[Slyder]

Hi all, I'm new to all this and tried to Google looking to find the right Amp for the new headset I have.  I bought the Sennheiser G4ME ZERO headset for gaming (obviously) and I would love to get a Amp for them,  I know I could just buy a PCI sound card but I think an amp would be a lot more fun.
 
Here's a link to the headset http://en-ca.sennheiser.com/g4me-zero I'll paste in the technical info for the headset no need to worry about the Mic.
 
Impedance: 150 Ω
Connector: 2 x 3.5 mm (one for Headphones other for Mic)
Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 26.000 Hz
Sound pressure level (SPL): 108 dB
 
I'm looking for a amp that's powered by a regular power socket has a 3.5mm input and output, volume control and isn't going to cost me too much.  I'd say my budget would be around $100.  I also know I'm going to need a 3.5mm Male to Male to run from my PC to the amp on my desktop, at least that will be easy to pick out.  I would love to get an amp with treble/bass controls, but that would prob throw me out of my price range.
 
Oh last thing when I was messing around in Google I stumbled across DAC's which get the audio from the PC via USB,  but wouldn't pulling the audio straight form my on board audio 3.5mm output be better?  Not kinda into the whole USB thing I feel like it would mess up the audio in some way I dunno.
 
Anyway thanks for taking the time to read the post I hope and await for your responses

 

[tsktsk]

I think a dac/amp might be more beneficial as it doesn't rely on your PCs sound card but will process the sound itself.  Price wise, you might get a better stand alone amp, or a cheaper dac/amp combo.  If you are looking for the combo dac/amp, I might suggest the FiiO E10K.  It might not be the best out there, but is good for the price and falls within your budget.  Good luck with your search!

 

[billybob_jcv]

You could use a Fiio E11K. It has a battery, but you can also run it from a USB power adapter. Another option might be the Schiit Magni, it has stereo RCA jacks for input, not 3.5mm, but all you need is a 3.5mm -> stereo RCA cable to connect them.

As far as the dac, a USB dac certainly can be much better than your onboard sound. An audiophile DAC might have a much lower noise analog section and a much more precise clock. But it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish. PC soundcards typically have processing capabilities that can be important for gamers, like SBX or dolby surround sound. Audiophile dac/amps typically do not do this type of processing - they are designed to process only stereo PCM signals.

 

[cel4145]

The Soundblaster Z sound card would run you under $100, would be capable of powering your headphones, and it has the virtual surround capability for gaming.