Dear HeadFi-masters:
Happy New Year!
After decades of relying on my traditional hifi system I've given in to trying computer audio and see what all the fuss is about 
. So far, this is where I'm at:
FLAC files -> Foobar 2000 w/ WASAPI via MSI GD-55 motherboard -> BJC 1694A -> Headroom Desktop (2011) w/ basic power wart -> Sennheiser 580
While the bass, timbre, and many aspects are very good, I'm a bit surprised that when plugging the Sennheisers directly back into the motherboard's headphone output the sound is also very engaging (in a different way)... it sounds like there is a bit more treble energy, more low-level details vs having a darker background, and the music sounds "more high-resolution."
Does this make any sense? I have tried the different crossfeed/filter settings on the Headroom unit, and expected using an external DAC and amp would completely blow away what the native motherboard output can do.... What am I doing wrong? Would I need to upgrade my headphones to get the best bang for this current setup?
Any advice appreciated!
KeithC
