[KidJethro]

First post, so hopefully I'm not embarassing myself with the n00bish question...

Anyways, I have the cans mentioned in the title. I'm very happy with them for the most part and I'm looking for an amp. I'm not a audiophile by any means, but I do know and can appreciate good sound. My source is an inexpensive Audigy 2 ZS sound card in my PC and every now and then a Zune 120. 80% games and the rest music and movies. I suspect that I would be served just fine by one of the cMOY style amps. But I don't really know, so here I am asking the experts.

Would one of these work out ok for me? I'm pretty sure I'm gonna pick up a cMOY from Biosciencegeek on eBay. But before I do, I'd like to get some informed opinions.

Also, my budget would be no more than $80-100 at the most.


~edit~

****, I just realized that maybe I should have posted this in the amp section. So much for making a good first impression.

 

[fjrabon]

you don't need an amp for those. If you really want to spend $80 to $100, upgrade to the AD700's. Much bigger difference than you'd get by amping AD500's.

 

[KidJethro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fjrabon /img/forum/go_quote.gif you don't need an amp for those. If you really want to spend $80 to $100, upgrade to the AD700's. Much bigger difference than you'd get by amping AD500's.

Hmm....That's a thought.

AD700's on my sound card would be better than my 500's on my sound card + amp?

~edit~

Screw it. Ordered the AD700's from amazon. $118 overnighted. Should have them tomorrow. Ya only live once right?

 

[fjrabon]

ha, you are fast.

But yes, AD700's will sound better than AD500's plus an amp.

I'd get a DAC for AD500's/AD700's before I'd get an amp.

 

[KidJethro]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm definitely an instant gratification kinda guy.

As for DAC's...Can you make any suggestions?

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KidJethro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for your replies. I'm definitely an instant gratification kinda guy. As for DAC's...Can you make any suggestions?

http://www.hotaudio.com/zen-cart/ind...roducts_id=206

 

[fjrabon]

actually, with the sale he has going right now, I'd probably go with:

DAC DESTROYER [DAC DESTROYER] - $69.00 : HotAudio.Com, Hand Made Audio Perfection!

Normally that DAC is twice the price of the HOTUSB1 and HOTUSB2, but right now its only 4 dollars more.

 

[KidJethro]

Hmmm....

Is there somewhere I can read about DAC's? How they work etc? In laymans terms?

These things will sound better than a $200 sound card? I guess I don't understand...

 

[fjrabon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KidJethro /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmmm.... Is there somewhere I can read about DAC's? How they work etc? In laymans terms? These things will sound better than a $200 sound card? I guess I don't understand...

What DACs do is they turn the digital signal your computer stores your music in into an analog signal that your headphones can work with (DAC stands for Digital to Analog Converter). Soundcards do a lot of other things besides making the digital to analog conversion. A dedicated DAC is almost always going to sound slightly better than a soundcard, though this isn't always the case. However, one large benefit is that it gets the DAC away from the noisy (both electromagnetic and physical vibrations) insides of your computer. Most DACs are also slightly more high powered than soundcards are, giving your computer sound a little more headroom.

 

[126621]

.

 

[ourfpshero]

i have had the ad500 and ad700. they sound nearly identical.

 

[fldrice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourfpshero /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have had the ad500 and ad700. they sound nearly identical.

I wouldn't be surprised...The driver from my AD700 looks identical to the AD500.

 

[nullstring]

I've read that the AD700 is a huge upgrade from the AD500.
hmm

 

[lucky]

I've also read both phones are virtually alike. Would be fun to do a blind listen between the AD500, 700, and 900. I wouldn't be surprised if the differences could easily be attributed to preference.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourfpshero /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have had the ad500 and ad700. they sound nearly identical.

Knowing that you're a gamer, soundstage and resolution differences?
Kool_bubba_ice rates them quite differently on those aspects on his gamer headphone blog.