[nignog]

Hi there head-fi. I'm looking forward to a pleasant experience as a new member of head-fi. Unfortunately i have a few quite-big questions to ask that may make me look like a moron, so please bare with me.
 
Big question #1
I come to you here today as a seasoned musician, and a newbie in sound tech. I'm currently using a PC setup that I use for both recording and gaming/anime/music. I own a pair of Sennheiser HD280s, some corsair gaming headphones (yes, yes I know.), an audio interface for recording (Focusrite saffire pro 40), and of course I have my pc. So to start off my dumb newbie questions, I have to ask:
 
My idea of a setup would be PC->Focusrite Interface->HD280s for headphone monitoring when I record, and purchase another pair of headphones, and a better sound card+amp in order to go: PC->Not on-board sound card->amp->headphones. But my question is, is this really necessary?
 
So, in junction with my initial question, will my focusrite audio interface be enough for the likes of daily 13+ hour usage on more than just music recording? Is it safe to leave it on for such long periods of time just so I can use it to game/watch anime/listen to music? Or should I invest in a soundcard to replace my onboard sound, to then wire to an amp, and then into another pair of headphones?: in order to leave my interface for just recording purposes.
 
--and to add onto that question, if I have an amp, do I need to invest in a better soundcard or does that bypass my soundcard in a similar fashion to my recording interface?
 
I know I asked a lot of questions in junction to one another, but I hope I made myself clear. Let me know if I should be elaborating on something.
 
 
Big question #2 (in relation with above gigantic question)
Lastly, assuming my newbie mind is correct about the assumption I'm making; (PC>Sound card>amp>headphones in order to keep interface solely for recording purposes) being right; what pair of headphones/amp/soundcards should I be looking for? I'm willing to spend up to 250-300USD for just the headphones themselves; and a max of 600 for everything. I'm looking for a decent-budget sweetspot.
 
Well what kind of headphones do i prefer?
I hate when my ears hurt/top of my head aches because of headphone weight/pressure so I'd prefer lightweight headphones and less ear heavy cans (if thats even a thing). I don't have a preference as far as open/closed headphones go, but as far as I can tell; the closed headphones ive used tended to be heavier.. i think. I seem to have a ear for sound, but i haven't tried very many headphones. I really like how the akg k701s look, and as far as I can tell I think they might be the headphones for me; unless I can find something significantly better for my case.
 
Anyways, hopefully my questions were organized enough not to confuse anyone. Any advice/tips/recommendations would be great. Thanks a bunch. I look forward to my membership here. 

 

[davidsh]

I think you should start with interface->amp->headphones if possible.
What do you listen to?

 

[nignog]

I don't have an issue with the quality of sound coming from my interface. I'm more so looking to replace my headset that I've been using for gaming because my left can is dying, it's heavy, and the quality of sound isn't something I'm satisfied with. If my interface was good enough for _______; I'd be glad to use a great pair of headphones with it, but if my interface wasn't necessarily designed for 13+ hours of daily use for gaming/movies/anime/music (mainly anime/gaming), then I'd rather spend some money on a setup not involving the hardware/gear I use to record.
 
But if what you recommend is still the case, I'll happily answer your question:
 
I Literally everything. If I had to list a few in order of amount listened to it'd look something like:
 
Metal
Classical/Orchestral
Jazz
Pop
and all sorts of video game music (ie. Ragnarok bg music)
 
Thanks a bunch. I appreciate it.
 
EDIT: I also use a pair of yamaha HS50Ms. It's my main recording monitoring gear, I use the sennheisers to get some headphone reference here and there.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would guess you could try.
PC> S/PDIF (optical or coaxial)>Focusrite> AKG 7XX headphones.
Make sure you have updated to the latest audio drivers for your motherboard and have S/PDIF enable in audio software.
And also have "Headphone" enabled in the PC's audio control panel.
 
What is the make and model of your motherboard?

 

[davidsh]

How much does your interface cost? The question is how good the DAC in the interface is.
Of course the interface should be just fine being on for many hours a day.

