I can't name a headamp that has a comprehensive EQ in it. A headamp should be as neutral as possible, something you're almost certain to get from any solid state amp (unless the manufacturer has intentionally made it sound different to make audiophiles assume it must be better). Digital EQs are...

A lot of people will tell you to buy an expensive DAC/soundcard. In my experience, my realtek audio sounds as good as my DacMagic. Soundcards can do DSP stuff which you may or may not need. I'd just use the Yamaha's DAC as you described. Sound quality is mostly affected by the headphones, so...

That's just the way it goes sometimes. My (awful) Pro-Ject Head Box 2 is earsplitting above 11am with my very insensitive Dt770 pros. One tip that I found useful is that as long as you set the output to 24 bits, you can lower the windows volume by 10-20 db (and even up to 40db) with very little...

Speaker is the line out option. You can check at what % volume outputs 0 db by going to the levels tab of the realtek properties and right clicking the % number and selecting decibels. It might be that for your setup 0db is at a % below 100. I'm running Win7 and 100% is 0db for me.

I liked my old Creative T10s until I broke them.

I have the MVG too. Here's what I do:   Realtek HD Audio Manager - Locate the picture of the different jacks at the bottom - right click on the green jack - connector retasking.

As far as I know a source's output impedance shouldn't affect the amp's. Since you're using RCA it should output a line out signal. Sounds like a mystery to me, perhaps a stray setting in the software. It could be that it just outputs a lower voltage line out, so it just sounds quieter at the...

Quote: Thanks for your response. Sorry I've taken a while to reply, I get easily distracted :)   The E09k does look great, and as you say has all the features I have asked for. I probably won't consider the E17, because it has the same DAC as in my DacMagic (which uses one for each...

Quote:   Hi, sorry if I wasn't clear. I believe the line out volume can be adjusted by the volume knob, so it acts as a pre amp. It would work great with a powered amp, but not so great with the integrated amp I have. Thanks for checking out my question.

You guys helped me out a couple years ago, when a pair of DT770 Pros were recommended to me. The advice was fantastic, and I'm back for some more!   I'll give a quick rundown of my system to give you a better idea of my situation: Computer > Usb > Cambridge Audio DacMagic > Pro-Ject Head...

Well, I must confess that I have a large head, so the HD280s wouldn't be for me!   I think general consensus is the DT 770s. Yeah, there is Ultrasone, but I'm much more inclined to go with the Beyerdynamics.   The only question now is choosing the correct version!   As far as I know...

Wow what a fantastic response, thanks guys! @Yoga Flame I had no idea they'd let in so much sound. Thanks for heads up! @Elanzer and @sumathias seem to agree as well, so I'm warming to the idea of the DT 770s.   @yifu The way I'll be using these headphones is that I am forever taking...

A shameless bump. I'd love to hear your ideas about this 

So here I am, a long time reader, first time poster here on HeadFi,   My Sennheiser HD595s have served me well for a long time, but since moving into halls of residence at college, I am forever being bombarded by drunken outbursts of singing and fighting which seem to penetrate my walls. In...