[TheLuckiest]

I just purchased the Schiit Asgard and Bifrost + the PYST combo because I've heard such glowing reviews about the quality for an entry-level DAC + amp combo. I'm just using my desktop computer's motherboard soundcard over SPDIF. My previous setup was a Astro Gaming Mixamp with SPDIF audio directly into the headphones (probably blasphemous to you audiophiles). Unfortunately, my issue came when I actually tried using the Asgard + Bifrost. Setup was easy, I plugged everything in and loaded up Foobar2000 with some FLAC audio I've downloaded over the years (Dreamtheater, Fun, Deadmau5, Coldplay, Mika, various others).....aaaaand...I could NOT hear a difference between the Schiit setup and the Astro Gaming setup. I played tracks and quickly switched between both setups...but I literally could not hear any difference. I'm an avid music listener and a musician myself, so I like to think that I have a pretty good ear for high/low quality audio. Am I doing something wrong here? Is my setup completely overkill, and HD 598's by themselves are good enough?
 
Any help with this would be awesome!
 
Thanks

 

[Draygonn]

HD598's don't benefit from amping so I'm not surprised at your results.

 

[proton007]

Congratulations, you've been Head-Fi-ed. 

 

[proton007]

On a more serious note, price doesn't always equate to performance, atleast for amps, DACs, and sometimes, headphones as well. 

 

[TheLuckiest]

Quote:

HD598's don't benefit from amping so I'm not surprised at your results.

 
WOW really!? Okay apparently I have much to learn! How can you tell which headphones benefit from amps and which don't? (Thanks for saving me some money!)
 
Also...why have I read threads on this forum in regards to the Asgard being a "great matchup" to the 598's? I'm just curious as to why people would say that if they don't gain anything from amplification.

 

[Misios]

The 598's are easier to drive than other headphones such as for instance the HD 600 or 650.
tbh it is a bit overkill with having schiit's for a HD 598.
 
I don't know which headphones that sound good with the schiit's, maybe some fellow head-fiers could possibly help you out?
 
 
and I've heard the HD 598 without amplification, and with (only Fiio E17) and I can definitley say that they do benefit from amplification. How much compared to other headphones - I can't really tell yet (i'm not experienced enough to go well into detail)

 

[TheLuckiest]

Oh, I see, I see. Thanks for the response. I'm returning the Schiit stuff, so it was really nothing lost just to try it out and see the difference. With my setup I was able to swap back and forth between amp/no amp and I really couldn't tell a difference between them at all. Maybe a slightly punchier bass, but the difference was very very small.

 

[Oberst Oswald]

Quote:

Congratulations, you've been Head-Fi-ed. 

Truer words have never been spoken...