[pentagram15]

Hey,
 
I have Grado SR325 headphones and Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Platinum sound card. My sound card has lots of output options and it has also lots of software mode. (audio creation, game and entertainment)
 
I'm a little bit confused about which one is the best for listening pure music.
 
Also, is it necessary to buy a headphone amplifier for these equipments? If you think yes, which amp is best for these?

 

[lenjaisb]

 
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I own a pair of Grado Rs1i and i have previously used it with a Creative X-fi sound card. I find that the quality is exceptional when connected directly to the sound card`s direct output. I use Entertainement mode and i disable all the equalizer, surround options. I changed also the settings to Headphone. But even with all these options disabled, u will notice that the sound is slightly colored if you have a natural source to compare to. 
 
Overall, it's a very good sound card for low impedance headphone like Grado, If you want to upgrade, you probably will need to spend over 400$ for a very average dac/amp.
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[pentagram15]

Thanks for your reply. Actually, I don't have chance to try a good headphone amp with my headphones. Because of this, I'm very curious about the difference. :/