surround sound amp/dac advice please? Dolby Atmos? DTS? 7.1 Virtual?

[Falenkor]

So title suggest I am fairly confused.. I am trying to find a good amp/dac and the biggest question I have now seems to be is 7.1 worth it on, for example, Soundblasterz g6 or would it be more worth while using an alternative like dolby atmos for the surround sound? I do not have experience in any of this so I wanted to reach out and ask to see if anyone can point me in the right direction. Of course I could buy a Schiit Hel but I am not sure on the whole extra features that the g6 provide due to that surround sound feature. To explain quickly is that I am a pc gamer who plays fps competitive. Could someone enlighten me and maybe point me in the right direction here on what would be better to go with? I am always for great sound but saving money is always a plus. To fill in some blanks here the headphones being used are DT 990 pros exclusively for gaming and music. 

[Letgomyleghoe.]

Why do you need a dac/amp? Do your dt 990 pros have some hissing or are very quiet? If you have problem 1 get a schiit modi 3 and if you have problem 2 get the schiit magni 3+. If you're suffering from both get both of them and if you're not suffering from any of these issues don't get one. The reason i'm not recommending a 2 in 1 dac/amp is because they will be quite a bit weaker then separate dacs and amps. About 7.1 you can try  dolby atmos for free and if you like it you can always buy it.

[Falenkor]

My question was more towards the whole surround sound ordeal.. while I would just go with what you said and buy a schiit i was asking if anyone has bothered comparing these amps like the g6's surround on its own to say a schiit with the dolby atmos and other programs.. im all for having this kind of sound but I was wondering if one was better then the other so I can kinda pinpoint which amp/dac to go with. As I am completely clueless in this particular area of sound

[rice guru]

If you need more power you can grab a normal amp and run it off your motherboard and set up hesuvi for it. Right now since hesuvi is free you can use you existing headphones plug it in to your motherboard and see if you like the changes. I will warm you while hesuvi is an excellent program it takes a bit to set up by yourself so I would also suggest following a guide to make sure it's set up properly. I'm not one to use virtual surround sound but those that do are really into it.  

[Falenkor]

I see, perhaps I am not explaining myself well enough. That's what I am kind of asking is programs like hesuvi or dolby atmos or dts.. I am rather confused. So, the soundblasterz g6 is more expensive then say a Schiit Fulla 3 or Schiit Hel however I have been told the schiit would produce a better sound while the g6 has the 7.1 add on. The question is, since going with one of the schiit would be cheaper, regarding whether or not the 7.1 dts stuff on the g6 is worth the extra money or would it just be better using a program like atmos or hesuvi with a schiit.. 

[an actual squirrel]

Tbh, I am not a big fan of either the fulla 3 or the g6. With audiophile dacs and amps, stick to models that you can see objective measurments of on audiosciencereview or stereophile; the fulla 3 is untested afaik. The g6 actually does have a review on asr, and it performed well, but I think the way the software is on it is very unintuitive and there are no good instructions that come with it, and I am concerned about user error/confusion in choosing the optimal settings.

[Letgomyleghoe.]

14 hours ago, Falenkor said:

I see, perhaps I am not explaining myself well enough. That's what I am kind of asking is programs like hesuvi or dolby atmos or dts.. I am rather confused. So, the soundblasterz g6 is more expensive then say a Schiit Fulla 3 or Schiit Hel however I have been told the schiit would produce a better sound while the g6 has the 7.1 add on. The question is, since going with one of the schiit would be cheaper, regarding whether or not the 7.1 dts stuff on the g6 is worth the extra money or would it just be better using a program like atmos or hesuvi with a schiit.. 

better off using atmos or hesuvi with a schiit it will cost less and preform better.

[Falenkor]

3 hours ago, Gundar said:

better off using atmos or hesuvi with a schiit it will cost less and preform better.

Is that so? Alright then do you happen to know how Fiio k3 and Fiio k5 compare to Schiit? Is Schiit better?

[Letgomyleghoe.]

Yes, Schiit is better. The Fiio k3 can't power your headphone and the Kiio k5 is just an amp. Though I recommend getting a Schiit stack, Modi 3 and Magni 3+, as it will preform much better for 20 dollars more unless you're using a modmic or something like that.

[Falenkor]

47 minutes ago, Gundar said:

Yes, Schiit is better. The Fiio k3 can't power your headphone and the Kiio k5 is just an amp. Though I recommend getting a Schiit stack, Modi 3 and Magni 3+, as it will preform much better for 20 dollars more unless you're using a modmic or something like that.

