Hardware Volume Control

[Rinth]

Recently I adjusted my PS3 setup. Instead of connecting the AV cables via adapter to my PC and using the PC speakers, I decided to simply connect a pair of good headphones to the monitor and get the audio via HDMI. In theory it's a much more elegant solution since: a) I don't need my PC on to play PS3; b) True 5.1 is not supported by the previous method, and my headphones offer superior quality.

And then, a very LOUD problem occurred. My headphones (ATH-AD500) may be open air, but I knew true fear when the sound of PS3 booting from the headphones, while a metre away, were louder than my PC speakers playing music.

I understand that PS3 has no volume control.
My monitor - a Dell u2711 also has no volume control, despite all its other exemplary attributes.
My headphones - Audiotechnica ATH-AD500, while offering awesome audio quality and comfort, also has no volume control!
I tried adjusting game volume via ingame settings, but even at 1% the sound was too loud for comfort.

What are my options? Getting new monitor and headphones are out of the question, since even my headphones cost more than my PS3. Is there perhaps some homebrew that allows system-wide volume control?

 

[calmwaters]

Why can't you connect your AV cords from your PS3 to the TV? The TV does have AV ports in the back, right? And I also believe TV's with AV ports in the back have built-in speakers. Or are you a person that just HAS to have the sound emit from your computer's speakers and the video from your TV?

Anyway, try that and see if it makes a difference. I don't think there's an homebrew app for that...

Edit: You have a pair of $400 headphones? WTF?

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Recently I adjusted my PS3 setup. Instead of connecting the AV cables via adapter to my PC and using the PC speakers, I decided to simply connect a pair of good headphones to the monitor and get the audio via HDMI. In theory it's a much more elegant solution since: a) I don't need my PC on to play PS3; b) True 5.1 is not supported by the previous method, and my headphones offer superior quality.

And then, a very LOUD problem occurred. My headphones (ATH-AD500) may be open air, but I knew true fear when the sound of PS3 booting from the headphones, while a metre away, were louder than my PC speakers playing music.

I understand that PS3 has no volume control.
My monitor - a Dell u2711 also has no volume control, despite all its other exemplary attributes.
My headphones - Audiotechnica ATH-AD500, while offering awesome audio quality and comfort, also has no volume control!
I tried adjusting game volume via ingame settings, but even at 1% the sound was too loud for comfort.

What are my options? Getting new monitor and headphones are out of the question, since even my headphones cost more than my PS3. Is there perhaps some homebrew that allows system-wide volume control?

Homebrew? Iuno about that. But I think I remember reading in another thread about a device that has both in and out headphone jacks, and it allows you to tweak the volume from there.

 

[Sicklyboy]

You could try one of these or something along those lines - http://dx.com/p/3-5mm-male-to-femal...one-volume-control-for-cell-phone-84cm-126278

 

[Rinth]

Why can't you connect your AV cords from your PS3 to the TV? The TV does have AV ports in the back, right? And I also believe TV's with AV ports in the back have built-in speakers. Or are you a person that just HAS to have the sound emit from your computer's speakers and the video from your TV?

Anyway, try that and see if it makes a difference. I don't think there's an homebrew app for that...

Edit: You have a pair of $400 headphones? WTF?

Using AV cords won't change anything, since my monitor doesn't have volume control anyway. HDMI carries both video and audio, so AV cords are just redundant. The monitor doesn't have built-in speakers, but allows audio output, so I can connect headphones to the monitor and audio from PS3 connected to the monitor comes out.

Also, second-hand PS3. Still, $200 headphones.

 

[calmwaters]

Using AV cords won't change anything, since my monitor doesn't have volume control anyway. HDMI carries both video and audio, so AV cords are just redundant. The monitor doesn't have built-in speakers, but allows audio output, so I can connect headphones to the monitor and audio from PS3 connected to the monitor comes out.

Also, second-hand PS3. Still, $200 headphones.

By monitor, I assume you mean your TV? AV cords have always been used to hook up any electronic device to a television; don't underestimate the power of them. And, um, I have AV plugs and an HDMI port on my television: I only use the AV plugs for my equipment, though. And my television has a remote which'll let me turn the volume up or down.

