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Upgrade help! New sound card or amp?

post #1 of 2
2/7/13 at 12:14pm
Thread Starter 

My headphones, the AKG K702 (non Annie), arrived yesterday. I was blown away by the sound, having never heard anything like it. I want to upgrade my computer hardware to keep up with it. Currently, I have a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional with no external amp. What will cause a bigger increase in sound quality: upgrading to a new sound card, such as the ZxR, Claro Halo, or Xonar ST; or simply getting a dedicated headphone amp?

 

I am eventually going to upgrade both, but which is more urgent?

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post #2 of 2
2/7/13 at 1:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BetaWolf View Post

My headphones, the AKG K702 (non Annie), arrived yesterday. I was blown away by the sound, having never heard anything like it. I want to upgrade my computer hardware to keep up with it. Currently, I have a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional with no external amp. What will cause a bigger increase in sound quality: upgrading to a new sound card, such as the ZxR, Claro Halo, or Xonar ST; or simply getting a dedicated headphone amp?

 

I am eventually going to upgrade both, but which is more urgent?


You could get a USB Amp/DAC combo and be done with it.  Depends on how much you want to spend, though.  For $30 you could get a Xonar DG with a built in amp that may tide you over until you get something better.

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