Do you prefer that or the swan m200mkiii?

What amp would you recommend? I'm debating between m-stage and asgard, but I'm leaning towards m-stage.

I think the essence one m I think the essence one might be a little bit too expensive for me. Should I just get a xonar dx/d1 and get a separate amp like asgard/m-stage?

Quote: Well, I listen to various types of music, but mainly hip hop (Biggie, 2pac, Eminem, Kanye) and rock music(Nirvana, Beatles, Pink Floyd)

Hi, I'm planning to build my own PC and I'm having a trouble deciding on the audio parts. My budget is around $1000 and I can go as high as $1300 if I really need to. I'm looking to get a pair of speakers, sound card, and a pair of headphones. Right now, I'm planning to get ASUS Xonar Essence...