Also, your monitor doesn't have volume control? My dad had a computer with Windows '98 on it and it had volume control...

 

[Rinth]

It's not a TV, it's a computer monitor. I guess when they dump 1440p and 20-something ports onto a 1k monitor audio support is just an afterthought.

 

[Rinth]

You could try one of these or something along those lines - http://dx.com/p/3-5mm-male-to-femal...one-volume-control-for-cell-phone-84cm-126278

For some reason those cable/adapter with volume controls are absurdly hard to find in New Zealand. I guess I'll have to wait 20 days for it to ship from the States. It's cheap at least. Thanks for the link.

 

[trumpet-205]

I decided to simply connect a pair of good headphones to the monitor and get the audio via HDMI. In theory it's a much more elegant solution since: a) I don't need my PC on to play PS3; b) True 5.1 is not supported by the previous method, and my headphones offer superior quality.

I have to say though, PC monitors don't have a decent DAC. Plugging an audiophille headphone into a monitor doesn't do the headphone justice.

Also your method still won't give you 5.1 surround sound. You apparently don't know how 5.1 audio works. You can force PS3 to send 5.1 audio but monitors don't have the ability to use Dolby Headphone to being with. So you still end up 2.0 audio to begin with. If you want surround sound you need to use an external DAC w/Dolby Headphone, like Turtle Beach DSS2 via TOSLINK from PS3.

In any case, looks like you found the solution to your problem.

Edit: You have a pair of $400 headphones? WTF?

Being an audiophile is not a cheap hobby.

 

[calmwaters]

Being an audiophile is not a cheap hobby.

Yeah, no shit. I sure as hell won't be one of those. But if he's an audiophile, why is he complaining about the sound then? I thought they wanted as most sound as possible... I remember in the '80s when people who went to rock concerts had a chance of becoming deaf. Especially the metal ones; oy.

 

[trumpet-205]

Yeah, no shit. I sure as hell won't be one of those. But if he's an audiophile, why is he complaining about the sound then? I thought they wanted as most sound as possible... I remember in the '80s when people who went to rock concerts had a chance of becoming deaf. Especially the metal ones; oy.

Loudness does not mean audio quality. Similar how higher brightness and saturation do not mean better video quality.

Audiophile is about hearing details that weren't heard before.

 

[calmwaters]

Loudness does not mean audio quality. Similar how higher brightness and saturation do not mean better video quality.

Audiophile is about hearing details that weren't heard before.

B.. B.. Bu... But... But don't they go for the loudest audio settings they can while still retaining its HD quality? Similarly in the way they want the brightest, most vibrant video quality without sacrificing screen resolution or size? Ach, if you want to hear details that weren't there before, become an owl. Or a Zubat.

 

[trumpet-205]

B.. B.. Bu... But... But don't they go for the loudest audio settings they can while still retaining its HD quality? Similarly in the way they want the brightest, most vibrant video quality without sacrificing screen resolution or size? Ach, if you want to hear details that weren't there before, become an owl. Or a Zubat.

Put it this way. If what supposed to be a guitar doesn't sound like guitar, cranking the volume up isn't going to make it sound like guitar.

See non-audiophile equipment use various tricks to cover all possible sound frequency, due to hardware limitation. In doing so they altered the sound properties, which often masked details. This isn't something that is explained easily. This is something that each person must experienced by themselves.

 

[Rinth]

I have to say though, PC monitors don't have a decent DAC. Plugging an audiophille headphone into a monitor doesn't do the headphone justice.

Also your method still won't give you 5.1 surround sound. You apparently don't know how 5.1 audio works. You can force PS3 to send 5.1 audio but monitors don't have the ability to use Dolby Headphone to being with. So you still end up 2.0 audio to begin with. If you want surround sound you need to use an external DAC w/Dolby Headphone, like Turtle Beach DSS2 via TOSLINK from PS3.

In any case, looks like you found the solution to your problem.

Being an audiophile is not a cheap hobby.

Bah, I'll just plug the headphones into the PS3 via some converter then.

I know it won't have 5.1 surround sound. My previous method simply uses all 5 speakers for stereo output. Since stereo is all I'm getting, a good pair of headphones is better than stereo with speakers.

ADD: We are talking about loudness that's almost capable of causing instant deafness here.