Lower headphone volume sensitivity

[audio]

Does anyone have a recommendation on lowering the volume sensitivity of headphones, maybe some kind of high resistance plug?

I have a pair of Audio Technica ATH-AD700's hooked up to a Xonar U1 sound card/amplifier, for better sound quality. Since the headphones are low impedance, the volume is very high for nighttime use at the lowest settings.

Thanks!

 

[terrymx]

Get one of those impedance adaptor. If it's really that powerful you'll probably want more than just 75ohms. You can save money if you can lower the volume for your sound card from within the operating system. And you can also do it within your music player using a plugin like a limiter or Replay Gain.

85234 members and you're the first one to consider using audio as a username, interesting.

 

[audio]

Thanks for the reply. I found some topics regarding "impedance adaptor".

I have turned down everything in the OS to the lowest point even within programs, but on websites with flash, the volume goes at seemingly full blast, so it is really annoying. Though maybe I am missing something, I am using Mac OS X.

About the name audio, I thought it was funny as well, so I went for it.

 

[Zimm]

I recently received a 75ohm impedance adaptor from APureSound. I works very well with my iQube and Westone 3's.

 

[audio]

I found an eBay seller that sells impedance plugs for ~$20 and does custom resistance values as well. Does anyone have suggestions on a value that should be used for my Audio Technica ATH-AD700's?

 

[boomy3555]

Any where between 50 and 100. Although I'm puzzled as I'm sure others are, as to why you're having a problem with your AT's. I've never heard of a souncard blowing away a full sized can before. Now if you where trying drive them with the speaker outputs of an amp or maybe a powerful tube amp, I could see it, but a soundcard straight off of your comp.. Even the newer more amplified gaming cards shouldn't do that. I don't want to sound condecending but there are many sound controls within the computer that we wouldn't think of, such as the "Wave" input on the audio control panel. ( doesn't mean just .WAV files) I found that even though I may turn down the regular volume control, the wave control is not where it should be. I also find streaming video to be extremely unpredictable as far as input volume as most sites have thier own dedicated volume control on the stream control panel.

 

[audio]

I'm surprised as well, and that's why I mention that I am using OS X Leopard. The audio setup seems straightforward, but maybe I'm missing something.

Each application has it's own sound level, so I have to turn down the overall system sound and each application as well. So if I'm listening to iTunes, (which I even turned down the preamp level all the way) and then I go on a website with flash and it starts making noise, it sounds like it's at full blast.

So the best solution it to be able to listen the the headphones with all the applications at mid-to-max and have the master volume turn everything down to a low level.

(The headphones are 32 ohms impedance.)

 

[moogoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audio /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm surprised as well, and that's why I mention that I am using OS X Leopard. The audio setup seems straightforward, but maybe I'm missing something. Each application has it's own sound level, so I have to turn down the overall system sound and each application as well. So if I'm listening to iTunes, (which I even turned down the preamp level all the way) and then I go on a website with flash and it starts making noise, it sounds like it's at full blast. So the best solution it to be able to listen the the headphones with all the applications at mid-to-max and have the master volume turn everything down to a low level. (The headphones are 32 ohms impedance.)

It's not OS-X, as I use every volume set to max and simply set the volume with my amp's volume pot. Might be your cans are just really, really sensitive or the soundcard just has a very hot output.

 

[deaconblues]

Do you know that the top of the Xonar U1 is a volume knob? You haven't mentioned turning that down

 

[moogoob]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaconblues /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do you know that the top of the Xonar U1 is a volume knob? You haven't mentioned turning that down

Or it could be as simple as that.

 

[QQQ]

Be aware that impedance also affect frequency curve of the cans. Sometimes it's better to add voltage divider at the input of the amp than "resistance adapter" at the output.

 

[boomy3555]

Can you alter the power input of ths card or is it's PCI, or USB powered.

 

[audio]

Oh, the big round thing on top...

The sound card is a USB powered dongle, so it is all self-contained. I may try it on a windows machine if I have a chance, since the Mac drivers seem to have been developed as an afterthought.

I was aware of the extra impedance affecting the frequency response curve, but when I would use it at bedtime, I wouldn't really use it for audiophile listening.