pinkcunt123 t1_j6iiqcv wrote on January 30, 2023 at 4:08 PM

1Vrms into 30 ohm is 33mW. Thus you get +15dB on top of the rated efficiency of 111dB/mW, netting you a whopping 126dB which will be PAINFUL.

The other one has its sensitivity given as 117dB/Vrms. So 1Vrms of output voltage will give you exactly 117dB

126dB > 117dB which is why one is louder than the other.

Both is more than enough to lose your hearing btw....

So, if 117dB peak aint enough for you, schedule an appointment with a doctor and check your hearing.

extremeelementz OP t1_j6ik98o wrote on January 30, 2023 at 4:18 PM

So maybe I’ll have to try the rear port on my PC where the amp is.

https://i.imgur.com/9EMnKnH.jpg

I was using the front mic/headphone jack so I’m guessing that’s the culprit and they aren’t being driven properly it sounds like.

Do you know if a 3.5mm extension cable (~3’) would ruin the sound in anyway?

blargh4 t1_j6j5n0t wrote on January 30, 2023 at 6:32 PM

What makes you think that’s where the amp is?

I suspect the headphone jack’s impedance detection feature is probably too “smart” for its own good and is artificially lowering the gain to get you more range on the volume knob.

I would caution against using the line out, it’s going to distort the frequency response with the Zero’s.

extremeelementz OP t1_j6jklo7 wrote on January 30, 2023 at 8:05 PM

I’m sorry yeah I was just assuming the mobo has a slightly better output than the standard front panel jack. I’m still learning and trying to figure things out and kind of lost.

blargh4 t1_j6jmezt wrote on January 30, 2023 at 8:16 PM

Well, understanding this stuff is basically a chapter of an introductory electronics textbook, so that's understandable.

The front panel jack connects directly to the motherboard. It's intended for headphones, so that should be the right place to connect them. It's possible the rear output will also detect that it's a headphone and connect it to the appropriate amp, but I think it's likely to have the same capabilities. There are also line-level outputs, which *may* give you more voltage than the "smart" headphone jack, but they can't drive much current so I personally I doubt you'd get better results with low-impedance IEMs. These audio chips are fairly complex, they mix multiple functions for each jack, and I don't think you can easily find a spec sheet for them, so unfortunately I can only guess.

extremeelementz OP t1_j6juft0 wrote on January 30, 2023 at 9:05 PM

So wouldn’t the front headphone jack that’s plugged into the mobo with a small pin connector be less amplified compared to the sound port that’s soldered directly to the mobo on the back of the computer where the audio chip traces to?

blargh4 t1_j6jw0c3 wrote on January 30, 2023 at 9:15 PM

Nah, assuming the connectors aren't damaged/corroded, the electrical effect of that bit of extra wire is absolutely negligible at audio frequencies/headphone power levels.