PC Sound Cards...

[PG1Tapes]

On a soundcard...is the headphone output a direct output from that?

Additionally, is there any amplification that is between the sound card and it's output?

Thanks,
Matt

[oxymoron]

http://www.itwissen.info/bilder/aufbau-einer-soundkarte.png

you see here the normal structure of a standard soundcard.
the headphone out is normally the speakerout (here named Lautsprecher)
i think the headphone/speakerout is amplified

[Audioarchivist]

Yes, I think your standard soundcard with a 3.5mm stereo out that you can plug headphones into does have a small amp in it to give enough power to drive headphones. Then again, a regular line output has enough power to let you hear something in headphones direct, too...

I'd say if you want to use it as a line out to an external amplifier, you should turn the computer volume down, probably halfway or so, to not overdrive the line input on the outboard amp...

[Liverpool_FC]

Not trying to hijack your thread, but I was wondering for awhile about my sound card. I have an old piece of crap lap top that I use to play my audio bootlegs, I have it hooked up to my receiver and 5.1 surround sound. I was wondering if the quality of my sound card has any effect on the quality of sound or if it was all the receiver? Since my sound card is most likely crap, would I get better quality if I burnt my audio to cd?

Thanks in advance

Liverpool_FC

[direwolf-pgh]

you may wish to consider an external USB DAC

[oxymoron]

If you use WinXP is an audio - card/usb with own driver recommended.
XP owns sound engine is bad, not really HiFi. newer win versions little bit better.
best way is a external sound (usb), direwolf have right!