audio setup recommendations

[SquirrelWithGlasses]

I am looking for something(sound card or DAC) for better music, gaming, movies experience. 

 

thx

[Stahlmann]

Budget?

What connectivity do you need? (Only headphones, 7.1, etc.?)

[rice guru]

What headphones or speakers are you using and what is your budget?

[SquirrelWithGlasses]

24 minutes ago, Stahlmann98 said:

Budget?

What connectivity do you need? (Only headphones, 7.1, etc.?)

$200 and only headphones

[suedseefrucht]

I don't know much about sound cards and in most situations it's hard to hear a difference. 

I use a GSP 670 headset which is like the best wireless one I could find but it also works with USB. 

 

For a surround audio receiver I love an optical output. 

[SquirrelWithGlasses]

Just now, rice guru said:

What headphones or speakers are you using and what is your budget?

around the $200 and I'm using AKG K361

[Stahlmann]

2 minutes ago, SquirrelWithGlasses said:

$200 and only headphones

I can reccomend the Asus Xonar Essence STX II. It's 200$ and i absolutely love it with my DT 990 Edition 600 ohm headphones. I tried everything from cheap 30$ soundcards to 80$ mid-range models and landed at the Essence STX II.

[Stahlmann]

3 minutes ago, suedseefrucht said:

I don't know much about sound cards and in most situations it's hard to hear a difference. 

I use a GSP 670 headset which is like the best wireless one I could find but it also wirks with USB. 

 

For a surround audio receiver I love an optical output. 

Had the GSP 670 for a few days until i returned it. I hated these. Sound was okay, but not comparable to similarly priced headphone-mic-combos. Also the 2.4GHz connection was terrible as soon as i stood up from my desk.

 

If you have decent enough headphones you can clearly hear differences between low-end and high-end sound cards.

[rice guru]

9 minutes ago, SquirrelWithGlasses said:

around the $200 and I'm using AKG K361

The 361 is pretty easy to drive so a big powerful amp is not really needed. If you just want a cleaner source it's good enough that it can benefit. For portable the Ifi hip dac is pretty good or the fiio Q1 mk2 which I personally use, or event he fiio btr5. Now if you want gear that can run stuff up to 600 ohms for future proofing to run whatever you want in the future. The topping d10s for a $100 and either the 2 schiit Magni models or a liquid spark or a topping L30. 

[SquirrelWithGlasses]

6 hours ago, rice guru said:

The 361 is pretty easy to drive so a big powerful amp is not really needed. If you just want a cleaner source it's good enough that it can benefit. For portable the Ifi hip dac is pretty good or the fiio Q1 mk2 which I personally use, or event he fiio btr5. Now if you want gear that can run stuff up to 600 ohms for future proofing to run whatever you want in the future. The topping d10s for a $100 and either the 2 schiit Magni models or a liquid spark or a topping L30. 

I dont need a portable DAC. Is the fiio K3 a good option for me?

[rice guru]

3 hours ago, SquirrelWithGlasses said:

I dont need a portable DAC. Is the fiio K3 a good option for me?

Yeah it's a pretty nice sounding dac amp easy ahead of the e10k in terms of how pleasant it sounds and the bass boost on it is quite nice pretty good pairing with the 361 but don't expect it to drive anything high impedance or hard to drive. 

[geo3]

3 hours ago, SquirrelWithGlasses said:

I dont need a portable DAC. Is the fiio K3 a good option for me?

The Fiio K3 is a good combo unit. Another would be the iFi Zen DAC.

 

If your budget is $200 you could also go for a stack like JDS Labs Atom Dac and Amp, or Schiit Modi 3 and Magni Heresy. 

 

If you need mic in support for gaming consider something like the Schiit Hel or Fulla 3