Before you buy amp and DAC + recommendations.

[CoCa Mike]

hey

first of all, i wanna say that i dont have any knowledge on this topic, ive never had good or expensive headphones before, so yea.

Anyways, i recently got the sennheiser hd598s. i like them alot for playing video games, but i feel like the audio quality when listening to music is not the best it could be due to bad onboard sound.

It sounds the same when plugged into my pc as it does when plugged into my phone.

 

So, would buying a dac/amp improve the quality, and if so, which should i get?

Ty,

Mike

[Dackzy]

24 minutes ago, CoCa Mike said:

hey

first of all, i wanna say that i dont have any knowledge on this topic, ive never had good or expensive headphones before, so yea.

Anyways, i recently got the sennheiser hd598s. i like them alot for playing video games, but i feel like the audio quality when listening to music is not the best it could be due to bad onboard sound.

It sounds the same when plugged into my pc as it does when plugged into my phone.

 

So, would buying a dac/amp improve the quality, and if so, which should i get?

Ty,

Mike

I would say that it might just be that you don't like the sound signature that much and what mobo do you have?

[CoCa Mike]

3 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

I would say that it might just be that you don't like the sound signature that much and what mobo do you have?

i had some less expensive sennheiser products before, ive always liked the sound of their products. i have an acer predator g3620 mobo

[Dackzy]

24 minutes ago, CoCa Mike said:

i had some less expensive sennheiser products before, ive always liked the sound of their products. i have an acer predator g3620 mobo

maybe try them with a friends desktop and see if they sound different

[CoCa Mike]

19 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

maybe try them with a friends desktop and see if they sound different

tried at my partens acer aspire tc710, sounds the same to me aswell, maybe a bit more brazen(?).

[Dackzy]

1 minute ago, CoCa Mike said:

tried at my partens acer aspire tc710, sounds the same to me aswell, maybe a bit more brazen(?).

well I cannot say it for sure, since I cannot hear them and you don't have anything with a really good dac and amp so you cannot test if it would help to get something better. I know that some people think that the hd598 are a bit too tame.

[CoCa Mike]

2 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

well I cannot say it for sure, since I cannot hear them and you don't have anything with a really good dac and amp so you cannot test if it would help to get something better. I know that some people think that the hd598 are a bit too tame.

alright, thanks alot for your help

i guess ill just stay with what i have for now and if i get the chance to test with some good dac and amp, ill try that.

[DaisyCarnival]

I'm interested in buying my first audiophile headphones and I really like the reviews and overall feedback on the Massdrop x AKG K7XX.
Since i'm a noob I don't really know what kind of Amplifier I need for those headphones and I don't even know what a DAC is, but what I do know is that it is necessary to have both to get 100% out of those headphones.
Which Amp and DAC would you recommend for those headphones ?
btw my pc will have a Maximus Viii Hero Alpha so if I use the onboard opinion do you have any idea of how much potential I will be getting ?

[Dackzy]

3 minutes ago, DaisyCarnival said:

I'm interested in buying my first audiophile headphones and I really like the reviews and overall feedback on the Massdrop x AKG K7XX.
Since i'm a noob I don't really know what kind of Amplifier I need for those headphones and I don't even know what a DAC is, but what I do know is that it is necessary to have both to get 100% out of those headphones.
Which Amp and DAC would you recommend for those headphones ?
btw my pc will have a Maximus Viii Hero Alpha so if I use the onboard opinion do you have any idea of how much potential I will be getting ?

well try with onboard first and if they get loud enough keep using your onboard.

[Dackzy]

35 minutes ago, DaisyCarnival said:

SNIP

oh did not see that you asked about what a DAC does, I say it in the topic, but I can just say it again.

 

DAC stands for digital to analog converter, this means that it takes the digital signal that the music is and makes it analog so the speakers or headphones can play it.

 

Sound is analog and everything inside your PC is digital, so to make the digital sound file to sound you would need a DAC.

 

All motherboards that has onboard sound has a DAC.

 

I hope this helped  

[DaisyCarnival]

11 hours ago, Dackzy said:

well try with onboard first and if they get loud enough keep using your onboard.

just for the knowledge to what to buy if i need DAC+Amp.
Would you say an interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Interface would work with the AKG K7XX and give them full power ?
i have also read a little bit and found out that my best option is to go with the Modi 2 and Magni 2.
So i'd like to ask, i'm planning on buying the AKG K7XX and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm, will the interface work with both or will the modi+magni combo work better ?

