Sound quality/volume control question

[ummmm........]

This is sort of theoretical because I'm not actually going to change my behavior regardless of the answer, but I've always been curious:

I use headphones on my gaming PC. The headphones have a volume control, and they're plugged in to an amp with a volume control, and then obviously there is a volume control in Windows.

Does it make any difference which of those I use to control the actual volume? In practice, I keep the Windows and headphone volumes maxed and control the actual volume with the amp, which I usually keep around fifteen percent. I feel like it shouldn't make a difference, but I don't really know . . .

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I found I get the best sound quality if I keep the Windows volume low (under 25) but the speaker/headphone at maximum.

 

[Zelig]

Possibly, depends on your headphones and soundcard.

 

[ummmm........]

Decent headphones, onboard sound . . .

 

[peter grimes]

This is sort of theoretical because I'm not actually going to change my behavior regardless of the answer, but I've always been curious:

I use headphones on my gaming PC. The headphones have a volume control, and they're plugged in to an amp with a volume control, and then obviously there is a volume control in Windows.

Does it make any difference which of those I use to control the actual volume? In practice, I keep the Windows and headphone volumes maxed and control the actual volume with the amp, which I usually keep around fifteen percent. I feel like it shouldn't make a difference, but I don't really know . . .

In general, you want to send the clearest signal to the amp, and then control the volume at the endpoint.

Perhaps in your situation that means volume on high in Windows, amp at high, then you control the volume at the headphone speakers.

In practice, you might find the sound to be clearer by lowering the amp a bit and boosting the headphone's control.

Play around with it, but be careful not to run it too loud: hearing loss is no joke; it's irreversible, and entirely preventable. Listening to stuff too loud now WILL affect your hearing later.