[Evelynn3211]

 



Ok so pretty much im new to this and dont know that much about it yet. Im interested in buying the HD650, changing from my sony MDR-XB500. 

Im using this on computer only, right now im using an old Creative X-Fi xtreme music i think, so I know i need an amp to drive the 650s. My question is, which would be the best setup?

Before i was thinking of either going with the ASUS Xonar Essence STX or the HT | OMEGA Claro Halo XT. Bu after reading everywhere, I saw someone say that neither of these have an actual dedicated headphone amp (shrug) , and so people were talking about using an external amp and a DAC. 

I really dont liky my old sound card anymore since they dont update their drivers and it sometimes buggs out ( sound goes away and i have to reboot, or random screeech noises lol) but if im outputing digitally to a dac or however it works and i dont need to upgrade the sound card thats ok too. 

Sorry if i butchered everything , but im really new to all this so im sure im wrong here and everywhere else lol, patience please! , Thanks in advance for any help you can spare for me <3
 
 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Asus Xonar DX or D1 sound card (used , $60), comes with the CS4398 DAC chip, but no headphone amplifier.
Cheapest you should spend for a headphone amplifier, Schiit Magni headphone amplifier, $99.

 

[PurpleAngel]

   



Ok so pretty much I'm new to this and don't know that much about it yet.
I'm interested in buying the HD650, changing from my Sony MDR-XB500. 

I'm using this on computer only, right now I'm using an old Creative X-Fi Xtreme music I think,
so I know I need an amp to drive the 650s. My question is, which would be the best setup?

Before i was thinking of either going with the ASUS Xonar Essence STX
or the HT | OMEGA Claro Halo XT. But after reading everywhere,
I saw someone say that neither of these have an actual dedicated headphone amp (shrug),
and so people were talking about using an external amp and a DAC. 

I really don't like my old sound card anymore since they don't update their drivers
and it sometimes buggs out ( sound goes away and i have to reboot,
or random screech noises lol) but if I'm outputing digitally to a DAC
or however it works and I don't need to upgrade the sound card that's ok too. 

Sorry if i butchered everything , but I'm really new to all this so I'm sure I'm wrong here
and everywhere else lol, patience please! , Thanks in advance for any help you can spare for me <3
 
For some weird reason the right part of your first post was not visiable, so had to reorginize it.
 
The Asus Xonar Essence STX does come with a headphone amplifier
that can easily drive 300-Ohm headphones, like the Sennheiser HD650.
 
 

 

[Evelynn3211]

i guess my main thing is, i want to pair the hd650s with the best amp/dac within the budget of 200-400 total after the headphones so that i dont have something holding back the headphones. keeping in mind that the pc will be my source.

i hope im not very confusing lol.

 

[PurpleAngel]

I guess my main thing is, I want to pair the hd650s with the best amp/dac within the budget of 300-400 total after the headphones so that I don't have something holding back the headphones. keeping in mind that the PC will be my source.

I hope I'm not very confusing lol.

You asking the same questions a thousand others have asked, so it's not really confusing.
 
Currently I'm looking at getting the Audio-GD NTF-15.32 external DAC amplifier, $275-$295.
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1532/NFB15.32EN.htm
 
There is also this DAC/amp, $340
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1132/NFB11.32EN.htm
 
The 15.32 is a little more musical, the 11.32 more clarity.