sennheiser hd590 and audigy 2 platinum (not zs)
Jul 28, 2004 at 4:30 AM Post #16 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by juni0r
.i can't help but think that something can't quite be right with what i am using. is it the sound card? is it something i'm probably not setting up correctly? whenever i play around with a EQ and attempt to amplify the bass, it gets distorted.


You definitely need an amp. Check out headsave or if your ok with used equipment, the for sale forums. I also have the 590s and Audigy (non-platinum) for my PC and a $30 CMoy amp did wonders for me.

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...highlight=cmoy
 
Jul 28, 2004 at 1:19 PM Post #17 of 34
On that note i also have a question similar to this. How does the headsave classic compare to a standard cmoy? Ive been looking at the classic mainly because I dont need a portable amp and i was hoping i could get a little better sound out of one since i dont need a circuit that relies on batteries. So is the $110+ worth it for the classic or would a standard $30-$60 cmoy be fine? BTW like in my sig i plan on using it with the AV710 since i cant afford the higher soundcards, and HD-595's.
 
Aug 3, 2004 at 4:48 PM Post #18 of 34
Ok, I've pretty much decided that I'll get the E-MU 1212M and the Headsave Classic in that order when money permits. Looking at the E-MU, I see two quarter inch analog outputs on one of the cards, one L one R. Since I will likely not being purchasing the card and amp at the same time, which output would I use for my cans? Also, since I will likely be getting a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker set after I get the card and the amp, would I also need a secondary sound card just for my speakers? If so, what would you guys suggest?

Edit: I tried ASIO w/ Foobar2K setup like Mr. Radar described I honestly could not tell a difference. At the very least, it is a slight difference and even then, I am unsure if it's just me trying to force myself to notice something. Is there something wrong with me, or is it something in the equipment?
 
Aug 3, 2004 at 9:15 PM Post #19 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by juni0r
Ok, I've pretty much decided that I'll get the E-MU 1212M and the Headsave Classic in that order when money permits. Looking at the E-MU, I see two quarter inch analog outputs on one of the cards, one L one R. Since I will likely not being purchasing the card and amp at the same time, which output would I use for my cans?


Both of those outputs are mono so one is the left channel and the other is the right. You'll need to get an adapter like this one.

Quote:

Also, since I will likely be getting a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker set after I get the card and the amp, would I also need a secondary sound card just for my speakers? If so, what would you guys suggest?


You wouldn't need a second card, though it could save you the hassle of unplugging your headphones and plugging in your speakers. You could also get a switcher box like this one. If you do want to get a second soundcard for your speakers the Chaintech AV-710 would be good for cheap.

Quote:

Edit: I tried ASIO w/ Foobar2K setup like Mr. Radar described I honestly could not tell a difference. At the very least, it is a slight difference and even then, I am unsure if it's just me trying to force myself to notice something. Is there something wrong with me, or is it something in the equipment?


Maybe your HD590 isn't being driven well enough to bring out the differences or you really just can't tell any difference which isn't nesscarily a bad thing (because you can be satisified with a less expensive setup than people with overly good hearing).
 
Aug 3, 2004 at 9:52 PM Post #20 of 34
Wow, thanks for the help as always. If only I knew about you guys when I first put together this rig then maybe I wouldn't have blown so much on the Audigy :/

Edit: Btw Mr. Radar, is there an adapter like the one you linked but with a 1/4" Stereo accepter as opposed to a Mono accepter?
 
Aug 4, 2004 at 1:58 AM Post #22 of 34
Try plugging your headphones directly to the soundcard and not the livedrive. For some reason, the livedrive isn't enough to power the HD-590. Btw, I have the same headphones and an audigy2 zs platinum. I notice a big difference when the heaphones are plugged directly to the card than to the livedrive.
 
Aug 4, 2004 at 2:59 AM Post #23 of 34
it could depend on the type of music you're listening and your preference, of course, but i ended up dropping the HD590s. the bass was definately but too boomy/messy sounding. instead, i went for the Grado SR-325s. These are bright headphones and supposedly have weak bass but after i played around with Foobar's equalizer the bass is very good IMO. it's very tight and punchy which i prefer. i listen to most classic rock, metal, industrial, 80's, jazz, and some EBM. also, the sr325''s are more a lot more detailed than the hd590s.
also, i did use an amp which made a world of a difference. i bought a "maxed" out meta-42 based amp and i'm very happy with it.
 
