Reddit mentions of Audioquest DragonFly USB DAC Preamp Headphone Amp Version 1.2

Game engines use their own 3d stereo sound processing so virtual 7.1 isn't really worth much. I would recommend getting an external sound card (DAC/AMP). I would recommend this http://www.amazon.com/AUDIOQUEST-DRAGONFLY-V1-2-USB-DAC/dp/B00H00VLZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426275640&sr=1-1&keywords=audioquest+dragonfly or this http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10K-Headphone-Amplifier-Black/dp/B00LP3AMC2/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426275640&sr=1-6&keywords=audioquest+dragonfly

You could also peak around /r/headphones. There's a ton of discussion there about these things. There's no upper limit to quality or what you can spend on Digital to Analog Converters and Amplifiers.

You could also just search amazon for sound cards, but if you're only using it for headphones make sure you're not wasting money on cards that have speaker outputs. The one's I recommended aren't cheap, but you will appreciate the quality.

Currently running an Audioquest Dragonfly DAC into a Blue Dot Mk IV tube amp. I primarily got the pair to drive my high-impedance Senn HD-650s (600 ohm).

Honestly the SB Z has a decent DAC, you probably shouldn't need to do anything there unless you are going the true audiophile route - I upgraded from onboard audio so I didn't have much of a choice lol. You may benefit from an external amp, though your headphones seem likely to be decently driven by the Z. I don't know that you'd get any more volume but you may get subjectively better sound.

I love my Little Dot, I'm a total tube convert and can never go back to digital. =P

These are nice if you have a few extra bucks: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00H00VLZQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1415678704&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

Thanks for all the advice! I have finished my setup and I love it. Its tough to see in the pictures, but I have moved my desk about 10 inches away from the wall to give my speakers room to breathe. Also, like you said, the SA50 is more than enough to power my speakers; I have yet to get past about 1\3 on the volume dial.

My next purchase was going to be DAC but my plan was to get one that could connect to both my computer and my iPhone. After doing some research, I learned that Apple really does not want you to use an external DAC. This little article gives a workaround however. I was thinking about getting this peachtree DAC. Would you see any issue with connecting my computer via the optical input and my iphone via the USB input using an adapter?

If that's not going to work, I was just going get this dragonfly which has pretty universal amazing reviews. Again thanks for all resources and time. I would definitely not be as happy with my setup if I didn't find this sub.

i can find the green dragonfly usb dac that you have in the photo, is this close enough?

http://www.amazon.com/Audioquest-DragonFly-Preamp-Headphone-Version/dp/B00H00VLZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451241769&sr=8-1&keywords=dragonfly+dac+usb

edit: also, whats the app used on the table to access the pi0? thanks.

Fiio E10k is another good option, or their portable E07K.

Coming up a little bit, you can get the Dragonfly also.

EDIT: Sorry, updated to amazon UK instead of US.

An "external sound card" is typically referred to as a DAC (digital-to-analog converter). A DAC will bypass your PC's internal DAC (soundcard) which was most likely an afterthought. A purpose-made DAC will sound cleaner because there will be no interference from other electrical parts of the computer and should be able to resolve more detail (given that you are playing high quality files).

Oftentimes, DACs will also have built-in amplifiers in order to drive high-resistance headphones, but this isn't always the case. With your particular headphones (HD598se), you do not need an amplifier because your headphones are not high-resistance (why high-resistance headphones might be beneficial is a discussion for another time).

For you, I'd recommend the AudioQuest Dragonfly DAC. They are about $150 on amazon. This particular model is not advertised as being an amplifier, but in my personal experience, my headphones had more output when used with this device.

EDIT: Only 18 of those Dragonflies left in stock. Don't forget you can always return it if you decide it's not worth your money.

I'd suggest an outboard DAC.

Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Audioquest-DragonFly-Preamp-Headphone-Version/dp/B00H00VLZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452322565&sr=8-1&keywords=dragonfly+dac

or this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V7K5UJI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

They will sound better and solve any audio issues.

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Do you want it to be portable? Easy to transport? If so then here are a few options.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4YE5BG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=19Y1MJ9OT5JL8&coliid=I11V58NFS43L3Q
http://www.amazon.com/AUDIOQUEST-DRAGONFLY-V1-2-USB-DAC/dp/B00H00VLZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417626412&sr=8-1&keywords=audioquest+dragonfly

Audioquest's dragonfly seems to be quite well received, though you'll have to pay 50$ more.

So if it's a combo dac/amp it's fine to use on a speaker such as the Dragonfly v1.2 but if it's an amp only on a speaker then that's a no-no?

