Hello!

Does anyone know how the volume control process is implemented in sound cards? Is it implemented via hardware (by changing some voltage somewhere in the chip) or software (by recalculating level of output signal thus reducing quality (for example on 12,5% volume there would actually be only 13 bits left from 16))?

I hope somebody knows this!

Both. I expect!! that the software will give the % output level, in terms of both the options on your soundpanel. I.e. waveout put % level, and Master %.

Example:

Wave on 50%, Master on 50% = 25% total volume

{?}

However. On a program like Windows Media Player or WinAMP, it will look at the % of thats max volume, and the % volume of the system

Example

(25% total volume) x (50%) volume of WinAMP = 6.25% total volume.

Then I expect this signal will be sent to the sound card (perhaps raw then converted by the soundcard, or converted by the driver and given to the Sound Card (i.e. the amplifier) in voltage or another unit))

This then outputs it at a set amplification.

However the rest is down to the volume of your speakers.

I hope this helps, I do not know, but its simply what I would expect.

Holla back d00d.

could i ask why? and what sound card, i have a pretty damn good sound card (m-audio firewire410 - for recording ect) and as far as im aware windows just outpusts, to the sound controller, and i think it is entirely done inside S/w.

hope this helps

Actually I know that some soundcards are advertised as having hardware master volume control, but I don't know does ordinary soundcards have this too...

yeah like i siad, my Sound card is quite advance, and in it control anel it does have it own Master out, but thats just a multiplier (0 to 1) for the Windows sounds.

Yeah, so why do you want to know? This might help us answer your question better...

I want to buy a better sound card for music (MP3 and FLAC) playback, I want to control volume from keyboard (with hotkeys that control master volume) and I want to know which specifications of sound card are important.

Ah. I dont know much about sound cards tbh. Sorry.

Cant give you much help there.