[solbergg]

Hey, guys.
 
I'm trying to figure out how best to improve my audio from my computer to my headphones.  First off, this is what I have to work with:
 
Sennheiser HD580 headphones
Meier Audio Corda Head-Five amp 
Motherboard's sound card
 
At the moment I have the Sennheiser's hooked up to the headphone out of my cheap speakers, and the Head-Five is in a box somewhere.  This seems like a terrible waste, so I think the best way to integrate it into my system is via a DAC or a soundcard (which would have an onboard DAC, I know).  
 
Any suggestions on which would be the better route?  I primarily play games and listen to music on the computer.  The games are either strategy or mmo titles, so having exact positional audio isn't terribly important to me.  I'm hoping to spend less than $100.  Let me know if there's any thing else which will help with the recommendations.  Thanks!

 

[obobskivich]

With your budget and usage, get a soundcard, better bang-for-the-buck.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I'm trying to figure out how best to improve my audio from my computer to my headphones.  First off, this is what I have to work with:

Sennheiser HD580 headphones
Meier Audio Corda Head-Five amp 
Motherboard's sound card
At the moment I have the Sennheiser's hooked up to the headphone out of my cheap speakers, and the Head-Five is in a box somewhere.  This seems like a terrible waste, so I think the best way to integrate it into my system is via a DAC or a soundcard (which would have an onboard DAC, I know).  
Any suggestions on which would be the better route?  I primarily play games and listen to music on the computer.  The games are either strategy or mmo titles, so having exact positional audio isn't terribly important to me.  I'm hoping to spend less than $100.  Let me know if there's any thing else which will help with the recommendations.  Thanks!

A used Xonar DX or D1 ($55) sound card comes with a fairly decent DAC and Dolby Digital (Dolby Virtual Headphone)
So Xonar DX/D1 to Meier Audio Corda Head-Five to HD580

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I'm trying to figure out how best to improve my audio from my computer to my headphones.  First off, this is what I have to work with:

Sennheiser HD580 headphones
Meier Audio Corda Head-Five amp 
Motherboard's sound card
At the moment I have the Sennheiser's hooked up to the headphone out of my cheap speakers, and the Head-Five is in a box somewhere.  This seems like a terrible waste, so I think the best way to integrate it into my system is via a DAC or a soundcard (which would have an onboard DAC, I know).  
Any suggestions on which would be the better route?  I primarily play games and listen to music on the computer.  The games are either strategy or mmo titles, so having exact positional audio isn't terribly important to me.  I'm hoping to spend less than $100.  Let me know if there's any thing else which will help with the recommendations.  Thanks!

A used Xonar DX or D1 ($55) sound card comes with a fairly decent DAC and Dolby Digital (Dolby Virtual Headphone).
So Xonar DX/D1 to Meier Audio Corda Head-Five to HD580

 

[solbergg]

Awesome, thanks guys.  PurpleAngel, the Xonar looks promising, but will I be able to hook up my speakers and the amp at the same time?  The speakers have a standard 3.5mm jack, the Head-Five has RCA, so I assume I need a 3.5mm to RCA cable.  I'm worried that the Xonar will only have one 3.5mm line out like my onboard soundcard.   Would I be committing audiophile blasphemy if I used a splitter cable?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Awesome, thanks guys.  PurpleAngel, the Xonar looks promising, but will I be able to hook up my speakers and the amp at the same time?  The speakers have a standard 3.5mm jack, the Head-Five has RCA, so I assume I need a 3.5mm to RCA cable.  I'm worried that the Xonar will only have one 3.5mm line out like my onboard soundcard.   Would I be committing audiophile blasphemy if I used a splitter cable?

For under $30, you can get a Fiio D3 optical DAC, connect it between the sound card optical output and the speakers.
Cable between D3 and speakers would need to be a RCA (red/white) to 3.5mm female
Fiio D3 is not as good a DAC as the one built in the Xonar DX/D1, but it's under $30.

 

[obobskivich]

Awesome, thanks guys.  PurpleAngel, the Xonar looks promising, but will I be able to hook up my speakers and the amp at the same time?  The speakers have a standard 3.5mm jack, the Head-Five has RCA, so I assume I need a 3.5mm to RCA cable.  I'm worried that the Xonar will only have one 3.5mm line out like my onboard soundcard.   Would I be committing audiophile blasphemy if I used a splitter cable?

Does the amp have a parallel return? (Bing Images got me nowhere quick ). If so, just use that. Otherwise, splitter is fine - cheap, simple, gets the job done. Personally I'd go for a cable splitter (you'll have enough hard plastic between the two TRS plugs) and TRS/RCA converter cable (again, instead of a mess of hard plastic weighing down on the jack).

Alternately, you can go with the D3 that PurpleAngel suggested, but it just seems like a lot of extra gear for no reason. Probably no reason to go to TRS female, if the speakers have a TRS input (which is female), just plug the RCA/TRS cable right into them.

 

[solbergg]

Quote:

Does the amp have a parallel return? (Bing Images got me nowhere quick

). If so, just use that. Otherwise, splitter is fine - cheap, simple, gets the job done. Personally I'd go for a cable splitter (you'll have enough hard plastic between the two TRS plugs) and TRS/RCA converter cable (again, instead of a mess of hard plastic weighing down on the jack).
Alternately, you can go with the D3 that PurpleAngel suggested, but it just seems like a lot of extra gear for no reason. Probably no reason to go to TRS female, if the speakers have a TRS input (which is female), just plug the RCA/TRS cable right into them.

 
No return, just a pair of RCA inputs.  In case you're curious, it was a limited run amp made specifically for Head-fi by Jan Meier in 2006.  Somebody made a photo collection here.
 
Seems like I have two options then:
 
1. Go cheap - stick with onboard sound for speakers, get Fii0 D3 for headphone amp (onboard does have SPIF out) for about $30
2. Go slightly less cheap - purchase Xonar DX and a TRS splitter cable for about $60
 
In audio equipment terms, not too risky an investment either way!

 

[obobskivich]

No return, just a pair of RCA inputs.  In case you're curious, it was a limited run amp made specifically for Head-fi by Jan Meier in 2006.  Somebody made a photo collection here.

Seems like I have two options then:

1. Go cheap - stick with onboard sound for speakers, get Fii0 D3 for headphone amp (onboard does have SPIF out) for about $30
2. Go slightly less cheap - purchase Xonar DX and a TRS splitter cable for about $60

In audio equipment terms, not too risky an investment either way!

Truth be told, I'd go with option 2. Especially if you use Vista or 7; some audio interfaces don't let you run digital and analog simultaneously under WDM. It's a nightmare.

 

[solbergg]

Works for me.  A used Xonar DX and some monoprice cables are on their way.  Thanks again, guys!