[tempest811]

Hey guys. I just went out and got me a pair of DT 770's (80 ohm) for my trance/bass needs. The problem is I have a Soundblaster Live! card and it is so beyond bad its not even funny...the bass distorts if its even turned up AT ALL. Every volume setting on my computer is at its max and it still isn't loud.

Please let me know what you recommend as a good sound card for around $100. 95% trance/techno, 5% gaming. I don't care about how much it takes away from my performance...I just want something to do these headphones justice.

 

[breez]

EMU 0404

 

[tempest811]

Hey - thanks. I see in its stats that it has "2x24-bit/96kHz 1/4" analogue Outputs" ...does that basically mean 2 headphone jacks? Sorry for my noobness.

 

[Rempert]

It sounds like your card is underpowering the headphones, and on top of that you may be getting digital clipping from having all of the volume controls maxed with bassy EQ and bass heavy music. Some soundcards should have beefier output than the SB Live, but you may want to consider an amp.

Regarding the jacks on the EMU cards, those are 1/4" mono left and right. So to plug headphones directly into the card requires some extra cabling/adapters. Unless you build your own custom cable, the cheapest solution to that would be 2 adapters to turn the 1/4" jacks into RCA jacks, and a y-cable with a 1/8" stereo jack on one end and 2 RCA plugs on the other.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Yes, but one is for left channel and one for right, so you'd need an adaptor to hook up the cans directly. I saw Distroyed say that the 0404 powers his HD650 good, so you should be fine with the DT770/80 as it takes about as much power. I recommended the AV710 in your other thread, bu if you have the money for the EMU by all means get it.