need pro openion about pc audio

[pc builder]

Hi

 

this is my hardware,

 

motherboard: MSI Z97M

headphones: Kingston Hyper X Cloud

 

I know nothing about tech and I want to have better experience while gaming and listening to music, so I watched couple of YouTube videos about it and got confused even more. Anyway, I kinda figured that I need and external USB AMP/DAC to better my experience. I am open to all options (on a budget) that you might recommend, thanks.

[Senzelian]

Hi

 

this is my hardware,

 

motherboard: MSI Z97M

headphones: Kingston Hyper X Cloud

 

I know nothing about tech and I want to have better experience while gaming and listening to music, so I watched couple of YouTube videos about it and got confused even more. Anyway, I kinda figured that I need and external USB AMP/DAC to better my experience. I am open to all options (on a budget) that you might recommend, thanks.

I'm not an audiophile but I know at least a bit about audio.

The integrated soundcard on your motherboard is usually not bad.

So I'd recommend to get better headphones. That'll get you better audio.

[EmoRarity]

Buying a new dac isn't going to do anything for your experience, unless something is broken, only buying new headphones will make a difference. 

[d3sl91]

No need for sound cards unless you have expensive, High impedance 'phones and are always playing lossless files. Or, you find it's too quiet. Even then, most onboard is on par with $100 soundcards. 

 

In that case, you can get a USB DAC rather than sound card, so you are on teh right track there. But the reality is, you generally don't need one. 

[xtroria]

The only way to get better experience is to get better headphone

[weez]

Most of the time if something is lacking its the headphones. But you didnt really give a lot of info. You say you want a better audio experience but in what way? Whats lacking with your current setup and what would you like to improve upon?

[ShearMe]

HyperX Cloud is already a good headphone for the money. What kind of budget are you looking to throw at this adventure? Most of us regulars own multiple cans, and we buy and sell a lot to try different things out until we find what we like best for certain scenarios and music types.

[pc builder]

well, the whole "better experience" thing started when I was watching a review for my headphones by Logan from Tek Syndicate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeoyJBwHc3U skip to minute 6:30). he hooked me on the idea of using a external USB DAC when he praised the headphone performance after he plugged it into Mayflower Electronics O2 AMP DAC. however, that is an expensive USB DAC.

[Guest]

well, the whole "better experience" thing started when I was watching a review for my headphones by Logan from Tek Syndicate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeoyJBwHc3U skip to minute 6:30). he hooked me on the idea of using a external USB DAC when he praised the headphone performance after he plugged it into Mayflower Electronics O2 AMP DAC. however, that is an expensive USB DAC.

 

Logan is no less of a clown than any of the audio "reviewers" on youtube.

[ShearMe]

well, the whole "better experience" thing started when I was watching a review for my headphones by Logan from Tek Syndicate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeoyJBwHc3U skip to minute 6:30). he hooked me on the idea of using a external USB DAC when he praised the headphone performance after he plugged it into Mayflower Electronics O2 AMP DAC. however, that is an expensive USB DAC.

 

Beware anything someone wants to sell you to solve a problem you didn't know you had.

[Oktyabr]

I like Tek Syndicate in general and have watched several of their videos.  Logan's partner in many of them WORKS for Mayflower Electronics and may have a vested interest in selling their products via the videos.  I'm not knocking their products.  The O2 +ODAC is a highly lauded amp/dac combo and is very capable of driving most anything, no matter if Mayflower made it or not (they aren't the only manufacturer of that design).

Your computer already has a DAC in it.  Some people think they can hear a difference between DACs but for the most part the job of converting ones and zeros to analog signals that reach your ears as music is pretty cut and dried.  For those that actually CAN hear a difference and demand that a higher quality dac be used for music to sound good, I pity them.  What an expensive horror it must be to have ears so sensitive.

Your computer also already has an amplifier in it.  An amplifer's job is to make music louder, not better.  That's why it's called an amplifier and not a "betterfier".  Volume levels are quantifiable.  If your current amp is doing something close to what it's job entails, that is making music louder without coloring it with added distortion, but isn't loud enough for your preferences, it might be time to consider another amplifier.  

What the others have said is true.  The headphones you use will make the biggest difference.  After all, they are the *only* component actually responsible for making *sound reach your ears*.

[Oktyabr]

If you are looking for a budget recommendation I could suggest the Fiiio E10K which will run you around $76.  It includes both amp and dac.  The Monoprice is higher power but possibly lower build quality (hollow, plastic volume knob, etc.), it will cost you $100 and is both amp and dac.  Schiit audio makes some pretty popular products.  Their Magni amp is $100.  If you still think you need a separate DAC, their Modi DAC falls into the same price and the two are easily hooked together.

[pc builder]

THANKS TO ALL WHO RESPONDED TO MY QUESTION, YOU HAVE BEEN OF A GREAT HELP.

 

I thought I was missing on something but now I know the difference (if any) does not worth the money.

