[sainthoodx]

I am a new to high quality sound - converted because one day I heard the glory.

Here is my setup (ordered and in the mail):

Headphones: Sennheiser HD 595
Sound Card: Creative Labs x-fi Titanium Fatal1ty 

Here are my questions for anyone with the answers:

1. Does that particular sound card act as a DAC or AMP ?
 
2. If I got a decent full sized amp, would it amp my soundcard (and how would the i/o's connect) or would it just bypass it?
 
3. Similarly,  can I connect a DAC to the soundcard without bypassing it? 

4. Would it be unheard of to have an external AMP and DAC connected to a soundcard like mine

4. Suggestions for amps please

 

[sainthoodx]

Answering these questions would probably clear up a lot of confusion for many other new Head-Fi members who know how to use the search function, further reducing the volume of newb questions. Honestly I couldn't find the answers by searching, so I asked, but perhaps I just didn't know what to search for! Again, answering indepthly with great insight to "newb" questions might contribute to your leadership by helping out junior members - like me! Off my soapbox now: I really do appreciate your help guys (and ladies).

 

[Ypoknons]

A sound card is basically a DAC chip hooked up the to a computer motherboard. A DAC's role is to convert digital music (in the form of 0's and 1's, such as CD's and mp3 files) to analogue waveforms. As such, you can only use one of them in your chain. A soundcard may or may not include an amplifier circuit for headphones. Sound card amplifier circuits are usually nowhere as powerful as a dedicated amplifier for headphones.
 
1. Its primary role is a DAC, but it may have an amp circuit.
 
2. An amplifier circuit takes power from source (battery, PSU) and uses it to amplify analog signals to the point where they are strong enough to move the coils in headphone (or speaker) drivers. Unless you use vinyl or another analog source, you need a DAC in your system. Any dedicated amplifier can be hooked up the sound card's line out. 
 
3. A sound card is just another form of a DAC.  You do not need another DAC after your sound card, once the music has been converted in analog form it does not need to be converted again. 
 
4. One of the DACs would be redundant in such a situation. However, there is a practice where a soundcard is connected to a DAC via a digital connection. In this situation the sound card is not used in its capacity as a digital to analog converter but is kept in the chain for its digital processing effects (e.g. Dolby Headphone or EAX) and the DAC turns the processed digital signal into analog waveforms.   

 

[sainthoodx]

Whoa that response blew my mind and really enlightened me. So I can get a Pico Mini and hook it up to the lineout of my soundcard? I don't think a pico mini will "drive" my HD 595s as efficiently as a non-portable AMP. Or would it? Any ideas for a good larger AMP for my soundcard?

 

[Ypoknons]

You can, a slim portable might be fine for the HD595, it's very efficient, but it'll probably won't be enough for anything hungry. Always match your amp for the power requirements of the headphones considered. There are many, many good models at various price ranges, indeed that's what the whole forum is about. If you're just going to use a HD595 I wouldn't worry about it too much yet. 

 

[Sp3cialBl3nd]

Great post Ypoknons, very informative, simple, and clear.

 

[sainthoodx]

Sweet. I just know the Pico Mini is 12v, which is better than the Slim. Any ideas for a full sized amp?

 

[Ypoknons]

How much money you got? I wouldn't buy an amp for the HD595, I'd buy one for your inevitable upgrade. 

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

How much money you got? I wouldn't buy an amp for the HD595, I'd buy one for your inevitable upgrade. 

 

[sainthoodx]

300$ for an amp. I hear the 595, even though a low impendance, gains a significant sound improvement through amplification! I believe it, so I'm amping

 

[Mr Joboto]

The Matrix M-Stage is in that price range

 

[Ypoknons]

Oh yes, it improves. What you get sounds like soundstage, you know? I used to use Headroom Micro (2006 desktop ver) -> HD595 myself. But don't buy an amp that's just powerful enough for the HD595, get one that's powerful enough to power HD600's, K701's or whatever headphones you see yourself buying in the future. 

 

[sainthoodx]

Well guys, I dropped the hammer and purchased the Matrix M-Stage from coolfungadget on eBay.  After doing some research on the German-made Lehmann BLC, I decided to go with the 279$ (almost 1/4 the price) Chinese clone version! It's good to see that somebody else recommended the M-Stage to me when I revisited this thread!

 

[sainthoodx]

I've wound up with this setup at this point in my journey:

X-FI Titanium -- spdif --> Musical Fidelity V-DAC ----> Matrix M-Stage ----> Beyer DT880 / 600ohmz

Audio addiction!