This may be a yet another one of those novice questions, but I have not been able to find a straightforward answer in my research. Long story short, I used to use the coaxial/optical S/PDIF out of an Asus Xonar Essence STX card, until adding a second video card made this an impossibility.   ...

Recently, I've been advised to keep the volume knob on my DAC on maximum because altering the knob would introduce some variables into the music. I am wondering if the same is true for amplifiers?   My setup is as follows: Computer - (USB) - > V800 DAC - (Balanced) - > Amplifier - (Balanced)...

http://www.partsconnexion.com/FTECH-73397.html   Wow, if this has not already been brought up in this board - did anyone ever review one of these things? On a more serious note, can anyone recommend a power cord that is below 200 USD that makes 'any' gain? 

This is my current setup as I am waiting for the Headroom uDAC to arrive.   PC -> Asus Xonar STX (Mode: 2 Speakers, R and L RCA) -> Rudistor RPX-35 (Amplifier) -> HD 800.   What I experience is seemingly normal sound on my left headphone and weak signal from the right headphone. When I...

  First of all, I've been lurking in your forums for the past several months after purchasing a Sennheiser PC 350 to go with an Asus Xonar Essence STX card to drive it.  Originally, I've had very little interest in Hi-fi or Head-fi and was really going for the best gaming audio setup, and it...

First of all, I've been lurking in your forums for the past several months after purchasing a Sennheiser PC 350 to go with an Asus Xonar Essence STX card to drive it.  Originally, I've had very little interest in Hi-fi or Head-fi and was really going for the best gaming audio setup, and it led...