Sound barely audible with onboard Realtek AC97 codec

[floyd101077]

I have a Biostar M7NCG-400 mainboard with an onboard ALC-655-AC97 audio chip. The board is based on the NVIDIA nForce2 chipset.

I started off with the bundled nForce2 unified driver on the CD that came with the mainboard. But I can barely hear the audio coming off the speakers. Even with max volume - the audio is extremely faint.

I then downloaded the latest Forceware drivers from NVIDIA's website but still the same.

Then I installed the latest WDM driver from the Realtek website, but still the same.

I borrowed a PCI soundcard (yamaha YMF Series) from my friend and put it on - the audio was perfect. Crystal clear and loud as hell.

Is there something wrong with the onboard soundchip? All other onboard systems like Video and LAN are working fine on my mainboard. Any answers?

 

[Tostada]

I don't understand how volume is even an issue.

I guess the obvious question is: Are you using amplified speakers?

 

[Fuchs]

what are you listening to it with? Speakers or headphones. Check the volume when you plug in headphones also perhaps something is wack.

I would uninstall any drivers you have for it, and perhaps look for new chipst drivers and try again.

 

[floyd101077]

I do not have amplified speakers but then why does the volume vary so drastically between the onboard chip and a PCI soundcard?

The same volume level wakes up the neighbors with the PCI card whereas I can barely hear in with the onboard thing.

 

[Avalon]

I had a similar issue when I tried plugging my old HP speakers, which weren't self amplifying, into my brother's AXP 2000+ system that had some crappy generic motherboard. We'd turn the sound all the way up, but it was barely audible. You'll need self amplifying speakers with a volume knob, or a sound card.

*Edit*
The sound card can amplify the volumes in the event that your speakers can't, which is why your sound works with one.

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Same experience with client:

his old compaq hp "monitor" speakers were fine on pci soundcard but not good on onboard AC.

he bought new amplified speaks 2.1 and he's rockin with the new mobo with onboard AC.

 

[floyd101077]

Thanx a lot guys for the feedback - intend to buy a set of Altec Lansing 2.1 speakers next month - will keep you posted on what happens.

I had no idea that a PCI soundcard had amplifying circuits.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

in your onboard properties.. check the wav output level..sometimes XP will mute it down to the bottom for some reason..

 

[floyd101077]

Checked the wav output - its on max.

I guess Avalon and Phoenixorion are right - I need amplified speakers with onboard sound - cos when I plug in my earphones, I get very good audio.

Non-amplified speakers will probably work with a PCI soundcard only.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, all onboard sound, unless it uses a riser daughtercard, is usually non-amplified. Most seperate soundcards have their own built-in amplifiers/pre-amp in them. One way to tell is a load of capacitors on the board. Most have them. One notable exception was the SBAwe64 Gold ISA card, it uses RCA output jacks instead of mini-phono jacks, and supported only line-level non-amplified output, for "sound purity". The "Value" versions all had regular amplified output with mini-phono jacks.

 

[Arcanedeath]

The AWE64 Gold was one of creatives best sound card ever, if I still had an ISA slot I'd be using that card. it had awesome sound output.