[TheeeChosenOne]

I just bought the Sennheiser 580's for my computer.

Is there any sound cards that would sound good with this sound card AND have decent amplification w/out having toe buy an amp?

Is this possible or is a separate headphone amp the only route?..........

 

[firefox360]

The best route would be to indeed buy a nice amplifier and then get a decent sound card with a nice line-out. Perhaps the Go-Vibe amplifier coupled with a card from the EMU line.

 

[HFat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheeeChosenOne /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is this possible

Yes, and some people like the result a lot... but it depends on your personal taste, ideology, and obviously listening volume.

 

[Ross1]

Something like the total bihead or EMU 0404 USB sounds like it will do the job you want. I havent listened to the total bithead, but I can say the 0404 has a very very good headphone out, and from what I have read it sounds a bit better than the bithead. Plus it has a lot more ins/outs.

 

[Gatticus]

Yea, I saw someone post the other day that he prefers the EMU 0404 USB with his Sennheiser HD600's to even a $2000.00 DAC he had for a short while.

 

[luidge]

External sound card seem to be the big thing right now. Emu is realy popular here but there is a lot of better/pricier external sound card that you can find for cheap on ebay if you are patient. Just get some information on various site and you be good to go.

 

[Zorander]

For the record, I own the highly acclaimed Prodigy 7.1 (that comes with an on-board head-amp). Despite my finding that it can drive the AKG K601 adequately, I can't get the same satisfactory result with the Senn HD-580 & HD-650. For lack of better words, they still sound like struggling in the bass with a flat soundstage to boot (compared to separate dedicated amplification).

How about a USB DAC with a built-in head-amp instead? I am sure they will deliver more satisfactory result compared to a soundcard, not to mention they will be sited away from the electronically noisy environment of computer internals.

Cheers!

 

[1Time]

From what I've read on Head-Fi, at this point the EMU 0404 USB is the only devise I would be confident in driving my HD580's to my satisfaction, that is, loud, clear and with a full bass response.

 

[jmmtn4aj]

Once again I feel the need to ask about the 0404 USB.

From http://www.emu.com/products/product....Specifications

Quote:

Headphone Amplifier Type: Class-A power amplifier D/A converter: AK4396 (shared with Line Out) Gain Range: 60dB Maximum Output Power: 20mW Output impedance: 22ohms Frequency Response (20Hz-20kHz): +0.06/-0.035dB Dynamic Range (A-weighted): 114dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-weighted): 114dB THD+N (1kHz, max gain): 600ohm load: -95.5dB (.0018%) Stereo Crosstalk (1kHz at -1dBFS, 600 ohm load): < -85dB

Isn't the max output power a tad low for the HD580?

 

[HFat]

On paper, it's not necessarily too low as it should allow the Senns to put out up to 110dB.
However, if the maximum power rating is usually about voltage rather than power (as I've been told by people who know more about these things than I do), then it might not be able to give 20mW to high-impedance headphones... or maybe it is able to give more power than 20mW to low-impedance phones. Maybe you should ask someone to measure it for you.

My (semi-)pro soundcard drives the Senns effortlessly although it relies on USB power. Then again, you might want to listen a lot louder than I do and therefore might need more gain.

 

[Ross1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmmtn4aj /img/forum/go_quote.gif Once again I feel the need to ask about the 0404 USB. From http://www.emu.com/products/product....Specifications Isn't the max output power a tad low for the HD580?

Well, put it this way, I rarely put the volume above 9'oclock for my HD595's.... I dont think there would be any problem whatsoever.

 

[nautikal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, put it this way, I rarely put the volume above 9'oclock for my HD595's.... I dont think there would be any problem whatsoever.

595's are much easier to drive than 580's.

 

[TheeeChosenOne]

Is the Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Platinum (has a $100 rebate) of comparable quality to the EMU?.......

 

[cfull]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheeeChosenOne /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is the Creative SOUND BLASTER X-Fi Platinum (has a $100 rebate) of comparable quality to the EMU?.......

Probably even more so. It is, after all, BETTER THAN STUDIO QUALITY.