[nikolakhs]

Ok, this is my first post on this forum. Greetings everyone.

I'm new to audiophile headphones (only used m40x's)and my top budget is 200 euro.
You can't imagine how hard it is to decide on a pair of cans when you can't test drive any of them and read reviews online with every person having his own opinion.

Never less I have narrowed down to this pair since I found them 150 on amazon and I'm tight on budget.

And just before i pull the trigger I stumbled upon this threat reading all kinds of stuff....things like:'' if you buy this 400euro portable amp this headset will go to another level" and many more...

I'm confused,is it worth it to buy this pair without spending money on an amp/DAC-sound card or should I buy one?
Will i only benefit from a super expensive one which totally loses my point or will an entry-level device(no more than 150) make it noticeably better?

Music is in the top 3 things I enjoy in this stressful world and I do want to make a good choice.
I "sadly" listen to all kinds of music. Classical, instrumental and experimental stuff, electronica, rock, etc(on Spotify high quality). So I value bass just as much as I value mids and highs. Basically i want my purchase ta make me hearing music 6 hours non-stop .

I think an open headphone would be better (they have typically better sound?) since I'll be listening to music home without distraction and it is the only open one I find in this price range without "being crappy" supposedly.
Other options are the m40x,m50x,msr7b, sony MDR-v6(would love those hd 600s but i need to save more plus they need most definitely amp?)

Would i be better off with any of those? Or get the x2 and buy an amp in the future?

P.S.: portable amps can be just as good for music quality if power is no concern right?

Thanks for reading all this

TLDR: Will Classical music be enjoyable without Amp or will only EDM stuff will shine?

 

[nraymond]

I think an open headphone would be better (they have typically better sound?) since I'll be listening to music home without distraction and it is the only open one I find in this price range without "being crappy" supposedly.
Other options are the m40x,m50x,msr7b, sony MDR-v6(would love those hd 600s but i need to save more plus they need most definitely amp?)

Would i be better off with any of those? Or get the x2 and buy an amp in the future?

Open is different, doesn’t sound as closed in, good for listening at home in a quiet setting, not so much outdoors or commuting on public transport. Fidelio X2 are relatively easy to drive, so don’t need high power amps like some headphones (there are 600 Ohm headphones out there and some that need high current like most planar magnetic headphones). The Fidelio X2s benefit from better amps and DACs sure, but it’s not as necessary as some headphones. All the other headphones you listed are closed back headphones, which tend to have more bass (especially sub-bass) than open headphones, but closed headphones will sound a little more closed in and in warmer climates some people find they make their ears hotter, which some people don’t like. Note that the Fidelio X2 have good bass response for open headphones. Start with good headphones, then if you want get a good amp and DAC later. There’s a lot of good options out there from companies like Topping and SMSL, or if you’re in Europe and want to buy something made there look at what Pro-Ject offers, and in the US look at JDS Labs or Schiit Audio.

 

[pasi123567]

I'm confused,is it worth it to buy this pair without spending money on an amp/DAC-sound card or should I buy one?

I did not hear a difference on these from my cheap ass phone to my O2 amp. Thats all I can tell you. Sounds good nontheless. Very realistic sound on these.

 

[Ohmnity]

Ok, this is my first post on this forum. Greetings everyone.

I'm new to audiophile headphones (only used m40x's)and my top budget is 200 euro.
You can't imagine how hard it is to decide on a pair of cans when you can't test drive any of them and read reviews online with every person having his own opinion.

Never less I have narrowed down to this pair since I found them 150 on amazon and I'm tight on budget.

And just before i pull the trigger I stumbled upon this threat reading all kinds of stuff....things like:'' if you buy this 400euro portable amp this headset will go to another level" and many more...

I'm confused,is it worth it to buy this pair without spending money on an amp/DAC-sound card or should I buy one?
Will i only benefit from a super expensive one which totally loses my point or will an entry-level device(no more than 150) make it noticeably better?

