New Headphones - Now need good sound card and speakers

monkey_boy · 9 May 2007 at 18:29

Hi all,

Sorry if something similar has come up recently, but I can't use the search function for some reason :confused:

Anyway, I've just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD600 headphones, and as well as using them on a hifi, I'd like to use them with my computer. I only have a laptop, but portability for using the 'phones isn't an issue. What I'd like to get set up is to have a good external sound card that will drive the 'phones nicely, and a *good* set of speakers. My idea of good in this case would be comparible to the Denon/Mission speakers that come with the M35DAB system.

Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

My Laptop is a Fujitsu Amilo Pi1505, with 1Gb RAM, 40gb HDD, Realtek HD Audio on-board sound running Windows Vista Ultimate, using Windows XP Sound Drivers. Not sure if that information would be relevant but I thought I'd include it just in case.

Regards,

Monkey_Boy

Egosh · 9 May 2007 at 19:27

creative x fi xmod apparently is pretty good according to the review on cnet..i.e. it gets the job done..

MofoKilla · 9 May 2007 at 20:00

if you want some really top notch speakers get these

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=SP-000-AE&groupid=702&catid=22&subcat=#

you wont be dissapointed trust me.

squiffy · 9 May 2007 at 20:10

Go for M-Audio Audiophile Firewire or USB. Ideally I would use off-board headphone amplifier, those phones are quite hard to drive.

As for speakers, what's your limit? Are the speakers going to be portable, like a PC system, or proper Hi-Fi gear (stereo integrated amp, speakers)

If you want proper Hi-Fi gear some amps have a quality headphone amplifier, the 8000S will be fine with the Sennheisers, and if you want proper speakers you'll need a amplifier anyway. I'm using a Audiolab 8000Q, the headphone amplifier is Class A, 7W maximum output power. Plenty for headphones.

I doubt those AE 2.1 speakers can compete with proper Hi-Fi, I bet the sub is the let down (usually is with these sorts of things)

monkey_boy · 9 May 2007 at 22:11

Thanks for that. What will the Audiophile offer me that the Creative options on OcUK won't? Is a headphone amp essential for these headphones? As you can probably tell i'm very new to all of this- I have been looking around for some semi-decent headphones and stumbled upon the HD600s and remembered that I'd read good things about them, and got them for £60 so I thought I'd snap them up. I'm no audiophile by any means, but I do recognise that on-board sound cards are rough, because I can hear buzzing in the background when I use headphones, which drives me crazy.

Speaker-wise, I'm looking to spend about £80 and I really don't want a seperate sub.

If it makes any difference to your reccomendations, I will mainly be listening to 128kbps mp3 files or Napster streaming. I don't really have any other option than this, as my whole music library is digital now and re-ripping the stuff I still have isn't something I want to do (around 200gb of MP3s).

squiffy · 9 May 2007 at 22:24

I will mainly be listening to 128kbps mp3 files

Yuk, 128kps Mp3 sounds unbearable, those Senn's are wasted. Drop MP3 (or use high bit rate) or use 200kps OGG or FLAC.

Just do a few albums, ripping/encoding a album only faves about 5 minutes. So if you do a few whilst browsing you'll soon get through the collection.

M-Audio soundcards are held in higher regard than Creative Labs.

You'll need to spend more than £80 on speakers to get quality.

monkey_boy · 9 May 2007 at 22:55

Thanks very much. Logical advice and all so quick too! I'll post when I've got something set up, and will no doubt be asking how else my hard-earnt is best spent.