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slippyturtle · ‎03-22-2013

I'm running the latest beta firmware/drivers with my Xonar Phoebus. Using headphones, I'm experiencing uneven volume output between my left and right channels. I have two sets of Sennheiser headphones, and both experience this to different degrees. Output to desktop speakers is perfectly normal.

With my PC360 headset, I have to set it to high gain (even tho this headset should run on normal gain given its 50 ohm impedence) with the left channel volume set to 100 and right channel set to 50 to have acceptable and even output between both left and right sides. If the volume is leveled equally at any volume, the right side overpowers the left side greatly.

This affects my HD650's to a lesser degree... I can set my right side volume 20-25 points lower on extra high gain and it will be about even.

I didn't experience this problem prior to updating to the latest firmware/drivers. I also don't abuse my headphones and use them at moderate volume levels... my HD650 is also brand new. I've uninstalled/reinstalled the drivers, reseated the card in the pci slot... etc. Nothing changes. I had no problems updating to the newest firmware/drivers. I've tried searching but haven't seen other user reports of this issue, so I'm wondering if I am suffering from a hardware failure with the headphone amp, or just poor drivers? I'm also blessed with a breakout box that has a non-functional mute LED. :mad:

Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

AVtemp · ‎03-22-2013

So your left channel is like twice lower volume than right channel?
And you got this problem with latest beta drivers only?

What profile\settings do you use?
What OS?
Is it happends everytime or just in games?

I have a problem with sound.
You can read it here:
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?30478-Battlefield-3-Phoebus-HUGE-SOUND-BUG

1.It can be remote box\wire problem
(Disconnect remote box from card and try to connect headphones directly to Phoebus,refer to manual.
And dont forget to reset volume sliders in driver).

2.It can be pure driver problem
(Install previous version of driver,or try to go back with Windows restore point).

3.Your firmware may be corrupted,and of course there is a chanse of headphone amp failure.

slippyturtle · ‎03-22-2013

AVtemp wrote:
So your left channel is like twice lower volume than right channel?
And you got this problem with latest beta drivers only?

With my Sennheiser PC360 headset, that is correct. With my HD650 headphones, the right side is only 20-25% louder than the left. I've had the soundcard for quite awhile, with previous drivers, and didn't experience this problem before.

AVtemp wrote:
What profile\settings do you use?
What OS?
Is it happends everytime or just in games?

I change the profile settings depending on the source I am listening to, and am using Windows 7 Home Premium. The problem is persistent regardless of what I am doing or listening to. Changes to sample rate, headphone gain, etc have no effect on improving or worsening the problem. I use multiple sound profiles in Dolby Home Theater, I don't use DTS or Xear.

AVtemp wrote:
I have a problem with sound.
You can read it here:
http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?30478-Battlefield-3-Phoebus-HUGE-SOUND-BUG

1.It can be remote box\wire problem
(Disconnect remote box from card and try to connect headphones directly to Phoebus,refer to manual.
And dont forget to reset volume sliders in driver).

2.It can be pure driver problem
(Install previous version of driver,or try to go back with Windows restore point).

3.Your firmware may be corrupted,and of course there is a chanse of headphone amp failure.

I read your thread, but sadly my problem is not limited to when I play BF3. 😞

Trying to isolate an issue with the breakout box was one of the first things I did try, but plugging headphones directly into the soundcard produces the same problem. I haven't tried using an older driver, and was unsure if that would be ok after doing the firmware update?

If I adjust the volume settings, sound from the card is perfectly great, everything functions normally aside from this specific issue. It's just a pita to do when I swap between headsets... and certainly doesn't seem like a normal acceptable usage scenario to me. I had a Xonar DG previously and did not have this problem.

Softcorebro · ‎03-23-2013

I recently returned my Phoebus for the same exact problem you are having. It was working for the most part until suddenly the left channel on the headphone stopped working properly. The only thing you can do is get it replaced and pray ASUS doesn't send you a refurbed unit with another problem. It took them nearly 3 weeks to "repair" my card and then sent me a card with a faulty microphone input. Good luck with your problem or better yet just get a different card.

WTC · ‎03-23-2013

You may try plugging you headphone to the front speaker jack and see if you still have the problem with your headphone...

