On 19 Nov 2006 23:49:36 -0800, wrote:

I got SONY MDR CD-480 headphones and have connected them to computer
(AC97). The problem is that they produce very distorted sound.
Interestingly when I move balance to only left speaker, sound is OK and
it can be heard from BOTH speakers inside headphones. The more I move
balance the better sound. That would work fine, but I want stereo
sound. What could be the cause? Can it be solved? I plan buying
SBlaster XFi Music would that be solution?

You have the symptoms of a disconnected ground wire here. With the
balance control in the centre you are getting virtually identical
signals both sides, and lose the centre channel information. When you
go to one side, you get that channel reproduced well in both phones.
If another set of phones works OK, send these back.

d

--
Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com