[t1tanis]

Hi,
 
I don't really know that much about amps but I'm going to be getting a pair of Sennheiser HD 598's pretty soon and I've read that you really need an amp to get the best quality sound from them.  I'm only going to be using them with my desktop so it doesn't need to be portable at all, but it would be nice if it had decent aesthetics.  Performance is the #1 priority though.  Since I don't know much about amps, I don't really have a brand preference, so anything you guys thing would do the job .

 

[Rem0o]

Schiit Modi and Magni fits the bill (Yes you also want a decent DAC).

 

[tdockweiler]

For the 598 I would suggest just something like the Fiio E17. Can be found for around $109.
 
IMO Magni/Modi is overkill for the 598.
 
BTW I also felt the 598 sounded amazing with even a $30 Creative X-Fi Go Pro. It's an amp/dac found at any Best Buy. It even has pretty good measurements.
 
For me the the 598 doesn't improve/change much with a good amp unlike the HD-600/650.

 

[t1tanis]

Thanks for the suggestions so far! I do really like the look of the Magni & Modi together, but I'm not opposed to getting something cheaper either. The only reason I'm leaning towards the Magni and Modi is because I like to leave room for something better in the future

 

[sandsvans]

  For the 598 I would suggest just something like the Fiio E17. Can be found for around $109.
 
IMO Magni/Modi is overkill for the 598.
 
BTW I also felt the 598 sounded amazing with even a $30 Creative X-Fi Go Pro. It's an amp/dac found at any Best Buy. It even has pretty good measurements.
 
For me the the 598 doesn't improve/change much with a good amp unlike the HD-600/650.

.
tdockweiler ,Thanks and a Big THUMBS UP for suggesting the Creative X-Fi Go Pro for the Sennheiser HD598.
 
I have a modded Sennheiser HD 558 and tried the Fiio E10 after  Mikes review @ Headfonia and hated it. The Bass was present but the E10 definitely made it sound more bright. It seemed way too jarring for my ears. In fact i doubted my hearing what with all the rave reviews for the E10.
 
Then as a chance read came across your suggestion and found it for $17 on ebay , so decided to give it a shot.
 
I absolutely love it!! The Bass is so much more pronounced and the treble and mids get a slight tweak as well.
 
Im no audiophile and its hard to describe exactly how it sound in words. But like tdockweiler says it does not take away anything for the HD 558 and in no way sounds harsh.
 
Maybe the treble might be a tad bit more than it needs to be but thats all. Its pleasant and does not sound harsh in anyway.
 
I listen to hip-hop and pop on pandora and some 192 - 320kbps mp3s as well and could'nt be happier.
 
Of course my only comparisons here are with the Fiio E10 and a Nuforce Icon HDP that i had a couple of years ago and eventually sold. I ended up selling the E10 as well, could not take the Harshness.
 
The HD558 did not sound all that spectacular with the Nuforce Icon HDP compared to my Macbook Air, so I ended up dumping it.
 
I'd say, after using the HD558 with the $400 Nuforce Icon HDP and the $70 Fiio E10, the Creative X-Fi Go Pro for $17 is fantastic value here and I am shocked with the performance.  Major law of diminishing returns here in this case. 
 
In my opinion this is a definite must buy for the  HD558 / HD598 if like me you listen to pandora and mp3s!