Ok, I'm sold on the DAC/amp! I can live with spending an extra $100 if it means better sound. As for the headphones, I'll be sure to look into the ones you recommended. I really like the sounds of the HD600s so maybe I'll wait for them to go on sale or perhaps try to get a used pair on the...

Quote: Thanks for the input!   Hmm, interesting. Perhaps I'll just send my old headphones in for repair (they need a new cable) and buy an amp, and hold off on getting new cans for the time being.

Thanks for the response!   Most of my mp3s are 320kbps which, as I understand, is not all that different quality-wise from lossless files.   And is a dedicated sound card really so important?

Hello all,   So about a month ago I broke my headphones (Audio Technica ATH-A700X) and I'm now looking for a replacement. I'm a rookie when it comes to headphone knoweldge (these were my first pair of decent ones) so I am hoping someone here can point me in the right direction!   The new...

Didn't see the recommendations thread. Apologies!