[jeckyll]

The e10 is the only thing I can think of under $100.
 
It can drive them.  I have no idea if it'll sound better than your sound card

 

[MattTCG]

You could find a used e17 which would be a nice upgrade over the e10 mentioned above. They are still commanding a high price right now though. Retail is $139 shipped.

 

[wje]

Under $100?  A used stereo receiver from Craigslist and speaker taps.  Even the Fostex T50RP orthos can take 3000 mW of power.  The AKG K701 can only take 200 mW in comparison.  I'm sure the capabilities of the HifiMAN are even greater than the Fostex, so the taps are not as dangerous as people make them out to be.
 
If you're afraid of the taps, how about a Little Dot I amp?  I see one local on my Craigslist for $120.  No DAC, just the hybrid tube / solid state amp. 

 

[paradoxper]

If he's just running off his soundcard wouldn't that just be a waste of money. Amplified crap in, amplified crap out.

 

[Maverickmonk]

by that logic, one shouldn't upgrade anything unless they can upgrade everything at once. There's nothing wrong with taking it in steps

 

[paradoxper]

No, I think that's the best approach. Gear is only as good as the weakest link in the chain.
Furthermore, I just think he would be better off waiting out for the ODA/ODAC. Just an opinion.

 

[jerg]

Quote:

No, I think that's the best approach. Gear is only as good as the weakest link in the chain.
Furthermore, I just think he would be better off waiting out for the ODA/ODAC. Just an opinion.

Not necessarily, it depends on how "picky" the headphones are about the sources.

 

[Maverickmonk]

Quote:

No, I think that's the best approach. Gear is only as good as the weakest link in the chain.
Furthermore, I just think he would be better off waiting out for the ODA. Just an opinion.

I admit that the chain is only as good as its weakest link, but computer audio >> stand alone amp >> headphones, followed in the future by a DAC, would probably yield a better final performance/price ratio than patching in the interim with a budget dac/amp. if someone wants to upgrade in the future then, they're faced with the same problem. Either way, both are just different roads though, and any road is enjoyable. Hell, right now my chain is Gamma 2++ >>the crappy headphone amp in my M-audio monitors >> He-400, and it still is a treat to listen to, although not as musical as my vintage receiver's headphone amp.

I hope more info is announced on the ODA soon... I'm getting impatient

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

I admit that the chain is only as good as its weakest link, but computer audio >> stand alone amp >> headphones, followed in the future by a DAC, would probably yield a better final performance/price ratio than patching in the interim with a budget dac/amp. if someone wants to upgrade in the future then, they're faced with the same problem. Either way, both are just different roads though, and any road is enjoyable. Hell, right now my chain is Gamma 2++ >>the crappy headphone amp in my M-audio monitors >> He-400, and it still is a treat to listen to, although not as musical as my vintage receiver's headphone amp.

I hope more info is announced on the ODA soon... I'm getting impatient

No, isn't he trying to patch in a budget amp now....when he is going to eventually be running off the ODA/ODAC. That's primarily where I was coming from
It seems like he's on a budget so that potential extra $100 to be filled with a meh amp for now would be better suited elsewhere. 
Either road is fine, we've all got differing opinions for him.
 
I am also looking forward to ODA/ODAC hope it's released by end of summer. 

 

[Steelbarrage]

I expect to pay $300 for an ODA/ODAC combo which including the HE 400 is more than I am willing to spend but I am hoping I will never need another setup until I'm comfortably well off to really invest in nice gear.
For the interim I would rather not spend much if it is just a place holder.
I also don't think I want to listen to garbage as I really have no expectations of the ODA coming out until sometime next year.
The reason I asked about the sound card and the E7 was if I would see any benefit between the two and if not then I'm not going to blow cash on something that won't help.
 

 

[paradoxper]

Was I mistaken by thinking the ODA was to be released late summer?

 

[jfindon]

Quote:

Got my pair today.
I was very pleased with the comfort and the weight is practically nothing.
I expected to be more blown away by the sound but that may be due to a lack of power that I can feed to these cans.
I'm running them from a Creative Soundblaster X-Fi card and I was planning on getting a ODA/ODAC combo whenever it is released.
In the mean time I was planning on grabbing a Fiio E7 to hold me over or would it not be that much greater than the soundcard I already have?
Any other suggestions for a amp under $100 that I can use to power these headphones?
 

 
 
I'm hoping I'm more wowed coming from my SR225s straight out of my HM-601...  
 
Does anyone have any suggestions as far as what to listen to first?  I'm not sure what "good" examples are.  Most of my stuff is ripped using the V0 "extreme" setting in DB Poweramp.

 

[paradoxper]

Quote:

 
 
I'm hoping I'm more wowed coming from my SR225s straight out of my HM-601...  
 
Does anyone have any suggestions as far as what to listen to first?  I'm not sure what "good" examples are.  Most of my stuff is ripped using the V0 "extreme" setting in DB Poweramp.

Listen to some pink noise.

 

[Steelbarrage]

Quote:

Was I mistaken by thinking the ODA was to be released late summer?

NwAvGuy was planning for that but this is the second update from him that has taken more than one month to reply too.
As I understood it he had several articles to publish and it sounds as if a ground up approach for the ODA and he just recently finished the ODAC.
Unless he is superman and I assume august as end of summer I don't really have high hopes for a release soon.
Hopefully he will clarify his progress soon.
Other than that it means that my HE-400 will go hungry for a while so in the mean time I'd like to have something for them to work with while I wait.

 

[wje]

Quote:

 
 
I'm hoping I'm more wowed coming from my SR225s straight out of my HM-601...  
 
Does anyone have any suggestions as far as what to listen to first?  I'm not sure what "good" examples are.  Most of my stuff is ripped using the V0 "extreme" setting in DB Poweramp.

 
Maybe, if you could provide us with some more details - type of genre, etc. that you typically listen to, it would be easier to help  you.