Chairman
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2012
- Posts
- 9
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- 0
Hi everyone,
I'm kind of new to the whole headphone scene, and I've been reading a lot of threads and trying out different options. I've decided on a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pros (250 ohm), but I've got a bunch of questions regarding DACs and amps that hopefully someone can shed some light on.
I'll be using the headphones mostly at a desktop computer, primarily for listening to music (mostly rock, classical, jazz, etc...not much hip hop or electronic), but also a little bit for gaming and for mixing. I'll occasionally use them with an iPod, so something with a portable option like the FiiO E17 would be gravy, but not necessary since the headphones shouldn't be too hard to drive without one. I'm having some issues picking the right hardware to get the job done. My budget is around $250 for everything (except the cans).
So for the DAC, since I'll be doing a bit of gaming, would it be better to get a PCI soundcard that also does music well (if so, any recommendations?), and then get a dedicated headphone amp, or would something external like the Audioengine D1 or FiiO E9/E17 combo be better?
I've also got a set of Logitech Z5500 5.1 speakers that I'd like to use which can be connected via digital optical, coaxial, or direct via 3 3.5mm plugs, so it would be an added bonus if the DAC could support and improve the sound of the speakers as well.
As for the amp, I'd like something reliable that would complement the DT 880s well. I don't know if tube might be better to add a bit of darkness and warmth to balance the brightness of the headphones, but then I hear there are lots of good solid state options...throw some recommendations at me please!
The last thing, I'm also looking to buy a USB audio interface for recording. I've settled on the Focusrite Scarlett series, either the 2i2 or the 8i6. I'm not great with the technical jargon, but from what I understand, these are ADCs but also have headphone amps intended for monitoring. Would the Scarlett combined with a DAC bypass the need for a headphone amp completely, since I could just output my PC's audio through the Scarlett's headphone out? Or is that just a bad idea as far as audio quality goes? I think the headphone amp impedance is rated at <10 ohm, so should be fine with the 250 ohm DT 880s.
I'd really appreciate any help or suggestions with this...I really don't want to spend a bunch of money on something that doesn't make a noticeable difference in sound quality (though I'm sure any option is better than plugging directly into the sound on my motherboard).
Thanks!
I'm kind of new to the whole headphone scene, and I've been reading a lot of threads and trying out different options. I've decided on a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pros (250 ohm), but I've got a bunch of questions regarding DACs and amps that hopefully someone can shed some light on.
I'll be using the headphones mostly at a desktop computer, primarily for listening to music (mostly rock, classical, jazz, etc...not much hip hop or electronic), but also a little bit for gaming and for mixing. I'll occasionally use them with an iPod, so something with a portable option like the FiiO E17 would be gravy, but not necessary since the headphones shouldn't be too hard to drive without one. I'm having some issues picking the right hardware to get the job done. My budget is around $250 for everything (except the cans).
So for the DAC, since I'll be doing a bit of gaming, would it be better to get a PCI soundcard that also does music well (if so, any recommendations?), and then get a dedicated headphone amp, or would something external like the Audioengine D1 or FiiO E9/E17 combo be better?
I've also got a set of Logitech Z5500 5.1 speakers that I'd like to use which can be connected via digital optical, coaxial, or direct via 3 3.5mm plugs, so it would be an added bonus if the DAC could support and improve the sound of the speakers as well.
As for the amp, I'd like something reliable that would complement the DT 880s well. I don't know if tube might be better to add a bit of darkness and warmth to balance the brightness of the headphones, but then I hear there are lots of good solid state options...throw some recommendations at me please!
The last thing, I'm also looking to buy a USB audio interface for recording. I've settled on the Focusrite Scarlett series, either the 2i2 or the 8i6. I'm not great with the technical jargon, but from what I understand, these are ADCs but also have headphone amps intended for monitoring. Would the Scarlett combined with a DAC bypass the need for a headphone amp completely, since I could just output my PC's audio through the Scarlett's headphone out? Or is that just a bad idea as far as audio quality goes? I think the headphone amp impedance is rated at <10 ohm, so should be fine with the 250 ohm DT 880s.
I'd really appreciate any help or suggestions with this...I really don't want to spend a bunch of money on something that doesn't make a noticeable difference in sound quality (though I'm sure any option is better than plugging directly into the sound on my motherboard).
Thanks!