[Camo]

Hey everyone, long time reader, first time poster.

I bought a pair of AD-700s at the beginning of the year and have since then just been running them through the headphone port of my Logitech Z-5500s. The Z-5500s are running from the coax and 6ch direct from my computers onboard audio. I also have the optical running from my xbox 360.

Anyway, mum and dad grabbed me a set of allesandro MS-1s for my birthday yesterday, and I decided it's about time I figured out how to properlly go about sourcing my headphones.

When I listen to music, Its always off my pc, and they're generally in as high a bitrate as i can get. As well as listening to a few DVD-As off my 360 or PC, in just there 5.1 DTS audio track.

I always use the coax when playing the headphones from the 5500s as well.


OK, So question
1. What I'd like to know is if i'm better off running the headphones from the 5500s as it's getting a digital connection, and as far as i know, digital is digital, it doesn't differ?
Or am i better off running the headphones straight from the back of the pcs onboard audio?

2. What should my next upgrade be? A new sound card? A USB DAC (still not entirely sure on what they are)? Amp? or something else entirely.

3.At christmas time i'll be grabbing my parents Toshiba HD DVD Player as they'll be getting a blu-ray player. I've heard that those hddvd players are exceptional as CD players? Will I be better off just playing my CDs and DVDAs through there? If so will I run the headphones straight from the hdvd player and what will I need to do that?

Sorry if all of these questions are easily answered through a search, but I really wouldn't know what to search for.

And any help would be grrreeeeatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Camo

 

[Vitor Machado]

1. I might be wrong, depending on your onboard sound, but probably the DAC and amp from the Z-5500 is better than your onboard, so you're better off keep doing what you're doing, instead of plugging the HP straight to the onboard analog-out.

2. You should consider a DAC + amp, or USB DAC/amp.

Basically:
- A DAC will transform the digital signal from the computer, to an analog signal, to feed the speakers/headphones...
- ... but before that, comes the Amplifier, that is responsible for amplifying this analog signal (duh!) for the hardware, simply to raise the sound volume output.
Check this thread where I answered something similar to this.

3. I really can't answer this one, I don't know much about HD-DVD players. Anyway, I'm bloody sure a decent dedicated DAC/amp will perform better.

 

[Camo]

aaaah, i see, thanks!
Now, does anybody know any online stores in Australia that sell a large range of DACs and amps? Headphones.com.au seem to have a good range, but most are more then i'd like to spend...

 

[Alai]

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