Recommend me a DAC?

[Meestagibbon]

I'm looking for a DAC because I'm looking to buy some Sennheiser HD 598s, I currently have a Focusrite Scarlette 2i2, it's clunky and takes up space. So anyone, recommend me a good DAC for these headphones please.

[ShadowCaptain]

4 minutes ago, Meestagibbon said:

I'm looking for a DAC because I'm looking to buy some Sennheiser HD 598s, I currently have a Focusrite Scarlette 2i2, it's clunky and takes up space. So anyone, recommend me a good DAC for these headphones please.

 

What is your budget? I doubt you will notice much benefit with the 598s, perhaps you can use that money to invest in a higher up model?

 

The 2i2 is not much bigger than most other desktop amp/dacs etc

If you want something portable/tiny maybe look into the Fiio range?

 

[Unhelpful]

For HD 598? http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-DAC63057-Stereo-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B009WN7QT4

 

Also HD 598 and 558 are practically the same. 

[ShadowCaptain]

3 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

For HD 598? http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-DAC63057-Stereo-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B009WN7QT4

 

Also HD 598 and 558 are practically the same. 

 

Agree with this too, great little amp/dac

[Meestagibbon]

6 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

For HD 598? http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-DAC63057-Stereo-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B009WN7QT4

 

Also HD 598 and 558 are practically the same. 

Thank you, I'll probably go with that, and I have the 558 now, they snapped on the band for the earcup, right in the middle of it, I want to get the 598 for the slight difference in build, hoping it makes them less fragile. (It snapped when I grabbed both earcups and pulled them over my head)

 

4 minutes ago, ShadowCaptain said:

 

Agree with this too, great little amp/dac

I don't like the Scarlett because for some reason, at random times, it will make my mic only come out of one ear, which makes sense because it's a 2 channel device. It doesn't make sense because it's completely random that it happens, I'm planning to look into a different mic solution. my budget for a DAC was around 60 bucks so, that works out perfectly.

[Unhelpful]

1 minute ago, Meestagibbon said:

Thank you, I'll probably go with that, and I have the 558 now, they snapped on the band for the earcup, right in the middle of it, I want to get the 598 for the slight difference in build, hoping it makes them less fragile. (It snapped when I grabbed both earcups and pulled them over my head)

The build quality is damn near identical with the 598 being VERY SLIGHTLY better. Are they still under warranty?

[Meestagibbon]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

The build quality is damn near identical. Are they in warranty?

I don't know, my friend gave them to me right before they snapped, he bought 598's because they were on sale. I could ask him if they're in warranty.

 

[Unhelpful]

Just now, Meestagibbon said:

I don't know, my friend gave them to me right before they snapped, he bought 598's because they were on sale. I could ask him if they're in warranty.

I would check that before you go to buy the 598. 

[Meestagibbon]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

I would check that before you go to buy the 598. 

What is Sennheiser warranty policy like? I've never read up on it and you seem to know a decent bit, I know he bought them off of amazon, which I'm sure everyone does.

[Unhelpful]

1 minute ago, Meestagibbon said:

What is Sennheiser warranty policy like? I've never read up on it and you seem to know a decent bit, I know he bought them off of amazon, which I'm sure everyone does.

The HD 558's have a 2 year manufacturer warranty, so if he bought them within 2 years it should be fine. I'm not sure whether or not it's transferable. 

[DarkSmith2]

16 minutes ago, JoeyDM said:

For HD 598? http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-DAC63057-Stereo-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B009WN7QT4

 

Also HD 598 and 558 are practically the same. 

Does this also amplify the Microphone? (V-Moda BoomPRO f.e.)

[Meestagibbon]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

The HD 558's have a 2 year manufacturer warranty, so if he bought them within 2 years it should be fine. I'm not sure whether or not it's transferable. 

I should be able to have him warranty them without any issues, thank you very much.

[Unhelpful]

1 minute ago, DarkSmith2 said:

Does this also amplify the Microphone? (V-Moda BoomPRO f.e.)

I don't know for sure... But I don't think so. Pre-Amps are something I know damn near nothing about, sorry.

[Meestagibbon]

9 minutes ago, DarkSmith2 said:

Does this also amplify the Microphone? (V-Moda BoomPRO f.e.)

There is an input for a 3.5mm mic jack, I would assume if you have a 3.5mm splitter on the end of your cable coming from your headphones, that it would indeed work. Looking at V-MODAs website, you get a splitter included with the mic.

[Unhelpful]

1 minute ago, Meestagibbon said:

There is an input for a 3.5mm mic jack, I would assume if you have a 3.5mm splitter on the end of your cable coming from your headphones, that it would indeed work. Looking at V-MODAs website, you get a splitter included with the mic.

