Does this card have enough output to drive a pair of (average, line-level drivable) headphones well?

I don't use speakers much anymore. Looks like I'd need an RCA to minijack adapter from Radio Shack (no prob there) but was wondering how loud this card gets in terms of analog line-out.

Thanks

Nobody here has this card, and knows the answer to this?

Yes, it has enough power - much more than a SB128 (I assume that in theory it should be the same as my Delta 410). Anyway:

1) High impedance heaphones (most high-end ones) might require hedphone amps. Ex Sennheiser HD580 or HD600 require more power to achieve their best sound.
2) If you don't like to get your ears to get molested, the M-Audio card should do fine.

Hi

Sorry, I edit this message because I mis-read the subject, Ihave M-Audio Revolution 7.1 but not Audiophile 24/96.

For the Revolution 7.1. I can tell is output power is greater/quality better than SBLIVE. I've listen to some music with SBLIVE and quickly remove it and try M-Audio, result is great.

All sound card should have no problem to drive a headphone.

Thank you to everyone! I'm really looking forward to getting this card.

$150 isn't cheap for a sound card (in my opinion anyway -- a power supply glitch or power outage could fry it!) but as I do a lot of analog --> digital transfer (I might even start a business sometime, who knows) this will be a wonderful addition. Now that I have a (retail $230) $100 phono cartridge, I'm all set!

Anyone have any records or cassettes they want put onto CD-R? Want to be my first customer (for free) if you'll provide lots of rave reviews?

Well, I have a few 78's which I've never listened to and which I would love to have transferred for me:

1) Rachmaninoff playing his own Piano Concerto #2 (Leopold Stokowski conducting)

2) Rachmaninoff playing his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Leopold Stokowski conducting)

3) Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto, Artur Schnabel piano, with Frederick Stock conducting)

4) Horowitz playing various pieces by Chopin

5) Artur Rubinstein playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1, with John Barbirolli conducting

There were some notes written in the album for the Rhapsody:

"Heard over the radio (WISN) January 18, 1978 (apparently this same recording -- though most likely now re-recorded). I had forgotten that I heard Rach. himself perform this selection at Cincinnati Music Hall circa 1938."

Also,

"Listened to on Aug 25, 1965. I had forgotten that this selection was in my collection -- even now I do not recall when I fetched it here. Purchased, I believe, in spring of 1940, just as Hitler invaded Norway, so that my heart, when I hear this music, recalls the horror and dread I felt at that time.

The music I do believe is more objective than most of R's compositions: its splendid color and drama forming a most impressive pageant -- or an elaborately contrived cathedral facade -- or a limitless panorama of sparkling gems -- or the flashing and rushing waters of a mountain stream hurtling from level to level."

Fewtch i have had this card for almost a couple years now and i dont regret it one bit. This is the cleanest sounding card i have ever heard. Believe it or not i prefer listening to mp3s on my audiophile 2496 on 7 watt cambridge speakers over my component based stereo system with the original cd. I had a soundblaster live before and the difference is amazing. I know im not answering your question but i just wanted to say what a kickass card it is.

oh btw,

I also have an audiophile 2496. Love it.

It drives my Grado SR325's with no problem.

ff123

Arrr... my turntable has no 78RPM speed. Even if I recorded at 45 and resampled, I think they still require a different sort of cartridge/stylus (not to mention EQ curve, although that could be done in software too).

Hmmn, maybe this idea of starting a business with my current equipment ain't so hot after all...

I do my own work in that area...I am lacking a decent 78 player as of yet, but have relatively few of those right now to work with (but there is the Hit Songs of 1937 set which I really want to hear).

I own an Audiophile 2496 too, but I've never tried to plug headphones at the line-out.

However, I think that, being it just a line-out, it most probably won't be suited to drive most headphones, because its current capability (or output power) will be quite limited. This would translate into some distortion, specially on peaks or loud passages. I don't know how audible would be those problems in practice, though.

It may not have current limiting problems when driving high impedance headphones, because those require little current. However, they may sound too quiet, but this depends on the actual headphone sensitivity.

Sorry, but to say that high impeance headphones need more power to be properly driven is not true. They may need more voltage, depending on actual sensitivity, but they will need less current, and not neccesarily more power. I have already tried to explain this several times.

Thanks... headphones work OK with my SB PCI128 (I assume there's an op-amp built in to amplify things), and that's exactly what I'm wondering -- does the 24/96 also have an op-amp that allows volume changes on line-out (via software, Windows volume control, whatever), or is it just a pure "line out" with no software volume control?

If the latter, I may have to spring for an inexpensive mini-amp with headphone jack at Radio Shack too.

If I'm not wrong, usual consumer soundcards are designed to be able to drive small loads such as headphones. However, line-outs of semi-pro and pro cards usually aren't.

All cards use op-amps at the output, but it doesn't mean that the gain of those op-amps can always be adjusted on software.

For example, in the the Audiophile you can regulate (attenuate) the output level at the control panel monitor mixer, but just digitally. This means that the amplitude of the signal is regulated before sent to the DAC. The digital attenuation is very high quality, since the mixer has 36-bit resolution, but it is still not analog regulation, which is fixed.

Ok, thanks much. Looks like another $60 for a half decent general purpose preamp at Radio Shack might be the answer (the Boostaroo stays in the drawer, uggh). Will see after testing.

Edit -- Sheesh, I should have done some searching before starting this thread (what else is new?). Looks like the answer is here, and it's "yes" :

http://www.io.com/%7Ekazushi/audiocard/

I don't think you'll need to buy anything else -- the audiophile 2496 mixer will work just fine to control volume.

ff123

Fewtch,

I have this soundcard too. I have driven my Sennheiser HD25's direct from the card with no problems. Bare in mind that those 'phones are exceedingly easy to drive.

I hope you enjoy this card as much as I have!

Thanks, I think I will. If I don't, then (for $150) I'll pretend to enjoy it tremendously!

Greetings,

Here's a link to a 78rpm and RIAA preamp which also has some information about truncated elliptical stylus for riding higher in the groove to avoid heavily worn areas and such.


http://www.vadlyd.dk/English/RIAA_and_78_R...RPM_preamp.html

There may be better depictions of this out there.


mobius