AKG Q701s are quiet?

[Keudn]

I just got a pair of AKG Q701s to test and see if I like them, but even at full volume they are quiet. I have them plugged into my Sound Blaster Recon3D PCIE soundcard. The headphones are 62 Ohms, and the sound card is listed as being able to drive up to 600 Ohms. So why are the headphones so quiet?

[Oscargot]

Make sure the cables are plugged in properly at both ends (may seem obvious but i've done the same thing)

while at 62ohms this shouldn't apply, check in the software to see if there are settings for headphones with different impedance ratings. in the xonar software that i use with my STX, there's a menu to select whether you're using headphones of <64, 64-300 and 300-600 ohms.

[Dackzy]

because ohm matters close to nothing.

[spwath]

You might need an amp.

 

Sensitivity is the main thing that matters, not impedance, though they seems to have relativly high sensitivity at 105db/whatever units they are using. 

[SSL]

What hole do you have the headphone plugging?

[Keudn]

6 hours ago, SSL said:

What hole do you have the headphone plugging?

The silver one next to the red jack on the card

[GamerDude]

2 minutes ago, Keudn said:

The silver one next to the red jack on the card

That looks about right, so you have Windows volume and the Recon at full volume as stated?

[katiekitsune]

you need an amp since akg q701's are harder to drive than most at their ohm rating and your sound card cant pull enough power

[Keudn]

7 minutes ago, katiekitsune said:

you need an amp since akg q701's are harder to drive than most at their ohm rating and your sound card cant pull enough power

 

9 minutes ago, GamerDude said:

That looks about right, so you have Windows volume and the Recon at full volume as stated?

I actually opened the sound blaster control panel and they are much louder now, perhaps the card only outputs a stronger signal when the panel is running in the background? Idk they are plenty loud now so oh well 

[GamerDude]

The Quincy Jones Q701 has a sensitivity rating of  105dB SPL/V, but that strikes me as being quite sensitive. Odd thing is, Cnet has the sensitivity rating at 93 dB/mW (do they mean the same but using different unit of measurement?). This is for the Lime Green version, 

https://www.cnet.com/products/akg-q-701-quincy-jones-signature-lime/specs/

I'll leave it to SML to 'splain the difference (or similarity?) Still, taking all the info given, at 62 Ohm with the given sensitivity rating, it shouldn't be THAT hard to drive......

[GamerDude]

10 hours ago, Keudn said:

 

I actually opened the sound blaster control panel and they are much louder now, perhaps the card only outputs a stronger signal when the panel is running in the background? Idk they are plenty loud now so oh well 

Ah, I actually made a similar mistake when I was using my SB Zx, forgot to up the volume on the SB control panel and that left me scratching my head at the low volume I was experiencing with the headphone I was using......or was it my Asus Phoebus? Bah, it's all in the past now....

[SSL]

2 hours ago, Keudn said:

The silver one next to the red jack on the card

 

Then I don't know what to tell you. The soundcard may have a gain setting in drivers that needs to be increased.

 

2 hours ago, katiekitsune said:

you need an amp since akg q701's are harder to drive than most at their ohm rating and your sound card cant pull enough power

 

Stop.