[echineko]

Hi there,
 
I've recently been interested in improving the audio experience in my home,and have been reading up on lots of stuff that I'd never even knew existed before. I will be primarily using my PC as a media center/Bluray player/gaming station, etc, and this is what is currently setup:
 
Asus Essence STX II (modded with MUSES01/02) /Playstation 4 > Pioneer VSX1124 AVR > Pioneer 5.1 speaker system / LG LED TV
 
Headphones: ATH ESW9LTD, AKG K702, AKG K7XX (incoming), Sony MDR CD900ST
 
I've been wondering what difference open back headphones make vs closed, do I need separate components right now, do exotic cables really make any improvement, and so on. It seems ultimately audio is a personal experience, and really depends on what you enjoy, not just looking at statistics and output numbers to decide whats "best".
 
So I would like to improve my components (within reason, I'm not ready to throw 1000s of dollars at a headphone, DAC,yet), and try out new stuff and find out for myself if it's my thing. I will be using my PC to play media files/music and my PS4 for gaming/Bluray, and am looking for moderately-priced (lets say at $750 or so each) suggestions. 
 
Here's a short list of what I would like to try (specific products where applicable):
 
Beyerdynamic T1
Grado SR325e
Sennheiser HD700
Audio Technica ATH ADG1
Fostex TH900 (not for some time yet)
Audeze LCD-2 (also in the future)
Tube-based amp (just to know if it's for me)
 
Any suggestions on what I should try or focus on first? As I said, I'm new at this, and there's just so much out there
 
EDIT: I guess what I want to hear about is what you guys have tried and love, and think I should know about. I'm still at that point where I'm getting stuff to see if it's for me

 

[KG Jag]

You have both open and closed cans.  So I'm not sure that we can tell you much more than your ears already have, especially if your sound card includes an amp--which the AKG's need.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
I've been wondering what difference open back headphones make vs closed

 

Closed - more likely to have driver resonance (sound from rear driver bouncing off the solid back); Open - less resonance, less reflections, generally if we're talking about comparable drivers then the open chassis means larger soundstage
 

  do I need separate components right now

 

That depends - if your headphone needs an amp, then get an amp. Now you have to feed that with a proper, clean, 1.2v to 2v line output with no preamp involved - if you don't have a source for that then get a DAC (if you'll use a mobile phone, tablet, or computer).
 

  do exotic cables really make any improvement

 
The price you pay for an exotic cable can make much more of a difference if you spent it on an active component, or better, the transducers themselves.
 

 
this is what is currently setup:
 
Asus Essence STX II (modded with MUSES01/02) /Playstation 4 > Pioneer VSX1124 AVR > Pioneer 5.1 speaker system / LG LED TV
 
Headphones: ATH ESW9LTD, AKG K702, AKG K7XX (incoming), Sony MDR CD900ST
 
So I would like to improve my components (within reason, I'm not ready to throw 1000s of dollars at a headphone, DAC,yet), and try out new stuff and find out for myself if it's my thing. I will be using my PC to play media files/music and my PS4 for gaming/Bluray, and am looking for moderately-priced (lets say at $750 or so each) suggestions. 
 
Here's a short list of what I would like to try (specific products where applicable):
 
Grado SR325e
Sennheiser HD700
Audio Technica ATH ADG1
Fostex TH900 (not for some time yet)
Audeze LCD-2 (also in the future)
Tube-based amp (just to know if it's for me)

 
1. You have the K702 and soon a K7XX. Get an amp first and hear them driven by a proper amp. 
 
2. As for tubes, note that you have to pick the right kind of tube amp. Most OTL designs don't handle lower impedances like AKGs or even Grados that well.
 
3. For $750 you can get a decent DAC-HPamp with USB and optical inputs, a clean DAC section feeding a clean and powerful amp section. Something like the AudioGD NFB-28 or NFB-10, then if you get an LCD-2 later you can order balanced cables for them which you can easily replace as they have removable cables with jacks on each earcup. Alternately you can just get a Schiit Bifrost DAC and Schiit Lyr headphone amp.

 

[Headzone]

do exotic cables really make any improvement

no, but they look cool and super swag. 

 

[echineko]

  You have both open and closed cans.  So I'm not sure that we can tell you much more than your ears already have, especially if your sound card includes an amp--which the AKG's need.

 
Yes, because I kept hearing about the difference in both, and wanted to find out for myself. So far I seem to be loving both for their own merits And maybe I should articulate better, what would you recommend I try, based on what I already have? What's missing that I need to know about?
 

 
3. For $750 you can get a decent DAC-HPamp with USB and optical inputs, a clean DAC section feeding a clean and powerful amp section. Something like the AudioGD NFB-28 or NFB-10, then if you get an LCD-2 later you can order balanced cables for them which you can easily replace as they have removable cables with jacks on each earcup. Alternately you can just get a Schiit Bifrost DAC and Schiit Lyr headphone amp.

 
Thanks for that, I was thinking about the Schiit stuff, but will look into the AudioGD as well. Would something like the stand-alone amp/DACs integrate with the AVR I already have, or will it have to be a straight up replacement? Somehow I think they would work together, but I could be mistaken

 

[echineko]

  no, but they look cool and super swag. 

I'm actually keen to try making a DIY cable, with solid core silver/copper just to try for myself. And yes I agree, some of those fancy cables do look really neat And thanks to your sig I realized I eventually want to know how the Beyerdynamic T1 sounds like. But for this I will definitely need a separate amp, yes? Would something from Schiit Audio be enough, or will I need something specialized?

 

[KG Jag]

Does your current soundcard include an amp?  If so what are its relevant specs?
 
T1--see:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13#user_T1

 

[echineko]

  Does your current soundcard include an amp?  If so what are its relevant specs?
 
T1--see:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13#user_T1

The Essence II STX includes an amp for up to 600 ohm, with variable impedance levels, yes. Haven't tried anything really challenging with it yet, though. The T1 is on the to-try list for sure, that link looks like some fun additional reading.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
Thanks for that, I was thinking about the Schiit stuff, but will look into the AudioGD as well. Would something like the stand-alone amp/DACs integrate with the AVR I already have, or will it have to be a straight up replacement? Somehow I think they would work together, but I could be mistaken

 
That depends - does your receiver have an optical pass through output? That way whatever digital source is sending a signal to the receiver it can be routed to the DAC.

 

[cel4145]

Thanks for that, I was thinking about the Schiit stuff, but will look into the AudioGD as well. Would something like the stand-alone amp/DACs integrate with the AVR I already have, or will it have to be a straight up replacement? Somehow I think they would work together, but I could be mistaken

Depends on what you mean by "integrate with the AVR." For instance, your AVR has it's own DAC built in. Unless you are using some pure, direct sound mode, if you connect analog out from an external DAC into your AVR, your AVR is going to convert it back to digital for DSP, and then back to analog again using it's own DAC before sending the sound to it's own internal amplification. So the external DAC in that instance will not provide better sound because it is being reprocessed by the AVR's DAC.

That depends - does your receiver have an optical pass through output? That way whatever digital source is sending a signal to the receiver it can be routed to the DAC.

Doesn't look like it:

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/PUSA/Images/Product%20Images/Home/VSX-1124-K_Back.jpg

You can connect an external DAC/headphone amp to your computer and use it for headphones.