[LifeIsGood4]

So right now I own a pair of AKG 702, a Creative sound blaster Z card, and a playstation 4 I would like to use with my headphones. The PS4 has optical and hdmi. Im really confused whether I should be buying a reciever,Amp,DAC, or an astro mixamp which I've also seen recommended. My biggest goal is to get the best sound possible from my gaming systems. 
 
Does anyone have recommendations ? I'd say my budget is around 500$. I like the idea of buying a reciever to manage all my hdmi and then an amp to hook up to it. Would this work ? Does anyone have any suggestions ?

 

[billybob_jcv]

Wait - what does the Soundblaster Z have to do with the PS4? Or are those two completely separate?

You could use an AV receiver as a switcher, and plug your headphones into the receiver - or if the receiver has a preamp output, then go from the receiver into an external headphone amp.

 

[LifeIsGood4]

Wait - what does the Soundblaster Z have to do with the PS4? Or are those two completely separate?

You could use an AV receiver as a switcher, and plug your headphones into the receiver - or if the receiver has a preamp output, then go from the receiver into an external headphone amp.

 
They are completely separate. 
 
So I should be looking for a good receiver with a preamp outlet and a headphone amp ?

 

[billybob_jcv]

That is one way to accomplish this. The receiver will have HDMI and spdif inputs. That will allow you to plug the gaming devices in and then switch between them. The receiver will act as the DAC. The output would be a left/right analog line-out that would go into the headphone amp. The headphones would then plug into the headphone amp.

OR

Let the PS4 and the PC soundcard do the DAC functions. Feed the left/right analog lineout from each device into a headphone amp with dual inputs (these do exist) or just use a simple stereo A/B switch and a single-input headphone amp.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  So right now I own a pair of AKG 702, a Creative sound blaster Z card, and a playstation 4 I would like to use with my headphones. The PS4 has optical and hdmi. Im really confused whether I should be buying a reciever,Amp,DAC, or an astro mixamp which I've also seen recommended. My biggest goal is to get the best sound possible from my gaming systems. 
 
Does anyone have recommendations ? I'd say my budget is around 500$. I like the idea of buying a reciever to manage all my hdmi and then an amp to hook up to it. Would this work ? Does anyone have any suggestions ?

How many devices do you have with HDMI outputs that you would hook into a receiver?

 

[LifeIsGood4]

  How many devices do you have with HDMI outputs that you would hook into a receiver?

 
assuming that I will get an xbox one at some point 
 
 
something like 5
 
so a lot 
 
right now my TV doesnt have enough inputs

 

[LifeIsGood4]

If I didnt have the money for a receiver right now would an astro mixamp plus a good amp work for decent sound out of my PS4 ?
 
(just a reminder PS4 is digital only so Im basically looking for a good way to get an amp hooked to it through optical to use with my AKG 702s)

 

[LifeIsGood4]

what about getting a DAC/AMP combo with optical input like this

 

 


 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-D1-24-bit-Digital-to-Analog-Converter/dp/B006IPH5H2/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1389498727&sr=8-12&keywords=dac
 
 
 
would this be the easiest and most simple solution ??