[snaps11]

Looking for a summit-fi quality headphone that will be great unamped from something like a pc soundcard.  Is there anything else besides something like a PS500 or GS1000i?  I don't always have the time to fire up my whole audio rig so something I could hook up real quick to my pc would be nice.  Something along the lines of a hd-650 but better would be my preference.  Doubt there is anything HD-800 level out there but I am open to suggestion.  I use the DT-770 32 ohm unamped but its just not good enough.
 
BTW - I like the GS1000i since it is circumaural but since I have never heard this headphone I am skeptical as to how good it would be unamped due to size.
 
Currently own: LCD-3, LCD-XC, HD-800, HD-650, DT-770.

 

[DefQon]

TH600/TH900 should be up your alley way. As well as the Ultrasone LE8 or the 12. 

 

[snaps11]

Hmmm the th900 looks interesting. Anyone here try it unamped? Fostex hard to get support for in the states?

 

[Maxvla]

AKG K812 is fine without a heavy duty amp, but will be better with one. It shares many similarities with the HD800, but isn't quite up to par.

 

[Armaegis]

Why not just spend the $50 and get a pc soundcard with a half decent amp then?

 

[Moostrkraaft]

It sounds like you would be best served with a solid and compact USB-type DAC like a DragonFly. The Resonessence Herus looks like a winner to me in that category. You already have the right headphones, and these devices are quick plug-and-play and relatively cheap.

 

[snaps11]

Yeah but that gives me no excuse to try something new .  I guess if it came between the ps500, th900, and gs1000i which would win out in overall clarity and resolution? This would be my daily driver so to speak so being able to use it wherever would be fine.  Doesn't have to be portable though, for that I would just take an IEM with me.  Basically these need to be all around phones that I can wear for hours without fatigue.

 

[erikfreedom]

th900 out of an asus xonar essence stx is bloody incredible. I could live with this simple setup forever.

 

[snaps11]

  th900 out of an asus xonar essence stx is bloody incredible. I could live with this simple setup forever.

Since you own the gs1000i does that do okay with it? Or is the th900 that much better?

 

[erikfreedom]

 
Since you own the gs1000i does that do okay with it? Or is the th900 that much better?

surprisingly the grado gs1000i are power hungry on the stx. even at extra high gain setting, it is not enough to drive them properly. they sound like crap even powered properly. they were my first grados and they will be my last. I have not listened to them in more than a year and I will never again buy a grado product. I have 200 bucks headphones that sound better than this. th900  are miles ahead of the grados even when driven by the stx. best setting is at extra high gain. I prefer the soft rock eq for them on the equalizer.
 
buy a pair of th900 and be done with it. 

 

[snaps11]

How are they vs the hd-650?

 

[erikfreedom]

hd 650 is not very good out of the xonar stx. but when properly amped is incredible. very comfortable and good sounding pair of cans. in all honesty hd 650 has better sound than th900, but require a good amplifier to do so. th900 is better than hd 650 out of sound cards and small portable amplifiers.

 

[eugenius]

Try one of those new Focal headphones or the NAD HP50.

 

[TwoEars]

My Titanium HD card can drive both my HD650 and HD800.
 
It's certainly not the best I've heard them but it does work.

 

[eugenius]

You mean, sound comes out of them?