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According to this test and review http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/gigabyte_z87_g1_sniper_5_review_motherboard,4.html
the G1.Sniper 5 board is supplied with two interchangeable opamps:
Gigabyte's website doesn't describe the specific opamps (maybe it's different in different markets) but the guru3d reviewer has hands-on experience so seems like a reasonably good source of information.
Well, I didn't see anywhere in that write-up that headphones were used, in fact I don't even recall reading if any speakers at all were used which makes me feel like any claims about the quality of the audio on that board were dubious coming from that author. Not that it doesn't have high-quality sound, but there was nothing I saw in that article that even elaborated on why it had good sound or in what area, music, gaming, what-have-you. Kinda generic, that read, but it did mention OpAmps available for that board. I checked the datasheets on the DRV632 on the board and it's minimum load is, again 600-Ohms. And concerning the changable OpAmps after the DRV632, the LM4562 datasheet also yields loads of 600-Ohms or higher, upwards of 2000-Ohms and higher in fact.
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But that's not the board being purchased and doesn't even have the same components or even a remotely similar audio specification. Using it to assert deficiencies and put doubt into the mind of the purchaser is incredibly confusing and unhelpful.
Isn't that the board he started the thread about? Did you read the whole thread? He didn't mention the Xonar till later. I've already read one or two threads from users who ran the Xonar with the same headphones and weren't happy, however given the information I just read about the STX, and it's massive ability to adjust the voltage gain, said users probably didn't set the card correctly and missed out.
So the Xonar could be a good companion for those headphones, but I have doubts about the Gigabyte's on-board hardware being well matched.
I don't know why you say I am "asserting deficiencies," I'm pointing out mismatches in hopes he will be more aware of what he is buying and why he should buy it. I think you're the one who caused confusion. You're very quick to act as if I don't know how to read a datasheet, claiming the issues I'm bringing up are non-existent, but I don't see you offering proof as to why it should work. Honestly, just be professional and provide reasons for WHY it should be a non-issue, even your own experiences with said combinations if you have any, but don't clown on my cautioning him or act as if I should be ignored when you don't provide any real reasons of your own. It's not nice to slander another user simply because you disagree with them for reasons you don't even make known.
Aren't you the one who said, "I would be looking for some proper tests (measurements not just opinions) and some actual user reports." Well, you haven't provided any first-hand experience, only your opinion that because it's such an expensive board which has had such immense effort put into it's audio quality (and yet it has polarized, electrolytic bypass caps, which aren't themselves bypassed by films... please, lol I love computer audio, but your idea of what makes high-resolution sound seems more like the glorified paragraphs of a marketing brochure) followed by your opinion that my opinion is unrealistic. Look, I do a lot of component-level parts swapping on sound-cards and other hardware, and I've used say 24-Ohm headphones on OpAmps that werne't meant to run that sort of load and it sounded okay, but after using them on a proper amplifier they sounded much better. But I never used a setup that was mismatched so far as a difference of hundreds or thousands of Ohms which is why I am wary of this combination the OP is mentioning. That's all.
I don't know why you're getting so worked up nor why you're pushing this particular motherboards audio in this way. And make sure you don't confuse the typical view of very nice BurrBrown DAC's which simple OpAmps. While it's neat that you can change the OpAmps to achieve different sound, they are still preceded by the TexasInstruments line-level driver IC's and Creative's processor; I imagine these are strikes against it in some peoples minds as "audiophile" grade equipment is concerned.
And High-Definition audio on a home-theater setup is not even close to the same thing as high-resolution audio on a music-listening rig, they are completely different worlds and usually push different topologies when it comes to hardware design. I don't recall which the OP is looking for, but while the motherboard may have good audio, it doesn't mean it's matched well to those headphones.
Blah, it's late; good night!
