Hi there. I have been doing a bit of research into high end headphones, from what I gather the better headphones, require an amplifier to really produce the desired sound. This leads me to wonder, how does the amplifier work with the PC? does it replace your sound card?
Headphones/Amp
- Thread starter mikex
- Start date
The sound card is the source of the sound and is usually not amplified in any way. The amplification is usually left down to the speakers etc but for headphones they need extra amplification to get the best depth and volume.
So the amplifier sits between the headphones and the sound card. It can be a means to avoid upgrading to a better sound card but better coupled with one for the best overall potential.
So the amplifier sits between the headphones and the sound card. It can be a means to avoid upgrading to a better sound card but better coupled with one for the best overall potential.
Caporegime
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Err...yes it is.
Not all high end headphones need a dedicated amplifier, but there are plenty of headphones that benefit from the extra juice a headphone amp provides, even though, they may work just fine with standard line out.
One could either put a headphone amp between the phones and the sound card, as Dup said, or get a DAC with headphone amp, or get a separate DAC and headphone amp.
Depends how much one is willing to spend, and if their sound card works fine, with no interference issues. If one has interference issues, adding an external headphone amp is pointless. It would be better to buy an external DAC with optical connection, as that will not pick up on any interference produced within the PC case. Plenty of DAC's have USB, but USB can be prone to interference.
One could either put a headphone amp between the phones and the sound card, as Dup said, or get a DAC with headphone amp, or get a separate DAC and headphone amp.
Depends how much one is willing to spend, and if their sound card works fine, with no interference issues. If one has interference issues, adding an external headphone amp is pointless. It would be better to buy an external DAC with optical connection, as that will not pick up on any interference produced within the PC case. Plenty of DAC's have USB, but USB can be prone to interference.
First of all, do you have a sound card, or are you using onboard audio? Second, do you have headphones already? or are you looking at what options are available? Thirdly, what are you looking at spending? That's hard to answer really, depending on what you have already. If you have sound card, headphones etc. Do you have some figure, you want to spend as a maximum?
TBH, I'm not the best person to advise what you should be looking at, there are others with far more knowledge, who will be able to offer better advice on what combination would be best for you.
Just as a rough idea. If you bought a DAC and headphone amp separately, you would probably be looking at paying £100+ at least for the DAC. A good DAC, would be a Musical Fidelity V-DAC for £140. A headphone amp, you are probably looking at again around the £100 mark for a good budget one. Leaving up to £200 maybe, for headphones. You could get a combined unit, something like a Beresford Caiman, or a Firestone Fubar.
Just as a rough idea. If you bought a DAC and headphone amp separately, you would probably be looking at paying £100+ at least for the DAC. A good DAC, would be a Musical Fidelity V-DAC for £140. A headphone amp, you are probably looking at again around the £100 mark for a good budget one. Leaving up to £200 maybe, for headphones. You could get a combined unit, something like a Beresford Caiman, or a Firestone Fubar.
+1 for the Beresford. Make sure to use the digital out on the pc if you buy one as USB only takes 44khz signal, which of course would be fine if your listening to VBR MP3s or AACs, Lossless files are around 96khz so would be best with a digital connect, be it coaxial or optical.
The headphone amp on the Caimen is actually very good and can drive pretty much anything
The headphone amp on the Caimen is actually very good and can drive pretty much anything
I wondered how good the headphone amp was, in terms of being able to drive more demanding headphones. Certainly looks like the thing to buy, leaving a nice chunk of cash for some headphones.
