[morunas]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for recommendations to improve my desktop audio setup, considering the following:

Budget: I'm thinking up to around $1500, but it's flexible.

HEADPHONES
For many years I have used my Sennheiser RS180 which I love. But I want something better:

Purpose: Music

Music I listen to: Key distinct examples that are not just work background would be Pink Floyd, Infected Mushroom, epic soundtracks like Interstellar's, a variety of classical composers, single/few instruments music like Celtic and Nordic Folk (e.g. Wardruna), spanish guitar, bossa nova.

Sound: soundstage and warmth, not too much bass. (even though I love Infected Mushroom... I like to keep the bass just fair)

Type: I think open and circumaural is best for the purpose as there is no room noise, but it's not mandatory.

Look/Style: I guess this only matters for some... but I'm a stickler for a certain "fine style" (which I know is subjective) when it comes to every day items such as headphones, so as a reference example I find Meze's Classics 99 and Empyrean beautiful... but the Sennheiser 600s to 800s not so much. Nice finishes, wood, aluminium, leather, cables, etc. I care about that :- )

Candidates so far: Klipsch HP-3. Meze Classics 99. Audeze LCD2. Grado GS1000e. Fostex T60RP. I've been also considering the Meze Empyrean which is off budget, but not impossible... but maybe going from nothing to some of the top headfirst is not adviseable?


AMP+DAC
I have a Xonar Audio DX 7.1 soundcard but I would like to keep it for now only to output to speakers and possibly one day I will remove it in favor of external solutions. So I would like an external AMP+DAC.

Purpose: Drive the new Headphones and possibly serve as DAC as well for the RS180 instead of how they are setup atm which is to my RØDE NT-USB mic.

Candidates so far: Schiit stack (not sure what/which), JDS Labs The Element II

All help and suggestions are appreciated!

Best regards,
morunas

 

[nordkapp]

Just my 2 cents worth.....I will not advise headphones however, i cannot think of a better one box solution for you, considering your budget, than the Benchmark DAC2 or DAC3. Ultra-reliable, clean sound, compact. IMO, there is no appreciable sound difference between the two. Both can be had on the used market fairly easily as well. Good luck to you.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

There's a Hugo 2 in the Amp section at £1100..you can start from there

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-chord-hugo-2.928338/

 

[morunas]

Just my 2 cents worth.....I will not advise headphones however, i cannot think of a better one box solution for you, considering your budget, than the Benchmark DAC2 or DAC3. Ultra-reliable, clean sound, compact. IMO, there is no appreciable sound difference between the two. Both can be had on the used market fairly easily as well. Good luck to you.

There's a Hugo 2 in the Amp section at £1100..you can start from there
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-chord-hugo-2.928338/

Hey guys, sorry but I am confused... you both are suggesting expensive AMP and DACs... but no headphone?

From what I understood the best way is to invest more - by far - on the headphones... and then get AMP+DAC suited to drive them. So I had thought of distributing the budget something like $1000-1200 for Headphones $300-500 for the rest. But are you suggesting that I instead get an expensive DAC for the RS180? Maybe I didn't describe well enough what I am looking for.

Nonetheless thank you for your inputs and let me know if any bit of my post was confusing

Cheers!
morunas

 

[HipHopScribe]

I personally think it's complete nonsense for your amp/dac combo to be more expensive than your headphones. The bulk of your budget should go towards headphones, in my opinion. That's like 90% of how good your setup sounds. Audeze LCD-2s seem like a good choice.

The next most important component is an amp. I think the Schiit Jotunheim to drive your LCD-2's balanced (so also buy an XLR cable for the LCD-2s) would be a good choice. The Asgard 3 will do as a less expensive alternative

And this might be blasphemy around here, but once you get above $100 or so any reputable DAC will do the job. DACs shouldn't really be coloring your sound at all and they mostly sound the same if they're working correctly.

So I think just ordering the Jotunheim (or Asgard) with the AK4490 (or Multibit) DAC module is really all you need, but if you want an external DAC the Schiit Modi or Modi multibit will do the job.

 

[morunas]

Spot on with the Audeze LCD-2 + Jotunheim suggestion

I'm however now in doubt between Audeze LCD-2 and Klipsch HP-3. From what I've read both should give very good soundstage and nice imaging... but the Klipsch should be a bit stronger in bass and warmer... which would make them better candidates for example to listen to Pink Floyd's DSOTM for example. Have not discarded other options either, but so far the HP-3 are winning the race.

Then I'm also thinking what to pair them with. At only 25 Ohm... theoretically from what I understand I wouldn't even necessarily need an AMP+DAC. So one option is I start by getting them... listening to them... and thinking if I want warmer, colder, more soundstage, etc. to then look for an AMP+DAC that matches those requirements.

The Jotunheim is certainly a great option also because from what I understand I could keep the new headphones plugged on the balanced out, and then plug my RS180 to the unbalanced... and just swap between them with that little switch. At the same time the Klipsch Heritage Headphone Amp was clearly born to serve the HP-3... and seems to have the same double out for headphones. How would the Klipsch Headphone Amp fair against Schiit's Jotunheim?

Cheers!
morunas

 

[morunas]

On a new update... it seems to be close to impossible to find a Klipsch dealer with the HP-3 and the Heritage HPamp in Europe

The only one I can find in Denmark has amped the price of the HP-3 to over $1600 and the amp to over $800 and they don't even have it in stock... and if I was willing to commit that much I would rather think of dropping an extra $600 and just get the Empyrean

But it could be I'm pushing it too far without reason as I have never experienced high-end cans. Ever

 

[gimmeheadroom]

RME ADI-2 DAC FS (new model) + LCD-2C or Sundara

 

[PurpleAngel]

My two cents.
Disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS.
leave the Xonar DX installed
Install the United Xonar Drivers.
Get a headphone amplifier that also comes with a separate line-output (RCA) jacks, connect line-output to speakers (2.0?).
Check out the Beyerdynamic DT1770 and DT1990 headphones.

