[sc2fan]

Hey guys
I've decided to get the DT-770 Pro headphones from Beyerdynamic.
I'm going to get the 80 Ohms version because i would like to use them with my iPhone and laptop (even though i do have my pc hooked up to a HiFi system which includes an amp).
Right now i have the Gigabyte 770TA-UD3 with Realtek onboard sound.
I'm wondering whether or not you would notice a difference between onboard and a low budget soundcard?
I don't really want to spend more than 80 bucks (the lower, the better) on the soundcard.
...just need your advice on whether or not it's worth it to buy a low end soundcard or to just stick with the onboard sound.
So IF I should buy a soundcard which one?
I was thinking about this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-006-_-Product

And here is a link to the headphones:
http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/..._from_store=de

[Theocnoob]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

Hey guys
I've decided to get the DT-770 Pro headphones from Beyerdynamic.
I'm going to get the 80 Ohms version because i would like to use them with my iPhone and laptop (even though i do have my pc hooked up to a HiFi system which includes an amp).
Right now i have the Gigabyte 770TA-UD3 with Realtek onboard sound.
I'm wondering whether or not you would notice a difference between onboard and a low budget soundcard?
I don't really want to spend more than 80 bucks (the lower, the better) on the soundcard.
...just need your advice on whether or not it's worth it to buy a low end soundcard or to just stick with the onboard sound.
So IF I should buy a soundcard which one?
I was thinking about this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-006-_-Product

And here is a link to the headphones:
http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/..._from_store=de

ASUS Xonar Essense STX. Buy it. No alternative. Can not be beat for your application. ANY other card you pick will give you a non-specifically amplified signal for your earphones. The extra $100 for STX will equal $400 of joy for your brain.

[sc2fan]

Thanks for your reply
...the Asus Xonar Essence STX would cost as much as the headphones - would that be worth it?
I mean, I wouldn't buy a super good GPU if I had a 15 inch, bad resolution monitor (exaggerating a little just show my point ).
If it really is worth it;
Is this soundcard a good gaming/music/movies card?
All of these purposes have equal priority for me.
Are there cheaper options or is this the only soundcard to go for if I reallly do want to get one?

[Theocnoob]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

Thanks for your reply
...the Asus Xonar Essence STX would cost as much as the headphones - would that be worth it?
I mean, I wouldn't buy a super good GPU if I had a 15 inch, bad resolution monitor (exaggerating a little just show my point ).
If it really is worth it;
Is this soundcard a good gaming/music/movies card?
All of these purposes have equal priority for me.
Are there cheaper options or is this the only soundcard to go for if I reallly do want to get one?

According to what I've read you really should buy it. It will work just as well for output to a 2.1 system, or performance wise for whatever you throw at it.

There's no other soundcard in the mainstream with a dedicated headphone out. The headphone amp on this card is unmatched for anything you can get in the casual marketplace for about $200. Headphone people always say you should have a headphone amp.

If I had headphones worth 180+ I'd get that soundcard.



I will likely pick up good headphones and this card in the future as I am moving to a building.

[sc2fan]

I don't need an amp in the soundcard since I've got an amp hooked up to the computer already. And I will get the 80 Ohms version anyway so that I can also use them as mobile headphones.
So is there a cheap soundcard out there with good enough performance for the DT-770 Pro's? (no integrated headphone amd needed)
Not that I don't want to have the Xonar Essence STX - I just find it a little too expensive compared to the headphone price (also way over my budget of 80 bucks -might have to save up a lot more money :/ ).

[Theocnoob]

is the amp digital? You can even use onboard motherboard sound digital out if it is and just cut the soundcard out of the equation... unless you mean that you have a pocket headphone amp... Not clear enough so I cant help... if you are going to run headphones DIRECTLY to the computer get the STX.

You should have said this in the first place please give details

[e6600]

what exactly do you do the most? music or gaming?
if music id go for asus xonar, if gaming id go for auzentech

[sc2fan]

Sorry for the missing information

It's a pretty old amp but does the job - got a Kenwood KA-5010 that I'm currently using for my speakers only (I plug my current headphones in at the front audio output).
I don't know whether it's digital or not but I'd suppose it's not.

Hard to say what I do most - lately it's been music I'd say ...though a couple months ago I guess it was mostly games.
For music I could use the CD player I got (Technics SL-PG200A if that's relevant). Wouldn't be very comfortable, but it's an option.

Since the soundcard is only for my pc (not my lapotp nor the iPhone) I don't want to spend too much money but at the same time get a reasonable upgrade from my onboard sound (if that's possible - otherwise I think I'm going to stick with the onboard sound).

[Theocnoob]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

Sorry for the missing information

It's a pretty old amp but does the job - got a Kenwood KA-5010 that I'm currently using for my speakers only (I plug my current headphones in at the front audio output).
I don't know whether it's digital or not but I'd suppose it's not.

Hard to say what I do most - lately it's been music I'd say ...though a couple months ago I guess it was mostly games.
For music I could use the CD player I got (Technics SL-PG200A if that's relevant). Wouldn't be very comfortable, but it's an option.

Since the soundcard is only for my pc (not my lapotp nor the iPhone) I don't want to spend too much money but at the same time get a reasonable upgrade from my onboard sound (if that's possible - otherwise I think I'm going to stick with the onboard sound).

So you're using what? 3.5mm to 3.5mm?? To your amp? If thats the case just get a decent midrange card. the $100 xonar will do.

If you ever wanted to plug the phones directly into the computer though the STX card would be the way to go .

