Control Volume Through Winamp or Marantz Receiver

[gun5l1ng3r]

I was listening to music tonight and was wondering if it was better to increase the volume through my Marantz SR3001 or Winamp...

I couldn't notice much of a difference, but I was hoping that my expensive receiver from 2008 would have a better DAC than a cheap RealTek chip on my X58 MB from 2008.

Can anyone suggest a test to notice the difference or explain the technical differences between using the receiver and Winamp for volume control...

Specs:
I7 920 D0 3.4GHZ @ 1.125v, 12 GB Crucial @1.55v, GTX460v2, EVGA X58 Classified, Marantz SR3001 Coaxial SPDIF connection, No sound card

 

[Billb2]

The Windows Mixer volume control has it's problems as does the analogue (I assume) volume control in your receiver.

When you say no sound card, do you mean on board sound?

 

[gun5l1ng3r]

The Windows Mixer volume control has it's problems as does the analogue (I assume) volume control in your receiver.

When you say no sound card, do you mean on board sound?

Yes, I mean the RealTek on board outputs...

 

[weez82]

Volume control has nothing to do with what dac is being used. If you're using the analog output on the RealTek then thats the dac you're using. If you're using the optical out (if your board has it) then you're using the dac on the receiver. As for what volume control to use, WinAmp vs receiver, use whatever is more convenient.

 

[Fallen Kell]

The Windows Mixer volume control has it's problems as does the analogue (I assume) volume control in your receiver.

When you say no sound card, do you mean on board sound?

Don't you mean Windows kmangler? (sorry that was a joke from the XP days when the windows audio subsystem was called kmixer). Windows does all kinds of crap to audio. If you are using a HTPC (or any PC connected to a home theater/speakers/amplifier), I highly, HIGHLY recommend setting everything in Windows to 100% volume (master volume, and individual audio streams like mpeg, etc), and using the external volume controls. You will be much happier.

 

[taq8ojh]

That's what I was told to do as well: 100% volume in Windows, and use the control on an amplifier. Apparently, doing it the other way around produces noise and stuff.