Actually, Using a snowball iCE right now not the greatest.. one of the reasons I was looking at one of the amp/dacs with a mic port on it. If you have a suggestion for the whole mic issue I was thinking of changing to the HyperX Quadcast or Blue Yeti but wasn't sure if I would need something different.. As for the Schiit stack. Whats the difference between the original Magni 3 and this new Magni 3+? Don't Particularly like the idea of spending $200 on it I remember the Magni 3 original was like $50 at one time but now they both cost $99. Edit: I shouldve clarified the Fiio k5 Pro which is an amp and a dac sorry

[Letgomyleghoe.]

This setup should solve all of your problems

Your dac, audio interface, and amp

https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B07QR6Z1JB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=audio+interface&qid=1588214994&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-1

Mic

https://www.amazon.com/Rode-PODMIC-Dynamic-Podcasting-Microphone/dp/B07MSCRCVK

Mic holder

https://www.amazon.com/ammoon-Mini-Microphone-Mic-Stand/dp/B07MX3Z8ND/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=mic+tripod&qid=1588215287&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-3

Cable for mic

https://www.amazon.com/LyxPro-Balanced-Professional-Microphone-Speakers/dp/B00KWIM6UW/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1NX0LAKX348R4&dchild=1&keywords=10+ft+xlr+cable&qid=1588215367&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=10+ft+%2Cmi%2C232&sr=1-10

Cable from motherboard to audio interface

https://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-Ultra-Digital-Audio-Coaxial/dp/B00FMZWPS8?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1

With taxes it'll be around 300 dollars which is about the same you would pay for the usb mic and either of the nicer dac/amp configurations. I think i'm to tired to do math but you'll get an upgrade to everything. @Falenkor

Hopefully you have no more questions. 

 

[Letgomyleghoe.]

Another thing the mic is subjective so go on like podcastage and find a mic that you find sounds great and replace it. I would suggest a dynamic mic though since it doesn't pick up as much noise @Falenkor

 

[Falenkor]

Well, it looks good but the focusrite you posted barily seems to cover the dt990s Looked up reviews and alot of people end up buying a seperate amp to push their headphones a bit louder.. so not the greatest solution.. I would need a stronger audio interface from the looks of it. However, was not aware of audio interfaces so this also helps me out quite a bit same with the dynamic mic idea. I definitely need to do more digging into this.. I do apologize for all the questions though as to be quite honest I am new to audiophile equipment and this whole setup and I am more used to very low end equipment. @Gundar

[The Flying Sloth]

9 minutes ago, Gundar said:

Another thing the mic is subjective so go on like podcastage and find a mic that you find sounds great and replace it. I would suggest a dynamic mic though since it doesn't pick up as much noise 

*sniff* They grow up so fast *sniff*

For real though @Falenkor, given your other post asking for mic recommendations and this one asking for DAC recommendations I'd highly suggest using an interface as suggested by others above. It would take care of all your DAC needs as well as powering a much better microphone. As mentioned in the latest thread from Gundar the Focusrite and Behringer teams each endorse their interfaces (with dedicated headphone amps) powering up to 250 ohm headphones (specifically including the 990 Pros). That would likely end up being much cheaper than your current plan of attack while supplying the support needed for an XLR mic. As stated previously I have recommendations and details on the different types of mics in my signature if you wish to view them.

Sloth

[Falenkor]

Probably be my last questions here then, least till I do some testing and what not on my own, So, after looking into what you two provided a little more yeah this will work but then I am left with the question of wouldn't something like the Schiit Fulla 3, sound blaster cards, other brand sound cards like asus and evga, and amp/dacs like the g6 and x3 work just as well as this audio interface? The only difference would be converting a xlr to a 3.5mm. Lastly, is there a large difference between 24 bit sound and 32 bit sound resolution? Example  focusrite scarlett solo has a 24-bit/ 192kHz sound resolution while a Fiios K5 Pro has a 32-bit/ 768kHz sound just to use those two as an example. @The Flying Sloth @Gundar

[The Flying Sloth]

10 minutes ago, Falenkor said:

is there a large difference between 24 bit sound and 32 bit sound resolution?

There is absolutely 0 difference. the waveform is functionally identical (it is impossible to hear the differences to it) and if you want evidence of this just about every studio on the planet runs 24bit 44.1 or 48khz audio.
Yes, you are correct that a standalone DAC will function just as well for turning digital audio into an analogue signal but a standalone DAC will likely be more expensive and won't allow you to power high quality microphones that are available with the XLR connector that would solve the microphone issue you were having with the previous question.  It just makes sense to consolidate your audio requirements within a single device, this helps if you choose to record in future too since ASIO drivers are exclusive meaning you can only use one device at a time.