Music is in the top 3 things I enjoy in this stressful world and I do want to make a good choice.
I "sadly" listen to all kinds of music. Classical, instrumental and experimental stuff, electronica, rock, etc(on Spotify high quality). So I value bass just as much as I value mids and highs. Basically i want my purchase ta make me hearing music 6 hours non-stop .

I think an open headphone would be better (they have typically better sound?) since I'll be listening to music home without distraction and it is the only open one I find in this price range without "being crappy" supposedly.
Other options are the m40x,m50x,msr7b, sony MDR-v6(would love those hd 600s but i need to save more plus they need most definitely amp?)

Would i be better off with any of those? Or get the x2 and buy an amp in the future?

P.S.: portable amps can be just as good for music quality if power is no concern right?

Thanks for reading all this

The X2s have the blessing of not needing an amp to sound good (though I've also heard that having one cleans up the sound a little bit). It honestly boils down to your setup, if it works and they are driven to an acceptable volume then there really is no reason to buy an external amp/DAC. If you do want to buy it regardless then that's a whole different story.

Take it from an audio noob: I used to have a GSX 1000 as an external sound card and I really wanted to see if the whole amp/DAC stacks were really up to the hype. I bought a JDS Atom stack and I honestly feel like my audio improved by a lot, however the real kicker for me is that it gives me plenty of room to drive more power hungry headphones like planars if I chose to upgrade in the future (which isn't really in my mind as I just got the X2s lol) but I mainly bought them out of curiosity, not necessity. I also used to pair it with a Sennheiser Game Zero and while you do lose bass in an open back I the soundstage of open backs can't be beat (especially if you use them for gaming). An amp/DAC combo can give you a cleaner signal and I think it's better to have this properly setup rather than buying super expensive headphones and trying to drive them from a crappy motherboard.

Also, I've read that there really isn't much of a difference between cheap/mid range DACs and super high end ones (at least not at the casual consumer level). You could try something like a FiiO E10K if you're really curious about it, if it doesn't seem to improve your listening experience you can return it. Maybe try something like a Schiit Fulla or Hel, even. Take this with a grain of salt though, just sharing my 2 cents from my perspective as a newcomer in the audiophile world. Feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong.

 

[nikolakhs]

The X2s have the blessing of not needing an amp to sound good (though I've also heard that having one cleans up the sound a little bit). It honestly boils down to your setup, if it works and they are driven to an acceptable volume then there really is no reason to buy an external amp/DAC. If you do want to buy it regardless then that's a whole different story.

Take it from an audio noob: I used to have a GSX 1000 as an external sound card and I really wanted to see if the whole amp/DAC stacks were really up to the hype. I bought a JDS Atom stack and I honestly feel like my audio improved by a lot, however the real kicker for me is that it gives me plenty of room to drive more power hungry headphones like planars if I chose to upgrade in the future (which isn't really in my mind as I just got the X2s lol) but I mainly bought them out of curiosity, not a necessity. I also used to pair it with a Sennheiser Game Zero and while you do lose bass in an open back I the soundstage of open backs can't be beaten (especially if you use them for gaming). An amp/DAC combo can give you a cleaner signal and I think it's better to have this properly setup rather than buying super expensive headphones and trying to drive them from a crappy motherboard.

Also, I've read that there really isn't much of a difference between cheap/mid-range DACs and super high-end ones (at least not at the casual consumer level). You could try something like a FiiO E10K if you're really curious about it, if it doesn't seem to improve your listening experience you can return it. Maybe try something like a Schiit Fulla or Hel, even. Take this with a grain of salt though, just sharing my 2 cents from my perspective as a newcomer in the audiophile world. Feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong.

I really appreciate your reply. Since I know nothing about Amps your advice really helped me, so I will probably buy one of the cheaper ones and return it if I see no difference.

Also, would a portable amp be "by the rules" worse in quality than a desktop one at the same price?

Thank you everyone for your replies.

 

[Twizzleshnizzle]

Ok, this is my first post on this forum. Greetings everyone.