 

[nignog]

Quote:

I would guess you could try.
PC> S/PDIF (optical or coaxial)>Focusrite> AKG 7XX headphones.
Make sure you have updated to the latest audio drivers for your motherboard and have S/PDIF enable in audio software.
And also have "Headphone" enabled in the PC's audio control panel.
 
What is the make and model of your motherboard?

 
My motherboard is a Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4. http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3910#ov
Quote:

How much does your interface cost? The question is how good the DAC in the interface is.
Of course the interface should be just fine being on for many hours a day.

 
My interface costs $500USD. http://us.focusrite.com/firewire-audio-interfaces/saffire-pro-40

 

[davidsh]

The k7xx's and a good amp would probs be a great place to start. They do need some amping to shine. There is a line-out from the pro-40 right?
 
If you wanna go another route I can also highly recommend a vintage/older Stax system (or a new one for that sake, but they are kinda expensive).

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

 
My motherboard is a Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4. http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3910#ov
 
My interface costs $500USD. http://us.focusrite.com/firewire-audio-interfaces/saffire-pro-40

Your motherboard's built in sound card can process games/movies/music and send it thru the S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) output to the Focusrite's S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) input.
I'm going to assume the Focusrite's DAC is better then the motherboard's DAC, that is why you would connect using digital S/PDIF, instead of an 3.5mm/ RCA (red/white) analog audio signal.
So really just need to get the AKG K701 headphones and plug them into the Focusrite.
 
You might find some used AKG K701s used for around $200.
And I'm going to guess once you start using the K701, you will sell off the Senn HD280s.
From what I've heard the AKG 7XX series are a good choice for working with music audio.
 
If you decide the Focusrite is not driving the K701s well enough, you can always look into buying a headphone amp or DAC/amp.

 

[nignog]

Quote:

Your motherboard's built in sound card can process games/movies/music and send it thru the S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) output to the Focusrite's S/PDIF (optical or coaxial) input.
I'm going to assume the Focusrite's DAC is better then the motherboard's DAC, that is why you would connect using digital S/PDIF, instead of an 3.5mm/ RCA (red/white) analog audio signal.
So really just need to get the AKG K701 headphones and plug them into the Focusrite.
 
You might find some used AKG K701s used for around $200.
And I'm going to guess once you start using the K701, you will sell off the Senn HD280s.
From what I've heard the AKG 7XX series are a good choice for working with music audio.
 
If you decide the Focusrite is not driving the K701s well enough, you can always look into buying a headphone amp or DAC/amp.

I'm not doubting what you're saying by any means, but I have to ask how my focusrite recording rack compares in sound quality when comparing to the normal setup users have (generally a straight pc>(card)>amp>headphones setup or something). Am I being recommended this because I've already spent money on my interface and you're trying to help me save money by using what gear I already have; or because purchasing a different setup won't benefit me in sound quality?
 
Thanks again.

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

I'm not doubting what you're saying by any means, but I have to ask how my focusrite recording rack compares in sound quality when comparing to the normal setup users have (generally a straight pc>DAC>amp>headphones* setup or something). Am I being recommended this because I've already spent money on my interface and you're trying to help me save money by using what gear I already have; or because purchasing a different setup won't benefit me in sound quality?
 
Thanks again.

*That is the usual head-fi setup. In general you get more value for your money with a DAC compared to a sound card. The thing is, I doubt any of us know how good your interface is as headphone amp and DAC, but we suppose it can't be bad when it cost 500$, so you should probably try that before buying dedicated DAC and amp and see what you think. I doubt the built in amp is anything extraordinary, though.

 

[nignog]

DAC, the only DAC i know is Digital Audio Cables. Is this what you mean there? (I know this is a dumb question). Also, fair enough that I should try the interface first. I'll probably go ahead and do that. But in the case that I do not find the interface good enough, what should I be looking into as far as DAC and an amp goes; to pair with k701s, of course.
 
Thanks again, you're a huge help.

 

[davidsh]

Digital to Analogue Converter = DAC
 
Function: Converting music files into electric signals. An amplifier does what the name implies; amplify the audio signal from the DAC. There is a DAC built into any sound card (assuming it can output sound). There is also a DAC in your interface along with an ADC (Analogue to Digital Converter, sound input to music file converter). The question is how good the amp and DAC in the interface is.
 
