will a sound card be an improvement over this setup?

[zornyan]

hi all, joined up after reading through some of the amazing articles some people have done, also helped me buy my first set of 'headphones' instead of a gaming headset.

first off, I play various types of games, some require/benefit from positional audio greatly (rainbow six siege and cs go for example) whilst others I just like to listen to some good audio /music.

so, I've got a set of sennheiser hd598 open cans, AMAZING and can't believe I didn't get some sooner, so sooo much better than any 'gaming headset' I've ever owned.

now, I would like to see if I can further improve upon this setup, currently I'm using the DAC that came with my motherboard

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7764/asus-rog-rampage-edition-10-intel-x99-motherboard-review/index3.html

now, I'm not sure if this is actually considered good or not? apparently it's mostly ESS SABRE stuff but obviously there's more to it than that.

my only issue is using this DAC I cannot use any sort of EQ or any '3d' software that might help with audio?

so firstly, is that DAC ok?

would I get an improvement if I got something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00B1R2AFE/

finally, I've heard about 'hrtf' which csgo does have as an option and does seem to make positional audio much more accurate , more specifically when on different levels of a building, where as in rainbow six it's harder to distinguish what floor other people are on as it all feels like the same level.

any other ideas to improve my setup would be appreciated!

 

[PurpleAngel]

Your motherboard comes with DTS Sonic Studio software, have you tried it?
https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-RAMPAGE-V-EDITION-10/HelpDesk_Download/

 

[zornyan]

unfortunately sonic studio only works when plugged into the rear outputs, when plugged into the DAC/amp it doesn't seem to pick up my headphones?

 

[BDT770]

Get yourself a dac/amp thing as they're much better than sound cards. I've bought 2 sound cards and I ended up getting a DAC, after all as soundcards are simply not good enough for real headphones like yours there. They distort and don't reveal much, they simply are crap, no matter what sound cards fan would say.

 

[serman005]

  Get yourself a dac/amp thing as they're much better than sound cards. I've bought 2 sound cards and I ended up getting a DAC, after all as soundcards are simply not good enough for real headphones like yours there. They distort and don't reveal much, they simply are crap, no matter what sound cards fan would say.

I'm not sure I agree that all sound cards are crap. I understand your preference for traditional dac/amps, and there is a case to be made for that position, but I feel like there is a place for a good soundcard in some settings. FWIW. YMMV, obviously. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

unfortunately sonic studio only works when plugged into the rear outputs, when plugged into the DAC/amp it doesn't seem to pick up my headphones?

 
Try contacting Asus's tech support.
Strange that Asus would include a DAC/amp (soundcard?) that does not work with the DTS software?
Could be the Sonic Studio has a setting for where the audio outputs to.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

now, I would like to see if I can further improve upon this setup, currently I'm using the DAC that came with my motherboard

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7764/asus-rog-rampage-edition-10-intel-x99-motherboard-review/index3.html

now, I'm not sure if this is actually considered good or not? apparently it's mostly ESS SABRE stuff but obviously there's more to it than that.

 
There are - the circuit design of the DAC and its analogue output stage, plus the amplifier stage, and then there's the DSP chip in that board.
 
 

my only issue is using this DAC I cannot use any sort of EQ or any '3d' software that might help with audio?

 

It has a DSP chip for that and the related software.

 
 

so firstly, is that DAC ok?

 

The DAC's good and I have no reason to suspect the rest of the circuit. Maybe that its "adaptive impedance" or whatever Asus calls it is more of a gain control than an assurance that the output impedance is low enough for whatever load impedance it put on it, but if you can't hear any obvious problems you don't like, I wouldn't worry about it for now.
 
 

would I get an improvement if I got something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00B1R2AFE/

 
Not really, your motherboard already does what that does, and if anything, we're just sure the soundcard has a high output impedance either because it was published somewhere or somebody measured it. Creative cards  are typically at 30ohm.
 
 

any other ideas to improve my setup would be appreciated!

 

Save up, get better headphones, and a DAC-HPamp if it needs it. Make sure it has optical input so it can still utilize the motherboard's DSP for virtual surround.
 
 

unfortunately sonic studio only works when plugged into the rear outputs, when plugged into the DAC/amp it doesn't seem to pick up my headphones?

 

If you use a DAC-HPamp that gets the digital audio signal via USB it will bypass the DSP chip on the motherboard or soundcard (in an expension slot). The DSP chip that handles virtual surround and other tricks is the same chip that does SPDIF conversion so if you use optical or coax (whichever one your motherboard or soundcard has) you'd still use the same DSP and its features.

 

If you're referring to the 5.25in form factor amp that came with it, I'm not even sure if it's got its own DAC unit inside since that just double up everything. Most likely it's just an amp and should still be getting a signal from the DAC on the motherboard which then gets a signal from the DSP. If anything it might even just be mostly a bunch of cables and the potentiometer on it just controls the output stage on the motherboard itself, or controls the digital level on the DSP, either way can be done with the correct connection. I suggest you contact Asus, that unit might be defective.

 

 

 

[headpfizer]

I highly recommend the SMSL M3 Amp/DAC. It costs £69.99 on amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/SMSL-M3-Headphone-Amplifier-Asynchronous/dp/B01C2OAANI), has usb and optical in and can drive all my headphones (the hardest being HD 600).

 

[BDT770]

  I'm not sure I agree that all sound cards are crap. I understand your preference for traditional dac/amps, and there is a case to be made for that position, but I feel like there is a place for a good soundcard in some settings. FWIW. YMMV, obviously. 

I'm suspecting a really fat soundcard will cost 3x more than a 3x better than it, dacamp.
My experience with them made me conclude that, now if anyone has money to throw at it and prove it wrong then, congrats, what can I say