[Italian Vamp]

Hi y'all! I am looking to buy a headphone amp for my desktop using my beyerdynamic DT880 pro headphones. It is my first time buying something like this , I'm tired of using onboard audio & iphone audio. I'm completely ignorant in this subject so I thought I would ask for help My budget is probably 180-200$ , which would reduce my options to portable amps or smaller desktop amps , but that is fine. Would I need just a amp and I would be set or would I need something else as well like a dack? Anyways thanks!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Hi y'all! I am looking to buy a headphone amp for my desktop using my Beyerdynamic DT880 pro headphones. It is my first time buying something like this , I'm tired of using on-board audio & iPhone audio. I'm completely ignorant in this subject so I thought I would ask for help My budget is probably 180-200$ , which would reduce my options to portable amps or smaller desktop amps , but that is fine. Would I need just a amp and I would be set or would I need something else as well like a dack? Anyways thanks!

Sorry, I know nothing about dack, but maybe I can talk you into getting a DAC.
Adding an external DAC or an internal sound card (with it's built in DAC chip), should provide better audio quality, then whatever DAC feature is built into the motherboard.
 
Is this setup for music? movies? or gaming?

 

[Italian Vamp]

I'm sorry I meant DAC. D: Idk about I typed dack lol. And it is for mostly music. I listen to a ton of music through out the day.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I'm sorry I meant DAC. D: Idk about I typed dack lol. And it is for mostly music. I listen to a ton of music through out the day.

About the cheapest thing you could buy and still get improvement is with the Fiio E10 ($53), it's a USB-DAC-headphone amplifier.
Or an Xonar DX or D1 sound card (used $65) and a Fiio E9 desktop headphone amplifier, $80, total $145.
There are several external DAC/amp (all in one units) for $150-$170.

 

[H20Fidelity]

Also check out the Topping D1 Mark 2. The boy's over at Headphonia rate it above E10. I think the E10 is great for complete entry level though there's other brands out there that outpeform the FiiO products for just a little more.

http://www.mp4nation.net/headphones-amps/audio-amplifiers/topping-d1-mark-2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier-black-w-silver-frame

Here's their write up on it.

http://www.headfonia.com/topping-d1-mark-ii/

 

[kuatto]

Quote:

Also check out the Topping D1 Mark 2. The boy's over at Headphonia rate it above E10. I think the E10 is great for complete entry level though there's other brands out there that outpeform the FiiO products for just a little more.
http://www.mp4nation.net/headphones-amps/audio-amplifiers/topping-d1-mark-2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier-black-w-silver-frame
Here's their write up on it.
http://www.headfonia.com/topping-d1-mark-ii/

Thanks for the info!