Getting 598's; with a hand-me-down Logitech X-540 system, is a sound card necessary? Details inside.

[onemanband]

So I've wanted good headphones for a very long time. My sister, a music junkie, gave me her old Logitech X-540 sound system a while back.
Most likely I am getting Sennheiser 598's, unless I can be convinced otherwise. 
 
 
Will a sound card like the ASUS Xonar Essence ST ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132014 ) really change my sound experience that much? Could I just plug in my headphones to the jack in the sound system? I'm new to this, and short on money.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

So I've wanted good headphones for a very long time. My sister, a music junkie, gave me her old Logitech X-540 sound system a while back.
Most likely I am getting Sennheiser 598's, unless I can be convinced otherwise. 
 
 
Will a sound card like the ASUS Xonar Essence ST ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132014 ) really change my sound experience that much? Could I just plug in my headphones to the jack in the sound system? I'm new to this, and short on money.

The Asus Xonar Essence ST can only do analog 2.0 channel output, you need analog 5.1 channel output for the X-540.
 
The Asus Xonar DG comes with analog 5.1, and you can use your headphone with the computer cases front headphone jack, if there is one.
The Creative Recon3D has a separate headphone jack on the back panel from the analog 5.1.

 

[onemanband]

Well I apologize if this was a stupid question, but if I got the $200 sound card it would really only be for the headphones. So I was wondering if I could just plug the 598 into the headphone jack that the X-540 has, or if that's not good enough.
 
Any thoughts?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Well I apologize if this was a stupid question, but if I got the $200 sound card it would really only be for the headphones. So I was wondering if I could just plug the 598 into the headphone jack that the X-540 has, or if that's not good enough.
 
Any thoughts?

Not a great way of getting the best out of the HD598.
Just get the Asus Xonar DG($26), better then on-board audio.

 

[onemanband]

Okay.
 
What about the DG makes it better? I don't mean to shoot down help, I'm just curious as I'm new to the hardware end of all this.
 
I mean I'm just trying to reconcile the price difference, what with the Xonar Essence at $200 and all its positive reviews.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Okay.
 
What about the DG makes it better? I don't mean to shoot down help, I'm just curious as I'm new to the hardware end of all this.
 
I mean I'm just trying to reconcile the price difference, what with the Xonar Essence at $200 and all its positive reviews.

The Xonar Essence ST/STX gets great reviews for headphone because the headphones are plugged into the headphone jack, not the X-540 speakers.
If you do not need a sound card that supports analog 5.1 for the Logitech X-540 speakers, the Xonar Essence is great.
Personally I would go for the Essence STX, as it's cheaper.
 
The Xonar DG is good because it's low cost and supports analog 5.1 speakers and has a very basic half-way decent headphone amplifier.
The Essence has better surround sound, better DAC, better headphone amplifier, upgradeable op-amps, better S/PDIF output.

 

[onemanband]

I don't mean to bump this thread, but I decided to splurge on a used ~$120 Essence STX, and it is totally worth it. When I put them on I can't tell if they are actually on; it sounds as if the sound is being projected from my speakers. It is amazing.
 
 
Thanks for your help.