[drakelito]

Hey guys, two questions here.
 
Is it possible to buy and amp that can power both of these or you need special for different ohm's? (I'm a total newbie when it comes to these stuff)
 
The other question is, which amp should I buy? Preferely an amp/soundcard you can buy all around the world (I live in Sweden).
 
 
Got my Sennheiser HD650 today and my 150 Ohm soundcard (SupremeFX) can't drive these at all, the bass is stupid low and the volume overall is really a joke.
 
 
What do you guys think about a pair of Sennheiser HD 598 + Asus ASUS Essence STX II? Or 990/880 + ASUS Essence STX II?
 
A cheaper choice but the sound is most important and using the HD650 with my worthless soundcard is just wasting money...

 

[PurpleAngel]

So you own the HD650 and maybe own the Fidelio X2 and your thinking of also buying the HD598 or DT880 or DT990?
 
An O2 Objective 2) headphone amplifier is about the cheapest amp you can get that has a low output impedance (>1-Ohm), so good for use with lower impedance headphones and the O2 can also drive 300-Ohm headphones like the HD650.
102 Euros
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/headphone-amplifiers/ehp-o2-portable-headphone-amplifier/
 
I'm sure most HD600/HD650 owners would recommend spending more for an amplifier, then what the O2 costs.
 
A used Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card (used?) is a good value and would offer a better DAC function, then the SupremeFX
And the STX's built in amp is decent.

 

[drakelito]

  So you own the HD650 and maybe own the Fidelio X2 and your thinking of also buying the HD598 or DT880 or DT990?
 
An O2 Objective 2) headphone amplifier is about the cheapest amp you can get that has a low output impedance (>1-Ohm), so good for use with lower impedance headphones and the O2 can also drive 300-Ohm headphones like the HD650.
102 Euros
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/headphone-amplifiers/ehp-o2-portable-headphone-amplifier/
 
I'm sure most HD600/HD650 owners would recommend spending more for an amplifier, then what the O2 costs.
 
A used Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card (used?) is a good value and would offer a better DAC function, then the SupremeFX
And the STX's built in amp is decent.

I used to own X2, they broke, now I sit here with my HD650 and the sound is weak, and I can't afford the HD650 AND amp, so I need to go back to the store for money back, then I'm thinking of buying the STX and headphones. With that soundcard, would you recommend 598 or 880/990?

 

[drakelito]

  So you own the HD650 and maybe own the Fidelio X2 and your thinking of also buying the HD598 or DT880 or DT990?
 
An O2 Objective 2) headphone amplifier is about the cheapest amp you can get that has a low output impedance (>1-Ohm), so good for use with lower impedance headphones and the O2 can also drive 300-Ohm headphones like the HD650.
102 Euros
 
 
I'm sure most HD600/HD650 owners would recommend spending more for an amplifier, then what the O2 costs.
 
A used Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card (used?) is a good value and would offer a better DAC function, then the SupremeFX
And the STX's built in amp is decent.

My X2 broke so I hade to buy new ones, but I can't afford the HD650 AND amp, so need to go back for my money and buy headphones + amp.
 
With the STX II, would you say 880/990 or HD598 would be better?

 

[milosingh]

Get STX 1 and HD 650. STX 2 isn't much better.

 

[drakelito]

Get STX 1 and HD 650. STX 2 isn't much better.

Even that one I can't afford, thinking of going X2 with STX II, will that soundcard work with X2's 30 ohm?

 

[milosingh]

Get HD 650 with Asus DGX. DGX is $25. Upgrade to STX later.

STX 1 is $180. For all practical purposes it is the same as the $400 STX II. Get STX 1 / DGX with HD 650.

My choice though would be HD 600 with STX (not STX II).

 

[drakelito]

Get HD 650 with Asus DGX. DGX is $25. Upgrade to STX later.

STX 1 is $180. For all practical purposes it is the same as the $400 STX II. Get STX 1 / DGX with HD 650.

My choice though would be HD 600 with STX (not STX II).

Is DGX good enough to power the HD650? :O

 

[milosingh]

Is DGX good enough to power the HD650? :O

Should be okay. STX may be better though.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drakelito /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

Is it possible to buy and amp that can power both of these or you need special for different ohm's? (I'm a total newbie when it comes to these stuff)

 

Buy an amp that has a low output impedance (to drive practically any low impedance headphone) and has enough clean output at 300ohms to drive the HD600.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by drakelito /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

The other question is, which amp should I buy? Preferely an amp/soundcard you can buy all around the world (I live in Sweden).

 

How much are you willing to spend? On the cheap end of things, buy any soundcard with a 2ch lineout for a headphone amplifier but can send the virtual headphone 2ch signal through that line out (instead of just its headphone output), and then connect it to an O2 amplifier. There's a dealer/builder in Switzerland. Alternately there's the SoundBlaster G5 - if it seems inadequate for the HD650 then that's when you buy another amp and hook it up to its line out.

 

There's also the the Creative Sound Blaster X7. Haven't heard feedback about it being best headphone amp out there but nothing totally negative either. You end up paying for a speaker amp in also but it might come in handy in the future.

 

[milosingh]

Creative has crazy driver issues with their new stuff. Not safe.

 

[PurpleAngel]

 
Is DGX good enough to power the HD650? :O

 
Nope, not at all.

 

[milosingh]

Nope, not at all.

Says who? Have you tried it?

The DAC part is definitely enough to start with. And the amp can't be worse than Fiio stuff, in fact will likely be cleaner and less muddy.

 

[drakelito]

Guys I'm going with the X2 again, I really liked them and why change that.
 
Although I need DAC/AMP, heard from some locals that Fiio E10K is a good choice, what do you guys think about this one?
 
And my price range for a DAC/AMP is around $100-240.

 

[mullardpassion]

Says who? Have you tried it?

The DAC part is definitely enough to start with. And the amp can't be worse than Fiio stuff, in fact will likely be cleaner and less muddy.

Says Asus.. The DGX can drive headphones upto 150 Ohms, the HD650 is 300Ohms. You're as clueless as it gets,atleast don't recommend people to spend their money..
Its hard to find a budget amp to do justice to the hd650. If you're happy with the x2,stick with it. I don't have a lot of experience with Fiio products unfortunately