[Dackzy]

50 minutes ago, DaisyCarnival said:

just for the knowledge to what to buy if i need DAC+Amp.
Would you say an interface like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Interface would work with the AKG K7XX and give them full power ?
i have also read a little bit and found out that my best option is to go with the Modi 2 and Magni 2.
So i'd like to ask, i'm planning on buying the AKG K7XX and the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm, will the interface work with both or will the modi+magni combo work better ?

that interface is not that good for headphone and well the schiit stack (magni + modi) is really good, I still think that you should try with your onboard first, since it is not like a DAC and amp is going to make a big jump in audio quality, a pair of higher end headphones would make a bigger jump in audio quality.

[bjandhispjs]

If you hear noise using the front panel audio port but not the back, would a DAC or DAC/AMP be recommended?

[Dackzy]

40 minutes ago, bjandhispjs said:

If you hear noise using the front panel audio port but not the back, would a DAC or DAC/AMP be recommended?

I would recommend looking at this.

 

[clankfu]

Would it be worth upgrading from my Fiio E10K to a Schiit stack, O2+ODAC or something in that price range for my Fostex TH-X00s?  Was originally considering an Origen+ but from what I gather, that would be more of a lateral move and not really much of an upgrade?

[SSL]

45 minutes ago, clankfu said:

Would it be worth upgrading from my Fiio E10K to a Schiit stack, O2+ODAC or something in that price range for my Fostex TH-X00s?  Was originally considering an Origen+ but from what I gather, that would be more of a lateral move and not really much of an upgrade?

 

Definitely the Schiit stack - Magni 2 Uber or Vali 2 and Modi 2 Uber.

[clankfu]

8 hours ago, SSL said:

 

Definitely the Schiit stack - Magni 2 Uber or Vali 2 and Modi 2 Uber.

 

I was thinking about just getting the regular Modi 2 with a Magni 2 Uber.  Don't think I'll need the extra inputs on the Modi 2U.

 

Any other DAC/amps you could recommend in that same price range that might be even better value than the Schiit?

[Dackzy]

2 minutes ago, clankfu said:

 

I was thinking about just getting the regular Modi 2 with a Magni 2 Uber.  Don't think I'll need the extra inputs on the Modi 2U.

 

Any other DAC/amps you could recommend in that same price range that might be even better value than the Schiit?

Well Schiit is pretty good value and nothing really comes to my mind when we talk same value class or better

[clankfu]

44 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

Well Schiit is pretty good value and nothing really comes to my mind when we talk same value class or better

Gotcha...thanks.

[SSL]

1 hour ago, clankfu said:

 

I was thinking about just getting the regular Modi 2 with a Magni 2 Uber.  Don't think I'll need the extra inputs on the Modi 2U.

 

Any other DAC/amps you could recommend in that same price range that might be even better value than the Schiit?

 

No. Schiit pretty much has the market corned on value. Sound signature preferences notwithstanding, you can't do much better than Schiit under $1000.

 

The Modi 2 Uber sounds better if you can swing the extra $50. It has an updated DAC chip, better analog section, and better power supply.

[clankfu]

2 hours ago, Dackzy said:

Well Schiit is pretty good value and nothing really comes to my mind when we talk same value class or better

 

No. Schiit pretty much has the market corned on value. Sound signature preferences notwithstanding, you can't do much better than Schiit under $1000.

 

The Modi 2 Uber sounds better if you can swing the extra $50. It has an updated DAC chip, better analog section, and better power supply.

 

What do you guys think about the Modi Multibit?

[Dackzy]

3 minutes ago, clankfu said:

What do you think about the Modi Multibit?

TBH: meh

[SSL]

4 minutes ago, clankfu said:

What do you think about the Modi Multibit?

 

Interesting. Haven't heard it myself.

[clankfu]

4 hours ago, Dackzy said:

TBH: meh

Have you had a chance to listen to one or are you just underwhelmed by the concept?

[Pomfinator]

2 hours ago, clankfu said:

Have you had a chance to listen to one or are you just underwhelmed by the concept?

Most likely the latter.  There is still very little in the way of exactly how multi-bit benefits audio reproduction.  It's amazing that a decent ladder DAC can be had for less than many headphones now, but it's still incredibly iffy.  Most people have remarked that while the Bifrost Multibit sounds different than the 4490, it doesn't always sound better in some cases, in fact the reportedly warmer overall analog section of the Bifrost might actually be more appealing to those in the market for a mid-range DAC.