[orbv12]

Greetings,
 
Note: My budget is $500-$600. I have extremely limited listening experience. My current setup is a pair of Logitech G35s. My primary use of this headset is Skype, WoW, metal music, electronic music, and some classical. I have already ordered the HD650s. I am confident in this purchase and, based off of research here on Head-Fi, feel I will be very pleased with them. Remember, I am not an audiophile (yet).
 
I am going to be purchasing a pair of HD650s and was planning on pairing it an ASUS Xonar Essence STX sound card. I can get both items for about $500. I am already confident that running the HD650s from the Xonar Essence STX will be a direct upgrade from my Logitech G35s so I will be pleased even without a dedicated amp. I do have plans to purchase an amp in the future, but for now I am starting small.
 
I also had the idea of purchasing the HD650s and the Schiit Asgard. I would then be using my motherboard as the source. The Asgard has a great price and would be within my budget.
 
What would give a more noticeable upgrade from my Logitech G35s, the HD650 + Schiit Asgard, or the HD650 + Xonar Essence STX?

 

[charli3]

From what i know the Xonar essence can drive the 650's without a problem, but personally never tried the Schiit...maybe someone who owns it can share impressions. 

 

[VictoriaGuy]

Quote:

 
I also had the idea of purchasing the HD650s and the Schiit Asgard. I would then be using my motherboard as the source.

With this option, do you mean you will be using the built-in soundcard on your computer motherboard as the source? This will work, but the soundcard will be the 'weak link' in your audio chain, if your motherboard  is anything like the ones in my computers.
 
Another possibility would be a USB DAC/amplifier combo. There are some pretty reasonable-priced ones available. Though the amp section is perhaps not at the same quality point as the Asgard, you might get better results right away by going that route. You can always buy a better amp later on.
Just a thought....lots of alternatives.
 
John

 

[saber8689]

I recently purchased a HD650 build,
 
HD650-$300
little dot mk4-$345 (you could go with little dot mk3 for $245 or less)
musiland monitor 02-It was a gift, but a new one is $125
 
I suppose that is slightly over your budget, but then again everything I bought was new. You could get it cheaper used for sure.
 
I've heard good things about the xonar as well, good luck =)

 

[orbv12]

Yeah I realize that amping a bad source won't be the best route. Any tried and true DAC/AMP combos under or around $300 that fit the HD 650 decently?

 

[upstateguy]

Hi

For music, check out the Shoutcast site. You can drag high bit rate channels right into a foobar playlist and use them like radio buttons when you want to change the channel.

For a 650 starter amp I like the M^3 which has really good sound, plenty of power and can roll opamps. It is miles ahead of the chinese stuff, IMHO, and you won't have to upgrade until you're ready to spend over 1K for an amp... I still have and use, two of them.

good luck.

USG

 

[desktophifi]

I heard the "Emmeline Hornet" is a good portable amp that can drive the 650's. 
Otherwise save up a little more and get a full size amp....

 

[VictoriaGuy]

Quote:

Yeah I realize that amping a bad source won't be the best route. Any tried and true DAC/AMP combos under or around $300 that fit the HD 650 decently?

I think you want to look at USB DAC/Amp combos?
One  option is a ZeroDAC with USB- it has a good DAC and a decent amp as well. It can also function as a preamp for a speaker system (analog outs with volume control, source select between optical, RCA and USB).
I have one and it works well.
http://cgi.ebay.com/09-NEW-VERSION-ZERO-24-192KHZ-DAC-HEAD-AMP-USB-OPA627-/110571120691
 
Another unit that has been getting some attention is the Yulong U-100 DAC and headphone amp
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Yulong-U100-DAC-Headphone-AMP-Pre-AMP-USB-DAC-C-/250734152665
 
Do your research- lots of choices.....and lots of opinions as well.
Search here at headfi, also rockgrotto in the UK, for other choices.
John

 

[orbv12]

Yeah I've been researching the Zero for a bit. I actually decided to pull the trigger on the Zero DAC today. Will I need any sort of sound card to go with it? I am under the assumption that the DAC will do the work. I will be going from the mobo->zero dac->hd650. I will probably snag a darkvoice 337 in the future.

 

[dayamax]

@OP, the audio-gd sparrow is what you are looking for.
 
or the musiland monitor + LD MK III

 

[dadong]

I would help you out, but my hd650 + little dot mkiv won't be arriving at my door for another week. If you haven't decided by then i will post my impressions on it. also i'm running off an sondigo inferno card which from what i heard has a pretty nice dac.