++ ATOT official NEF thread part IV ++

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norseamd

Lifer
Dec 13, 2013
13,990
180
106
I need to stop visiting massdrop... $330 for AKG K712's and $100 for JDS Labs O2 Amp. Tempting. I'd need to pick up a better DAC too though...

we need to talk

what is a good starter dac and amp

was thinking about the o2 and odac to support open source

can i run a optical out from my sound card to the dac and still get both good sound and the processing power of the sound card
 

mnewsham

Lifer
Oct 2, 2010
14,539
428
136
we need to talk

what is a good starter dac and amp

was thinking about the o2 and odac to support open source

can i run a optical out from my sound card to the dac and still get both good sound and the processing power of the sound card

I have the Schiit Magni AMP, just picked up the Schiit Modi DAC to pair with it. Also ended up getting the AKG K712's... :oops:

And you CAN run optical out to a DAC, but I am not aware of any DACs under $500 that have optical inputs. And the ones that do are generally AMP/DAC combos costing upwards of $1.5k, there might be some cheaper ones out there but I dont know of them.

I personally just go USB to DAC then RCA to AMP RCA input, 1/4" out to headphones. Don't have any sound card on my computer besides integrated motherboard sound anyway.
 

norseamd

Lifer
Dec 13, 2013
13,990
180
106
I personally just go USB to DAC then RCA to AMP RCA input, 1/4" out to headphones. Don't have any sound card on my computer besides integrated motherboard sound anyway.

so would i lose the ability to up sound quality in the games that allow it?

the eax emulation feature of the asus dx rarely works as they say it does but otherwise everything else is fine and goldened for my sound quality
 

Mixolydian

Lifer
Nov 7, 2011
14,566
91
91
gilramirez.net
UGH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY!!!

Could work on music, want to work on my website at some point, just got a computer yesterday that needs to be setup.

UGH. HOLD ME!
 

mnewsham

Lifer
Oct 2, 2010
14,539
428
136
how are the akg k712s

I mean, as far as $400-500 headphones go they are very good.

Better bass than the AKG K702's which was the only major complaint about them.

They are similar in sound quality to Sennhieser HD 650's or the HD 700's

To compare them to Audiotechnica they would be similar to the ATH-AD1000X
 

norseamd

Lifer
Dec 13, 2013
13,990
180
106
not bad, not my type of music particularly though. Sounds fine though in a technical sense for the most part.

like middle eastern music as well as classical and electronic

there is good asian, indian, and irish music as well