Completely New to This

[saab]

Hi all. Please bear with me as I am a noob. I have done some searching and have not found really what I need.

Here goes.
I have the Shure E2 earphones plugged into my computer at work. I am using a creative SB live card to plug into. My first question is whether I can use an amplifier with this card (probably a cmoy $$). The card has digital, analog, and surround sound jacks, but I don't believe it has a pre-amp output. Can I use a regular (analog or digital) output with an amp if I have the volume down.

Next I want to use the same amp with a portable cd player that again I don't believe has a line-out. Just a headphone jack.

I don't really want to replace my sources ($), but if I have no other option...

Anyways, any advice will be greatly appreciated

Thanks
John

 

[DevilDog]

Sure, the outs on the soundcard are line outs, the speakers must be powered.
The headphone outs on a portable cd player aren't that powerful, either, so it's okay there as well.
I'm sure some of the smarter guys on here can give you a much more technical answer, but you're okay, either way.

 

[go_vtec]

You will be using mini-to-mini cable (both ends have 1/8" mini plugs) to either connect the lineout of your soundcard or headphone out of your PCDP (Personal CD Player). What model is your CD player? For the best results, you don't want to use headphone out, but you should be using the lineout. Many PCDPs have has a jack for opticalout/lineout, may be yours too?
Welcome to Head-fi and sorry about your wallet

 

[saab]

Thanks for the response.

Would the cmoy be beneficial for the e2's? Other suggestions? I really want to stay pretty well below $100.

Thanks again
John

 

[Mr.Radar]

If you can replace the soundcard in that computer it'd be a much bigger upgrade than an amp. The SoundBlaster Live is known as the worst sounding modern soundcard ever made. I'd reccomend the Chaintech AV-710 or EMU 0404 depending on how much you want to spend.

 

[davvy]

Quote:

If you can replace the soundcard in that computer it'd be a much bigger upgrade than an amp

I couldn't agree more.

Your Shure E2s are basically an easy-to-drive, lower-midrange headphone. There is absolutely no point in partnering them with a low-end amplifier and a (very) crappy source. If I were you, I would forget about an amp completely until you get into headphones more and get a more expensive, hard-to-drive headphone that benefits from an amp.

If you upgrade your soundcard, you will notice a DRAMATIC improvement (I used to own the SB Live a long time ago). I have not owned the E2s, but from what I have read and from my own experience amping the Etymotic Er4Ps (which are a similar easy-to-drive canalphone) adding an amp will give only a small, subtle improvement. If you were to arbitrarily rate your current setups sound quality at 3/10, I would guess that by upgrading your soundcard you might improve it to 6/10, and adding a Cmoy as well would probably improve it to about 6.25/10.

 

[saab]

Thanks for the responses. I have read that the chaintech 710 is a good card for a great price. Is this generally recomended, or are there better sources to use? Maybe I should switch forums.

Anyways, Thanks Agin
John