Windows 7 Tinny Headphone Audio

gremlinkurst

Extraordinary Member
System Specifications
---------------------------
OS1: Windows 7 Ultimate x64
OS2: Ubuntu 12.04 x64
CPU: AMD FX Black 6100 6-Core 3.3 GHz
MBD: GA-970A-UD3
GPU: MSI TwinFrozr III R7850 2 GB GDDR5¹
RAM: 4 GB DDRIII
HD0: 500 GB Seagate SATA III
HD1: 750 GB Seagate SATA III Solid State Hybrid
SCR: Acer S232HL LCD Monitor²
Native Resolution of 1920•1080 @ 75 Hz

¹Managed by AMD Catalyst Control Center w/ability to overclock CPU & GPU
²Managed by Acer eDisplay Management

Audio Specs:
AMD Hi-Definition Audio Device
Application: RealTek HD Audio Manager
Audio Driver Version: 6.0.1.06449
DirectX Version: 11
Audio Controller: HD Audio
Audio Codec: ALC889

My desktop speakers are Bose, and the sound is great, but when I try to use headphones of any kind, of any age, it sounds like I'm listening through Lilliputian outdoor speakers in my ears. When I have the graphic equalizer of the audio manager max on the deepest tones and minimum on the highest, the controls making a diagonal line from upper-left to lower-right, the sound is the best quality (I used no special effects or "environments"), especially when the headphones are not plugged in, but there is a marked deficiency in volume levels with the headphones, and it still sounds really tinny. The deficiency is SOMEWHAT mitigated when I use VLC Media player for music or video due to its ability to play audio at 125% loudness, but REALLY! I'm beginning to suspect that the software for my sound card was written by idiots. I've heard murmurings that RealTek's codec "blows." Is there an alternate audio manager I can download that will work with my hardware (I can't seem to determine EXACTLY what the audio hardware is)?
 
Back
Top