Hey Guys and Gals,

Looking for a little friendly advice. I currently have a PC setup that is as follows:

WMP11/Foobar/Winamp -> Audigy 2ZS -> PA2V2 (on occasion) -> HD595/MS-1.

I know the discussions about the Audigy, however I was wondering where I should go first. I have a budget around $200-$300, and I don't want to be upgrading anything that I am about to buy for a few years. So, do I go with a DAC, an amp, a DAC/Amp combo, or even get a decent used A/V receiver with a good DAC, optical in, and a decent Headphone Jack? I have a higher end Onkyo HT receiver, and it does a great job with both of the headphones listed above. However I would like something to use with my PC.

Would a good desktop amp be better than something like a Zhaolu? Or should I consider a USB DAC, and a less expensive amp? Decisions, decisions...

Source first. You should probably be worried about replacing that 2ZS before worrying about anything else. Unless of course, your talking about a USB DAC and not one using an optical out from the soundcard. If that's the case, Corda Aria might be worth looking into.