Upgrading audio experience

[Freddyfish775]

Hello people of the LTT forum,

 

last year with the help of this forum i bought my first real pair of headphones, the Sennheiser HD598. Overall I am very happy with how they perform.

 

I recently however upgraded my pc including motherboard (to a z97-a asus board). Unfortunately i can audibly hear static noise when the headset is plugged into the motherboard 

(be it via back of mobo or front of the case). The static noise is also audible on other peoples end when talking through my clip-on mic (Philips LFH 9173). 

 

 

Ive read online one thing to solve the mic issue would be to get a usb soundcard and just use it for the mic.

I also notice my headphones are a lot more silent than before and they are quite silent on my laptop aswell. 

 

Would it be worth to buy a DAC/AMP like the fiio-e10 or the O2/odac (or alternatives?)? I likely wont be upgrading my headphones until they break which isnt very likely.

Maximum budget would be 300ish euro. 

 

Also, are there any decent dac's that accept a mic input? Only ones ive found were the likes of creative and GAMING gear which I would like to steer clear or mostly (should I, or are these decent?).

Alternatively, should i just stick to a cheap usb sound card / expensive usb soundcard?

 

Thanks anyway!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pankaic]

With your budget, just go for a nice dac/amp. I've heard good things about the magni/modi combo, the audioengine D1, etc. Not sure why you would need a mic input on a dac (it only transforms sound going out of your computer), and your built in mic jack should be sufficient.

[Freddyfish775]

With your budget, just go for a nice dac/amp. I've heard good things about the magni/modi combo, the audioengine D1, etc. Not sure why you would need a mic input on a dac (it only transforms sound going out of your computer), and your built in mic jack should be sufficient.

 

I cant use my mic input on the mobo due the static noise it suffers from; so at the very least i think i need a cheapo usb soundcard. I was just wondering if there are any decent dac's that accept mic inputs (maybe add some gain on the mics?)

[Guest]

I cant use my mic input on the mobo due the static noise it suffers from; so at the very least i think i need a cheapo usb soundcard. I was just wondering if there are any decent dac's that accept mic inputs (maybe add some gain on the mics?)

 

Not really. You'd need an audio interface for that, and most don't have beefy headphone amps in them.

[Freddyfish775]

Would something basic like this http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/380022/logilink-usb-soundcard.html thing do the trick for my microphone? All i need really is to make the static noise disappear.

[Guest]

Would something basic like this http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/380022/logilink-usb-soundcard.html thing do the trick for my microphone? All i need really is to make the static noise disappear.

 

Maybe. Probably. Interference can still make it out the USB ports, though.