[Radical_53]

It should be a pretty distinctive click, like a relay clicking. If that's not the cause the amp section of the card may be defective. It should also click when you switch between speakers and headphones.

 

[Monir]

  It should be a pretty distinctive click, like a relay clicking. If that's not the cause the amp section of the card may be defective. It should also click when you switch between speakers and headphones.

 
It doesn't click on start-up. It does click when I switch between speaker and headphones
 
Rollbacking drivers did not working, going to return it tomorrow for a new one

 

[Monir]

Reinstalled latest drivers and got a clicking sound on start-up now (or maybe I didnt hear it properly before). Still issues with volume though.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

I noticed the relay won't click at windows startup untill the driver was fully installed properly and windows restarded... At least for me.

Edit: never mind I saw it didn't help you.

Perhaps a hardware issue after all

 

[Monir]

But does any of you experience sound when external volume controller is on minimum volume (given that the soundcards/computer level is at 100%).

 

[Anarion]

But does any of you experience sound when external volume controller is on minimum volume (given that the soundcards/computer level is at 100%).

That external volume controller has nothing to do with the card, it's just cable extension. It's just meant to fine tune the volume and no, you can't mute the source with it. When set to 100% it will sound quieter than without it, when set to 0% it will not mute the source so you will still hear something through it. Why does that even matter?

 

[Monir]

I'm not expecting it to mute the source, some ext volume controllers I've used before had no sound leakage when dial is turned to minimum. It's kind of annoying when you don't want to hear anything at all; makes it more convenient to use an external DAC/Amp.

 

[Radical_53]

It's weird though that you still get sound from it, at 0%, but it not being loud enough at 100% at the same time. Were you still wearing youe headphones when you turned them to 0% or how does this fit together?

 

[Anarion]

^^Yep, weird. If one can hear it at 0%, it should be blasting at 100%.

I'm not expecting it to mute the source, some ext volume controllers I've used before had no sound leakage when dial is turned to minimum. It's kind of annoying when you don't want to hear anything at all; makes it more convenient to use an external DAC/Amp.

Most keyboard have mute/unmute button so at least for me it's not a big deal (or you can map it to any combo you want... http://www.technixupdate.com/desktop-shortcut-keyboard-hotkey-to-mute-sound/). You can always unplug it from the ACM too. In my case though it is basically muted when I turn it down because I can only use up to 10% in Windows if I want nice range (still means that I can't go above ~66% in ACM though).

 

[Evshrug]

Holy crap!
My old Recon3D USB paired with my Q701, I had to run the USB unit almost at max for adequate volume. With my new Recon3D USB and new K712, I had to turn down PC volume to 20% when the headphone was plugged in directly (no double-amping). I barely used the old Recon3D and Q701 without an amp on PC before, mostly on Xbox 360, but USB is USB, it should have sounded just as loud before, right?!

 

[DJINFERNO806]

The k712 use a completely new driver though. I guess its easier to power than the q701 was.

 

[Skipshrike]

It's a much better pairing to SBX than the X1, and the X1 sounded great. In L4D2 I'm staring at walls because I hear things behind them perfectly.

 

[Evshrug]

Lol I had the same experience Skipshrike.
DJINFERNO, maybe the sensitivity is higher? I believe the Ohms have stayed the same 62, though now it behaves more like I'd expect a 62 ohm headphone to be like. Was listening straight out from my iPod Video (2005) last night, only needed like 45-47% volume setting.

 

[DJINFERNO806]

Lol ya I was implying the sensitivity too. Not just the ohms. This headphone line is notorious for being picky with equipment. I know they went ahead and tuned the new drivers to be 3db more sensitive or something I believe. Perhaps that's it.

 

[Skipshrike]

It does not sound as great through the Astro Mixamp. The positioning is alright (DDL), but it just felt so sterile and analytical. I heard everything, but it didn't wow me with musical quality. Unlike on PC where getting absolutely murdered in BF3 (haven't played in some weeks) never sounded so good!
 
The Sound Blaster Z lives up to a review I read: The Z is more than enough for gaming and is great for music as a secondary function.