[Donnyboy98]

hey guys, i'm either getting the philips fidelio x2 or the beyerdynamic dt 990 pro (250 ohms) and im going to be needing a new amp along side one of these headphones. Is there any good amps for roughly £100 with DAC built in. im not using a soundcard so it will need to fit into the default connections that come with a computer. Will i be needing a soundcard with a amp?

If anyone has any recommendations of amps for these headphones, drop a comment!
 
Thanks

 

[billybob_jcv]

I would recommend a USB DAC+Amp, like the Fiio E10K:
http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/fiio-e10k-olympus-2-portable-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac-black.html

Or the Creative Sound Blaster E3:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Sound-Blaster-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00LC1VKY6

For a bit over your budget:

Or the O2+ODAC:
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/dacs/ehp-o2di-desktop-headphone-amplifierdac-3/

Or the Schiit Modi2+Magni2:
http://www.electromod.co.uk/schiit-audio/dac/modi/
http://www.electromod.co.uk/schiit-audio/headphone-amplifier/magni-2/

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I'll add the Ibasso D-Zero MkII : http://www.ibasso.com/products-detail.php?id=269

I have the older D-Zero and it worked fine with virtually anything I threw at it. Listening to my HD600s now driven by the D-Zero - I miss my amp, which is still with a tech (the sound just went mono and weak, so this might be an expensive fix), but not so much thanks to the D-Zero. At least the HD600 still sounds decent off of it.

 

[Donnyboy98]

All these will connect to a standard pc right? No soundcard? How do you connect the DAC and amp?

 

[Donnyboy98]

I'm wanting the best sound i can get for around £100 up to maybe £150, I dont care about if i can transport it aslong as i can set it up, knowing nothing about amps, DAC's or any of the wires that connect it.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

All these will connect to a standard pc right? No soundcard? How do you connect the DAC and amp?

 
USB cable. No need to connect the DAC to the amp, they're in one box on the same circuit board running off the same battery.

 

[cel4145]

Or the O2+ODAC:
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/dacs/ehp-o2di-desktop-headphone-amplifierdac-3/

You could also start with just the headphone amp and then add the ODAC later:
http://epiphany-acoustics.co.uk/products-page/headphone-amplifiers/ehp-o2-portable-headphone-amplifier/

 

[Donnyboy98]

Do you not need a DAC?

 

[Youth]

FiiO e10k will "run" DT990 250 ohm but I would suggest something with more power if you pick these phones.
 
IF youre gettind the DT990 and wont spend more than 100£ then I suggest you get an amp instead of amp/dac. Unless you get the 32 ohm version then the e10k is fine. But the 250 are better phones.

 

[Donnyboy98]

I'll spend a little over £100 maybe £150 max. Do i even need a DAC, if not whats the purpose of 1 in the first place?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I'll spend a little over £100 maybe £150 max. Do i even need a DAC, if not whats the purpose of 1 in the first place?

 
DAC - digital to analogue converter. Every modern device from smartphones to soundcards has a DAC chip already, the problem is how clean its analog output stage is.  Some don't even have a fixed voltage, low THD, low noise output, hence some use a separate DAC unit to feed an amp such a signal. General rule is, if you're not going to need an amp, might as well not use a DAC (since a DAC will need an amp to drive headphones anyway; although of course there are DAC-HPamp units). 

 

[Donnyboy98]

Which earcup is the biggest and which has the most space in them between the 2 headphones?