Should I upgrade my Headphones or buy an Amp/Dac?
Jan 5, 2017 at 11:41 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 16
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412823

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Hey guys,
 
I'm enjoying my Sony MDR-V55's but the comfort is starting to kill me. Plus I would love a small volume boost.
 
Would I be better off buying a cheap dac/amp or upgrade my headphones? I got a pretty low budget to work with.
 
I was once recommended the Fiio E10k, but I can't find a webshop in my country where they still sell one. Is there an alternative for around 50-80 euros, or would upgrading my headphones be better? I was thinking the Creative Aurvana Live! I can get these for 60 euros. Ive read some very good reviews about these, and they seem lighter and got more comfort than my sony's.
 
My current source is just plugged into my motherboard (Realtek alc892).
 
Jan 6, 2017 at 3:02 AM Post #2 of 16
You'd probably be better off getting a new headphone. DAC/Amp don't have any significant improvement in sound quality at this price range compared to headphones. 
 
Jan 6, 2017 at 3:31 AM Post #3 of 16
Yep, get new headphones first, then look for a FiiO E10K or Q1.
You should consider the Takstar Pro 80.

 

 
Jan 6, 2017 at 6:23 AM Post #4 of 16
I disagree strongly with the other replies above. When I bought my relatively cheap Asus U7 external DAC & headphone amp it made a MASSIVE difference to my audio quality. At the time I was using a Sony XB5500, but I've moved on to the ATH-M50X. Both headphones sound like trash plugged into my onboard sound. I had to wait around 2 weeks for my U7 to be replaced last month as it had stopped working, and I hardly listened to music at all as it sounded so bad.
 
I recommend that U7 as it has served me well, but if you can, consider the $99 Schiit Audio Fulla 2:
http://schiit.com/products/fulla-2
 
Those guys at Schiit make amazing products, and the tiny Fulla 2 is no exception. You'll enjoy the benefit of your investment for a very long time, especially if you're someone who really likes their music but isn't exactly an audiophile. They ship worldwide, and hopefully for not too much money. That DAC/amp would likely live to see your next decade or two of headphones.
 
Jan 6, 2017 at 10:36 AM Post #5 of 16
I would recommend getting new headphones. Having something that is comfortable to listen to is the most important quality for me even over sound. It just make the listening experience way more enjoyable. If its not comfortable its not worth wearing to listen to. 
 
Jan 6, 2017 at 11:14 AM Post #6 of 16
@Dulalala: Thanks, I do am considering getting new headphones over a dac/amp as the comfort is the main problem right now for me.
@Me x3: Those headphones are not avaiable in my country, and I don't have the patience to wait a month for shipping and all the drama if it needs to be returned o.i.d.
They also seem rather heavier, not sure if that's what im looking for.
I looked up the Q1, isn't that for mobile use? I will be using it for desktop only. I forgot to mention that, sorry.
@KingKrush: The Asus U7 is def in my price range, and it probably could be usefull for both my headphone as a mic I have that needs more power to work great (Zalman ZM-Mic1). I'm not using the mic at the moment, tho.
@yoyojoe: Yeah, I do think I'm prefering to buy some new headphones first, as the main reason is the comfort. They do sound amazing, and I heard the Creative's are even a bit better, and they are lighter aswell. 
 
The Sony's I have right now are 40Ω, and the creatives 32Ω, but the volume between them is 105db (sony) vs 103db (creative), what does that mean exactly? Which pair is going to give higher volume?
 
Jan 6, 2017 at 11:55 AM Post #7 of 16
They will probably be about the same. Not much difference between them. Higher Impedance means it needs more power to get louder, and higher decibels means it can get much louder. There isn't much difference in the numbers though.
 
Jan 6, 2017 at 12:08 PM Post #8 of 16
torrentz said:
 
The Sony's I have right now are 40Ω, and the creatives 32Ω, but the volume between them is 105db (sony) vs 103db (creative), what does that mean exactly? Which pair is going to give higher volume?
Click to expand...

 
yoyojoe said:
  They will probably be about the same. Not much difference between them. Higher Impedance means it needs more power to get louder, and higher decibels means it can get much louder. There isn't much difference in the numbers though.
Click to expand...

That is not true. Higher impedance does not mean it requires more power. The 103 is actually for dB/mW and not just dB which is the sensitivity of the headphone. The two specification, impedance and sensitivity is what determines how loud the headphone will go. Different amps output different amount of power at different impedance (solid state outputs less at higher impedance) and the 103 dB/mW means that for 1mW of power supplied the headphone produces 103 dB of sound so combined, you can find out how loud the headphone will get if you have the power output of the amp at the impedance the headphone is at. I wouldn't worry too much about the specifications though since (as @yoyojoe stated) there isn't much difference in power requirement between the two.
 
Jan 7, 2017 at 8:34 PM Post #11 of 16
torrentz said:
 
I just saw they cost only 45 euros on the creative website itself?! Free shipping to belgium 
cool.gif
Click to expand...

 
Seems like a bargain. Are they coming from within the EU? If they're not check import taxes and such where applicable.
 
Jan 7, 2017 at 9:06 PM Post #12 of 16
Yeah, EU creative, trough this link:
 
http://en.europe.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets/aurvana-live/buy
 
the Live2 is 69.99, but I read it's not that great? or at least different?
 
Jan 10, 2017 at 10:25 AM Post #15 of 16
Hello,
 
I just received the creative headphones ( which I didn't expect to be so fast!).
 
I got a question, do these need a burn in? They sound a little different, the bass is less punchy (I like the bass on my v55's more) and the 's' word is much cleaner, is there a name for that? (I don't know any audiophile terms, sorry). Vocals do sound much cleaner aswell. They do have slightly less volume. Maybe they can still open up after burning in few days?
 
Could someone enlighten me? Might even consider buying an amp.
 
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