I mean... You can have a mic plugged into it. I do. I'm just not sure if it'll act as an amp for it, I believe that would be the job of a pre-amp, unless I'm horribly misunderstanding what a mic pre-amp is. Which is possible. Again, that's not anywhere near my area of expertise. 

[Meestagibbon]

Just now, JoeyDM said:

I mean... You can have a mic plugged into it. I do. I'm just not sure if it'll act as an amp for it, I believe that would be the job of a pre-amp, unless I'm horribly misunderstanding what a mic pre-amp is. Which is possible. Again, that's not anywhere near my area of expertise. 

I don't even think that mic would need a pre-amp at all.. assuming most people plug it into their motherboards, there's probably no benefit, but I would assume it works as a passthrough, correct?

[DarkSmith2]

6 minutes ago, Meestagibbon said:

There is an input for a 3.5mm mic jack, I would assume if you have a 3.5mm splitter on the end of your cable coming from your headphones, that it would indeed work. Looking at V-MODAs website, you get a splitter included with the mic.

Yea, ive got the BoomPro and moded 558's would be interesting. Im currently only on onboard sound which isnt optimal. The Sound is not loud enough for me, and people are complaining that my mic isnt loud enough too. I tried a little 10years old USB soundcard but that thing... produces static and very loud click noises when turning up/down the PC. Cant be healthy.

 

Also have static with my onboard sound when not using Realtek noise supression. Or boost mic above +10DB

[Meestagibbon]

Just now, DarkSmith2 said:

Yea, ive got the BoomPro and moded 558's would be interesting. Im currently only on onboard sound which isnt optimal. The Sound is not loud enough for me, and people are complaining that my mic isnt loud enough too. I tried a little 10years old USB soundcard but that thing... produces static and very loud click noises when turning up/down the PC. Cant be healthy.

I would try it regardless, if it doesn't help with your mic, then oh well, it will still up your sound quality through the headphones.

 

[DarkSmith2]

1 minute ago, Meestagibbon said:

I would try it regardless, if it doesn't help with your mic, then oh well, it will still up your sound quality through the headphones.

 

thats for sure. But i actually thought of getting a Creative ZXR. Which i think would eliminate both problems at once. I allready noticed that the Sennheiser HD558 do alot better sound with more power hehe. The mini USB Soundcard thingy i had already increased the potential of the phones by miles.

[ShadowCaptain]

29 minutes ago, Meestagibbon said:

I don't like the Scarlett because for some reason, at random times, it will make my mic only come out of one ear, which makes sense because it's a 2 channel device. It doesn't make sense because it's completely random that it happens, I'm planning to look into a different mic solution. my budget for a DAC was around 60 bucks so, that works out perfectly.

Thats strange, what mic?

[Meestagibbon]

Just now, DarkSmith2 said:

thats for sure. But i actually thought of getting a Creative ZXR. Which i think would eliminate both problems at once. I allready noticed that the Sennheiser HD558 do alot better sound with more power hehe. The mini USB Soundcard thingy i had already increased the potential of the phones by miles.

I'm all for PCI soundcards, most of them are great, some Twitch Streamers, like the extremely popular Summit1G used his steelseries siberia headphones for the longest time, with just a soundcard, and his mic sounded better than most streamers with a $300 plus mic setup lol.

Just now, ShadowCaptain said:

Thats strange, what mic?

I'll have to get back to you on that when I'm home later, I can never remember the name.

 

[DarkSmith2]

1 minute ago, Meestagibbon said:

I'm all for PCI soundcards, most of them are great, some Twitch Streamers, like the extremely popular Summit1G used his steelseries siberia headphones for the longest time, with just a soundcard, and his mic sounded better than most streamers with a $300 plus mic setup lol.

4 minutes ago, ShadowCaptain said:

thats the reason for me to buy anything that my mic sounds better without having a BIGASS mic in front of my face ;D

Well first i thought the boompro would be enough without the needs of buying something to make it work better. But i guess i was wrong.

[Meestagibbon]

5 minutes ago, ShadowCaptain said:

Thats strange, what mic?

It's most definitely an AKG, modular style, one that kind of looks like a baton, and it was in the $250 dollar range. I can't remember the model off the top of my head though.

 

[ShadowCaptain]

2 minutes ago, DarkSmith2 said:

thats the reason for me to buy anything that my mic sounds better without having a BIGASS mic in front of my face ;D

Well first i thought the boompro would be enough without the needs of buying something to make it work better. But i guess i was wrong.

You get what you pay for

2 minutes ago, Meestagibbon said:

It's most definitely an AKG, modular style, one that kind of looks like a baton, and it was in the $250 dollar range. I can't remember the model off the top of my head though.

 

Im assuming its an XLR condenser or dynamic mic

[Meestagibbon]

On 3/3/2016 at 10:01 AM, ShadowCaptain said:

You get what you pay for

Im assuming its an XLR condenser or dynamic mic

AKG C 451 EB