[Sn1p3R]

 
Hey guys first post
 
Been looking about the site for a few months now, and finally decided I wanted to purchase some new cans and an amp and or dac...
 
My main question is with the items I wish to buy what would be the best way to set it up, or even get something different.
 
For gaming and music...
 
I currently have:
Xonar D1, and a Creative Sound blaster X-fi Titanium (currently installed sound card)
Ear Force DSS - Pretty Poxy unit.
Ear Force PX21 - HATE THEM.
 
Anyway I have been getting very bad distortion with the PX21's when running from my PC to DSS via optical, then to the Px21's. Via DDL. think the cans have died, (only had them for 4 months)
 
Moral of the post is I want to upgrade to Sennheiser 595's
But i also want to get an amp for them
I was also wondering if i need a DAC?
 
Or if a get an AMP/DAC will this work also, and if i hook it up via optical from my Xonar d1-> AMP/DAC -> hd959's
Will this setup use the AMP/DAC for decoding? or will it use the sound card dac's?
 
The two dac/amps i have been looking at are:
Maverick D1
or
Zero DAC
This is just entry level stuff to get started and no doubt get me addicted to hi fi.
 
 
Or would i be better off with just an AMP and using the Sound Card to decode etc?
 
Basically in the end i would like to use Dolby Headphone or CMSS3D, with the hd595's sounding as good as i can for games.
and turning them off to sound good in music.
 
Budget is AU$200 for HP
and $AU300 for AMP/DAC

 

[Sn1p3R]

Just needed some clarification of which will be the better way to go.

Buy a DAC/AMP - and use the DAC. (if i dont use the soundcard it still has to be plugged in to give me the optical out tho, does this matter?)

or

Buy an AMP and use the soundcard as a DAC?

Both with HD595's for gaming, and some music.