old ATH M50 Amp/dac

[Xyrock]

Yo. i recently stumbled on Amps and dacs on youtube and i was wondering that if i could get even better sounds off of the m50's (Not the m50x).

 

When i use the ath m50, i mainly play games that requires good hearing for example rainbow 6 siege.

 

I saw people saying that Fi0 e10k is best budget amp/dac there is, but im kinda skeptical oh the performance, since its almost 5 years old.
I saw the GSX 1000 from senheiser and it looked pretty dope, but not sure if i can use that for my ath m50 on full potential.

I just want better sounds. Want something to blow my socks off ;D

[3 Minute Reviewer]

1 - are you using a motherboard with dedicated audio?

2 - are you having issues (buzzing, too warm, too cold) with the audio?

3 - is the audio not getting loud enough?

 

9 times out of 10 the best way to improve your sound is with better headphones.

[Xyrock]

6 minutes ago, kmathieu2220 said:

1 - are you using a motherboard with dedicated audio?

2 - are you having issues (buzzing, too warm, too cold) with the audio?

3 - is the audio not getting loud enough?

 

9 times out of 10 the best way to improve your sound is with better headphones.

oh. There is very little buzz sound when its connected to pc and im not playing anything, like a little static noise. little rattling noise when i increase volume on my SPEAKERS (wont happen on headphones) motherboard doesnt have a audio card. i dont think it has anyways.

msi P67A C45 (B3)

 

and the headphones gets very loud when turned max. like ear reping loud

[3 Minute Reviewer]

8 minutes ago, Xyrock said:

oh. There is very little buzz sound when its connected to pc and im not playing anything, like a little static noise. little rattling noise when i increase volume on my SPEAKERS (wont happen on headphones) motherboard doesnt have a audio card. i dont think it has anyways.

msi P67A C45 (B3)

 

and the headphones gets very loud when turned max. like ear reping loud

hmmmmm sounds like you could benefit from DAC to possibly get rid of that buzzing. I have the Schiit Fulla 2 and really enjoy it. You can connect both your headphones and speakers to it and that should  help reduce the buzzing. But in general adding a DAC wont make your headphones "blow you away" - you would need new headphones to make that much of a change.

[Xyrock]

Just now, kmathieu2220 said:

hmmmmm sounds like you could benefit from DAC to possibly get rid of that buzzing. I have the Schiit Fulla 2 and really enjoy it. You can connect both your headphones and speakers to it and that should  help reduce the buzzing. 

well, the thing is that i dont really mind the buzzing, since while audio is on, i wont hear the buzzing  i just care bout THA SOUNDDZZZZ

Will i benefit at all having a Amp/Dac soundwise?

[3 Minute Reviewer]

Just now, Xyrock said:

well, the thing is that i dont really mind the buzzing, since while audio is on, i wont hear the buzzing  i just care bout THA SOUNDDZZZZ

Will i benefit at all having a Amp/Dac soundwise?

I mean maybe, if you have very basic audio built into your mobo, which it seems like you do, a DAC could help widen your soundstage and make things "better" / "cleaner" but the price range of DAC you're looking at wouldn't make a huuuuuge difference. Imho - if you have $100 available it doesn't hurt to pick up something like the Fulla 2 so that if you ever get harder to drive headphones down the line at least you'll have some type of an amp to get you started and the DAC in it isn't all that bad either and a decent improvement from the Mobo audio you have. 

[Xyrock]

1 minute ago, kmathieu2220 said:

I mean maybe, if you have very basic audio built into your mobo, which it seems like you do, a DAC could help widen your soundstage and make things "better" / "cleaner" but the price range of DAC you're looking at wouldn't make a huuuuuge difference. Imho - if you have $100 available it doesn't hurt to pick up something like the Fulla 2 so that if you ever get harder to drive headphones down the line at least you'll have some type of an amp to get you started and the DAC in it isn't all that bad either and a decent improvement from the Mobo audio you have. 

i see... FII0 e10k or Schiit? i heard e10k is kinda good. but i dont really like the fact that e10k is almost 5 years old. no idea about other dacs. im new to this stuff

[3 Minute Reviewer]

1 minute ago, Xyrock said:

i see... FII0 e10k or Schiit? i heard e10k is kinda good. but i dont really like the fact that e10k is almost 5 years old. no idea about other dacs. im new to this stuff

I have only personally ever owned the Schiit Fulla 2 - and I really like it, looks pretty good too. I'm sure @Dackzy would have some more detailed input when comparing the two.

[Xyrock]

4 minutes ago, kmathieu2220 said:

I have only personally ever owned the Schiit Fulla 2 - and I really like it, looks pretty good too. I'm sure @Dackzy would have some more detailed input when comparing the two.

ps. if i'm gonna get a dac/amp, i preferably want high end one, so i wont need to upgrade it for YEARS.

[3 Minute Reviewer]

Just now, Xyrock said:

ps. if i'm gonna get a dac/amp, i preferably want high end one, so i wont need to upgrade it for YEARS.

Then maybe considered getting the "Schiit Stack" - the Magni 3 amp and the Modi 2 DAC - still not "high end" if you ask people around here but they are new and should handle pretty much everything that you throw at them.

[Xyrock]

whats difference between those and Fulla 2?

[Dackzy]

4 minutes ago, Xyrock said:

i see... FII0 e10k or Schiit? i heard e10k is kinda good. but i dont really like the fact that e10k is almost 5 years old. no idea about other dacs. im new to this stuff

audio doesn't really get old, you can just look at Theta DACs, they go for like 600$ used and they are amazing, but they are from the mid-90s. Some of the best headphones you can buy today are also 10-20 years old now. This stuff doesn't really change that much over the years.

