[pandastyle]

So I just go a set of DT 990 600 ohm's in the mail today.  I'm loving them, but when I crank them up they get very distorted.  Plugged them into my Marantz PM5004 integrated amp which is being fed from the line out of my MacBook Pro.  Granted, my taste in music is drum & bass.  I'm thinking this is a source issue.  The MP3 is a store bought (surus) 320k mp3 which seems to be very clean so I'm thinking this would be resolved by getting a DAC and a headphone amp.  I know this is probably first grade here on head-fi, but help me out!  Would the cheap Schiit DAC/headphone amp combo work for this?

 

[shadow419]

Any chance you're using too much eq trying to increase the bass?  You might just be hearing a clipped signal that's amplified.  Speakers/headphones don't like this and it sounds pretty bad.

 

[pandastyle]

I keep the media player flat and have the bass and treble right at their center points.