ASrock Motherboard Audio Issues

[A_Computer_Guy]

Good evening everyone, I'm a first time poster here so please be gentle, I'm delicate.

 

I've been messing about with computers for quite a few years ago, cannibalising old hand-me-downs and fixing the computers of people I know. Anyway, the other day I decided to finally build myself my own, decent computer for college work and programming, which brings me too my issue.

 

I bought an ASrock Extreme4 MB, an Intel i3 6100, 1 8GB DIMM of Corsair Vengeance LPX 2400MHz and a Corsair 460X. Upon building my computer yesterday all was well, POST and clean boot first time. However, after wiring it up to my AMP through the rear 3.5MM audio port I found that I had to turn the volume on my AMP and computer up quite drastically to achieve the same volume as before. I'm aware that some MBs don't amplify audio out of the rear I/O so I repeated this on the front panel audio with the same result. I tried both ports with my headphones (Sennheiser HD439s, 32 Ohms Independence) and at full volume I could just about hear what was playing. In addition, I attempted to test the front microphone port but upon inserting the cable there was a large pop from the speakers and my system black screened.

 

I cant fathom what is wrong other than a fault with the board. The panel cable is fully inserted into the header. The most up to date drivers are installed. All volume mixers at max. I tested with a spare front panel I/O to check whether it was my 460X but to no prevail.

 

TL;DR - Low audio amplification out of front and rear I/O on ASrock Extreme4 and black screening upon inserting microphone.

 

I appreciate any help. I just want to check that I'm not being an idiot and forgetting something completely obvious before I RMA this board.

 

Thanks in advance.

[VVoltor]

Did you have the same problems with the generic Windows drivers or did you install the Realtek rubbish suite right away?

 

[A_Computer_Guy]

I tried with the Windows drivers first, then installed the Realtek trash. Same result both times.

[VVoltor]

The only other thing I can think of is maybe the cables aren't plugged in to the motherboard properly. Maybe double check if they're inserted all the way and the correct cable to the correct header. Sounds stupid but I managed to mess that up in the past with those stupid little cables all looking the same.

 

Otherwise return the board. The volume might just be lower then what you expected, but it shouldn't crash when inserting a microphone...

[A_Computer_Guy]

17 minutes ago, VVoltor said:

The only other thing I can think of is maybe the cables aren't plugged in to the motherboard properly. Maybe double check if they're inserted all the way and the correct cable to the correct header. Sounds stupid but I managed to mess that up in the past with those stupid little cables all looking the same.

 

Otherwise return the board. The volume might just be lower then what you expected, but it shouldn't crash when inserting a microphone...

I can defiantly relate there to the silly mistake making. I think I've covered myself in that department though, I think. Several re-insertions of the cable and looking, as best I can, from the side lead me to believe that it is in all the way. The header on the MB is labeled "HD_Audio" along with it being labeled as such in the manual. Besides, the audio cable should really only fit into the audio header. In my mind, if audio is playing at all through the port at all then its inserted as well as it needs to be anyway; but I could be wrong, of course.

 

I thought I'd consult the all-knowing power of the internet before i returned it if there was no easy fix. It's frustrating that I've finished the build and it's going to be a faff to extract it, and the down time of not having a computer unless I rebuild my old PC that I've already stripped down.

 

Thanks for your help!