[weez]

I like Tek Syndicate in general and have watched several of their videos.  Logan's partner in many of them WORKS for Mayflower Electronics and may have a vested interest in selling their products via the videos.  I'm not knocking their products.  The O2 +ODAC is a highly lauded amp/dac combo and is very capable of driving most anything, no matter if Mayflower made it or not (they aren't the only manufacturer of that design).

 

This right here is why I dislike his "Audio Myths" series. He tries to sell Mayflower and tries way to hard to make it look like he's not trying to sell Mayflower. I like Tek Syndicate just not their audio videos. Though he does offer some solid advice you just have to take most of what he says with a huge grain of salt.

[Guest]

This right here is why I dislike his "Audio Myths" series. He tries to sell Mayflower and tries way to hard to make it look like he's not trying to sell Mayflower. I like Tek Syndicate just not their audio videos. Though he does offer some solid advice you just have to take most of what he says with a huge grain of salt.

 

He's not trying to sell Mayflower. If he is, he's doing a terrible job of it, just as he's doing a terrible job of appearing impartial. The main problem is that while Tek Syndicates content is erratically useful, Logan himself often makes a train wreck of things.

[weez]

Logan himself often makes a train wreck of things.

 

I'll agree with this part of your post

[creatip123]

well, the whole "better experience" thing started when I was watching a review for my headphones by Logan from Tek Syndicate (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeoyJBwHc3U skip to minute 6:30). he hooked me on the idea of using a external USB DAC when he praised the headphone performance after he plugged it into Mayflower Electronics O2 AMP DAC. however, that is an expensive USB DAC.

 

In case per case scenario, there is a possibility that your onboard is not doing a good job, in which case, an external amp could make the headphone sound better.

 

Examples of this is if the onboard:

- got low loudness/volume or can't get loud enough

- got annoying noises/hisses

- got distortions or clippings (google them)

- got too high of output impedance to the point it's detrimental to the resulting sound

 

A good way to test the last point is to plug the headphone to a decent portable device, such as ipod, ipad, etc. They got low output impedance. If you hear better sound in that you feel the frequency separation is better, and the bass feels tighter, then it's a possibility that your onboard's output impedance is too high.

 

Any cases of the above, and you can consider an additional external amp to try to remedy them. 

[ShearMe]

Logan's partner in many of them WORKS for Mayflower Electronics and may have a vested interest in selling their products via the videos.

FYI, Tyler is the founder and owner of @MayflowerElectronics, not merely an employee.

[MayflowerElectronics]

FYI, Tyler is the founder and owner of @MayflowerElectronics, not merely an employee.

 

Well, technically in NYS's eyes I'm an employee

[kuhchuk]

Long story short:  If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

I bought my O2/ODAC back when I was still using an old Pentium D rig with TERRIBLE onboard audio.  The difference between that was night and day.  Difference between the O2/ODAC and my current onboard (Ivy bridge, mid-range Asus board) is minimal at best.

[pc builder]

In case per case scenario, there is a possibility that your onboard is not doing a good job, in which case, an external amp could make the headphone sound better.

 

Examples of this is if the onboard:

- got low loudness/volume or can't get loud enough

- got annoying noises/hisses

- got distortions or clippings (google them)

- got too high of output impedance to the point it's detrimental to the resulting sound

 

A good way to test the last point is to plug the headphone to a decent portable device, such as ipod, ipad, etc. They got low output impedance. If you hear better sound in that you feel the frequency separation is better, and the bass feels tighter, then it's a possibility that your onboard's output impedance is too high.

 

Any cases of the above, and you can consider an additional external amp to try to remedy them. 

 

I plugged it to my iPhone and I did not notice any big difference but it kinda sounded better when plugged to my PC. by the way, I do not know what is frequency separation or bass tightness ... I am oblivious to all these audio terms. that been said, I posted this thread because I needed someone (who really knows what he is talking about and who is not interested in selling stuff to me) to advice me on a good set up whether it is a headphone/dac compo or either of those or just to tell me if what I have is good enough.

[Guest]

I plugged it to my iPhone and I did not notice any big difference but it kinda sounded better when plugged to my PC. by the way, I do not know what is frequency separation or bass tightness ... I am oblivious to all these audio terms. that been said, I posted this thread because I needed someone (who really knows what he is talking about and who is not interested in selling stuff to me) to advice me on a good set up whether it is a headphone/dac compo or either of those or just to tell me if what I have is good enough.

 

What you have is good. Don't spend money.

[creatip123]

I plugged it to my iPhone and I did not notice any big difference but it kinda sounded better when plugged to my PC. by the way, I do not know what is frequency separation or bass tightness ... I am oblivious to all these audio terms. that been said, I posted this thread because I needed someone (who really knows what he is talking about and who is not interested in selling stuff to me) to advice me on a good set up whether it is a headphone/dac compo or either of those or just to tell me if what I have is good enough.

 

If PC is better than iphone then save the money. You'd know what I was talking about if it happened. Detrimental high output impedance is easily noticed by different (generally worse) sound.