[kkarnaukh]

I have just ordered the DT990/250ohm and I have a xonar DG PCI sound card. I was planning to power these with a FiiO E10 originally but thought that my xonar DG would perform better as a DAC so I would only need to power it. However I am a bit of a newbie to audio and not sure which method would be best I dont hope to spend much above the price of an E9.
I hope those of you who are fully clued up on the topic could help me out. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I have just ordered the DT990/250ohm and I have a xonar DG PCI sound card. I was planning to power these with a FiiO E10 originally but thought that my xonar DG would perform better as a DAC so I would only need to power it. However I am a bit of a newbie to audio and not sure which method would be best I don't hope to spend much above the price of an E9.
I hope those of you who are fully clued up on the topic could help me out. 

Fiio E11 ($65) portable headphone amplifier, for $13 more you can get two spare batteries and a battery charger.
 
Single tube headphone amplifier, $60 to $120 sold on eBay ships from China, takes ten days.
 
SMSL SAP-100 ($65) AC powered, eBay. Ships from China, take 15 or more days.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

fiio e9
 

 

[reddragon]

i can tell you my e17 powers my dt990 pro 250ohms fine and i have no idea of any other amp

 

[formula1]

Try the Matrix M stage, it powers well 250 ohm headphones. 

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

Try the Matrix M stage, it powers well 250 ohm headphones. 

 
I can confirm my M Stage powers my DT880 250Ohm with great ease. If my Asus ST's headphone amp wouldn't power them properly, what hope do those little Fiio amps have....

 

[Fearless1]

Quote:

 
I can confirm my M Stage powers my DT880 250Ohm with great ease. If my Asus ST's headphone amp wouldn't power them properly, what hope do those little Fiio amps have....

The M-stage is a great choice, also an Objective 2 is a cheaper alternative. The O2 or the M-stage blows the doors off of anything Fiio offers in my opinion.

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

The M-stage is a great choice, also an Objective 2 is a cheaper alternative. The O2 or the M-stage blows the doors off of anything Fiio offers in my opinion.

 
Yep the O2 is a very good and cheaper option as well.

 

[reddragon]

Quote:

 
I can confirm my M Stage powers my DT880 250Ohm with great ease. If my Asus ST's headphone amp wouldn't power them properly, what hope do those little Fiio amps have....

 
 
are you saying my fiio amp doesnt drive my dt990 well enough?

 

[Ditti]

I've got the same combo, M-Stage driving DT880-250 ohm fed by an HRT iStreamer.  I love that combo.  Was just listening to it last night and could not stop to go to bed.  Personally I prefer that combo to the O2 combo, but the O2 is a great amp as well.

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

 
 
are you saying my fiio amp doesnt drive my dt990 well enough?

 
My Asus ST has a more powerful amplifier and it didn't power my DT880 properly. So unless the Fiio is more powerful than I doubt it.
 
I'm not all to sure about the Fiios, but I am skeptical.

 

[SONIC BOOM]

Quote:

 
My Asus ST has a more powerful amplifier and it didn't power my DT880 properly. So unless the Fiio is more powerful than I doubt it.
 
I'm not all to sure about the Fiios, but I am skeptical.

the e9 powers dt990s great

 

[reddragon]

Quote:

 
My Asus ST has a more powerful amplifier and it didn't power my DT880 properly. So unless the Fiio is more powerful than I doubt it.
 
I'm not all to sure about the Fiios, but I am skeptical.

 
 
i wouldnt know how any other amp performs since my e17 is my first and only amp, i have no problem with my e17 dt990 combo though...  

 

[stv014]

Quote:

My Asus ST has a more powerful amplifier and it didn't power my DT880 properly.

 
Either your sound card is defective in some way or is not configured correctly, or you are experiencing a placebo effect. The amplifier on the Xonar STX (I assume it is the same on the ST) has enough power for both the 250 and 600 Ohm versions of the DT880, and is comparable to the O2 when driving high impedance headphones.

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

 
Either your sound card is defective in some way or is not configured correctly, or you are experiencing a placebo effect. The amplifier on the Xonar STX (I assume it is the same on the ST) has enough power for both the 250 and 600 Ohm versions of the DT880, and is comparable to the O2 when driving high impedance headphones.

 
I definitely feel a better difference, my DT880 doesn't feel so anemic in the lows and as rough around the edges with my M Stage as it did with the Asus ST. No, I don't have a defective or disconfigured Asus ST, I still use it as my source (through the line out) and the headphone out still sounded good with my more sensitive cans.