AMP / DAC / Sound Card for Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition 600 Ohm

[Kasenumi]

Hello guys
I have decided to buy Monolith Liquid Spark to smooth the treble in my Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition 600 Ohm. Previously thought about Schiit Magni 3+ but it seems that  Monolith Liquid Spark offers more relaxing and still clear sound and power of music.
I am going to use it with PC and only PC. Music, movies, games etc, relaxing time spending. 
After I tried plugging my headphones into Hi end stereo system the sound coming from integrated sound card of my AB350 motherboard seems flat and the bass is not that deep.
The question is:
1) Do I need an external DAC (and which one is better for Monolith Liquid Spark)?
2) Do I need an external/PCIe sound card?
3) Any additional cables to connect all this to motherboard? 
Thank you everyone.

P.S. special thanks to rice guru who responds in every of my many topics.

[CTR640]

Shamelessly copying rice guru (please don't kill me!) - get Fiio K5 Pro.

 

But the Monolith Liquid Spark seem to tame the brain and ear-rape piercing treble if I remember it correctly.

[rice guru]

2 hours ago, CTR640 said:

Shamelessly copying rice guru (please don't kill me!) - get Fiio K5 Pro.

 

But the Monolith Liquid Spark seem to tame the brain and ear-rape piercing treble if I remember it correctly.

Lol I reccomended it lol 

[rice guru]

3 hours ago, Kasenumi said:

Hello guys
I have decided to buy Monolith Liquid Spark to smooth the treble in my Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition 600 Ohm. Previously thought about Schiit Magni 3+ but it seems that  Monolith Liquid Spark offers more relaxing and still clear sound and power of music.
I am going to use it with PC and only PC. Music, movies, games etc, relaxing time spending. 
After I tried plugging my headphones into Hi end stereo system the sound coming from integrated sound card of my AB350 motherboard seems flat and the bass is not that deep.
The question is:
1) Do I need an external DAC (and which one is better for Monolith Liquid Spark)?
2) Do I need an external/PCIe sound card?
3) Any additional cables to connect all this to motherboard? 
Thank you everyone.

P.S. special thanks to rice guru who responds in every of my many topics.

For a DAC if you wish to tame the treble more the topping e30 is a good dac uses a easy dac which goes for a warmer tonality. Some think warm dac with warm amp is a bad route though. I think it's fine. I use the topping d10 nice cheap dac but a DAC isn't super necessary you can just run your amp off you motherboard. But a amp will take your mothboard signal and amplify it so keep that in mind. If your mobo is dirty so will the signal

[Kasenumi]

58 minutes ago, rice guru said:

For a DAC if you wish to tame the treble more the topping e30 is a good dac uses a easy dac which goes for a warmer tonality. Some think warm dac with warm amp is a bad route though. I think it's fine. I use the topping d10 nice cheap dac but a DAC isn't super necessary you can just run your amp off you motherboard. But a amp will take your mothboard signal and amplify it so keep that in mind. If your mobo is dirty so will the signal

So what is your final recommended combination for AMP/DAC?

[rice guru]

1 hour ago, Kasenumi said:

So what is your final recommended combination for AMP/DAC?

For dac either the d10 or e30 . For an amp definitely the liquid spark

[rice guru]

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33304 liquid spark is on sale right now down to $80 with promo code LIQUID20

[Kasenumi]

4 hours ago, rice guru said:

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33304 liquid spark is on sale right now down to $80 with promo code LIQUID20

unfortunately shipping to my location is not available in Monoprice store...but there is only one store where I can order it and I am going to do it now. 
You said the sound coming from MOBO can be dirty. How do I know if I need a DAC or if the sound is dirty? 

[rice guru]

22 minutes ago, Kasenumi said:

unfortunately shipping to my location is not available in Monoprice store...but there is only one store where I can order it and I am going to do it now. 
You said the sound coming from MOBO can be dirty. How do I know if I need a DAC or if the sound is dirty? 

Plug a headphone Into it listen to it and that signal is what you will hear amplified by an amp

[Kasenumi]

On 5/23/2020 at 12:14 AM, rice guru said:

Plug a headphone Into it listen to it and that signal is what you will hear amplified by an amp

So the power suppy is american type, meaning I have to buy an adapter to plug the AMP. How do I connect the AMP to my motherboard?

[Kasenumi]

On 5/23/2020 at 12:14 AM, rice guru said:

Plug a headphone Into it listen to it and that signal is what you will hear amplified by an amp

I will need those cables and adapters, right? Correct me please if I am wrong
Also where do I have to plug in RCA cable to R or L (in AMP)? Or does it matter at all? Beyerdynamic has 1 cable so I guess only 1 cable will be needed to hear with both left and right side. A bit confused to be honest

[rice guru]

3 hours ago, Kasenumi said:

I will need those cables and adapters, right? Correct me please if I am wrong
Also where do I have to plug in RCA cable to R or L (in AMP)? Or does it matter at all? Beyerdynamic has 1 cable so I guess only 1 cable will be needed to hear with both left and right side. A bit confused to be honest

No you only really need the 3.5mm to rca as well as the American to the European plug. I would contact schiit to see if comes included though. So from your PC's on board goes 3.5 mm ----> rca to the amp. From the amp just plugged in normally to the headphone. 