 

The E10k is a bad DAC and amp, the detail level is rather low with a very narrow sound and it has some clipping to it. They went for features over sound, like a bass boost, USB to coaxial converter and pre-out for speakers.

The Fulla 2 is a pretty well a rounded combo, it also has the pre-out for speakers, but it isn't really anything that takes away from the audio quality and it has more detail than the E10k, a bit wider sound and a more flat sound. 

[Dackzy]

Just now, Xyrock said:

whats difference between those and Fulla 2?

more power, cleaner power, more detail and wider sound, basically an improvement in every way

[Xyrock]

1 minute ago, Dackzy said:

more power, cleaner power, more detail and wider sound, basically an improvement in every way

i mean they cost they same, literally. which one should i get?

unless there is a X brand that we havent talked about yet?

[3 Minute Reviewer]

1 minute ago, Xyrock said:

i mean they cost they same, literally. which one should i get?

unless there is a X brand that we havent talked about yet?

well the fulla is 100 and the stack is 200 (two different items for 100 each)

[Dackzy]

Just now, Xyrock said:

i mean they cost they same, literally. which one should i get?

unless there is a X brand that we havent talked about yet?

well a magni 3 + modi 2 is 200$, while the fulla 2 is 100$.

Schiit has the budget range pretty much on lock down, Audio GD NFB 11.28 is also quite good but that is a 320-350$ combo and yes that is still pretty budget compared to the stuff that you can get. If you are just going to use M50's then stick to the fulla 2, if you are going to get HD 600 or something better or equal, then get the stack.

[Xyrock]

1 minute ago, kmathieu2220 said:

well the fulla is 100 and the stack is 200 (two different items for 100 each)

i though we were talking about modi 2, Magni 3, and fulla 2

[3 Minute Reviewer]

1 minute ago, Xyrock said:

i though we were talking about modi 2, Magni 3, and fulla 2

Fulla is a DAC and an AMP in one

Modi and Magni are two different units, one is an amp and one is a DAC

[Xyrock]

Just now, Dackzy said:

well a magni 3 + modi 2 is 200$, while the fulla 2 is 100$.

Schiit has the budget range pretty much on lock down, Audio GD NFB 11.28 is also quite good but that is a 320-350$ combo and yes that is still pretty budget compared to the stuff that you can get. If you are just going to use M50's then stick to the fulla 2, if you are going to get HD 600 or something better or equal, then get the stack.

well i mean i will eventually upgrade these m50, since they are starting to wear down (I use them everyday). was thinking of just 1 box on my desk, but if the "Stack" is very nice, i will consider getting it.

[3 Minute Reviewer]

Just now, Xyrock said:

well i mean i will eventually upgrade these m50, since they are starting to wear down (I use them everyday). was thinking of just 1 box on my desk, but if the "Stack" is very nice, i will consider getting it.

http://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-2

Take a look around the site - you can literally "stack" the Magni and Modi and itll pretty much look/act as a single unit with the flexbility to upgrade one component later down the road if you wish

[Xyrock]

5 minutes ago, kmathieu2220 said:

http://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-2

Take a look around the site - you can literally "stack" the Magni and Modi and itll pretty much look/act as a single unit with the flexbility to upgrade one component later down the road if you wish

 

After looking at those "Stacks", i think i rather have one brick @ my table. is it preferrable to get fulla2 or the 300buck one?

[3 Minute Reviewer]

1 minute ago, Xyrock said:

but wouldn't it be better just get magni 3 and magi w/e 2 right now? instead of fulla2, since they have overall "Better sounds"?

 

Okay so a DAC and an Amp are two separate things. DAC converts a digital signal into an analog signal and an Amp amplifies that signal to out put to your headphones. Some products, like the fulla 2, have both parts built into one unit. Or as you buy higher quality gear you buy each part separately - the Amp = Magni 3 and the DAC - Modi 2. The higher quality option here is to get the Magni 3 amp and combine it with the Modi 2 DAC.

[Dackzy]

Just now, Xyrock said:

well i mean i will eventually upgrade these m50, since they are starting to wear down (I use them everyday). was thinking of just 1 box on my desk, but if the "Stack" is very nice, i will consider getting it.

TBH what I would do is when you upgrade your headphones, then buy a DAC and amp and until then use onboard. That way you might be able to get a Modi 3 or just get the Modi 2 and Magni 3 now because the difference between a Modi 2 and the Modi 3 when it comes out will be minimal.

 

Also in about a month or two I should have tested the Magni 3, so at that point, I can give you a very detailed impression of the Magni 3

[Dackzy]

4 minutes ago, Xyrock said:

 

After looking at those "Stacks", i think i rather have one brick @ my table. is it preferrable to get fulla2 or the 300buck one?

the NFB 11.28 is fairly big, bigger than the stack from my memory, but it the best.

[Xyrock]

4 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

TBH what I would do is when you upgrade your headphones, then buy a DAC and amp and until then use onboard. That way you might be able to get a Modi 3 or just get the Modi 2 and Magni 3 now because the difference between a Modi 2 and the Modi 3 when it comes out will be minimal.

 

Also in about a month or two I should have tested the Magni 3, so at that point, I can give you a very detailed impression of the Magni 3

well i was thinking of upgrading around 5-7 years from now... the same time i upgrade my pc

still recommend that route?