[chiuming07]

QUESTION 1
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Is the following a good setup to get quality sound?

source is mp3 192kps

sound card digital output --> Yamaha receiver --> HD650 headphone

- Yamaha 600W 6.1-Ch. Receiver Model: HTR-5840BL
- HD650 headphone
- a cheap sound card with digital output

QUESTION 2
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Is the quality of sound is very limited if I use mp3 instead of CD as source?

QUESTION 3
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Does Creative X-Fi has a better sound out than a receiver?

QUESTION 4
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what's headphone amp really use for? does it simply make the music louder? of it's same as a guitar amp with tubes inside that makes "WARM" sound feeling.

thanks

 

[Sycraft]

1) That's a fine setup so long as you don't care about surround. S/PDIF out is 2 channel only. If you want surround, you'll need to go analogue to your multi-channel input (I assume your reciever has one, my Yamah does).

2) Depends on the rate of the MP3s. 192k MP3 is pretty good. 256k is probably "CD quality" in most cases. Uncompressed (or loslessly compressed) music will be the best technicly, but on most setups high bitrate MP3s exceeds what your equipment can reproduce, and your ears hear, so it's academic.

3) Not sure what you mean, in what respect? A reciever is basically just a multi-channel poweramp and switcher. The X-Fi is a sound processor.

4) Headphone amps are, or at least should be, circuts specificly designed to drive headphones. Headphones are generally much higher impedance than speakers, and lower power, and are thus unsuited to be driven by a normal speaker amp. A good headphone amp will yeild better, cleaner sound.

 

[chiuming07]

QUESTION 3
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what i mean is
1) do I plug in HD650 headphone directly to X-Fi sounds better -OR-
2) do I plug my Yamaha receiver HTR-5840BL into optical output of X-Fi & plug in HD650 headphone to Yamaha receiver
3) do I plug HD650 headphone directly to HeadRoom Micro DAC -> usb (no sound card)

which of the above 3 sounds the best?

QUESTION 4
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does a receiver like Yamaha receiver HTR-5840BL does the same thing as headphone amp?

thanks again