Aug 4, 2004 at 8:10 AM Post #24 of 34
The 590's really aren't that power hungry, they benefit from an amp but not that much. If you need more volume than what the creative cards can put out with the 590 you should seriously have your hearing checked, you're going deaf. That said, the Audigy cards do sound pretty terrible, it's not a volume issue though.

As far as distortions go, creative cards don't like to be run at max volumes. Open up volume control and make sure none of your volume bars exceed 75% or you'll be hearing a lot of distortion. If you are using the eq, eq down from flat not up. In other words, lower frequencies you want to hear less of, don't raise the ones you want to hear more of. This still won't make the Audigy cards sound great but it'll help and keep them from distorting. If you're not gaming, get rid of the thing and replace it with a E-MU or Chaintech. If you are gaming run two cards. If you don't have space at least switch the the M-Audio Revolution. It's a good compromise.

BTW, there are much better headphones out there for the money. The 590's are awesome for resolution and sound damn good with classical music but their sucked out midrange really leaves something to be desired for any other type of music.
 
Aug 4, 2004 at 11:47 PM Post #25 of 34
I don't need more volume whatsoever. The headphones simply do not sound like the $200 I paid. I read all these reviews about the amazing capabilities of the bass and through the Audigy 2 (yes, I plugged it into the main speaker out on the back) it barely sounds better than a $100 Sennheiser headset. That being said, I really do honestly hope an amp will benefit, if not, then I guess I am screwed. But seeing as how simply changing the plug-in location from the front deck to the back PCI card made a significant difference, I hope the amp/E-MU upgrade will help just as much. If they do, I likely will be more than satisfied
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Aug 5, 2004 at 5:44 PM Post #27 of 34
Okay, so seeing as how my dad had a 10-year old JVC RX-709V receiver w/ 65 watt amp lying around, I decided to give this thing a shot and see if my HD 590s would really benefit from an amp. So, I put a CD into my Toshiba SD-3960 DVD player and tweaked the EQ a bit. All I can say is wow, what a noticable difference, and this is without using high-end source equipment (from what it seems). The bass was evident and physically noticable. It also didn't distort. I'm pretty convinced of the benefits of a headphone amp now. I can't say for sure what it will be like when I get the E-MU and Headsave, but for anyone else in a situation like mine, if you have a receiver laying around, test it out...it at least provides a reference point to what everyone is suggesting
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Aug 6, 2004 at 1:44 AM Post #28 of 34
Quote:

Originally Posted by juni0r
I don't need more volume whatsoever. The headphones simply do not sound like the $200 I paid. I read all these reviews about the amazing capabilities of the bass and through the Audigy 2 (yes, I plugged it into the main speaker out on the back) it barely sounds better than a $100 Sennheiser headset. That being said, I really do honestly hope an amp will benefit, if not, then I guess I am screwed. But seeing as how simply changing the plug-in location from the front deck to the back PCI card made a significant difference, I hope the amp/E-MU upgrade will help just as much. If they do, I likely will be more than satisfied
smily_headphones1.gif




Which $100 headset are you talking about?

BTW you will always be subject to the weakest link in the chain. The Audigy cards just aren't that great and your sound will suffer for it, regardless of what you plug into it. I'd highly recommend replacing it or adding a second card that would outperform the Audigy for music and movie watching. Keep the audigy for gaming if need be. Like I said, if you're using the EQ make sure to EQ down not up. Also, make sure you're not causing distortion by exceeding 75% volume on any volume control.
 
Aug 6, 2004 at 2:24 AM Post #30 of 34
I am referring to the Sennheiser PC 155 (in regards to its performance sans USB adapter). It is a retail $140 headset or so but it can be found in ample stock for $80 online. And yes, I am going to get the E-MU 1212M, probably from Zemo's group buy. Mixing down on the EQ did help with the Audigy, volume sliders were below 75% to begin with
smily_headphones1.gif


With the receiver that I tested, the HD 590 significantly improved over the aformentioned headset and any other headphones I've used (although my experience with headphones is VERY limited). So, I am looking forward to the improved source and amp
smily_headphones1.gif
 
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