[TGTBATQ]

Well, I had Sennheiser HD555's for probably a year and a half, and I loved them. I used them every single day, listening to music, playing piano, playing guitar, etc.
Yesterday, my puppy ended up somehow getting caught in the cord (I literally have no idea how) and yanked the cord, it completely stripped my sound card and it ripped the wire out of the headphones and busted the right can almost in half. It blew my mind how much force a 10 month old bloodhound could produce. Thanks, buddy.
Anyway, as my first post here, i'm coming here for guidance on what I should get as an upgrade, or just as a replacement for my HD 555s, a soundcard, amp, whatever.
I never understood quite how complex computer audio got, I have a 5.1 HT system for movies, but I loved the way just an $80 sound card + the 555's sounded, I never even knew about amps until recently. So! I have around $500 to get an upgraded or equivalent system.
 
TL;DR
Puppy produced force of 1000 suns and destroyed Sennheiser HD555's and sound card
$500 to upgrade/replace headphones + sound card + whatever else you guys would recommend for a system that will get more-than-average use out of daily.
 
Thanks to anyone who can provide me with some guidance!

 

[SONIC BOOM]

what about the beyerdynamic dt990 250 ohm, fiio e9 and a asus xonar dx 7.1 you would get a great pair of headphones for movies, games and most music, the amp to power them and a good soundcard
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/92807-REG/Beyerdynamic_AMS_DT_990_PRO_250_DT_990_PRO_Studio.html
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/809825-REG/Fiio_E9_E9_Desktop_Headphone_Amplifier.html
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132006

 

[TGTBATQ]

Quote:

what about the beyerdynamic dt990 250 ohm, fiio e9 and a asus xonar dx 7.1 you would get a great pair of headphones for movies, games and most music, the amp to power them and a good soundcard
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/92807-REG/Beyerdynamic_AMS_DT_990_PRO_250_DT_990_PRO_Studio.html
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/809825-REG/Fiio_E9_E9_Desktop_Headphone_Amplifier.html
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132006

"Most Music" is classified into what groups?

 

[nmxdaven]

Oh the joys of a new dog.
 
My current youngest is named Bunny.
 

 
When he was about 6 months, he managed to run into the back of the equipment rack for my listening room. Cost me 6 grand, including one of my prized mcintosh power amps.
 
 
For your particular situation, is it a must to have another sound card or can you go to a USB DAC?
 
For 500$ I would pick a e7 (or subsituted with any of the great dac/amp combo's out there) with some denon AHD2000's and have some spare change left over. Although I'm bias because of my undying love for the Denon line, I find them great for movies as well as music, and use them when I play my strat at night out of a little VOS headphone amp to not wake the wife.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

I mean that they are good for almost anything, there are better headphones for rock, there are better headphones for hip hop and rap,and there are better headphones for jazz but the dt990s are still good or great at all of them, and a lot of headphones are only good at 1 or 2 genres of music but the dt990 are good for all I can think of at the moment.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

Quote:

Oh the joys of a new dog.
 
My current youngest is named Bunny.
 

 
When he was about 6 months, he managed to run into the back of the equipment rack for my listening room. Cost me 6 grand, including one of my prized mcintosh power amps.
 
 
For your particular situation, is it a must to have another sound card or can you go to a USB DAC?
 
For 500$ I would pick a e7 (or subsituted with any of the great dac/amp combo's out there) with some denon AHD2000's and have some spare change left over. Although I'm bias because of my undying love for the Denon line, I find them great for movies as well as music, and use them when I play my strat at night out of a little VOS headphone amp to not wake the wife.

 
Thats one cute dog
 
 

 

[TGTBATQ]

Quote:

Oh the joys of a new dog.
 
My current youngest is named Bunny.
 

 
When he was about 6 months, he managed to run into the back of the equipment rack for my listening room. Cost me 6 grand, including one of my prized mcintosh power amps.
 
 
For your particular situation, is it a must to have another sound card or can you go to a USB DAC?
 
For 500$ I would pick a e7 (or subsituted with any of the great dac/amp combo's out there) with some denon AHD2000's and have some spare change left over. Although I'm bias because of my undying love for the Denon line, I find them great for movies as well as music, and use them when I play my strat at night out of a little VOS headphone amp to not wake the wife.

Not pictured: thor's hammer
 
It honestly doesn't matter on the sound card thing, like I said, I was never very knowledgeable on the whole head-fi thing, so I just figured a nice sound card + headphones would work (back then)
I have no idea what would be able to produce the best sound now.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

Instead of the soundcard you can buy a fiio e7 and e9 combo and use the usb input on the e9(it only works if you have the e7 docked in the e9)

 

[TGTBATQ]

Quote:

Instead of the soundcard you can buy a fiio e7 and e9 combo and use the usb input on the e9(it only works if you have the e7 docked in the e9)

and what exactly would the advantage would that have over just getting a sound card? also, would it be a cheaper or more alternative route to do that over the card?
obviously i want to keep as much money as possible, but if up to $500 is what it takes to get a great audiophile experience, then i'm game.
how do the denon2000's compare to the headphones that you suggested earlier? it seems to me (just by browsing around) that denon seems to be a favorite among a ton of people..

 

[AlfredWong]

btw the HD555 is out of production, hard luck.
 
Given the fact that you're accustomed to Senn's sound signature, surely recommend HD650 (harmony, resolution and bass) or Beyerdynamic DT880 (clarity) for upgrade, and DT990 if you can audit it before purchasing it. And for source/amp... save it up for something better. Asus and FiiO are just okay.

 

[TGTBATQ]

Quote:

btw the HD555 is out of production, hard luck.
 
Given the fact that you're accustomed to Senn's sound signature, surely recommend HD650 (harmony, resolution and bass) or Beyerdynamic DT880 (clarity) for upgrade, and DT990 if you can audit it before purchasing it. And for source/amp... save it up for something better. Asus and FiiO are just okay.

well i was hoping for an upgrade anyway. why wait on a source/amp? because there's not going to be anything worthwhile in the price range that's left over by the headphones?
 

 

[AlfredWong]

Quote:

well i was hoping for an upgrade anyway. why wait on a source/amp? because there's not going to be anything worthwhile in the price range that's left over by the headphones?
 

I played with those stuff before, and believe it or not, when you get that nice pair of cans, you won't satisfy with those basic stuff. So... I actually recommend you to spend a lil' bit more now and save the trouble. You gonna pay it later anyway... like a curse.

 

[TGTBATQ]

Quote:

I played with those stuff before, and believe it or not, when you get that nice pair of cans, you won't satisfy with those basic stuff. So... I actually recommend you to spend a lil' bit more now and save the trouble. You gonna pay it later anyway... like a curse.

Well, in that case, what are some good cans that I can get for 300-400(max ) range?

 

[AlfredWong]

Quote:

Well, in that case, what are some good cans that I can get for 300-400(max ) range?

Since you are accustomed to Sennheiser's sound;
 
Sennheiser HD650. And for Beyerdyanmic, DT880/990. Senn HD650 has a warmer sound signature and fuller bass, while Beyer has accenuated treble.
 
I played with HD555, bought HD595, sold and got HD650, then bought Beyer T1. Would comment that the HD650 is a lifelong keeper.