[Devon8822]

Maybe someone can answer some questions for me about Balanced setup and about DACs/sources.

I don't know whether i should get a external DAC or a new sound card. What do most people do, and what has the potential for better sound quality? Are the prices comparable?

For a balanced setup do you just need new headphone cables for a HD-650? or do you need a special amp and dac for this? explain?

 

[Namrac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Devon8822 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe someone can answer some questions for me about Balanced setup and about DACs/sources. I don't know whether i should get a external DAC or a new sound card. What do most people do, and what has the potential for better sound quality? Are the prices comparable? For a balanced setup do you just need new headphone cables for a HD-650? or do you need a special amp and dac for this? explain?

External DACs can range in price from less than $100 to several thousand. An external can have more room for parts, and doesn't have to deal with the immense interference that exists inside a computer, and is the choice most people in PC-sourced Hi-fi go with.

Balanced requires a balanced source, feeding a balanced amplifier, feeding a headphone re-cabled to balanced. Usually connected with the XLR interface instead of RCA (though not always).

So a possible balanced setup would be something like this:

Benchmark DAC1 XLR out > Headamp GSX > recabled HD650.