Thread: Why is my volume so low?

Originally Posted by unsavory

OK, I'm running headless. I'm going out of my PC (EPIA-M1000), and running RCA's to my amps. After turning the gain all the way up on the amps, and turning the volume up to about 75% on the PC, the volume is still very very quiet. What gives?

I can plug my PC into my stereo at home and it sounds great. Do car amplifiers take a higher level input? That's the only thing I could think of. If so, how do I get the signal bumped up cleanly?

Thanks.

you could try a pre-amp amplifier of some kind (check with navone engineering) (http://www.davidnavone.com).....other than that i dont know - make sure all your master volumes are up.

Unsavory,

Go to BestBuy and get a Sound Blaster MP3+ for 39.99. It's only 40 buks now.

It's powered off the hub so you just run the usb cable from your pc to the MP3+ and then use the RCA outs to your AMP.

It also has optical/and more.

In my setup I have the MP3+ RCA out going to my HeadUnits Aux in.
The MP3+ RCA Line in is getting the Dlink USB radio Line out.
The MP3+ Optical in is going to get the XMPCR Optical out.

Also, In my setup, I always leave the volume at 100%.

leslie, what do you use for volume control? I was seriously considering going headless, but had originally planned to leave the computer volume all the way up and control it with the headunit.....now i dunno what to use. while I'm no dummy with audio and computers, car steros are something i have no experience with.

I've got my Epia m10000 plugged directly into my amps, and it's working fine I control the volume with the PC, and 10% is comfortable listening levels in town, 25% on the highway, and %50 and higher for "OMG I WANT TO NOT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE" levels

Not sure why anyone else is having problems, unless their amps are expecting speaker-level inputs rather than line-level inputs (RCA)


Garry

i just got the SoundBlaster MP3+ HOLY CRAP WHAT A FRIKKEN DRIFFERENCE i will NEVER use my onboard sound ever again, infact its now disabled, but to help you if the line out on the SBMP3+ isn't enough you could alway plug it into the headphone output adjust the volume to a high enough level and thats it, your done!
P.S. best $40 I have spent on this project yet

you can always get that Big Huge USB knob thing...
hold for link....

**EDIT**
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/5ca2/
that....

Yes, I have a HU. But I also have everything else still.

My HU is basically my systems regular speaker amps for now. I choose to stick with a HU because of AM radio ( I nver listen to it, but you can't just giet rid of it ) And also, computers as we all know aren't 100% reliable. You can go fault tolerant and build two carpc's but that's way too much. If my CarPC decides to not boot or crash I can still always play CD's and listen to my HU's radio.

I do have a Griffen Powermate USB but not to control volume. I use it to advance songs and alt-tab betweeen Co-Pilot. I have the Silver one, I got it two days ago after testing my friends black one. His is older and not reliable. It also pulses during boot while mine does not.

Also what's cool about the D-Link FM on the PC is you can record FM stations.
I bought a antenna extension cable at the Auto store and chopped it to make a bypass hookup antenna so now my D-Link and my HU FM both get great great reception.

Uh oh, my 666th post. Better post another to get rid of the bad luck.

Originally Posted by Confused

I've got my Epia m10000 plugged directly into my amps, and it's working fine I control the volume with the PC, and 10% is comfortable listening levels in town, 25% on the highway, and %50 and higher for "OMG I WANT TO NOT HEAR ANYTHING ELSE" levels

This is exactly what I would have expected from mine. But it doesn't work. I'm going in at RCA levels. Not speaker level. It's weird. Has anyone else run into this?

Like I said, if I take this unit inside and plug it into my home stereo the volume is just fine. So I can't figure out why it is so quiet in the car.

I question this.

What amp do you have? a 10 watt x 4 channel amp is not loud.

Are you comparing to the stereo or what?