Is a dedicated sound card worth it?

[FNC_RESPAWN]

Hey guys,

 

so far I was using my onboard audio (MB: MSI B450M PRO-VDH MAX) with a HyperX Cloud 2 for gaming/chatting and Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 32 Ohms for listening to music and watching movies etc. I know that these headphones are pretty decent and so I want to upgrade my PC to get full use of my Beyerdynamics.

First of all, I thought about an external sound card, so I can use it as well for my phone and tablet. My second thought was a PCI-E sound card only for my PC. But the price shouldn't be way higher than 50€ (around 60$). 

 

In this price range, is there any useful option or would the increase in sound quality just be too low, for even starting to invest money?

 

 

Thanks for your help

[Chris Pratt]

The only purpose for an add-in sound card is for studio work. You don't need one otherwise.

[Wingfan]

13 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

The only purpose for an add-in sound card is for studio work. You don't need one otherwise.

So not for music at home?

[Biohazard777]

8 minutes ago, FNC_RESPAWN said:

First of all, I thought about an external sound card, so I can use it as well for my phone and tablet. My second thought was a PCI-E sound card only for my PC. But the price shouldn't be way higher than 50€ (around 60$). 

Kinda hard to recommend anything in that price range... For double the price FiiO BTR5.
DankPods has a part about it in one of his videos:

(13:26 to 16:06)

That being said for your headphones (32 Ohms) you don't really need any additional gear...

[Chris Pratt]

4 minutes ago, Wingfan said:

So not for music at home?

Not unless you're using studio grade equipment at home.

[Wingfan]

8 minutes ago, Chris Pratt said:

Not unless you're using studio grade equipment at home.

I have DT 990 250Ohm headphones with a DAC/AMP. It has power, would a sound card help to "clear-up" the music?

[ShearMe]

3 minutes ago, Wingfan said:

I have DT 990 250Ohm headphones with a DAC/AMP. It has power, would a sound card help to "clear-up" the music?

soundcard is completely bypassed by an external DAC

[Chris Pratt]

1 minute ago, Wingfan said:

I have DT 990 250Ohm headphones with a DAC/AMP. It has power, would a sound card help to "clear-up" the music?

Nah. The DAC is already doing that. This would essentially replace the need for a separate DAC.

[Wingfan]

6 minutes ago, ShearMe said:

soundcard is completely bypassed by an external DAC

So i would have to get a sound card that could power these headphones?

 

Sorry to hijack this post lol 

[Freakwise]

4 minutes ago, Wingfan said:

I have DT 990 250Ohm headphones with a DAC/AMP. It has power, would a sound card help to "clear-up" the music?

No, sound card is have nothing to do with dac/amp you already have...

[whm1974]

4 minutes ago, Wingfan said:

I have DT 990 250Ohm headphones with a DAC/AMP. It has power, would a sound card help to "clear-up" the music?

I'm using the Flips Audio Headphones with onboard audio and they sound fine. I got the Can turned to Stereo.

[Freakwise]

1 minute ago, Wingfan said:

So i would have to get a sound card that could power these headphones?

 

Sorry to hijack this post lol 

The purpose of soundcard, atleast in my opinion right now, is if you have a surround setup like 5.1 or even 7.1 

Otherwise combo dac and amp is definitely enough since you only need 2 channel aka stereo  output for your headphones

[Freakwise]

46 minutes ago, FNC_RESPAWN said:

Hey guys,

 

so far I was using my onboard audio (MB: MSI B450M PRO-VDH MAX) with a HyperX Cloud 2 for gaming/chatting and Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 32 Ohms for listening to music and watching movies etc. I know that these headphones are pretty decent and so I want to upgrade my PC to get full use of my Beyerdynamics.

First of all, I thought about an external sound card, so I can use it as well for my phone and tablet. My second thought was a PCI-E sound card only for my PC. But the price shouldn't be way higher than 50€ (around 60$). 

 

In this price range, is there any useful option or would the increase in sound quality just be too low, for even starting to invest money?

 

 

Thanks for your help

I found something that meet your budget

 

Fiio e10k at $75 at the moment

 

https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?

 

I think it was pretty solid for the price

[Tigerleon]

58 minutes ago, Wingfan said:

I have DT 990 250Ohm headphones with a DAC/AMP. It has power, would a sound card help to "clear-up" the music?

DEFINITELY

[Wingfan]

45 minutes ago, Liam danu said:

I found something that meet your budget

 

Fiio e10k at $75 at the moment

 

https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?

 

I think it was pretty solid for the price

This is what im using.

[Wingfan]

8 minutes ago, Tigerleon said:

DEFINITELY

What would you suggest?

[Tigerleon]

1 minute ago, Wingfan said:

What would you suggest?

Are you using the E10k? Then you are good.

[FNC_RESPAWN]

First of all thanks for your help so far. And I guess I missunderstood something: I thought a DAC/Amp = a sound card, but now I realized, it isn't.

 

So the question again, but a little bit different: In my price range, is there a DAC/Amp (mobile or for building-in), that would make my headphones sound better?

 

@Chris Pratt@Wingfan@Tigerleon @Liam danu @ShearMe

[Tigerleon]

10 minutes ago, FNC_RESPAWN said:

First of all thanks for your help so far. And I guess I missunderstood something: I thought a DAC/Amp = a sound card, but now I realized, it isn't.

 

So the question again, but a little bit different: In my price range, is there a DAC/Amp (mobile or for building-in), that would make my headphones sound better?

 

@Chris Pratt@Wingfan@Tigerleon @Liam danu @ShearMe

A soundcard is a DAC/amp so technically it is. Some DAC/amp combo from amazon like the E10K if you can afford that would be good enough and greatly power the 990's better than the mobo audio. Also I misunderstood so I thought the other guy was the OP and I thought you already had an E10K. Got lost in this post smh...

[Freakwise]

13 minutes ago, FNC_RESPAWN said:

First of all thanks for your help so far. And I guess I missunderstood something: I thought a DAC/Amp = a sound card, but now I realized, it isn't.

 

So the question again, but a little bit different: In my price range, is there a DAC/Amp (mobile or for building-in), that would make my headphones sound better?

 

@Chris Pratt@Wingfan@Tigerleon @Liam danu @ShearMe

For your price range there's a fosi audio q4 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Fosi-Audio-Headphone-Digital-Analog/dp/B07VDQQY95/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?

 

Or maybe if you want to spend little bit more you can buy e10k from Fiio too..

https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?

Both of them is compact if you have small desk space

 

[rice guru]

4 hours ago, Liam danu said:

Or maybe if you want to spend little bit more you can buy e10k from Fiio too..

https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?

Both of them is compact if you have small desk space

 

I highly reccomend avoinding this piece of kit it reallly doesn;t hold up in today's market and fiio themselves have way better options to choose from now like the fiio k3, fiio btr5, and btr3k. at this price point the fx audio dac x6 mk2 exists. ibassio dc03 but I would not use a 990 on it. 

[Freakwise]

3 hours ago, rice guru said:

I highly reccomend avoinding this piece of kit it reallly doesn;t hold up in today's market and fiio themselves have way better options to choose from now like the fiio k3, fiio btr5, and btr3k. at this price point the fx audio dac x6 mk2 exists. ibassio dc03 but I would not use a 990 on it. 

I know, but he's only used it for desktop use and he clearly say his target budget...

Although the fx audio dac x6 maybe the best choice from all of them

[FNC_RESPAWN]

Thank you all for your help

 

I guess I'll just stay with my current setup a little longer, and when I'm ready to raise my budget up, ask or look for myself again