After doing some reading and getting helpful suggestions from you all I decided that the Echo Indigo sounds exactly like what I am looking for.

Now my next question is this, are there any alternatives to this product on the market, or is the Indigo far and away the best option. Also on their website they have deals that couple the Echo Indigo with WinDVD 4 and the HD 280's. While I am still rather green on the whole subject the extent of my reading has told me that open headphones are generally more effective than the closed type which prevent others from hearing your music. Since I have no real reason for the closed I am planning on going with the Indigo and WinDVD 4 (Suggestions on this?) and getting an open pair.

Are there some types of headphones which are more effective when coupled with the Indigo than others? And is there a threshold since I am still using a laptop as a source where if exceeded, I would just be wasting my money and not reaping any benefits.

Thanks again.

the indigo is an excellent sound card. I have used it with Ety 4s, and sennheiser 650s (with an amp), and both went pretty well. If you will be using a headphone with an amp, get the Indigo DJ version which has a line-out, which would give you the best possible sound out of it.

Apologies,

My last post was rather vague, I have read up on the subject more and determined that the 580's or the 590's would probably be my best bet should I decide to take the open route and the 900's if I go closed.

I am leaning toward the 590's because they sound as if they run better without an amp, so my latest question is this: Should I consider the Echo Indigo an amplifier, or just a sound card?

(also: harder to drive = requires an amp?)

edit: Best sources to get 590's new or used?

I am using LAME APS mp3s on iTunes-->Dell Inspiron--->Echo Indigo--->A900 and it sounds pretty good. The Indigo was a huge improvement over the onboard sound of the Dell.

My main reason for choosing the Indigo was that it was the most portable audio upgrade for my notebook. I did not want an external usb solution like the M-Audio Sonica dangling out of my usb port. Also the PC card indigo provides much better performance (in less slowdown on the pc) than a usb solution.

I got the regular Indigo because it was $50 cheaper than the DJ but if you want to add an amp later maybe you should get the DJ. My main point was to have a sound upgrade with as less cords and external devices as necessary and the Indigo was the best solution.

As for the HD580 vs HD590 vs A900, a lot of recent threads have addressed this exact issue so I am sure you can find a lot of info on these headphones.

I have had the Indigo for about a year, and I must say that it is one of the most satisfying audio equipment purchases that I have made. The sound is excellent and it works well with a variety of headphones. When I am on work travels I carry a px200 or a SR-60, in the office I use either the Senn600 or SR-60, it works well in all cases. Of course it sounds best with the Senn600.

Occasionally I use it on the laptop watching DVD movies and have the DolbyHeadphone turned on. Works well, and the latest win2k/xp driver is very stable on my system. Have not seen anything else on the market like it.



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