[Quiz]

I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD sound card in my desktop and I am planning on getting the Sony MDR-7520 headphones. The main goal is excellent sound for PC gaming. Any recommendations for an amp? The max I would like to spend is $300. I don't want a DAC because I want to use my sound card's sound processing features.
 
One more thing: I already have the Sony XBA-3 IEMs and find they sound great. Could I just get an amp and use these IEMs for PC gaming too (right now I use them for my iPod touch) or would I get better sound with the MDR-7520?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I have a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD sound card in my desktop and I am planning on getting the Sony MDR-7520 headphones. The main goal is excellent sound for PC gaming. Any recommendations for an amp? The max I would like to spend is $300. I don't want a DAC because I want to use my sound card's sound processing features.
 
One more thing: I already have the Sony XBA-3 IEMs and find they sound great. Could I just get an amp and use these IEMs for PC gaming too (right now I use them for my iPod touch) or would I get better sound with the MDR-7520?

 
Schiit Magni ($99) or O2 ($119) headphone amplifier would provide way more then enough power for driving the 24-Ohm MDR-7520.
You would connect the head amp to the RCA output jacks, on the Titanium-HD.

 

[Quiz]

   
Schiit Magni ($99) or O2 ($119) headphone amplifier would provide way more then enough power for driving the 24-Ohm MDR-7520.
You would connect the head amp to the RCA output jacks, on the Titanium-HD.

 
Thanks. What if I want to save the RCA output jacks on my Titanium HD for my speakers? Could I connect the output from the headphone-out on the front of my desktop computer case to the Schiit Magni by using a RCA to 3.5 mm converter cable?
 
Edit: Are you saying I will gain nothing by getting the more expensive Vali or Asgard 2?

 

[PurpleAngel]

   
Thanks. What if I want to save the RCA output jacks on my Titanium HD for my speakers? Could I connect the output from the headphone-out on the front of my desktop computer case to the Schiit Magni by using a RCA to 3.5 mm converter cable?
 
Edit: Are you saying I will gain nothing by getting the more expensive Vali or Asgard 2?

 
As the MDR-7520 is only 24-Ohms, it looks like Sony designed it to work well with portable audio, like mp3 players, DAPs, iPods, smart phones, iPhones, etc.
My $27 FiiO E6 portable headphone amplifier could easily drive the MDR-7520s.
So how much, if any, the Vali or Asgard 2 might improve the MDR-7520, over the Magni is not something I could answer.
The RCA outputs on the Ti-HD would provide a better analog audio signal, to an external headphone amplifier, then the Ti-HD's headphone output.
 
When anything it plugged into the Ti-HD's headphone jack, the RCA output's are disabled.
So you would have to unplug from the Ti-HD's headphone jack, any time you want to use the RCA outputs (like for speakers).

 

[Quiz]

   
As the MDR-7520 is only 24-Ohms, it looks like Sony designed it to work well with portable audio, like mp3 players, DAPs, iPods, smart phones, iPhones, etc.
My $27 FiiO E6 portable headphone amplifier could easily drive the MDR-7520s.
So how much, if any, the Vali or Asgard 2 might improve the MDR-7520, over the Magni is not something I could answer.
The RCA outputs on the Ti-HD would provide a better analog audio signal, to an external headphone amplifier, then the Ti-HD's headphone output.
 
When anything it plugged into the Ti-HD's headphone jack, the RCA output's are disabled.
So you would have to unplug from the Ti-HD's headphone jack, any time you want to use the RCA outputs (like for speakers).

 
Thanks. Would there be any difference between plugging into the headphone jack at the back of the Titanium HD vs. plugging into the front panel headphone jack on the case (which is connected to the Titanium HD)?

 

[PurpleAngel]

   
Thanks. Would there be any difference between plugging into the headphone jack at the back of the Titanium HD vs. plugging into the front panel headphone jack on the case (which is connected to the Titanium HD)?

 
I believe there is a difference between the back panel and front panel headphone jack, just not sure what.
This Sound Blaster forum would be a good place to ask questions about the Titanium-HD.
http://forums.creative.com/forumdisplay.php?f=6

 

[Honkytime]

   
Thanks. Would there be any difference between plugging into the headphone jack at the back of the Titanium HD vs. plugging into the front panel headphone jack on the case (which is connected to the Titanium HD)?

it really depends on your case at that point and how cheep the 3.5 mm input plug is. i have had a few cases that while plugged into the front case plug i could hear fan wine threw my headphones and when plugged directly into the sound card no fan wine.

 

[Quiz]

Just noticed that the Asgard 2 has RCA pre-outs. Does this mean I can connect my Titanium HD's RCA outs to the Asgard 2's RCA ins and the Asgard 2's RCA pre-outs to my powered speakers? Would there be any quality loss for the speakers by having the Asgard 2 in the middle of the pathway?