Xonar Essence STX and Sennheiser HD650

[Sin_Chase]

Just get a Little Dot 3, and something like one of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIR9001-P...357?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5197f5403d

The STX is pretty expensive, not sure how much you'd be looking to spend though. If it's 100 quid plus, just try to find a used LD3 and don't waste your time. I have the above DAC, and whilst I'm sure it's not the best, it does a good job for my set up. I run mine straight from the mobos optical out, and have since given up on my sound card as to me it seems like just another unecessary link in the chain.

Oh, and thanks for reminding me I had a pair of 650s. They've spent the last 6+ months in their box, as I prefered my D2000s. I was going to flog them on, but listening to them just now I'm not not sure I can.

I think I can pick up a STX for around £110 and that is not a bad price to speculate on how they can drive my 650s without another amp. I need a decent DAC anyway and £110 is not a bad price for what seems to be a solid DAC.

I can always add in a LD III later on, I looked around for a 2nd hand example but I am not a huge fan of second hand kit. LD do not honor warranty on LDs obtained via non authorised resellers and I am not sure if they would allow warranty transfer on a 2nd hand purchase.....assuming the unit even came from a legit source in the first instance.

My current combined amp/dac is dieing so £110 is a reasonable cost for a stop gap and provides me a solid DAC fir future amps.

The reviews for the STX seem solid and looking at the supply issues right now even if I hated it I reckon I could shift it on for minimal loss.

Additionally I am moving from a full DD/DTS amp/dac and I would like to see how the STX fairs with the positional audio, would be nice to retain this option.

 

[mrk]

No hay, 6172IN and a pair of LME49720NA ordered, I did some additonal reading and the general consensus for headphones and RCA output to an amp+speakers was that the above combo resulted in the a pleasing sound without too much bias on bass or harshness of other combinations.

IIRC these are what I had on my Auzentech HDA Xplosion back in the day too, just never remembered the numbers ¬_¬

 

[mrk]

Just a bump....

I installed the above OpAmps today and have had a good old listen and game.

They're certainly audibly better than the stock ones, tracks like The Prince of Parties by Flight Of The Conchords pops every single instrument from their respective positions when listening to the track on my HD595s, it sounded great on the stock amps but with these it's just more directional and the pip as the strings are plucked are just more "there" - Don't know how better to describe it other than imagine that holophonics matchbox stereo audio demo, that kind of eeriness when you close your eyes when the instruments are being plucked and hit around you.

I've not had a proper listen yet through my speakers (Tannoy V4) so that's on call for tomorrow after work.

In BF3 I haven't noticed too much difference although everything sounded stellar in that game anyway and with explosions coming from 360 degrees I tend to focus on shooting

So far I am very impressed. I'm certain I had these same opamps on the Auzentech HDA Xplosion but that never sounded as good as this (obviously ).

I'm using line out to my amp btw. The direct headphones out is better than before on it but I still prefer the headphones amp on the NAD.

Edit*
The playlist has shuffled to The Most Beautiful Girl [In The Room] by FOTC just now and...this is way way better than the stock ones o.0