AMP/DAC advice?

[Glo]

I recently bought a pair of Sennheiser 598 and am really pleased with them. I'd like to up my experience by adding a somewhat inexpensive AMP/DAC.

 

What I can't figure out is if there's a difference in sound quality between USB and optical, and what units I should be considering at around $150. 

[TheBreaker]

If you can stretch your budget a little, get the O2/ODAC. If you cant, then get the FiiO E10

[ShearMe]

USB and Optical are both digital - there's no sound difference. That said, optical can sometimes help break ground loops which can add interference, but if the unit is USB powered ground loops wont happen.

 

The FiiO E10 is the standard recommendation round here because it's cheap and good. You'd have to up your budget for something significantly nicer.

[mr moose]

If your sig is correct then you are currently running the ALC 892, unless it has issues you likely will not hear a difference from that unless you spend significant amounts,  Meaning you may not get enough of a benefit from anything less than the o2/odac.

 

Just food for thought.

[ShearMe]

I have used the 598`s for 2 years already with all kind of sound equipment. The 598`s are "easy to drive" headphones, you don`t really need an amp. You need to check some hi-fi forums, they have more info for you.

 

Lel, directing people away form LTT because you don't like what we say.  :rolleyes:

[mr moose]

You need to check some hi-fi forums, they have more info for you.

 

I take offense at this,  while this is a tech forum it doesn't mean we aren't enthusiasts/professionals in other realms.  We don't steer people away from the home theatre forum or from the photography forum to other sites. We don't tell people to get their mobile phone info from other sites either. 

 

We are quite educated and have developed a rational approach to audio that provides people with real advice based on good science/experience and not the status attaining rhetoric you find on some other sites.

[mr moose]

I don`t care if you are offended or not and I did not steer him away, it`s not like I have closed his thread or something. You and your mates already say what you want, now he needs to search more info on hi-fi forums and it`s up to him to do so. 

And btw if you take offense so fast why you just not disconnect from the internet?

 

Because I like to help people and share information.  The fact you send someone to other forums for something as simple as a DAC and HD598's then go on to say you don't care what anyone else says gives the impression that you are neither a very helpful person nor have much experience in audio.

[MayflowerElectronics]

Yeah, he does not need an amp, with a DAC is good to go. I am not better than anyone on any forums. You already answered the question before me so I don`t see the problem why he should not check some hi-fi forums for more answers.

Do you really think that only your opinion matters? , and I repeat myself, if you think that you know more about sound that the people on the hi-fi forums then you are mental.

 

You can't run headphones directly off of a DAC. You need an amp with it. Also i'm not going to post anymore in this thread because I see this thread going 7 pages of arguing, but the members on this forum are just as experienced as any other. Mr. Moose has an EE degree and I'm sure more than 10 years of experience in the field. 

[mr moose]

Yeah, he does not need an amp, with a DAC is good to go. I am not better than anyone on any forums. You already answered the question before me so I don`t see the problem why he should not check some hi-fi forums for more answers.

 

 

Actually, I have several qualifications in EE specializing in audio, admittedly they are all quite old now and gather dust (to be honest I lost them in the move before last), suffice to say I bought my first pair of headphones 31 years ago, I have designed and/or built more amplifiers than the average hifi forum user (excluding diyaudio). Whilst I don't think I know more, I certainly know a bit and I consider a few of the guys on this forum to be as easily experienced and wise about audio as any other forum I have read/participated in, and in some cases I find them to be much more down to earth in their approach to helping others. 

 

On that note I am going to bed, it is 1:35 and I have to get up in 5 hours and keep working on this bloody laundry reno or I loose my studio....

[Dave :)]

Ok guys there is no need to get all worked up about this. Let's stop the arguments here and only respond if you have a response to the original question. Please do not continue the arguments; if you do, infraction points will be handed out. 

[MayflowerElectronics]

There is plenty of DAC/amp combos on the market, what I want to say is that he does not need a dedicated amplifier because the 598`s are "easy to drive", I think that a soundcard with a good DAC included will be perfect

 

Most sound cards have a headphone amp built into them, so you are contradicting yourself? Anyway, the amp is much more important than a DAC.

[ShearMe]

There is plenty of DAC/amp combos on the market, what I want to say is that he does not need a dedicated amplifier because the 598`s are "easy to drive", I think that a soundcard with a good DAC included will be perfect.

The way you say things could potentially confuse someone who doesn't know what all the specific components are. All soundcards have DACs - whether you knew that or not, I can't tell.

Furthermore, all DAC chips perform relatively the same. It's a good amp after the DAC which makes the biggest difference nowadays. Yes, I know some DACs have a higher bit depth, sample rate, or lower noise foor but after a certain point the benefits are negligible.

[«ЙΩηFïČŧÌΩη»]

Dragonfly

[YajirobeFromDC]

Dragonfly

:rolleyes:

 

maybe he should pick up a "forest" usb cable too