Sloth

[Falenkor]

3 minutes ago, The Flying Sloth said:

There is absolutely 0 difference. the waveform is functionally identical (it is impossible to hear the differences to it) and if you want evidence of this just about every studio on the planet runs 24bit 44.1 or 48khz audio.
Yes, you are correct that a standalone DAC will function just as well for turning digital audio into an analogue signal but a standalone DAC will likely be more expensive and won't allow you to power high quality microphones that are available with the XLR connector that would solve the microphone issue you were having with the previous question.  It just makes sense to consolidate your audio requirements within a single device, this helps if you choose to record in future too since ASIO drivers are exclusive meaning you can only use one device at a time.

Sloth

as a quick response to that the ones I provided are both amp and dac as comparisons they have both a headphone and mic plugin port which is why I am questioning the audio interface in comparison to them.. i.e schiit fulla 3 is actually cheaper then what the focusrite scarlett is priced and off sale is almost identical to the g6 and x3 from soundblasterz. Same for some of the soundcards

[The Flying Sloth]

1 minute ago, Falenkor said:

as a quick response to that the ones I provided are both amp and dac as comparisons they have both a headphone and mic plugin port which is why I am questioning the audio interface in comparison to them.. i.e schiit fulla 3 is actually cheaper then what the focusrite scarlett is priced and off sale is almost identical to the g6 and x3 from soundblasterz. Same for some of the soundcards

Well the first rebuttal is easy, 3.5mm jacks are very different to XLR ports, one powers headset mics, the other is used in studios (and gaming rigs) globally to power real mics.
There are options cheaper than the Scarlett outlined in the recommendations I've directed you to multiple times and as mentioned previously both Focusrite and Behringer teams specifically state their models with dedicated headphone amps can power the headphones you're using, quite easily. Sure, some sound cards might be cheaper but the value proposition is weaker when you consider the limited IO available compared to a recording interface (that would solve your microphone problem).

I tend to stay quiet here when people just want an amp/DAC to power headphones for music listening but when they're also using mics for streaming or gaming it makes little sense to not direct them towards an interface that would consolidate their audio processing and kill two birds with one cheaper, better value stone.

Sloth

[Falenkor]

You're killing me smalls. alright well, it Goes without saying that I have your list already up and am currently in the process of researching/reading all of it trying to find what would be best and save me money at the same time.. always good to save money and if it means I can get a great setup for cheaper I am all for it. 

[The Flying Sloth]

I must stress though that the endorsements I found relate only to interfaces with dedicated headphone amplifiers so the cheapest option from Behringer will be the UMC202HD and the Cheapest from Focusrite the Scarlett 2i2, now, I'm sure there are probably other interfaces with the ability to power the headphones for less money but I just don't know what they are and without direct endorsement from the manufacturer or a trusted forum member (here or otherwise) I don't want to tell you to buy something that I think can power it (like the Swissonic UA-2x2, Presonus AudioBox iOne or Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1) and be wrong.

Sloth

[Falenkor]

apreciate the help guys

[Falenkor]

@The Flying Sloth @Gundar wanted to chime back in here and state the focusrite doesn't have enough power behind it to push the DT 990 pros enough. It's definitely louder but definitely not good enough i have to crank it all the way to maximum on everything to have what you would consider a regular listening level which is fairly quiet. I will have to find another amp or audio interface. 

[The Flying Sloth]

Damn, that's weird, I've seen messages directly from Focusrite saying it'll run fine and endorsement from a well respected GS forum member (and mixing engineer) saying he uses the 2i2 and 250 ohm beyers on his mobile rig for doing audio editing. I sincerely apologise for leading you down the wrong road then, It seems I was very much misinformed. If returning the interface isn't an option a headphone amplifier like the MA400 is fairly cheap and Amazon reviews indicate it can effectively power 600 ohm headphones though I have no way of verifying this for you.

Again, apologies,
Sloth

[Letgomyleghoe.]

1 hour ago, Falenkor said:

@The Flying Sloth @Gundar wanted to chime back in here and state the focusrite doesn't have enough power behind it to push the DT 990 pros enough. It's definitely louder but definitely not good enough i have to crank it all the way to maximum on everything to have what you would consider a regular listening level which is fairly quiet. I will have to find another amp or audio interface. 

Try and find and amp by using this http://www.digizoid.com/headphones-power.html just enter all your headphone specification and find a headphone amp that meets them. 

[Falenkor]

@The Flying Sloth it may be fixable through directly connecting the focusrite through a power source of the wall, since it utilizes a usb-c - usb 2.0 for pc connections, and the line in and line out in the back of the focusrite to plug into the pc. Don't have the cables to test this. It's quite alright and I was able to test it thanks to someone who I know who already owns this audio interface so I will just give this back to them. I will do some more digging around try to find something. looking into your suggestion of the MA400 and Behringer UM2. Amazon frowns on to many returns so I would like to hit the ground running so to speak with this lol