I need a cheap amp thingy

[Javy]

Aight... i know VERY little about like... amps and all that stuff. Everything i know i've learned from this forum. Well, based on what i read i recently bought a pair of Senn HD590's. I got 'em cuz I can't afford a decent amp and from what i understand the 580's require a pretty good one to truly shine. Anyways... without degrading my choice of headphones I'd appreciate any advice on an amp or whatever just to help a little (since i'm not sure how well the 590's will work running straight off my sound card... which i'd also like to know about. Can I just run 'em off my sound card till i get an amp thing?) Well.. i was just gonna pick up a DSP Pro since its relatively cheap and would be enuff just to let me play some games or whatever. I CAN'T FIND THEM THO!!!!!!!!! it's pissing me off soooooooooo if you can tell me another amp that's like... cheap (the cheaper the better and by NO means more than $100... more like $50 would be nice) and/or tell me where i can buy a dsp pro (or if anyone has something they wanna sell that'd be kool too). Thanx alot =)

 

[Javy]

also... if it matters.. i have a soundblaster live 5.1 sound card and portability is kinda important cuz i'll be taking this thing with me to dallas in august (not to mention to b/w home and school)... thanx again =))

 

[mkyy]

Read below, there's a thread about PC Hi-fi. Basically, SB cards are crappy, in terms of head-fi performance.

Try pm or email JMT, search the forums and read the profile of JMT and you'll know what I mean.

 

[Javy]

lol... so like... i'm not willing to spend over (or even better would be not even near) $100 on a new amp but i'm gonna go pay $200+ on a soundcard?? If I read correctly those cards (except for one) don't support 3d sound like eax and all that (altho i may be mistaken). I am, by no means, trying to have the absolute best sounding headphones i can find...otherwise I would have a reciever and all that already just for my speakers. As it is i'm very happy w/ my sb live and klipsch 4.1's. My main reason for doing this is cuz i'm gonna be going to a tournament so I need headphones. Anyways... I'm not switching anything else... just wanted to know what i can put b/w my sb live and my headphones. Thanx =)

 

[mkyy]

knowing your budget from previous post, I'm not suggesting you to get a new sound card. But just informing you the potential of getting a better performance from SB is not that great. I am also stuck with a SB Live! value like you.

But, as I said, JMT did offer altoid amp that would suit your needs at an affordable price. I imagine the JMT altoid + PCDP would definitely produce better sound than SB. That's also the route I'm heading now.