 

[morunas]

My two cents.
Disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS.
leave the Xonar DX installed
Install the United Xonar Drivers.
Get a headphone amplifier that also comes with a separate line-output (RCA) jacks, connect line-output to speakers (2.0?).
Check out the Beyerdynamic DT1770 and DT1990 headphones.

Hi PurpleAngel,

You might recall me from other threads in previous years I certainly recall your advice, namely plugging the RS180 directly to the Xonar DX instead of the Focusrite which was indeed a big difference. I did not get however as you suggested a manual external switch, and to not go under the desk everytime... I ended up rarely doing that and have been running the RS180 from my RØDE NT-USB mic.

I already have BIOS on-board audio disabled and I am using the UNi Xonar Audio. Rethinking on your words however... I think you're right in that I should keep the Xonar DX, but I think I'd do it mainly for piping movie and gaming audio into the RS180 which can support things like Dolby Headphone.

I still have a crappy 5.1 X-530 Logitech system connected to the Xonar DX, which I now only use when watching series with my gf, since ambient music without headphones now comes from a Klipsch The Three and is independent from my computer, which is great (I still control it via Spotify).

I do want to ditch the X-530 and get just a pair of good quality desk speakers which will remain to serve only the purpose of watching series and movies when more than just me, because otherwise I will use the RS180.

So assuming the X-530 will be discarded... the following would be the potential setups:

Scenario A:
- Use the Xonar DX as DAC for RS180 for movies/games, and plug the RS180 to the 3.5 mm jack Analog Output
- Use the Xonar DX to pass signal to a new DAC+AMP using the Digital S/PDIF out
- Buy a DAC+AMP and new headphones dedicated to music
- I would need to get an external DAC here to convert the S/PDIF signal
- I could only switch between RS180 and the new headphones via software
- The external AMP could support a pair of speakers for series

OR

Scenario B:
- Use the Xonar DX as DAC and pass it to an external AMP with at least two headphone outs
- Get a new AMP and plug both RS180 and new headphones for music there
- I would be able to flick a switch to swap from one headphone to the other
- I wouldn't need to buy a DAC, at least for now
- The external AMP could support a pair of speakers for series, same as in Scenario A

However... would I lose access to Dolby Headphone for the RS180 on Scenario B? Or is Dolby Headphone a DAC function and therefore I could do Xonar DX DAC (w/ Dolby Headphone) > External AMP > RS180?

The Beyerdynamic look great but I am looking for classy style headphones. I'm a stickler for visual style on the things that I use every day and I'm looking for something less techy looking while delivering of course great sound.

Again thank you all for your replies much appreciated!

Best regards,
morunas

 

[PurpleAngel]

The monoprice 5" studio monitors are good bang for the buck.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=605500
JBL LSR306 if you want to spend more.
DAC with an optical input is what would go for (Modi/Magni).
or for more cash, Topping DX7S DAC/amp.
https://drop.com/buy/topping-dx7s

 

[morunas]

The monoprice 5" studio monitors are good bang for the buck.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=605500
JBL LSR306 if you want to spend more.
DAC with an optical input is what would go for (Modi/Magni).
or for more cash, Topping DX7S DAC/amp.
https://drop.com/buy/topping-dx7s

Speakers
I know this is a bit off topic but you would recommend studio oriented monitor speakers for watching series and movies (when headphones not an option)? I would have thought that series would want something that would spice up the sound.

DAC/AMP
The Schiit Modi/Magni are definitely on my top list... just below the Klipsch HP Amp atm
But so then that's official: I will go with some form of external DAC fed from the Xonar DX's S/PDIF

Again thanks for the follow up

Best regards,
morunas

 

[PurpleAngel]

Speakers
I know this is a bit off topic but you would recommend studio oriented monitor speakers for watching series and movies (when headphones not an option)? I would have thought that series would want something that would spice up the sound.

DAC/AMP
The Schiit Modi/Magni are definitely on my top list... just below the Klipsch HP Amp atm
But so then that's official: I will go with some form of external DAC fed from the Xonar DX's S/PDIF

Again thanks for the follow up

Best regards,
morunas

Studio monitors are self-powered and are more about detail in audio, then filling up a room with music (like un-powered speakers)
I'm more into the detail, then loudness.
Also you can always add a subwoofer in the future.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=605999

 

[morunas]

Studio monitors are self-powered and are more about detail in audio, then filling up a room with music.
I'm more into the detail, then loudness.
Also you can always add a subwoofer in the future.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=605999

Alright I was not thinking so much loudness but a less neutral curve could maybe be better suited for voice, or sound effects bass/boom/bang. But again I can't say much until I try it xD don't think the X-530 should be used as reference Cheers!

 

[morunas]

Just to give an update that I already ordered the Klipsch HP-3 Heritage... as if destiny I found them from an official dealer in France with a pretty awesome discount... at €999!

Took the opportunity to also order a pair of Klipsch R-41M which was also with discount to € 179, just for when I need desktop sound.

The only thing missing to find now is the elusive Klipsch Headphone Amplifier

But I think I'm set! Let me know if I've done something silly... or if I should consider anything else

Cheers!