I'm new to audiophile headphones (only used m40x's)and my top budget is 200 euro.
You can't imagine how hard it is to decide on a pair of cans when you can't test drive any of them and read reviews online with every person having his own opinion.

Never less I have narrowed down to this pair since I found them 150 on amazon and I'm tight on budget.

And just before i pull the trigger I stumbled upon this threat reading all kinds of stuff....things like:'' if you buy this 400euro portable amp this headset will go to another level" and many more...

I'm confused,is it worth it to buy this pair without spending money on an amp/DAC-sound card or should I buy one?
Will i only benefit from a super expensive one which totally loses my point or will an entry-level device(no more than 150) make it noticeably better?

Music is in the top 3 things I enjoy in this stressful world and I do want to make a good choice.
I "sadly" listen to all kinds of music. Classical, instrumental and experimental stuff, electronica, rock, etc(on Spotify high quality). So I value bass just as much as I value mids and highs. Basically i want my purchase ta make me hearing music 6 hours non-stop .

I think an open headphone would be better (they have typically better sound?) since I'll be listening to music home without distraction and it is the only open one I find in this price range without "being crappy" supposedly.
Other options are the m40x,m50x,msr7b, sony MDR-v6(would love those hd 600s but i need to save more plus they need most definitely amp?)

Would i be better off with any of those? Or get the x2 and buy an amp in the future?

P.S.: portable amps can be just as good for music quality if power is no concern right?

Thanks for reading all this

X2HR are a really great choice. You don't need some crazy amp to get great sound from them. The amp is more so for that extra bit of volume. If your budget is £200, get the X2HR and something like the Sound Blaster G3 (approx £50). It will slightly improve your sound from something like a phone or pc, and you can use it for gaming if you have a console. It will give you more than enough volume. Excellent beginner setup believe me. I've got a fairly extensive collection of amps/DACs/headphones ranging from £90-£1000. I recommended to and started my friend on this exact setup. He loves it.

 

[nikolakhs]

X2HR are a really great choice. You don't need some crazy amp to get great sound from them. The amp is more so for that extra bit of volume. If your budget is £200, get the X2HR and something like the Sound Blaster G3 (approx £50). It will slightly improve your sound from something like a phone or pc, and you can use it for gaming if you have a console. It will give you more than enough volume. Excellent beginner setup believe me. I've got a fairly extensive collection of amps/DACs/headphones ranging from £90-£1000. I recommended to and started my friend on this exact setup. He loves it.

Thanks for the advice.I have found the g6 for 90euro at a local store,should i go for it?

Also,the difference between sound cards and amp/dacs is that sound cards are amp/dacs with audio processors?

 

[Twizzleshnizzle]

Thanks for the advice.I have found the g6 for 90euro at a local store,should i go for it?

Also,the difference between sound cards and amp/dacs is that sound cards are amp/dacs with audio processors?

Most definitely the G6 if you can afford it. I've got one and it's actually surprisingly great for the price.

 

[nraymond]

Most definitely the G6 if you can afford it. I've got one and it's actually surprisingly great for the price.

Also,the difference between sound cards and amp/dacs is that sound cards are amp/dacs with audio processors?

Yes, a sound card contains an interface to PCI-Express or USB, has a digital-to-analog converter, a headphone amplifier, and can often do processing and equalization (either on the card, or in concert with software running on a computer). The advantage of separate components is that managing interference between components is a lot easier when the different parts are in their own enclosures. Processing on a sound card is less important these days with modern games and the changes to Windows audio, where most of the processing is done on the CPU. When using headphones, having a headphone amplifier that is well designed, has a low output resistance (low Ohms, under 3 Ohms is best), and enough power for your headphones is what you want. This site has a good power calculator:

https://www.audiobot9000.com/

 

[iFi audio]

P.S.: portable amps can be just as good for music quality if power is no concern right?

They sure can!

 

[Pharmaboy]

The X2s have the blessing of not needing an amp to sound good (though I've also heard that having one cleans up the sound a little bit). It honestly boils down to your setup, if it works and they are driven to an acceptable volume then there really is no reason to buy an external amp/DAC. If you do want to buy it regardless then that's a whole different story.

