Kingston HyperX Cloud II - Low Volume and Impedance

[Audiofire]

Headset:
> Nominal impedance: 60 Ω per system
> Nominal SPL: 98±3dB
> T.H.D.: < 2%
> Power handling capacity: 150mW

https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KHX-HSCP_us.pdf

Distortion looks good on rtings.com, much lower than 2%. Volume and EQ are the same when using 3.5 mm or USB connection of the USB control box. I believe the average impedance from a computer is around 30 ohms, which doesn't seem low enough for these headphones. They were tested on a laptop that has a rather average sound card. That was 50 mV max. Then tested on a gaming motherboard that has 200 mV max and it was only just adequate to reach around 94 dB. Used the scope in REW. EQ was configured in Equalizer APO to the target response here (The sound is indeed wrong without these EQ settings):

Headphones - 1.5 - Graph

www.rtings.com

There was a new audio control box called HyperX Amp USB Sound Card, but that one is not available. It supposedly adds some volume:

HyperX Amp USB Sound Card Review

It’s like a Cloud II Dongle but not!

xander51.medium.com

What happens if a PCI sound card is installed in a desktop computer and the headset is plugged in with USB, will it use the motherboard sound card or PCI? Is there some external amp that the 3.5 mm cable with three stripes can be plugged into, that would be better than looking for a motherboard with 200 mV? The three stripes are for stereo input and mic output, so would an adapter that splits the connector into separate stereo and mic connectors be best (for an external DAC and ADC)?

 

[twsecrest]

USB bypasses the computer's sound card functions.
Something like the iBasso DC-05 USB DAC/amp is a good low cost unit.

 

[Audiofire]

USB bypasses the computer's sound card functions.
Something like the iBasso DC-05 USB DAC/amp is a good low cost unit.

In that case, it is best to look for an external DAC and ADC. I perceived the volume as the same with USB and the 3.5 mm cable, which somehow suggests a correlation with the internal sound card, but I don't know how it works. Internal sound cards often have limited output voltage, high output impedance and low sound quality. Something like I found in the attached picture seems perfect.

 

[twsecrest]

https://www.kingston.com/datasheets/KHX-HSCP_us.pdf

Distortion looks good on rtings.com, much lower than 2%. Volume and EQ are the same when using 3.5 mm or USB connection of the USB control box. I believe the average impedance from a computer is around 30 ohms, which doesn't seem low enough for these headphones. They were tested on a laptop that has a rather average sound card. That was 50 mV max. Then tested on a gaming motherboard that has 200 mV max and it was only just adequate to reach around 94 dB. Used the scope in REW. EQ was configured in Equalizer APO to the target response here (The sound is indeed wrong without these EQ settings):

Headphones - 1.5 - Graph

www.rtings.com

There was a new audio control box called HyperX Amp USB Sound Card, but that one is not available. It supposedly adds some volume:

HyperX Amp USB Sound Card Review

It’s like a Cloud II Dongle but not!

xander51.medium.com

What happens if a PCI sound card is installed in a desktop computer and the headset is plugged in with USB, will it use the motherboard sound card or PCI? Is there some external amp that the 3.5 mm cable with three stripes can be plugged into, that would be better than looking for a motherboard with 200 mV? The three stripes are for stereo input and mic output, so would an adapter that splits the connector into separate stereo and mic connectors be best (for an external DAC and ADC)?

You can get a TRRS (f) to dual TRS (m) adapter to split the headphone and mic jack.
Like in like in your last post.

 

[DVDdoug]

Volume and EQ are the same when using 3.5 mm or USB connection of the USB control box.

Gain (related to current volume) isn't necessarily the related to the maximum volume you can get without distortion. You can have a low-power amplifier with high gain.

But there also could be no difference...

 

[twsecrest]

In that case, it is best to look for an external DAC and ADC. I perceived the volume as the same with USB and the 3.5 mm cable, which somehow suggests a correlation with the internal sound card, but I don't know how it works. Internal sound cards often have limited output voltage, high output impedance and low sound quality. Something like I found in the attached picture seems perfect.

If you need headphone surround sound, for FPS gaming, a used Sound Blaster Z sound card would do the job.
It's headphone jack has a 22-Ohm output impedance, it would just make 60-Ohm headphones slightly more bassy.

 

[Audiofire]

You can get a TRRS (f) to dual TRS (m) adapter to split the headphone and mic jack.

I didn't know it was called TRRS. I've had the headphones for around 5 years, but don't plan to keep them. This thread is sort of a review, so that a future owner knows what to expect. A manufacturing date is inside on the magnets. The ear cushions can just be removed along the edge, and there are some screws underneath.

If you need headphone surround sound, for FPS gaming, a used Sound Blaster Z sound card would do the job.
It's headphone jack has a 22-Ohm output impedance, it would just make 60-Ohm headphones slightly more bassy.

I found this one that has 2.1 ohm output impedance:

Review and Measurements of Sound BlasterX G6

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Sound BlasterX G6. I purchased it last month for USD $150 from Amazon including shipping. Typical of PC audio connectivity devices, the Sound BlasterX G6 is a combo device which includes an audio DAC, ADC, and headphone amplifier. This being...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[twsecrest]

I didn't know it was called TRRS. I've had the headphones for around 5 years, but don't plan to keep them. This thread is sort of a review, so that a future owner knows what to expect. A manufacturing date is inside on the magnets. The ear cushions can just be removed along the edge, and there are some screws underneath.


I found this one that has 2.1 ohm output impedance:

Review and Measurements of Sound BlasterX G6

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Sound BlasterX G6. I purchased it last month for USD $150 from Amazon including shipping. Typical of PC audio connectivity devices, the Sound BlasterX G6 is a combo device which includes an audio DAC, ADC, and headphone amplifier. This being...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Sound BlasterX G6, even better than the SB-Z.