[Kasenumi]

On 5/25/2020 at 2:08 PM, rice guru said:

No you only really need the 3.5mm to rca as well as the American to the European plug. I would contact schiit to see if comes included though. So from your PC's on board goes 3.5 mm ----> rca to the amp. From the amp just plugged in normally to the headphone. 

is it the RCA cable I need? I have Liquid Spark. got yesterday but still cannot use it because of lack of knowledge about the proper cable 

[rice guru]

Yep you plug the 3.5 mm to the motherboard and the rca side to the liquid spark Input

[Kasenumi]

On 5/29/2020 at 2:40 PM, rice guru said:

Yep you plug the 3.5 mm to the motherboard and the rca side to the liquid spark Input

Thank you for all your advices
Ok, so I have bought Liquid Spark, managed tha cables and adapter USA-EU, plugged in and with a happy smile on the face and listening to music right now. When I bought Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition 600 Ohm the quality of music was great but comparing to the quality WITH an AMP it was nothing. I am listening to a song I heard a thousand times and I feel like I am listening it for the first time in my life, it is literally magic.
Besides, I guess now I understand what you meant telling I will figure out myself if DAC is necessary. 
The sound is indeed smoother, treble is calmed and doesnt rape the ears as much as before the AMP. Bass became physical instead of "virtual", now i literally feel it (maybe sounds a bit stupid but that is the feeling). The overall sound was "clearer" without an AMP, now I hear some "digital" distortions and hissing. Even Windows sounds are like "dirty" and hissing when I check the volume level. I lack technical knowledge to describe what exactly I hear but I guess this is quite common and doesnt need explanation to more experienced users. 
Now it is obvious that I do need an external DAC. 
Creating a new topic on that
Thank you again A LOT

[rice guru]

if you need a DAc I use the toppind d10 but if you want to make the signal chain a bit warmer the topping e30 is also great. also regarding windows sounds at least in my case they always sound dirty

[Kasenumi]

11 minutes ago, rice guru said:

if you need a DAc I use the toppind d10 but if you want to make the signal chain a bit warmer the topping e30 is also great. also regarding windows sounds at least in my case they always sound dirty

If you had to choose one of them which would it be? 

[rice guru]

1 minute ago, Kasenumi said:

If you had to choose one of them which would it be? 

depends on budget for a pairing with the liquid spark I feel the d10 would be a better balnace but the e30 also provide just a as good fo a value its really based on how much you want to spend th ee30 uses a different newer chip that can sound a bit warmer less clinical than the d10 but the d10 is about $40 cheaper same great build quality . its a toss up mainly dependent on my budget . 

[Kasenumi]

16 minutes ago, rice guru said:

depends on budget for a pairing with the liquid spark I feel the d10 would be a better balnace but the e30 also provide just a as good fo a value its really based on how much you want to spend th ee30 uses a different newer chip that can sound a bit warmer less clinical than the d10 but the d10 is about $40 cheaper same great build quality . its a toss up mainly dependent on my budget . 

I can pay up to 200$ for a DAC. As always, looking for the most premium quality of sound for that money.

P.S. do you turn Liquid Spark off before turning off the PC or does it stay on all the time?

[rice guru]

1 minute ago, Kasenumi said:

I can pay up to 200$ for a DAC. As always, looking for the most premium quality of sound for that money.

for 200 the topping e30m geshelli labs enog 2 pro are both pretty excellent for their prices 

[Kasenumi]

49 minutes ago, rice guru said:

for 200 the topping e30m geshelli labs enog 2 pro are both pretty excellent for their prices 

Wow, people say great things about GESHELLI Labs Enog 2 even saying it is the best DAC for any money
Yet the only way get it is from the official site of Geshelli and trying to order it I get a message "We are unable to calculate shipping rates for the selected items".
Have to contact support and ask if shipping is possible. 
Thank you, I will take some time to check all those DACs and choose 1 of them

[Wingfan]

Sorry a little late to this thread. @Kasenumi  How do you like the DT 990  600Ohm ?  I am probably buying a pair very soon. I have a FiiO E10K hoping it will be ok for 600Ohm. It worked fine for my 250Ohm set.

[rice guru]

18 minutes ago, Wingfan said:

Sorry a little late to this thread. @Kasenumi  How do you like the DT 990  600Ohm ?  I am probably buying a pair very soon. I have a FiiO E10K hoping it will be ok for 600Ohm. It worked fine for my 250Ohm set.

600 ohm is significantly harder to drive than the 250 ohm from my personal experience from the e10k you would need much  more power to drive the 600 ohm

[Wingfan]

3 minutes ago, rice guru said:

600 ohm is significantly harder to drive than the 250 ohm from my personal experience from the e10k you would need much  more power to drive the 600 ohm

Any recommendations? Would really like to stay around the $100 +/- range.

[rice guru]

4 hours ago, Wingfan said:

Any recommendations? Would really like to stay around the $100 +/- range.

My go to reccomendation is the monoprice liquid spark due to it having the ability to calm the treble a bit. The magni 3+ is pretty good as well  has more power than the liquid spark buy not as good of a pairing imo. It's just an amp but you can use the e10k as a standalone dac through the line out at the back of it.