Take it from an audio noob: I used to have a GSX 1000 as an external sound card and I really wanted to see if the whole amp/DAC stacks were really up to the hype. I bought a JDS Atom stack and I honestly feel like my audio improved by a lot, however the real kicker for me is that it gives me plenty of room to drive more power hungry headphones like planars if I chose to upgrade in the future (which isn't really in my mind as I just got the X2s lol) but I mainly bought them out of curiosity, not necessity. I also used to pair it with a Sennheiser Game Zero and while you do lose bass in an open back I the soundstage of open backs can't be beat (especially if you use them for gaming). An amp/DAC combo can give you a cleaner signal and I think it's better to have this properly setup rather than buying super expensive headphones and trying to drive them from a crappy motherboard.

Also, I've read that there really isn't much of a difference between cheap/mid range DACs and super high end ones (at least not at the casual consumer level). You could try something like a FiiO E10K if you're really curious about it, if it doesn't seem to improve your listening experience you can return it. Maybe try something like a Schiit Fulla or Hel, even. Take this with a grain of salt though, just sharing my 2 cents from my perspective as a newcomer in the audiophile world. Feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong.

I never ran any headphone from the computer's soundcard. I gave up on soundcard audio years earlier when I got my 1st DAC.

The X2s were my first serious/satisfying headphone. I honestly can't remember how I amped them back then. My next purchase that really took sound higher was the humble FiiO e10K. That + the X2s sounded quite amazing to me.

Later on I got better DACs (yes, you can hear the difference) and better amps (a number of them). These things do improve the already great sound of the X2s. More importantly, better DAC & amp help run other headphones (planars, high impedance) that require more/more stable power.

So my vote would be the FiiO e10K for an excellent starter alternative to computer audio.

 

[GearMe]

I never ran any headphone from the computer's soundcard. I gave up on soundcard audio years earlier when I got my 1st DAC.

The X2s were my first serious/satisfying headphone. I honestly can't remember how I amped them back then. My next purchase that really took sound higher was the humble FiiO e10K. That + the X2s sounded quite amazing to me.

Later on I got better DACs (yes, you can hear the difference) and better amps (a number of them). These things do improve the already great sound of the X2s. More importantly, better DAC & amp help run other headphones (planars, high impedance) that require more/more stable power).

So my vote would be the FiiO e10K for an excellent starter alternative to computer audio.

The e10 was the dac/amp that I got started with...
Very good starting kit and immediately provided a sense of the possibilities for headphones

 

[Pharmaboy]

The e10 was the dac/amp that I got started with...
Very good starting kit and immediately provided a sense of the possibilities for headphones

Yup.

But it didn't stop me from going on an amp-buying rampage (at one time I had 8). I had multiple amps before I ever had multiple (>3) headphones.

(it's an illness)

 

[nikolakhs]

Ok since the g6 is almost at the same price as e10k,is this a no-brainer? I've heard that g6 is basically just as good as fiio k5 which is out of my range.

 

[Twizzleshnizzle]

Ok since the g6 is almost at the same price as e10k,is this a no-brainer? I've heard that g6 is basically just as good as fiio k5 which is out of my range.

Are you going to be using this at a desktop or on the go? Are you going to be watching movies and playing games using it, as well as listening to music? I'd personally go for the G6 over the e10k. The G6 will power most headphones, the e10k won't. The G6 has more input options, and a wealth of customisation options via the pc user interface. If you're on the go, I'd pick up the Fiio BTR5 and not the e10k. It sounds great and also offers bluetooth, but it won't work with game consoles (I doubt the e10k will either).

At €90 the G6 is a steal. The sound quality from it is extremely good, it punches above it's price point. I use mine purely for gaming as I have a far more expensive DAC/amp I use on my desktop. But if I didn't have that, I'd quite happily use the G6. In recent years Creative have put out some really mediocre products, the G6 is not one of those. It's very very good for it's price.