[daviscup1980]

I have bought a set of in ears this week, its the Nuforce NE-700X new & improved 2013.
I have them connected directly to my acer laptop, and also sometimes to my ipod classic.
What i really want to know is how i can improve the soundquality/power without spending lots of cash.
I have the option of buying a Audio2 dj soundcard, but also some DACS, like the Fiio e5, Fiio e10, Fiio E02i Rocky.
I hope you guys can tell me what to choose, i dont want to spend lots of cash, and my biggest demand is some more power overal in sound.
Whats the big difference in DAC or a DJ Soundcard??
 
THX!!

 

[marone]

Some, not all, say that a ODAC outside of the computer sounds better.

I have 8 USB ODAC's and they all isolate the bus background noise and lower the noise floor to "hi-fi" levels.

A good sound card should (I have not compared) do the same. 'Should'. But it is still inside the machine and on the PC bus and subject to pc/digital/process artifacts.

There are so many DAC's that are USB based, plug them into your laptop and the OS sees it and sends the sound to it, that you can find one in your price range. From $10 and up.

 

[daviscup1980]

Thank you for your answer
So a audio2 dj should make some difference in power and quality for my in ears when i attache it to my pc?
But i also listen with my ipod classic, so a little dac should be better i think, because i can hook that up to my pc as well to my ipod,right?
Are there some good dac's for my budget? ( 60 euro's).

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Thank you for your answer
So a audio2 dj should make some difference in power and quality for my in ears when I attache it to my PC?
But i also listen with my iPod classic, so a little DAC should be better I think, because I can hook that up to my PC as well to my iPod,right?
Are there some good DAC's for my budget? ( 60 euro's).

To improve audio quality with your laptop, a USB DAC with a built in low impedance headphone amplifier would be the best, A FiiO E10 or FiiO E7 would do the job, maybe a used E07K would be with in your budget.
I would not bother getting anything for the iPod, technically it's better already at driving your 16-Ohm IEMs better then your stock laptop audio.

 

[daviscup1980]

Can you maybe help me with some other options as well?
So i need a low impedance usb dac, what else can you reccomend?
IS this also good:
AUdio2dj soundcard? i can buy it as used for 35 dollars!

 

[DrSheep]

Do NOT get a soundcard, and always get an external DAC/AMP instead.  For starter you can try the ELE EL-D02 for ~$20.

 

[daviscup1980]

  Do NOT get a soundcard, and always get an external DAC/AMP instead.  For starter you can try the ELE EL-D02 for ~$20.

I really am a noob in this subject, so why do you say this? what is the motivation behind it?
Also important: i only listen to music via laptop and sometimes via ipod classic 160gb, i never listen music via mobile phone.
my nuforce in ears has 16 ohms power, is that also something to keep in mind?

 

[daviscup1980]

I can buy the Audio2dj soundcard for just 30 dollars!
specifications of my nuforce ne-700x:
 
Earphones Driver Size: 8mm
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Frequency Response: 20 to 20kHz
Rated Power: 3m W Max.
Input Power: 10m W
Sensitivity: 105 dB+/-3dB
Plug: 3.5mm
Mechanical Connector Specification: 3.5mm 4-pole stereo/iPhone compatible plug
Weight (without packing): 15.4 grams
Package Contents Include Stereo headset (with microphone for NE-700M) 3 pairs of single flange ear-tips (2 small, 2 medium, 2 large) and 1 pair of triple flange ear-tips Carrying case
 
 
specifiactions of the Audio2 dj soundcard:
 

1. Audio Converters (Inputs A/D)
   1. Channels (A/D, D/A): 0, 4
   2. Sample Rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz
   3. Bit Resolution: 24 Bit
   4. Converter: Cirrus Logic
2. Line Outputs
   1. Max. Output Level: +9.6 dBu
   2. Gain
   3. Dynamic Range (A weighted): 101 dBu (A)
   4. THD+N (Max. Level): 0.007%
   5. Frequency Response, -1 Db: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
   6. Cross Talk @ 1 kHz to next channel: -87 dBu
3. Headphone Output
   1. Load Impedance: 8 Ohms - 600 Ohms
   2. Maximum Output Level: 9.3 dBu, 4.26 V rms, 100 mW @ 100 Ohms
   3. Dynamic Range (A weighted): 95 dBu
   4. THD+N (Max Level, high Imp, 100 Ohms): 0.012%
   5. Frequency Response (96 kHz), -1 dB: 10 Hz - 40 kHz

 
 
I really want to know if my nuforce will benefit from this soundcard when i connect it to my laptop

 

[DrSheep]

  I really am a noob in this subject, so why do you say this? what is the motivation behind it?
Also important: i only listen to music via laptop and sometimes via ipod classic 160gb, i never listen music via mobile phone.
my nuforce in ears has 16 ohms power, is that also something to keep in mind?

1, any internal sound card will get a lot of noise, but you got a laptop so this is not a problem as you can't upgrade internal audio anyway.
2, yes, you need to apply the "8:1 rule" (more like a guild as it is not absolute) here for impedance matching.  For a headphone with 16 ohms input impedance, it is generally ideal to get something with less than 16/8=2 ohms of output impedance from the DAC/AMP.  However, almost all portable audio has <2 ohms anyway so this will not be a problem for you.  BTW, ohms is not power, mW is.

 

[daviscup1980]

  1, any internal sound card will get a lot of noise, but you got a laptop so this is not a problem as you can't upgrade internal audio anyway.
2, yes, you need to apply the "8:1 rule" (more like a guild as it is not absolute) here for impedance matching.  For a headphone with 16 ohms input impedance, it is generally ideal to get something with less than 16/8=2 ohms of output impedance from the DAC/AMP.  However, almost all portable audio has <2 ohms anyway so this will not be a problem for you.  BTW, ohms is not power, mW is.

I still dont have a clue what too choose now
When you the specifications of the auido2dj dj interface you still say its not good for my in ears?

 

[DrSheep]

  I still dont have a clue what too choose now
When you the specifications of the auido2dj dj interface you still say its not good for my in ears?

It should be fine consider the price.

 

[daviscup1980]

  It should be fine consider the price.

Can you maybe tell me what it will do with the sound coming out of my in ears directly via laptop? what will improve if you look at the specifications? and why?
Thanks already for your advice!

 

[DrSheep]

  Can you maybe tell me what it will do with the sound coming out of my in ears directly via laptop? what will improve if you look at the specifications? and why?
Thanks already for your advice!

Why asking me when you already know the answer to this already?

 

[daviscup1980]

Sorry, but its because i dont really understand everything you tell and explain

 

[DrSheep]

  Sorry, but its because i dont really understand everything you tell and explain

Ok, watch this first, then tell me what you think: