My motherboard does not have a PCI slot so i would need to go for something with PCIE 1x like Asus Xonar DX or Asus Xonar DGX which should be fine aswell instead of the Dg ? Which amp should i get then if not the O2 ? And I dont really know which dac i should take so can you give some examples. When you say optical out thats just a cable between the soundcard and the dac and then another cable between dac to amp and then headphones ?
You got the wiring setup correct. Optical is the port and cable that uses fibre optics and red light to send a digital signal out (light blinks on/off, binary like all digital signals), so you'd need a DAC with an optical input too. I'm not aware of what choices there are in the market for good/inexpensive DAC with optical input... you'll want to ask in the DAC forums.
Personally, I'd budget for a good Soundcard (with analogue and optical outs) and Amp now, and pick up a separate DAC later. The O2 is a technically very good amp, it's just that it's quite neutral and some people prefer using an amp with the K702 that adds some warmth. I thought the FiiO E12 sounds nice with nice options for my Q701 (the FiiO E09k, which I haven't tried, looks good on paper), and my tube amp is my favorite to use. If you want more options that synergize well with the K702, you can ask in the amp forum or the K702 appreciation thread.
Anyway, it's cool you've made a headphone choice, I really love my AKGs for gaming AND everything else, I think you will too!
After surfing the internet for what feels like years, I've decided on a pair of Sony MA-900s mostly for gaming (all genres) but also for movies/music too. I'll be playing on the PC for the majority but will also be doing some console gaming.
I've got a few questions that I'm hoping somebody can clarify for me.
I've got the Asus Xonar DGX in my PC and have read that the Soundblaster Z is great for gaming, currently on offer at £60. Is it worth the upgrade? I play a lot of CS and thoroughly enjoy hearing positional cues when gaming.
Secondly, when I purchase my MA900's would I need any kind of Virtual Surround Sound devices to use with my console? Would the same thing work well with my PC and therefore skip the soundcard?
I'm buying the MA900's later today, so excited to jump in!
The choice between Creative and Asus essentially boils down to THX/SBX headphone surround or Dolby headphone surround. It's harder to find good samples of Creative's surround processing, but I've collected samples of YouTube videos in my journal thread (linked in my signature) so you can choose your preference. Personally, I chose a Creative Recon3D USB because it works with Windows, Mac, and consoles (except the new XB One), and overall I prefer it's processing over DH, but processing really is down to personal preference. I just got a Sound Blaster Z for my computer, it's too early to report anything except that it's good. The DAC is technically better than the Recon3D USB (and several of the lower end Xonar products), but as I've only had the time to use it once I haven't really been able to pick out how it makes an improvement. I doubt the upgrade from DGX to Z would be significant, unless (like me) you prefer Creative's processing and driver software.
What console do you play?
