[pickxx]

Alright i have finally said "SCREW IT" and i am going to buy Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro-80 for $199.

Be warned about the following, this will be my first set of headphones that cost me more then a couple bucks. I know it will be a change but i think i am ready to slowly piddle my money away on this hobby.....hopefully not faster then i make it

Source: Computer from a X-fi card. (i think an extreme music.) I got it because it had the proper outs for my Z-5500's and i didn't demand best sound quality at all times before. I might change this later on.....you guys hate X-fi cards.
Music format: Mostly MP3's but i will FLAC everything i own once i have incentive to do it.
Music player: Winamp


I just have a couple Q's that i couldn't find through the search function.



1. I know most 770's are being recommended with an amp. Will it sound horrible going directly from the sound card? Wont i need some kind of switch if i go directly to the sound card because i don't have easy access to the back of my computer. I have a Thermaltake Mozart case and while its awesome, i don't feel like crawling behind it or moving it a million times.

1.5 I have a headphone jack on my Z-5500's and i know everyone flips out about this, but if its between crawling behind my computer 2-3 times a day or plugging it in right there....guess which way i will go. (here's a hint, i am lazy as balls)

2. If i need an amp, which I'm sure you guys will recommend....what can i get on the cheap to start off with? I know people love certain amps, but the ones i see thrown around all the time are like $300-$1500 and frankly thats a bit much on the wallet right now. Something under $50 would be awesome but i can go to $100-$150 if i have to for even a basic setup.

3. What little things am i missing hardware wise to start off with? I know i will need a good amp, better sound card or DAC down the road, a good CD player with SACD and DVD-A and all but thats WAY WAY down the road. recabling and different pads and such confuse me. Cabling seems like a final touch on a setup, and as far as pads....no idea which ones would be an upgrade or downgrade. But as for right now i will have headphones, X-fi, music, and my ears.....If i am missing something that is small that i will need like a headphone splitter or something let me know.






Thanx in advance for your help. I am a computer guy, and i know a lot about home theater and photography stuff, and i am the go to guy for all nerd-ish related thing for my family and friends. But i dont know much about this yet and i need some handholding to get me going.





EDIT: Spelling and changing ***** words into things i can actually say.

 

[Icarium]

Imo get a EMU 0404 USB... it's a superior sound card, good enough DAC and can serve as an interim amp.

 

[pickxx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarium /img/forum/go_quote.gif Imo get a EMU 0404 USB... it's a superior sound card, good enough DAC and can serve as an interim amp.

I've heard good things about it, but at $200 i would rather not do that now....if it was an entry level amp or DAC or something i can play with for a while to get me to my next free paycheck(no rent, bills and whatnot) i would be cool with it. I can justify $50, maybe even $100.....$150 shipped if i have to and someone proves i HAVE to....i might. $200.....not right now.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickxx /img/forum/go_quote.gif 2. If i need an amp, which I'm sure you guys will recommend....what can i get on the cheap to start off with? I know people love certain amps, but the ones i see thrown around all the time are like $300-$1500 and frankly thats a bit much on the wallet right now. Something under $50 would be awesome but i can go to $100-$150 if i have to for even a basic setup. 3. What little things am i missing hardware wise to start off with? I know i will need a good amp, better sound card or DAC down the road, a good CD player with SACD and DVD-A and all but thats WAY WAY down the road. recabling and different pads and such confuse me. Cabling seems like a final touch on a setup, and as far as pads....no idea which ones would be an upgrade or downgrade. But as for right now i will have headphones, X-fi, music, and my ears.....If i am missing something that is small that i will need like a headphone splitter or something let me know.

2. You should have an amp for the Beyers. The soundcard won't power them fully. For a cheapie, try the PreSonus HP4. About $100 and it has the same amp as the Central Station. It's a good deal for a good amp.

However, I strongly recommend you try your hand at building an amp. Simply the most bang for your buck and it is not as hard as you might think. There are a number with PCBs and full build instructions. If you're willing to put some time into doing a careful job, you'll save a lot of money and get performance as good, if not better, than the expensive commercial amps.

3. If you want to try SACD, get the Sony SCD-CE595. They run about $80 refurbished or used. For the money, it is a very good deck.

 

[pickxx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif However, I strongly recommend you try your hand at building an amp. Simply the most bang for your buck and it is not as hard as you might think. There are a number with PCBs and full build instructions. If you're willing to put some time into doing a careful job, you'll save a lot of money and get performance as good, if not better, than the expensive commercial amps.

Linkage if you have something bookmarked....