newbie with crap sound card need suggestion, budget $100

[yellow15]

Hi all,
i'm new here and this is my first post. I want to buy a new headphone and use it at work and I know basically nothing about headphones. I only got the BeyerDynamics DT511 + some crappy cans before. So I searched the internet for some headphone reviews and found this awesome forum.

After spending a few days reading here, i ordered the Alessandro MS1 from their website as most of you are saying it's the best headphone for under $100. Hopefully the MS1 will be much better than anything i've heard before.
Ok anyway, as i've said before, i'll be using it at work so my work computer will probably be my music source. I mosly listen to pop songs and some soundtracks from CD or MP3. Unfortunately, even tho the work computer is a pretty decent one (HP dual Xeon 3G CPU with 2G Ram..etc), it only has a crappy onboard AC97 sound card and the worst thing is.. i'm not allowed to open the box and install another soundcard. So i want to know if there is something i can do to improve the sound quality and what would you experts suggest?
An USB/Firewire external sound card? a CMOY or some sort of cheap headphone amp? or maybe give up and just go and buy a portable CD/mp3 player?
I understand that the more $$$ i spend the better the sound quality but i also understand that the less money i spend the happier my bank account will be so i just want to set a limit to myself. My budget is $100 MAX (including shipping) and because i'm living in New Zealand, eBay and internet would be only way for me to obtain any goodies as the local shops are hopeless (and expensive). So if you can, please suggest me some websites/ppl that i can order these toys from. I can also consider spliting my upgrade process into two steps and spend another $100 next year maybe if the additional $$$ can improve the sound a lot. (but prefer not)
And if there is really nothing i can do without costing me a lot then i'll probably settle with what i got

so here's a summary of my situation:

1. MS1 Headphone
2. Onboard AC97 soundcard
3. Can't install new internal soundcard
4. Budget: $100 MAX (including shipping) Can consider spendinng another $100 6 months later but prefer not
5. Have to buy from someone who can ship internationally.
6. I'm a newbie

THanks in advance

Richard

p.s.I'm trying to read as many posts as possible but there are just too many exciting things you can do so I'm still learning very slowly.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

I would look for the Audiotrack Optoplay, it is a nice little USB DAC+headamp, and it does very well with Grados/Alessandros, at least the SR60's and 225's that I tried. I think it sells for $50-60US. If you can't find a place to buy it online, I'm sure a friendly U.S. headfier could buy one for you and ship it

 

[yellow15]

Iron_Dreamer: Thanks for your reply. Sounds like exactly what i need!!! So how's the quality of this optoplay thingee? would the USB interface make it not as good as other internal sound card? and does it mean i don't need a separate headphone amp like CMOY?? or would it still help?