[sc2fan]

Sounds good Thanks a lot for your help!

To get everything right now:
...so the Asus Xonar DTX will be just fine?!
And the difference to onboard sound is very much noticable?

So if those questions annoy you - didn't quite understand and wanted to make sure I get it right.

Edit: I could use 3.5 to 6.35mm but I am currently using 3.5 to cinch. (3.5mm on pc and cinch on amp)

[Theocnoob]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

Sounds good Thanks a lot for your help!

To get everything right now:
...so the Asus Xonar DTX will be just fine?!
And the difference to onboard sound is very much noticable?

So if those questions annoy you - didn't quite understand and wanted to make sure I get it right.

Edit: I could use 3.5 to 6.35mm but I am currently using 3.5 to cinch. (3.5mm on pc and cinch on amp)

Again, if you're using a non digital out, which it sounds like, using a better soundcard is important. No sense using the headphone amp card if you're sending the signal to another amp. You'll get distortion afaik. A decent(er) soundcard would be in order though to at least reduce SNR. There's no digital out on your mobo or current soundcard? Sending the signal digitally to your amp would improve sound and eliminate this whole issue.

[sc2fan]

I do have a TOSLINK (S/PDIF) output on my mainboard - didn't think so but checked anyways because of you asking again and again - thanks! ...But I'm positive that there is no digital input on my amp since it's about 10 years old. Would a converter make more sense than a new soundcard?

[Theocnoob]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

I do have a TOSLINK (S/PDIF) output on my mainboard - didn't think so but checked anyways because of you asking again and again - thanks! ...But I'm positive that there is no digital input on my amp since it's about 10 years old. Would a converter make more sense than a new soundcard?

Analog is analog...

I think your best bet is a new soundcard and a quality analog cable.
I have a XonarD2PM that I'm happy with. The best soundcard I ever had was based on the same chip- an Auzen Meridian but it was short run and was cancelled.

[sc2fan]

Alright ...I'll see what soundcards are out there and how much I can/want to spend on it. Thank you very much for your help!!!

[Theocnoob]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

Alright ...I'll see what soundcards are out there and how much I can/want to spend on it. Thank you very much for your help!!!

You just want a really really high signal-noise-ratio and your amp will be taking care of the rest once you get the signal to it. Too bad you can't do it digitally but with a good soundcard and a good quality (not radioshack, like specialty audio store, $50ish) cable you should really get good sound.

You're going to want a soundcard that supports 44.1Khz out for sure. I'm pretty sure that eliminates anything based on the X-Fi which you wouldn't want anyways. CMI8788 based cards are likely to be your best bet unless you want to spend tonnes. Xonar cards (the higher end ones) are based on this chipset. Make sure it says AV200 not AV100 on the main chip on the soundcard (You can bring up an image of your soundcard of choice in google)

[sc2fan]

Thank you! - again ...I'm going to look out for the right sound processor (av200 ?!), chipset and the singal to noise ratio . I will probably save up a little more money to buy a decent soundcard.

[johan851]

Analog is analog...

Whoa. Digital is digital. The conversion of digital to analog is what's important, provided you have a capable amplifier.

SNR specs are virtually meaningless as long as they're past a certain level. They're very susceptible to marketing hype because it's a measurable quantity that they can slap on paper. Far more important (and what they'll never tell you) is class of operation, CMRR, PSRR, voltage swing, peak output current, and output impedance. None of those things will be done particularly well by a sound card (though some are better than others) because the power supply is dirty, voltage is limited, and a limited amount of space means a very poor output stage. Sound cards also tend to do poorly because they're in an extremely high interference (noisy) environment. The inside of a computer is not a friendly place for analog audio.

The better solution than a soundcard is a D/A converter. Computers make great transports for digital signals, and moving the digital to analog conversion outside of the computer usually results in much better quality. A discrete D/A is usually much higher quality than what you'd find on a soundcard anyway.

One good option is a y1 - I have one for my office paired with an Mini^3 amp, and it sounds great. http://www.amb.org/audio/gamma1/ It's a DIY project, but you can have someone build it for you.

Pretty much any external DAC is going to be a soundcard, and if you have speakers you'll be able to use an external DAC with your speakers as well. Computer -> DAC -> Kenwood amp.

[sc2fan]

How much would the y1 be? And are there options for the same costs with similar quality?
...oh and thanks for your help johan851!

[johan851]

Originally Posted by sc2fan

How much would the y1 be? And are there options for the same costs with similar quality?
...oh and thanks for your help johan851!

If you check the link I provided, there's someone named MisterX who might build one for you. He's a good guy. Maybe around $200 depending on the options?

That DAC sits at a pretty great price/performance point. The y2 is an even better option, but probably about twice the cost. Most DACs are pretty expensive. The y1 is probably the best you're going to find sub $200 (if I'm right about that price).

Let me know what MisterX would want to charge you, and if you want I'll dig up the bill of materials I used and figure out how much the parts would actually cost. I seem to remember materials alone being around $130.

[sc2fan]

That is well above my budget :/ In my first post I said 80 bucks ...so anything in the 50-100 dollar range would be fine. Would you recommend saving up enough money and sticking with the onboard sound for that period of time or would you buy a DAC/soundcard in that price range? I'd probably go with the onboard sound for at least half a year if I'd save up for the 200 dollar mark. (it's my first time really getting into the audio thing - other than for my car - so I don't really want to spend too much money on all that unless it's really worth it ?!)