Ah, I didn't see that it had come down. Was basing that on it's original price of $250.

At $120 or $150 it is probably not so bad, but I'd still be scratching my head for a scenario where I'd recommend it over virtually anything else.


Without a stack of measurements, I just can't take anything that company says seriously. Glowing reviews from Stereophile and TAS don't really help.

I got the black because those are the ones I wanted for the longest time and they match my setup nicely, but the ones you got do look pretty sweet. Right now I'm torn, between which DAC/Amp to get that fits within my price range. Right now, I'm looking at the Audioquest Dragonfly USB DAC or the Fiio E07K Andes USB DAC and Portable Headphone Amp.

The best solution is this with these or cheaper models, but you get the general setup idea.
ps:as stated by someone on the OVr forum, you must use the additional dk2 power adapter, otherwise the usb dac won't be stable.

So I'm pretty set on going with the Sennheiser HD 598 and this cool little DAC I found called an AUDIOQUEST - DRAGONFLY V1.2

I feel these will ge the job done very well. What do y'all think?

• Budget - $200 - $400 USD for both headphones and an amp+dac (if needed).
  
• Source - A desktop PC and laptop. Nothing special about them.
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Does not matter
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-ear, full size, open. Something comfortable, that I can wear for looooong periods. I wear glasses and can't find a pair that would help.
  
• Tonal balance - Something a little bass-y. See preferred music for a better udnerstanding. I like a good kick when the bass hits but something that also provides very good highs for games and such.
  
• Past headphones - Logitech G930.
  
• Preferred Music - I listen to anything electric/techno/big room/rock/metal/rap/country/ANY TYPE OF MUSIC I LISTEN TO
  
• Location - USA

So could I use something like this to get the sound out of my USB, and then connect to the JBLs with something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/AudioQuest-DragonFly-Digital-Converter-Version/dp/B00882U782

http://www.amazon.com/AUDIOQUEST-DRAGONFLY-V1-2-USB-DAC/dp/B00H00VLZQ

http://www.amazon.com/Audioquest-DragonFly-Preamp-Headphone-Version/dp/B00H00VLZQ

This Dragonfly 1.2 is the standard in your price range. It regularly goes on sale for under $100 here in the states. Some DACs are considered a little better or worse in that price range, but you could do worse for the money. Schiit fulla is another contender at $80, and there are a few other others that could deserve consideration like the Creative E series:
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Headphone-Amplifier-Integrated-Smartphones/dp/B00J2JATL0?ie=UTF8&keywords=creative%20dac&qid=1465356999&ref_=sr_1_7&s=electronics&sr=1-7 (goes on sale for $35 here)

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier-Bluetooth/dp/B00J79KNPM?ie=UTF8&keywords=creative%20dac&qid=1465356999&ref_=sr_1_4&s=electronics&sr=1-4

These are some of simplest solutions. Plug and play. You could also grab a cheap DAC and a separate, and more powerful Headphone amp if needed.

It's not 50% faster, it just has 8 GB VRAM versus 6 GB VRAM. Games today don't even use that much so you're really talking about future gaming. Yes, if you keep raising your budget, you will get a faster computer and GPU. If you want to spend the extra money, then go for it. It's really not that big of a jump from 6 GB VRAM to 8 and definitely not worth the extra $400 in my opinion, but that's up to you. Remember, the mobile versions of GPUs are slower than the regular ones in desktops. You're looking at a 1060M 6 GB and 1070M 8 GB. I would save the money for a larger SSD, more RAM, good speakers or a good headset instead, and get the Asus GL502VM-DB74.

If you game and want good sound and use a headset/headphones check out the Sennheiser PC 363D headset (Amazon link) or the other Sennheiser gaming headsets. If you use speakers, check out the Micca MB42X (Amazon link). Make sure you use a DAC like the Schiit Modi 2 or DAC/amp like the Schiit Fulla 2 to get the best sound possible. (Fulla 2 is very new and not yet on Amazon, but you can still get the original Fulla from Amazon and other retailers. It's better to just buy the Fulla 2 from the Schiit website.) Some other good options are: Micca OriGen+, FiiO E10K, AudioQuest DragonFly / AudioQuest Dragonfly v1.2, Audioengine D3, SMSL M2, etc. Check out /r/BudgetAudiophile /r/Audiophile /r/Audio and /r/Headphones if you want more info. The great people there taught me a lot about quality audio. You can also check out /r/AVexchange for good audio deals.

Like these?:

• Audioengine D3
  
• AudioQuest DragonFly
  
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