[MalVeauX]

Quote:

so dac is better than e11?
 

What are you even talking about?
 
Very best,

 

[Ajax]

would getting an e7 dac improve my speaker quality?

 

[Ajax]

Quote:

What are you even talking about?
 
Very best,

Sorry man I'm tired. Is getting a DAC better than just a regular e11 amp

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

would getting an e7 dac improve my speaker quality?

The E7 DAC is decent, but it's not phenomenal. Also, the DAC really doesn't make a huge difference, what matters is if your source material (the music itself) is flawless and high quality and well mastered, in which case, any simple but clean DAC will be more than sufficient. Worry more about the quality of your music and the quality/ability of your headphones. You said you're not using your computer as the source often, so I imagine you're using your phone or some portable player, and I imagine you're using compressed/downloaded music instead of flawless/lossless audio (please do correct me if I'm mistaken with that). If this is the case, you do not need an E7 (or any DAC for that matter, nor an amp honestly for something as low impedance and sensitive as the Denon). An E11 or ZO2 would be perfectly fine. If you're using the computer more, a simple Asus Xonar DG for $30 would be more than sufficient. If you want a more external solution that is not portable, the Fiio E10 is great. But if you just want a portable amplifier, the E11 would be fine for many setups including future headphones.
 
Focus on getting high quality music before spending more money on things like DACs and AMPs which will not do much for a Denon to begin with.
 
Very best,

 

[Ajax]

LOSSLESS OR LP NEVER COMPRESSED
EDIT The reason I don't use my computer is because i have LP's so does this mean a DAC is a good investment for my few CD's When i do use my computer

 

[DKaz]

Get a Fiio e17.  Its apparently even better then the e10's quality dac, but still has all the portable features of the e7.  Thus you can use it as a quality dac/amp at home, and as a good amp on the go with a DAP.  Get an LOD too. 

 

[LimeANite]

Quote:

Get a Fiio e17.  Its apparently even better then the e10's quality dac, but still has all the portable features of the e7.  Thus you can use it as a quality dac/amp at home, and as a good amp on the go with a DAP.  Get an LOD too. 

It's the same DAC as the E10.  They made the headphone jack more sturdy and they changed a bit of the circuitry so that the USB interface doesn't cut off the first millisecond of the first song your player cues up (it's really not noticeable on the E10 except when playing seamless live albums).
 
That said, if you're looking for a USB DAC that can also be used as a portable amp, the E17 is what you want.  If you just need the USB DAC portion, there's nothing wrong with the E10, and it's almost half the price of the E17.
 
@OP: if you're using onboard sound, then yes, a decent USB DAC (or a sound card if you have a desktop) would be a good investment if you listen to music on your computer more than occasionally.  If you do almost all of your listening via CD players and vinyl and only rarely use the computer for music, it's not really worth it.
 

 

[Ajax]

So e7 is better if i want the analog sound right? while i notice a bigger diffrence with the E7 or E11

 

[LimeANite]

Quote:

So e7 is better if i want the analog sound right? while i notice a bigger diffrence with the E7 or E11

Not quite sure what you mean by analog sound.
 
The amp in the E11 is better than the amp in the E7, and about the same/not quite as good as the amp in the E17 (the updated version of the E7).  However, the E7 and E17 both have a DAC (digital-analog converter) to use with your PC.  Both can also be used as straight amps.  However, if you're not planning on using your PC to play music, then there's no need for a DAC - the E11 will be fine.
 
 

 

[TMRaven]

Quote:

So e7 is better if i want the analog sound right? while i notice a bigger diffrence with the E7 or E11

All sound is analog.

 

[Ajax]

Wont a better DAC make the analog sound more like a vinyl or is that just a myth

 

[Taowolf51]

Quote:

Wont a better DAC make the analog sound more like a vinyl or is that just a myth

A tube amp can make the sound warmer, which some consider to be more like vinyl. All Fiio amps are solid state (meaning they don't use tubes).

 

[Ajax]

do you guys think these headphones are better than (yes i know this is headfi) getting audio engine a5+ or would denons with an e11 be better.

 

[TMRaven]

I'd say Denon+e11 would beat Audioengine A5.  However there are some things the A5 can provide that the Denons can't.  Those two things mainly being natural soundstage and a visceral quality when cranked really high (although they lack the lowest registrars to really get the effect)
 
Speakers are overall better than headphones, but ideally you'd want to spend more on the speakers than the headphones.

 

[Ajax]

Thanks for the advice guys. I think il go with the e11 denon ahd2000 combo. I just wont have any money to by food clothes water etc. But music trumps all of that.