[Lobuh]

Does windows volume control "Master Volume" slider alter voltage to the line out to raise/lower sound or just lowers db digitally?
 
Likewise for the "Wave" slider
 
and what about programs like foobar2k?
 
Thanks.

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Does windows volume control "Master Volume" slider alter voltage to the line out to raise/lower sound or just lowers db digitally?
 
Likewise for the "Wave" slider
 
and what about programs like foobar2k?
 
Thanks.

Lowers sound digitally which in turn lowers ouput voltage of signal coming off of DAC's
 
 

 

[Lobuh]

Quote:

Lowers sound digitally which in turn lowers ouput voltage of signal coming off of DAC's
 
 

So they are inextricably related? Lowering the slider will decrease voltage no matter what right?

 

[germanium]

 
 

 

[germanium]

Quote:

So they are inextricably related? Lowering the slider will decrease voltage no matter what right?

Yes definately related. It's what lowering the volume does in any case whether digitally or though analog.
 

 

[UteroiD]

this is kinda related, I heard that lowering the volume in windows lowers the resolution of the audio, does that hold the same as lowering the volume on the player you're listening to?  Should you always control your volume on the amp, receiver etc.?

 

[germanium]

Quote:

this is kinda related, I heard that lowering the volume in windows lowers the resolution of the audio, does that hold the same as lowering the volume on the player you're listening to?  Should you always control your volume on the amp, receiver etc.?

Yes lowering volume digitally does reduce resolution however the bit loss occures at the soft end of the spectrum at which point you would never hear the bit loss as the bits lost are well below what the ear can hear provided you are using 24 bit bit depth. The bits lost are coming off at the -138 to -144db level The human ear can only make use of 120db dynamic range so you would never miss those bits unless you are over amping the hell out of it with an amp that has way over the top sensitivity. Of coarse the analog is better crowd will tell you that you need some outside volume control such as a preamp whether passive or active to control your volume. Unfortunately they are in many cases mistaken as most analog volume are not implimeted very well & as a result you will have more loss than you would get from a digital volume control. Yes in a perfect world analog would be better but this is not a perfect world so in most cases digital will triumpth