What could be the cause of such disappointing audio quality?

[viivo]

PC USB > JDS Labs OL DAC > Maverick TubeMagic A1 (new GE JAN 5654W tubes) > 600ohm DT880s. PC settings: 2 channel, 24/48, full range.

My main complaint is that things sound weak overall. Dynamic events in games and movies lack the clarity amped headphones should deliver and instead seem to retract and distort. I began to notice this when I started playing Far Cry 5 - explosions have no power or range to them. They sound tinny and one-dimensional, like being played through a drive-thru speaker.

I know my setup is low-end, but it shouldn't sound worse than my motherboard's integrated headphone amp. I have tried both analog and line-in on the amp and different cables. Any suggestions as to potential causes would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Monsterzero]

Do you have another pair of headphones you can try instead of the Beyers?

 

[NA Blur]

First try this. Turn down the volum on your amp to 0% or leave it off for now. Set the game's volume to 90% and PC volume between 80 - 90%. If your amp was off turn it on keeping the volume at 0% as it turns on. Now adjust the volume only with the amp's volume knob, not the in-game controls or PC volume.

Any difference?

 

[NA Blur]

Next ensure that your headphones and all cables are fully plugged in. A loose connector somewhere can explain weak sounds due to no ground.

 

[viivo]

Thanks for the responses.

First try this. Turn down the volum on your amp to 0% or leave it off for now. Set the game's volume to 90% and PC volume between 80 - 90%. If your amp was off turn it on keeping the volume at 0% as it turns on. Now adjust the volume only with the amp's volume knob, not the in-game controls or PC volume.

Any difference?

Unfortunately, this is how I've had it. What's strange (or not?) is after 25% on the amp's gain/volume knob, output increase is negligible.

I suppose in the meantime I can try some of the different tubes I have, but since the ones in there now were supposedly extensively tested and matched I doubt different ones will change anything.

 

[viivo]

Next ensure that your headphones and all cables are fully plugged in. A loose connector somewhere can explain weak sounds due to no ground.

Would this also apply to the amp's power cord? Like, for instance, the only way someone could get rid of ridiculous amounts of noise was to use a cheater plug while leaving the tab ungrounded.

 

[Monsterzero]

The DT880 600ohms arent the easiest HP in the world to get to sound good,nor is the final word in having a full rich sound,so I dont think FastandClean was trolling you.
If you do have another pair of headphones to try that would certainly help narrow down the source of the problem...heck even a cheap pair of IEMs would work.

I would try disconnecting all cables ins/outs,reconnecting and trying a new pair of headphones as well....testing each step of the way to see if there is any difference in performance.If that doesnt work you cam also try connecting the rig to another source,and if that proves to work it might be a computer setting is amiss.

Process of elimination has yet to fail me.

 

[NA Blur]

Did your setup ever sound full? My guess is that the DAC is not outputting enough voltage for your amp input AND you may not like the sound signature of the headphones.

Have you turned off ALL EQ settings?

 

[NA Blur]

Would this also apply to the amp's power cord? Like, for instance, the only way someone could get rid of ridiculous amounts of noise was to use a cheater plug while leaving the tab ungrounded.

This should not matter.

 

[NA Blur]

What player are you using?

Have you triple checked that the PC sound settings volume is 90% ?

 

[NA Blur]

Are the tubes fully seated? Does the sound improve after a 25 minute warm up?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

[Mod Edit: Deleted quote removed from post]

He's saying that to begin with your headphone even on an amp that isn't distorting isn't as full sounding as, say, an LCD-2C, to begin with. So an amp not heavily distorting or heavily distorting in ways you don't like will not alter the sound to become what you want it to.

PC USB > JDS Labs OL DAC > Maverick TubeMagic A1 (new GE JAN 5654W tubes) > 600ohm DT880s. PC settings: 2 channel, 24/48, full range.

My main complaint is that things sound weak overall. Dynamic events in games and movies lack the clarity amped headphones should deliver and instead seem to retract and distort. I began to notice this when I started playing Far Cry 5 - explosions have no power or range to them. They sound tinny and one-dimensional, like being played through a drive-thru speaker.

I know my setup is low-end, but it shouldn't sound worse than my motherboard's integrated headphone amp. I have tried both analog and line-in on the amp and different cables. Any suggestions as to potential causes would be greatly appreciated.

Are you using a "gaming" motherboard? Did you check if any of the motherboard's processing was enabled when using either the motherboard's headphone output? That could be why it sounds "fuller," albeit artificially.

Also if the motherboard had a high output impedance then that can have an EQ effect. It can make a low impedance headphone sound like bass molasses or a tin can, or in your case, boosts the midrange on high impedance headphones, making for a fuller sound on a headphone that otherwise has a strong treble response that normally gets in the way of hearing the midrange (ie crank it up and before the midrange sounds full the treble gets grating first).

Did you also try digital USB and SPDIF input into the D1 and skipping the OL DAC? Your motherboard might not be delivering the full 5V 500mA it needs from the bus power. Not sure i the D1 is wired up to use USB power but there's a chance it doesn't as it has its own power supply in there.

Would this also apply to the amp's power cord? Like, for instance, the only way someone could get rid of ridiculous amounts of noise was to use a cheater plug while leaving the tab ungrounded.

If it's a power issue it's not the kind that will be solved by the power cord, like if you need a line filter or if there's something wrong with the D1 in the first place.

 

[NA Blur]

Any luck?

 

[loki993]

I mean I'd be willing to blame the Amp of unknown origin and build and seemingly no real specs to speak of. 600 Ohm Beyers are notoriously hard to drive, your amp needs some nuts. Have you used the amp with anything else?

 

[yong_shun]

It will be good for you to try connecting from the very beginning and source out where is the potential fault. Is the computer setting correct? The driver etc. Then slowly move to DAC then AMP. It will be good if you take some photo and let us have some illustration.