[rahuldagli]

Or if any other option can you recommend under $100 ?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Maybe you miss typed and meant to say E9/E7, not E10/E7 ?
The Essence ST comes with surround sound for movies and gaming, the E9/E7 does not.
The E10 is only $80
 
 

 

[stv014]

What headphones will you use ?
 

 

[rahuldagli]

.......

 

[rahuldagli]

Quote:

What headphones will you use ?
 

sennheiser hd 598

 

[stv014]

The E10 is probably fine then, unless you need the extra features of the STX. The latter also has a technically better DAC, but the E10 is not unlikely to be "good enough" in this aspect anyway. Its amplifier is also well suited for a lowish impedance headphone like the HD598.
Edit: the E10 does have one minor annoyance when used with the HD598: it has the smaller 1/8" jack connector, while the cable of the HD598 - unlike most headphones - is terminated with the large 1/4" jack. So, you will need to use a bulky adapter, and the connector on the E10 is also said to be somewhat finicky (prone to "ejecting" the jack, etc.).
 

 

[PurpleAngel]

I'm assuming because you were asking about the Essence ST, this headphone is for use with a Desktop PC computer.
If you wanted something for use with gaming or movies (surround sound).
You could get the Asus Xonar DG PCI sound card, which is cheap and comes with surround sound.
And get the Fiio E11, you can plug the Fiio E11 into the headphone output jack on the Xonar DG.
Also the HD-598 could be plugged straight into the Xonar DG, it would work half-way decently,
like if the E11 battery runs down, you could still use the HD-598 while the E11 recharges.
And I believe the amplifier in the E11 is a little better then the one in the E10.