[heckofagator]

Hi all,
 
I'm a very casual gamer and music listener.  Right now my setup on the PC is using onboard sound from my Dell XPS desktop to JBL LSR305 powered monitors and Beyer 770 pros (although I'm not that happy with them, but that's a different thread).  What I'd like to do is improve the sound just a bit for both gaming and audio and have a setup where the speakers play by default, and then when I plug in the headphones, the speakers shut off.
 
I came across the Schiit Fulla 2, which I think will help me do this on the audio end.  I wasn't sure exactly how to incorporate a gaming sound card into the mix and if that would overly complicate things.  Are those special effects from the Creative/Xonar cards useful, or would the Fulla 2 be good for games too?  I've like to have to avoid switching cables in the back of the PC, etc.
 
thanks!

 

[PurpleAngel]

My two cents.
Asus Xonar DX sound card, for the CS4398 DAC chip and Dolby Headphone.
Bravo Ocean tube (hybrid) headphone amplifier, it comes with a separate line-output (for the JBLs).

 

[heckofagator]

Thanks for the thoughts. So line out from the Xonar into the amp and then another line out from the amp to the powered monitors? And I'll get all of the benefit of the sound card processing with this setup?

I'm still intrigued by the schiit stuff, but this will definitely give me something to investigate.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Thanks for the thoughts. So line out from the Xonar into the amp and then another line out from the amp to the powered monitors? And I'll get all of the benefit of the sound card processing with this setup?

I'm still intrigued by the Schiit stuff, but this will definitely give me something to investigate.

 
The Fulla 2 offers zero surround sound features, so your using stereo audio.
Where as the Xonar DX comes with Dolby Headphone surround sound.
 
Some people are fine playing FPS gaming in stereo audio.

 

[heckofagator]

I jst got the Bravo Ocean in the mail today. Cool little amp.

Is there a preference whether to to 1/8" to dual rca to the amp or just 1/8" to 1/8"? Coin flip?

 

[PurpleAngel]

I jst got the Bravo Ocean in the mail today. Cool little amp.

Is there a preference whether to to 1/8" to dual rca to the amp or just 1/8" to 1/8"? Coin flip?

 
Technically connecting to the RCA input, is better then connecting to the 1/8" input, on the Bravo.
But it's really a very minor point, if you only have a 1/8" to 1/8" cable, might as well just use that.