[Chevelle]

First of all I must say that I'm really an amateur when it comes to sound, and good audio quality.
 
I have gaming headphones - Razer Kraken pro, they are analog headphones.
I want to make them produce the highest audio quality that possible.
the headphones connected to the stock DAC of the computer.
 
I have a budget of 100$, so what can I do ?
 
Peace

 

 

[ieee754]

You can start with equalizing your headphone, here is a great guide how to do that:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/413900/how-to-equalize-your-headphones-a-tutorial

 

[Lorspeaker]

Load JRIVER music software...
http://www.jriver.com/download.html
 
or Audirvana software if u have a Mac
http://audirvana.com/

 

[Chevelle]

I'm not talking about software.
I'm talking about a soundcard. DAC and etc'.

 

[jiiteepee]

Normally onboard sound system can drive headphones quite well. If there aren't audible issues coming from your computer audio path then a pair of new headphones would make the biggest change for you ... just listen different brand/model headphones and pick the ones you like most.
If you want to upgrade with a better DAC then you need pick one with good headphone amp or buy additionally a headphone amp.

 

[Chevelle]

so there isn't a really way that hardware can make headphones provide better sound?

 

[Lorspeaker]

  I'm not talking about software.
I'm talking about a soundcard. DAC and etc'.

 
just download a demo copy for 2 weeks...u will hear your music clearer

 

[ieee754]

  so there isn't a really way that hardware can make headphones provide better sound?

I really doubt that these players will sound any different. I might be wrong, but I think that free audio decoders are already perfect, so samples at PCM level are the same. Perhaps they contain some interesting DSP effects to improve sound quality, although there are also many free alternatives too.
 
I think that audio improvements from hardware are very minor, for this budget I would focus on getting better headphones. If you have a headphone that costs over $500 then maybe there will be a point in getting high-end DAC or amp.

 

[jiiteepee]

  so there isn't a really way that hardware can make headphones provide better sound?

 
Sure HW can make the headphones sound different but not a DAC ... because of frequency response (40Hz-16kHz) of a DAC is usually quite flat ... a DAC with good headphone stage or a good headphone amplifier could be useful in your setup but be sure it can drive well your ~32ohm headphones. 
 
In your case, I would try EQ (as suggested already) before buying anything (with EQ you can test the "limits" of your headphones). ieee754 already gave you a link. The easy way is to load the JRiver as suggested + get some =win32&ty[]=e&f1[]=vst]EQ VST plug-ins from KVR database (! don't pick a graphical EQ but a parametric one).
 
EDIT: Equalizer terms and tips - http://www.presonus.com/community/learn/equalizer-terms-and-tips

 

[castleofargh]

  so there isn't a really way that hardware can make headphones provide better sound?

if you don't have some nasty hiss coming from your computer(and not from the music itself), then you most likely don't really need anything. a gamin headphone isn't some hard to drive audiophile fullsize headphone. they were made for gamers to be plugged directly into computers so amplification shouldn't be a major issue.
now if you notice some noises and massive hissing, getting a cheap hifimedy dac and some cheap amp will most probably solve that issue and in the process make you hear more of your music.
 
 
 the most noticeable upgrade will come from finding the right headphone(as they are what changes the most in an audio system). and then once you're caught into that spiral of trying headphones after headphones, the headphone you'll adore might end up needing an amp and then you'll be forever broke, welcome to headfi ^_^.
 
 
seriously I don't believe much in the power of one player over another one, but an audio software well configured can make a difference. and of course getting a proper EQ(a parametric one), and spending some times setting it(remember that you will always use too much of it and the solution for better sound is often to be subtle).
no headphone is perfectly neutral and the chance of one having 100% of the signature you prefer are close to that of winning the lottery. so a wize use of EQ is almost always a good way to improve sound.

 

[Tablix]

IMO gaming is all about positional cues, and not quality, and NO peace of hardware is going to improve the positional information provided by the game client.  If you have awesome coding that provides life like spacial awareness THEN worry about how its being converted to audible signals, and IMO there are almost zero games that take this part of gaming as seriously as some particle physics or a higher polygon count.  If you worry about VOIP sound quality, then worry about your VOIP software be it skype, mumble, vent or teamspeak.  If you worry about positional sound cues then talk to the coders not ask for a $500 DAC solution.
 
