Sound card vs External DAC / Amp

[GTiPUG]

DAC is what it says on the tin: Digital to Analog Converter.
(something what sound cards have had always because human ear doesn't understand ones and zeroes)
But they can't take that 5.1/surround sound from game (or video player) and do binaural simulation for headphones.
So they're at level of integrated Realteks in that area.

Windows 10 has now some headphone mode, but few Youtube videos I've found make it sound like some average downmixing.
And Microsoft's track record in advancing PC gaming since first X-Box isn't exactly stellar...

AE-5 is definitely quite complete package.
Also Creative doesn't kill driver support in five years like Asus (Phoebus got discontinued in barely five years) so it will likely have Windows drivers even past ten years from now.
From SB Z serie only really expensive top model ZxR had strong output with TPA6120.
And before that Creative's cards didn't have such strong headphone amplifiers.

But there's nothing preventing separating sound card from driving headphones with separate amplifier.
Myself have currently (second hand) ZxR as signal source and Objective2 for driving headphones properly.
Was actually looking for way to connect two possibly different headphones to PC. (don't have speakers)
Quick reading of engineering aspect made all usual multi-output headphone amps look very questionable with output impedances way over sound cards.
And audio maker amplifiers have good price tag already at basic level... for one output.
So bought two Objective2 DIY kits and assembled them.


And £100 cable is actually cheap...
https://arstechnica.com/staff/2015/...-10000-ethernet-cable-apparently-makes-sense/

Right, okay cool. So if it's as simple as digital to analog conversion, I'm guessing there's a point at which they all pretty much do the same thing - Convert basic signals. Perhaps there's little difference between a £100 DAC and a £500 DAC, which I guess is what you were saying above?

This makes sense so far. The AE-5 seems like a good package as you say, it looks pretty and it can do fancy tricks with multi directional audio, which would be cool to experience as ASUS' equivalent was never that great.

But at the same time, I like the look of that Objective2. Think it's something I'm going to have to put a lot of thought into.

Hahaha, wow. That's just... Mindblowing...

 

[Yaayuh!]

I still have the original Xonar STX in my PC with different opamps, still brilliant today. Though I usually use the FiiO E17 + E09K combo for headphones as I found the headphone amp superior, even to the Graham Slee I had for a while. Looking to get a schiit stack later this year though.

As always, as I've found over the years, you're better off spending the cash closer to your ear. Speakers/Headphones > Amp > DAC. Providing the DAC isn't really bottom of the barrel of course.

 

[GTiPUG]

I still have the original Xonar STX in my PC with different opamps, still brilliant today. Though I usually use the FiiO E17 + E09K combo for headphones as I found the headphone amp superior, even to the Graham Slee I had for a while. Looking to get a schiit stack later this year though.

As always, as I've found over the years, you're better off spending the cash closer to your ear. Speakers/Headphones > Amp > DAC. Providing the DAC isn't really bottom of the barrel of course.

Agreed that the STX is fantastic. Does yours put out any noise from the mic? I'm wondering if I had my placement all wrong. I had it sat on top of the graphics card, not under away as most people seem to. Hmm... Shouldn't have sold it haha.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Agreed that the STX is fantastic. Does yours put out any noise from the mic? I'm wondering if I had my placement all wrong. I had it sat on top of the graphics card, not under away as most people seem to. Hmm... Shouldn't have sold it haha.

Never used a mic with it I'm afraid. I'll try and remember to test with one at some point though.

 

[GTiPUG]

Never used a mic with it I'm afraid. I'll try and remember to test with one at some point though.

Ah ok, interesting. I had to use a 1/4" adapter with mine, worth bearing in mind.

Tempted to grab that Creative AE5 and a pair of Beyer DT990s now...