[Nerolucido]

Hi, as you can see from my post count I'm new to this community and, yes, I've searched the forum before creating this thread, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of messages about these cans and how to amp them, so bear with me.
When I ordered the MS-1000 I thought I had plenty of home amplifiers (three from old 90s rigs, between home and office) to drive them, but as a matter of fact I have none, because they're all either dead or malfunctioning.
So I need enlightment: I've got two portable amps I use with my IEMs: GoVibe Single and Linearossa W1. Are these good enough for my needs? I'm not going to use those cans anywhere but home, so I'm not looking for portability. But portable amps and DAPs are all I have to drive them; my desktop's motherboard integrated audiocard has an awful and persistent electric noise.
I feel the urge to spend money on portable amps, bigger sound cards, DACs, more powerful DAPs... I don't know if you understand.
What should I do now? buy a Xonar Essence STX to kill two birds with one stone? or maybe a desktop amplifier like the Fiio E9 ? or just make do with what I've got?
Please, I really need some discerning advice.

Thanks in advance

 

[sidel]

Quote:

my desktop's motherboard integrated audiocard has an awful and persistent electric noise.

You should get a dac.  (or combo)  Whether that means sound card or not is up to you,  but if you're using your integrated sound as source and attach an amplifier you're really not going to be fixing the problem described.

 

[Nerolucido]

Quote:

You should get a dac.  (or combo)  Whether that means sound card or not is up to you,  but if you're using your integrated sound as source and attach an amplifier you're really not going to be fixing the problem described.

Yes, sticking on the onboard audio was never an option. I thought about the FiiO E9/E7 Combo but I feel it might be too much just for the MSi. Perhaps the E7 alone will do? What I need to know is what's good enough to make my cans justice, nothing more because I won't be expanding my home rig anytime soon (I've just entered the Head-fi boards and my wallet already is feeling very sorry )
Either an amplifier, or a soundcard.
 

 

[eucariote]

Quote:

Perhaps the E7 alone will do?

Yes. 

  Grado/Alessandro do not need major amplification to sound good.
 

 

[Nerolucido]

Quote:

Yes. 

  Grado/Alessandro do not need major amplification to sound good.
 

Thank you, now I have something to look for. I'm still unsure between E7 and a Xonar Essence STX, thou.
 

 

[rsgladwin85]

I have the Xonar STX and it always paired beautifully with my RS2i's IMO....I don't have any experience with the E7 though.

 

[Nerolucido]

Quote:

I have the Xonar STX and it always paired beautifully with my RS2i's IMO....I don't have any experience with the E7 though.

 
Thanks for your input. I do hesitate a bit when it comes to add-ins cards to my rig,that already runs hotter than hell with power-hungry overclocked CPUs and GPUs. I also have many fans spinning and  some cold cathode lights (each one equipped with its own inverter) which make EMI even worse, so the thought of buying the Xonar only to find out that its shielding is not enough to prevent background noise really scares me. On the other hand, I feel that as a DAC the Xonar outperforms the E7 and its amp can drive bigger cans too. Aww. it's not easy to decide!
Any other suggestion?

 

[rsgladwin85]

Well I have a custom built Core i7 920 oc'ed to 4.0ghz, dual GTX 460's, 1000 Watt Cougar PSU....on the other hand I also have a pretty nice cooling setup....it's a Cooler Master HAF and i'm using a Corsair H70 Liquid cooling setup, so not many issues of heat.....but I have not noticed any EMI issues, which I also was expecting to have issues with.  Besides, if the heat does get to it, give you a reason to upgrade cases, and cooling.

 

[Nerolucido]

I already have some gargantuan monstrosity of a Pc, with HAF X, Thermalright heatsink and plenty of Noctuas spinning...sometimes I feel like I'm hearing those fans throught the headphone out on my RE0s ! The fact is, heat-related concerns aside, the Xonar requires its own molex and  my PSU (650W CoolerMaster Silent Pro) is already busy with that hungry piece of crap of a 470gtx. I'm not sure it will provide enough juice for the Xonar to make the most of my MSi. On the other hand, is the FiiO DAC just as good as the Xonar ? I'm not audiophile, I'm not sure I'll be able to tell the difference between the two. Then again, they cost roughly the same here in EU. Is there anything else in this price range  (140-200USD) I could use?
 

 

[Nerolucido]

FYI, I've just ordered the Xonar Essence, in the end it's just another piece of computer hardware I can handle.

Nothing wrong with the E7, but like every good computer geek, I always steer away from hassle-free solutions!
Thanks everyone for the help.