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Please help a newb decide.

post #1 of 4
11/17/11 at 6:41pm
Thread Starter 

I just got Senn hd598's.  I sold 555's a while back and didn't care much for them, I think the 598 is a huge improvement but I am just using my 2003 Audigy2 sound card to run them.

 

I want to get an amp, and have been looking at the Fiio e9/e7 combo. 

 

I have read that the Asus Xonar Essence will be better than the e9/e7 combo, but its also 200 bucks give or take.

 

My question is this, will I regret getting just the E9 (for 75 bucks if I get it) and using my audigy2 sound card still? (this is possible right? use the soundcard, plug it into the e9?) I listen to all kinds of music but rap and play competitive games.

 

75 bucks is a perfect price point for me right now, and I would like to amp these headphones, thanks for any input guys (and gals?)


Edited by matmal - 11/17/11 at 6:43pm
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post #2 of 4
11/17/11 at 8:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by matmal View Post
I just got Senn hd598's.  I sold 555's a while back and didn't care much for them, I think the 598 is a huge improvement but I am just using my 2003 Audigy2 sound card to run them.

I want to get an amp, and have been looking at the Fiio e9/e7 combo. 

I have read that the Asus Xonar Essence will be better than the e9/e7 combo, but its also 200 bucks give or take.

My question is this, will I regret getting just the E9 (for 75 bucks if I get it) and using my audigy2 sound card still? (this is possible right? use the soundcard, plug it into the e9?) I listen to all kinds of music but rap and play competitive games.

75 bucks is a perfect price point for me right now, and I would like to amp these headphones, thanks for any input guys (and gals?)

Sennheiser HD-598 50-Ohms.

 

Asus Xonar DG (PCI), $20-$30, comes with a half way decent headphone amplifier, rated up to 150-Ohms.

Comes with Dolby Headphone 5.1, should be helpful for FPS games and playing DVD movies.

The E9 is a better headphone amplifier.

You can always add an external headphone amplifier (Fiio E9) at a latter date or when it's on sale for a low price.

Or just buy both the Fiio and the Xonar DG.

 

You can also get a single tube headphone amplifier off eBay, prices start at $50, ships from China, takes 10 days.

Not something to buy if you care about warranties.

 

 

 

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post #3 of 4
11/17/11 at 9:47pm
Thread Starter 

well. the 598's ARE 50 ohm headphones, but their impedance curve spikes to 300 at the low end.

 

http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=7&graphID[]=2851

 

Listening to the headphones, i feel they lack the power needed to sound their best.

 

So if I was able to find a e9 for $75-ish that would work right? and i could later on get a DAC if my sound card isn't clean enough?

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post #4 of 4
11/17/11 at 10:07pm

As your a gamer, the Creative Labs X-Fi Titanium HD (PCI-Express) might be better to get.

There have been times when the price on the Titanium HD is down to $90, after $60 mail in rebate.

Hopefully there will be a sale sometime in the next few weeks (Black Friday).

I'm know it powers headphones better then the Audigy 2 card.

Technically the E9 is a better headphone amplifier.

 

Also Creative Labs is coming out with two new sound cards very soon.

 

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