Which country do you reside in?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I'm not doubting what you're saying by any means, but I have to ask how my Focusrite recording rack compares in sound quality when comparing to the normal setup users have (generally a straight pc>(card)>amp>headphones setup or something). Am I being recommended this because I've already spent money on my interface and you're trying to help me save money by using what gear I already have; or because purchasing a different setup won't benefit me in sound quality?

I'm not sure how much you would need to reasonably spend to get a noticeable step above the Focusrite.
I would think an internal sound card like the Asus Xonar DX or D1 can match the sound quality (DAC) of the Focusrite.
Something like the Audinengine D1 ($175) external DAC/Amp should make the AKG K701s sound sweet.
You can threw enough money into this ($300) to for sure beat the Focusrite.

 

[MrScratch]

The Focusrite Saffire PRO 40 seems to carry a Cirrus Logic CS4272 chip intended for the DA/AD conversion, this means it probably outperforms your PC internal soundcard in terms of digital to analog performance by a resonable margin (it's a 192KHz/24bit DAC chip capped at 96KHz on this unit).
On the other hand, the headphone amp section isn't as good as it should be: the high output impedance (around 7Ω) paired with the not-so-high maximum output power (220mW on a 32Ω load) won't give the unit enough room to deliver the juice required to properly drive a wide range of cans. I'll be honest, the K7xx family appears to be the worst choice for this setup.

You can still hook a dedicated external amp to one of the line level outputs located on the back of the unit (they seem to be all 1/4 stereo TRS sockets, so you should use a 1/4 stereo TRS to RCA cable/adapter), this means that with the right amp you'll be able to get the maximum SQ out of your cans (K701 included).

You could start with the K701 mentioned before and if you find the sound lacking you can still pair your current rig with a more powerful amp. ^^

 

[nignog]

Quote:

Digital to Analogue Converter = DAC
 
Function: Converting music files into electric signals. An amplifier does what the name implies; amplify the audio signal from the DAC. There is a DAC built into any sound card (assuming it can output sound). There is also a DAC in your interface along with an ADC (Analogue to Digital Converter, sound input to music file converter). The question is how good the amp and DAC in the interface is.
 
Which country do you reside in?

I reside in the US. Specifically, California.
Quote:

I'm not sure how much you would need to reasonably spend to get a noticeable step above the Focusrite.
I would think an internal sound card like the Asus Xonar DX or D1 can match the sound quality (DAC) of the Focusrite.
Something like the Audinengine D1 ($175) external DAC/Amp should make the AKG K701s sound sweet.
You can threw enough money into this ($300) to for sure beat the Focusrite.

Are we talking $300 total, or 300 for just the DAC?
Quote:

The Focusrite Saffire PRO 40 seems to carry a Cirrus Logic CS4272 chip intended for the DA/AD conversion, this means it probably outperforms your PC internal soundcard in terms of digital to analog performance by a resonable margin (it's a 192KHz/24bit DAC chip capped at 96KHz on this unit).
On the other hand, the headphone amp section isn't as good as it should be: the high output impedance (around 7Ω) paired with the not-so-high maximum output power (220mW on a 32Ω load) won't give the unit enough room to deliver the juice required to properly drive a wide range of cans. I'll be honest, the K7xx family appears to be the worst choice for this setup.

You can still hook a dedicated external amp to one of the line level outputs located on the back of the unit (they seem to be all 1/4 stereo TRS sockets, so you should use a 1/4 stereo TRS to RCA cable/adapter), this means that with the right amp you'll be able to get the maximum SQ out of your cans (K701 included).

You could start with the K701 mentioned before and if you find the sound lacking you can still pair your current rig with a more powerful amp. ^^

Wow, thanks a bunch for the insight. Being that I'm completely new to this whole sound thing, I'd love to ask for some advice on where I can start looking for some proper amps; and maybe throw me a general sweet spot price range where I can get the most for my money? Thanks again.
 
EDIT: Would said amp be able to drive my HM80s Speakers as well? It'd be pretty neat to start a stacked rack-mount looking setup and have it drive both my future headphones and my studio monitors (assuming it'll benefit me).