[Staal]

So, I'm visiting NYC with my girlfriend in about a month or so, and I figured I'd get some shopping done, since everything is much cheaper in the US, than here in Denmark .
 
I'm looking for a sound card, as I'm currently using a ****ty onboard one. However, I have a few questions?
 
- Would buying a decent sound card mean, that I wouldn't necessarily need a dedicated DAC for my simple NAD C326BEE Amp + Dynaudio DM 2/7 speaker setup? 
- Would it be a noticeable difference listening to headphones merely plugged into the PC? (ATH-M50, MTPC in-ears)
 
Also, what kind of card should I go for? I've set a max of 400USD.
 
Lastly, I would prefer something that could be picked up at a NYC shop, as mail-ordering to a rented apartment might be a bit tricky.
 
Thanks in advance guys!

 

[hamburgerladdy]

I'm heading downtown tomorrow to B & H to get a pair of earpads.
 
J & R and B & H are the only two major stores that I know of where you would pick up such a card in person.
 
If you have a PC desktop, the Asus Xonar Essence STX is under $200 and would likely blow away your onboard as I know of no superior card at the moment:
 
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/645911-REG/ASUS_XONARESSENCESTX_Xonar_Essence_STX_PCI.html
 
A laptop is a different story as it will need an external DAC.
 
It says it is out of stock right now, but as you can see in the specs it has a very high quality DAC.
 
So, the answer is yes to both questions.