote from: drmsucks on August 07, 2008, 12:09:26 PM Looks like you will, in fact, need a PCI sound card. Thank you. Do you know any other computer related forums that deal specifically with creating/making/customizing computers? I figure I'll be able to get more precise suggestions and help from a community that is specifically geared towards that stuff. If not, suppose I'll just make a new topic here later asking for help with that.I don't, but, you really don't need much help to put in the sound card. Many people here can help you. It's really almost as simple as "plug 'n play." Post a new topic if you want help picking a sound card - give the computer mfg and model and the fact that you just want to listen to music.

Answer»

The current computer I use is not able to go as "loud" as my previous computer. My current computer is not new now, but it is a GOOD 5 years or so newer than my previous one, I'm sure, so why the "power" of the sound is extremely weaker than my previous computer baffles me.

Previous computer was WINDOWS ME, current one is XP Media Center Edition.

There's a good chance I have no idea what I'm talking about SINCE I just do not know this stuff, but what does the "sound card" in a computer do? Is that what determines how powerful the sound is, how loud it can go, in a computer? If the case with me is that my current computer just has a weak sound card, can I/how do I replace it with a more powerful one? This computer was not custom built and I have never messed around with any computer hardware stuff, but it is definitely not beyond me to learn how to do such things, so how difficult would replacing a sound card be?

I don't know what kind of stuff my previous computer used, but my new one does have this thing called "realtek hd audio", whatever that is.

I have listened to both my previous computer and my current one through speakers and headphones and earphones with the sound being louder across all on the previous, so that is not the issue.

Any more information you NEED about my current computer to determine why it would just have weaker sound than another computer, any other computer, just ask but be sure to tell me how to retrieve such information.Start>Control Panel>Sound>Volume Tab, make sure that Device Volume slider is all the way to the right; click on Advanced, make sure that Master Volume slider is at or near top. Quote from: drmsucks on August 06, 2008, 09:21:00 PM

Start>Control Panel>Sound>Volume Tab, make sure that Device Volume slider is all the way to the right; click on Advanced, make sure that Master Volume slider is at or near top.

Both of those are fine, that's not the issue.What are you listening to - CD's, MP3? What program are you using to listen? Do you have the volume settings correct in the program? Quote from: drmsucks on August 06, 2008, 11:08:55 PM

What are you listening to - CD's, MP3? What program are you using to listen? Do you have the volume settings correct in the program?

Have listened to everything in the past, CD's, games, and various music FILE types, but yeah, most of it is just mp3's now.

Use winamp, but even with games the sound was low which does not use winamp. Winamp has the volume bar all the way up though.Could be that the sound on the new computer just doesn't have the power that the old one did.

It seems like you are using onboard sound if you have Realtek HD Audio. If this is the case, you can add a separate sound card - yes, you'll be able to do it.

Prices range from $10 - $200; I haven't used a separate sound card for 10 years or so, so I can't make a recommendation. More than likely you'll need a sound card for a PCI slot - post your motherboard or computer mfg and model and we can determine for sure. Someone else will be along to recommend a sound card, I'm sure - but it would be useful to know what your sound requirements are - music, gaming, etc. Quote from: drmsucks on August 06, 2008, 11:52:11 PM

Could be that the sound on the new computer just doesn't have the power that the old one did.

It seems like you are using onboard sound if you have Realtek HD Audio. If this is the case, you can add a separate sound card - yes, you'll be able to do it.

Prices range from $10 - $200; I haven't used a separate sound card for 10 years or so, so I can't make a recommendation. More than likely you'll need a sound card for a PCI slot - post your motherboard or computer mfg and model and we can determine for sure. Someone else will be along to recommend a sound card, I'm sure - but it would be useful to know what your sound requirements are - music, gaming, etc.

Alright, thank you for your help.

Don't know where to find that information about my computer model or the motherboard though, but it's an HP computer.

I will only really be listening to music, I just like listening to my music loud.. don't get quite the same punch from low volumed music as you do from it being super loud.The HP model number will be on a sticker somewhere on the tower.

When the computer is on, you can try to access the system information by pressing the key combination: CTRL+ALT+S. Quote from: drmsucks on August 07, 2008, 09:20:05 AM

The HP model number will be on a sticker somewhere on the tower.

When the computer is on, you can try to access the system information by pressing the key combination: CTRL+ALT+S.

The model is a1610n, for anybody interested.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?lc=en&cc=us&product=3239117&dlc=en&Looks like you will, in fact, need a PCI sound card. Quote from: drmsucks on August 07, 2008, 12:09:26 PM

Looks like you will, in fact, need a PCI sound card.

Thank you.

Do you know any other computer related forums that deal specifically with creating/making/customizing computers? I figure I'll be able to get more precise suggestions and help from a community that is specifically geared towards that stuff.

If not, suppose I'll just make a new topic here later asking for help with that.I don't, but, you really don't need much help to put in the sound card. Many people here can help you. It's really almost as simple as "plug 'n play."

Post a new topic if you want help picking a sound card - give the computer mfg and model and the fact that you just want to listen to music.

Solve : Sound problems - weak (not loud) sound??

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