A DAC is decoding data, not creating spatial awareness.  Look at the games you play and the audio capabilites of the software before you spend potentially $1k on a headset and dac, as in 90% of cases you are wasting your money.  Sound wont make you a better player, it wont even make you win more pvp match's, it will only give you the ability to flex your audio epeen in chat while you wait to corpse rez.... and anyone who wants to say otherwise is flat out full of ****. Pro gamer's use branded gear for sponsorship NOT for competitive edge, or none would be using steelseries or razor gear
 
EDIT: FOA of mods I realize this could be seen as a troll post or confrontational, but I am seriously trying to save general consumers hundreds of dolars.

 

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

DAC: Stoner Acoustics UD120 $70 (order thru email)
Link: http://stoneracoustics.blogspot.it/2014/08/ud120-now-heres-something-different.html
 
Headphone Amp: Fiio E6 $28 Link: http://www.amazon.com/E6-Fujiyama-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B005HJWWW8/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412376775&sr=1-2

 

[yoavbo]

I have a question that is kind of related to this topic so I will post it in this thread.
 
I've got a Dell Latitude E6230 laptop and Sennheiser HD-25 (same pair for 10 years, just got back from overhaul at Sennheiser labs). Yesterday I was connecting some old DJ equipment that I have and the sound quality was much better than what I get with the laptop. It reminded me how good music can be with the right equipment. Also, I was able to get much higher volumes.
 
I don't have a lot of money at the moment but I was wondering if I could buy something that would make my headphones sound better, like a soundcard or a headphones amp. Will it do the trick for music use? It doesn't have to be portable. I usually listen to music with the laptop on my desk.
 
Thanks,
yoavbo

 

[RonaldDumsfeld]

I have a budget of 100$, so what can I do ?

 
Buy a set of these http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MDR7506 Seriouly. Think of them as studio monitors for your head.
 
I bought a Razer Headset once. Quite dear it was too. It was like what my mates were using. Did the job. Airy. Comfortable. Has a mic, controller and software.  So it's no wonder the sound quality with real music was on a par with a hi-fi or monitor set of headphones that cost half the price.
 
That's all so long as you don't have any hiss or clicks, pops or ghosting on your source. Which you shouldn't. Unless you are unlucky.

 

[castleofargh]

  IMO gaming is all about positional cues, and not quality, and NO peace of hardware is going to improve the positional information provided by the game client.  If you have awesome coding that provides life like spacial awareness THEN worry about how its being converted to audible signals, and IMO there are almost zero games that take this part of gaming as seriously as some particle physics or a higher polygon count.  If you worry about VOIP sound quality, then worry about your VOIP software be it skype, mumble, vent or teamspeak.  If you worry about positional sound cues then talk to the coders not ask for a $500 DAC solution.
 
A DAC is decoding data, not creating spatial awareness.  Look at the games you play and the audio capabilites of the software before you spend potentially $1k on a headset and dac, as in 90% of cases you are wasting your money.  Sound wont make you a better player, it wont even make you win more pvp match's, it will only give you the ability to flex your audio epeen in chat while you wait to corpse rez.... and anyone who wants to say otherwise is flat out full of ****. Pro gamer's use branded gear for sponsorship NOT for competitive edge, or none would be using steelseries or razor gear
 
EDIT: FOA of mods I realize this could be seen as a troll post or confrontational, but I am seriously trying to save general consumers hundreds of dolars.

I'll have a go at saying otherwise and be flat out full of fluffy rainbow poneys.
I agree with you about the general idea that you don't need to waste money on nothing, but the fact is that positional cues can be affected by pretty much anything from stereo crosstalk(and some equipment have really poor crosstalk values when plugged into low impedance headphones or stupid cables), to frequency response and masking.
frequency response can affect our perception of positioning because our ears are made to reflect different frequencies louder depending on where the sound hits on the hears. it's one of the way to get some positioning cues outside of the basic left vs right ear difference(works mostly for up and down) so a change in signature could very well make you hear something as being more up front or a little up... I'm sure our brain is great enough to get used to most of it after hours and hours using the same headphone with the same equipment in the same game, but still the right signature might be more natural from the start.
doppler effect for stuff approaching might sound weird if there is the signature of our gears is full of holes and spikes, a sound sliding up in frequency while closing in on us would go louder and quieter several times along the way and contradict the idea of something coming straight at us. so a flat frequency response (or at least something relatively smooth) could be a nice thing.
 
about masking, well that's the reason why we play quake engine games with picmip values super high when it's allowed. removing anything useless like background textures is the best way to notice what matters. if we're talking only gaming (and I'm not sure the OP was actually asking for gaming or for music) removing some sub bass or bass could be a nice sound hax as we would keep some walking sounds from being covered by big ass explosions.
so all in all, I don't think a good sounding equipment properly calibrated will turn a donkey into a race horse, but it might improve comfort and/or realism a little.