Does anyone know of any good sounding PCI soundcards Under $100 that have a line level output (either RCA or 3.5mm)? 

I love my HD580s, but on some types of music (metal and rock mainly, trance already sounds good in the HD580), they lack some excitement.  I am looking for something to compliment them for these genres.  I do not want huge amounts of bass, but something a little more than the HD580 and a very...

I see there is some threads on mp3 vs flac.  This will clear stuff up very easy and objectively, by allowing you guys to actually know for yourself.  This is done via a blind test, without having placebo affects get in the way. (Yes I am one of those guys, please don't turn this thread into...

Where are all the blind tests?  Mine are some of the only that I can find on these forums.   I am putting this out there, those of you with any add on "hi-fi" gear (I don't care if its a e7/e9 or a 1000+setup), I challenge you to conduct some blind tests and posts the results. PLEASE!  ...

I have Sennheiser HD580 and I am need of a headphone that leaks less sound.  The HD580 are almost like mini speakers.  I don't necessarily need closed headphones, they can be open as long as they do not leak much sound.    Can anyone comment on the sound leakage of open model Ultrasones (HFI...

What is a Woo Audio 6 or something like it gonna do that this doesn't?   http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/635881-REG/Whirlwind_HATT_HATT_Active_Table_Top.html   This powers 8-600 ohms with 24V DC, which means its not gonna be under-powering anything. I am trying to understand why...

I am considering this upgrade, but I am wondering if this is more of a sidestep than a significant step up.   I have read tons on the 650 and have an idea of the difference in sound, but has anyone who has listened to both (or hd600) care to give a good comparison.  Thanks.

I am getting ready to upgrade my hd580 with a hd650.  I am ready to get some decent equipment to pair with it also, instead of straight outta my computer.  These are the three I am looking at.  I know they are not all in the same class and price range, but I want to get some people's options on...

I have hear quite a few DAC and Amps, and I have been unable to distinguish almost any of them from each other with my HD580.   Take for example an ipod or my computers on board sound.  They have absolutely no background noise or hiss when I plug in, not even with my beyer dynamic ear buds. ...

Time for another headphone popularity poll.

I got a pair of Beyer Dynamic DTX 71 iE about 6 weeks ago.  There really not much to say about them.  They are plain, medium priced, extremely neutral in sound.  All and all an excellent portable headphone without spending to much.  Recommended.  

I just got a Xonar Essense STX and I have to say it sounds amazing!   but,   My onboard sound (as well as my ipod) also sounds amazing.  I have tested Many different types of lossless files and I can tell no difference between my onboard intel high def audio, ipod, or asus Xonar using my...

I am going to treat this one a bit different.  Instead of giving away what the two different file types are, I want you guys to say which one is the higher quality.  Like my previous test, different flac compression level is used for each to cover up the file type.  This results in slightly...

A blind test for you guys.  This is a lossless vs 128kbps mp3 test.  I encoded both the original wav and mp3 file into lossless flac format at random flac encoding level to ensure their identity is not revealed.  So ignore the slightly different file size.   If you think this test is rigged...

I want to know what the head-fi community thinks the best headphones are for use without dedicated amplification (i.e. out of an ipod or a PC's onboard sound).   I am attaching a very broad poll, but feel free to add other suggestions. Headphones under $400 please.

After 7 months of dabbing in audio devices (DACs/AMPS) I was able to finally conduct a fully blind audio test.  I left the room for the changes to ensure I had no knowledge of the source that was selected.   Setup: The two devices used were the Audio gd Sparrow Basic Optical and my intel...

I was watching a youtube video of a HD595 showing the driver while playing.  This thing is moving alot!  I opened up my HD580 and looked at its driver while playing some music, but its driver was completely still.  Could this be because I am not amping it sufficiently, or does the driver in the...

Since they closed the last thread, here is a thread dedicated to the new right sidebar -  rendering 1/3 of the space useless on the new head-fi.   The administrator said you can make the forum full width, except this sidebar.  Well that is what the entire griping about the width issue is...

I first noticed that about 5 months ago my left driver in my Sennheiser HD580 sometimes had a slight rattle to it at low frequencies. This went away and I didn't hear it for a while. Then just recently, it started doing it again. It seems to be present below 100 Hz, but goes away after...

After many months of using different supposed "upgrade" DACs and AMP over an ipod or onboard sound, I am still far from convinced. It's not that these devices give me only small increase in sound quality, but rather they gave me NONE. In fact, everything source I've ever listened to sound all...

The right side of my HD650 cable went out a few weeks ago and while i wait for a new one, I was wondering if i may be able to jerry rig it. I completely cut off the right connection end and now just have the two wires hanging out. Is there any way I could make this work for a temporary solution?

I heard something that challenged my current knowledge on DAC's and I want to clear it up. From what I read, there are some dedicated DACs (take for example the Heardroom micro DAC) in which if you plug a headphone directly into the line out, you get a extremely loud sound. I thought that a...

I ordered my an HD650 replacement cable for my HD580 since my old one broke on the right side. It has been almost two weeks, and they still have not shipped it. I even paid for 2 day shipping. Is this common with Sennheiser? I emailed them a week ago and they said it would ship this week, but...

Here at head-fi I was misleaded into thinking that headphones like the Sennheiser HD600, AKG k701, or other moderately high end cans need a expensive amp and source to sound good, and that without them they are not worth getting. I found this was not true at all. The sound I get out of my HD580...

I have been around these forums for about 7 or 8 months now and have learned alot. I have learned to use a more neutral sound and not tons of U shaped Eq. Ive learned to use high bitrate encoding or lossless when possible. I have learned of what makes a good headphone and models of good neutral...