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Is Sound Blaster Audigy enough for Sennheiser HD598's?

post #1 of 5
11/18/12 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 

Hello,

I've got a couple of very noobish questions. One of them is right in the topic, I don't know whether I should change my sound card in case I decide to buy myself these Senn's. How do you know if the sound card is powerful enough? Is it written in some specs or do you have to test it by yourself?

I was wondering if I should post this thread here or in the "Computer Audio" section and I decided to go with this.

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post #2 of 5
11/18/12 at 11:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by luke100 View Post

Hello,

I've got a couple of very noobish questions. One of them is right in the topic, I don't know whether I should change my sound card in case I decide to buy myself these Senn's. How do you know if the sound card is powerful enough? Is it written in some specs or do you have to test it by yourself?

I was wondering if I should post this thread here or in the "Computer Audio" section and I decided to go with this.

 

Heya,

 

Unfortunately most older sound cards do not have a lot of documentation on everything they use. Especially in regards to headphone output. Only some more recent ones that have dedicated headphone equipment are starting to show what opamps they use, etc.

 

The good news is that the HD598 is very efficient, it doesn't need an "amplifier" (even though everything outputting a signal has some amplification to it; but let's just say you don't need additional amplification). The sound card will work fine with it. Even an old one. Even an old sony walkman.

 

I wouldn't get a new sound card.

 

If you wanted to potentially have something better though, I would explore a USB DAC/AMP option (which is essentially an external soundcard in a case that connects via USB and has a more robust amplifier unit). The Fiio E10 would be a great start.

 

Very best,

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post #3 of 5
11/19/12 at 3:57pm
Agreed. Though not necessary the 598 does benefit from added amplification provided by a dac/amp.
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post #4 of 5
11/19/12 at 4:00pm

If you require features the soundcard provides, then getting a headphone amp (like a Fiio E11, PA2V2 or O2) would clear any doubts regarding amping the HD598, while retaining the soundcard features. If not, there are both internal soundcards with additional amplification (like the Asus Xonar DG) as well as external DAC-amp units.

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post #5 of 5
11/19/12 at 8:21pm

Luke100

The HD598s are fairly easy to drive 50-Ohm headphones.

Your sound card is dated, how about spending $50 on a newer Creative X-Fi Titanium (non-HD) PCI-E sound card, refurb is only $50.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829102043

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