AVtemp · ‎03-23-2013

Return your card,as you have 2 problems:Uneven volume output and breakout box that has a non-functional mute LED.
PC360 is a 50 Ohm (112db) and HD650 is a 300 Ohm (103db) headphones.
That is the reason why you hear differents with your corrupted Phoebus (PC360-right channel is twice louder volume) and ( HD650 - right side is only 20-25% louder than the left).
With beta drivers` Firmware update ability to store headphones gain (Normal,high,extra high) was added.
I think in your case firmware was corrupted.
And thats why your Phoebus headphone amp L and R channels amplification is not equal.

Phoebus speakers section has its own amps and they works fine(as they wasn`t altered by firmware).
And if you `ll try plugging you headphone to the front speaker,they will work fine,but there is no headphone amp in speaker section.

If there is someone with the same exact problem,we have a new Phoebus bug.:mad:
So,after all,other people with firmware update problem were blessed?:confused:

P.S. Nice headphones.

WTC · ‎03-24-2013

Non-functional mute LED on the box? That LED is indicator for microphone mute, not headphone mute. Push the round dial on the box mute/unmute microphone, not headphone...

slippyturtle · ‎03-24-2013

Softcorebro wrote:
I recently returned my Phoebus for the same exact problem you are having. It was working for the most part until suddenly the left channel on the headphone stopped working properly. The only thing you can do is get it replaced and pray ASUS doesn't send you a refurbed unit with another problem. It took them nearly 3 weeks to "repair" my card and then sent me a card with a faulty microphone input. Good luck with your problem or better yet just get a different card.

AVtemp wrote:
Return your card,as you have 2 problems:Uneven volume output and breakout box that has a non-functional mute LED.
PC360 is a 50 Ohm (112db) and HD650 is a 300 Ohm (103db) headphones.
That is the reason why you hear differents with your corrupted Phoebus (PC360-right channel is twice louder volume) and ( HD650 - right side is only 20-25% louder than the left).
With beta drivers` Firmware update ability to store headphones gain (Normal,high,extra high) was added.
I think in your case firmware was corrupted.
And thats why your Phoebus headphone amp L and R channels amplification is not equal.

Phoebus speakers section has its own amps and they works fine(as they wasn`t altered by firmware).
And if you `ll try plugging you headphone to the front speaker,they will work fine,but there is no headphone amp in speaker section.

If there is someone with the same exact problem,we have a new Phoebus bug.:mad:
So,after all,other people with firmware update problem were blessed?:confused:

P.S. Nice headphones.

Thanks for both of your insights. At least I know it's not an isolated incident. I think getting a different card might be the smart solution.

WTC wrote:
You may try plugging you headphone to the front speaker jack and see if you still have the problem with your headphone...

WTC wrote:
Non-functional mute LED on the box? That LED is indicator for microphone mute, not headphone mute. Push the round dial on the box mute/unmute microphone, not headphone...

Unfortunately, since the Phoebus doesn't have a front panel audio input connection, that won't work to resolve the issue. I'm also aware that the mute function on the breakout box is a mic mute and not a headphone mute. I don't use it anyway, since I just mute the mic on my headset by lifting up the boom. I just noticed that the LED doesn't work when I tested the mute on the box... altho it does mute the mic. I could actually care less about it but when other problems arise it brings to mind the little things that don't work too.

WTC · ‎03-24-2013

No, I didn't mean the front panel. I meant you can plug your headphone into the speaker jack (5th jack front the top, I think) and test. If your headphone is not the problem then you should hear balanced sound coming from speaker port thru your headphone.

Another thing you can try is just uninstall the Phoebus software driver. Let the Phoebus card uses Windows default driver. If you still have the problem thru headphone port then it's likely a hardware problem.

slippyturtle · ‎03-24-2013

Ah I see what you mean... I didn't get that earlier. I just did as you suggested and both sets of headphones play perfectly fine through the speaker out. It does seem that my headphone hardware is functioning properly and output from the headphone port is borked somehow.

Thanks for the help! I may just pick up a Xonar Essence STX instead. How disappointing. 😞

Uneven volume output between left and right headphone channel?