Reddit reviews ASUS XONAR DG Headphone Amp & PCI 5.1 Audio Card

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2JQ5MAY68U0U0&keywords=sound+card+with+optical+out&qid=1555419401&rnid=493964&s=electronics&sprefix=sound+card+with+optical%2Celectronics%2C139&sr=1-9

Hey Guys, These headphones recently broke, and I have about £150 to spend on a set of headphones and I really want to get my first pair of good quality and really very good pair.

Source - ASUS Xonar DG PCI 5.1 Audio Card

Requirments -Mostly at home, but may walk to university as well or use at university.

Preferred type of headphones - Over-ear.

At the moment I'm looking at the [Sennheiser HD 598] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-598-Circumaural- Headphones/dp/B0042A8CW2#Ask) Versus the [HD558] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004FEEY9A/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=556244467&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0042A8CW2&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=1N00X3G5CMQ0A4M311GB) My question is, Are these the right headphones for me? and will I be able to tell the difference?
Ps, I game alot, and listen to a lot of liquid drum and bass!

EDIT* I've heard the HD598's are very bad with house and elctro music, (Two genres I'm quite into) Could anyone suggest headphones of similar look and feel that are good with these genres of music? ****

First double check that your PC doesn't have a combo jack (3.5mm analog and 3.5mm optical in the same port). a lot of modern PCs (especially macs) have this and if that's the case this is your best bet for audio. This is what you'd want.

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If you're using HDMI output (especially if you're using a receiver or multiple HDMI inputs), something like this is a good choice.

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If not, your next best bet is a internal soundcard with optical output (like this one) if it's a desktop, or an external USB soundcard with an optical output if it's a laptop (like this one).

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If neither of these work, and/or you're on a device that only has a 3.5mm analog output and nothing else, you can use one of these with one of these adapters. It's known as an analog to digital converter (ADC) and will take in analog (RCA/3.5mm) and convert it to a digital format like optical. This isn't super recommended, as it add extra conversion steps to the process and will reduce the sound quality of your soundbar somewhat unless you pay out extra money for a high quality professional ADC.

There's probably not a way to make this work with the setup you have.

• You could use your computer's HDMI output to send audio but it looks like your HTIB doesn't have an HDMI input.
  
• You could use your computers analog 5.1 output (the 6 colored 3.5mm jacks) but your HTIB doesn't have analog 5.1 input, only 2.0
  
• Your HTIB does support optical audio in, but as far as I can see your computer doesn't have an optical audio jack (although sometimes one of the 3.5mm analog audio jacks can also serve as optical).
  
  If you are determined to get this to work while spending as little money as possible, you could get a new sound card for your PC that has an optical audio output. (a.k.a. S/PDIF). E.g. at random here is a $29 one.
  
  The other solution would be to get a new AVR setup that has at least one HDMI input. That is by far the preferable solution if you care about good sound but you would have to replace the speakers as well so this could get expensive. Probably only worth it if you are willing to spend at least $500.

Why, whats wrong with 30 bucks on a Soundcard .. (edit: 19.99 with a MIR) ... Not hard.

Are you using your headset on stream pc and listening to the capture card? when an audio device receives and plays back the same audio it causes crackling, my HD60 pro does the same thing.

If you have about 100$ to spend, my solution to this mess was to get 2 video cards, you only need 1 if your gaming PC has SPDIF out.

I have a Xonar DG in my gaming pc for SPDIF output, you need to find drivers online that work for win8 or newer.

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6

An Sound Blaster z, for SPDIF input to the streaming PC.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaster-Performance-Headphone-Forming-Microphone/dp/B009ISU33E/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_147_tr_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HV6NYMKHG3BS07HYEGCE

And an SPDIF cable of course to connect the two, the result is lossless audio since it uses optical. Its the more expensive solution, but it works.

Your computer needs to have optical output or coaxial (mainly these are found on A/V receivers). You can buy a soundcard like the Asus Xonar DG, which has optical output.

It would go Xonar DG in PC>H1>A20>Headphone.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B003ZXDOL6?vs=1 will this sound card increase the volume of my somewhat quiet built in monitor speakers

This is all that I have picked out atm, will these work together in this case?
And will it run smoothly? Keep in mind I already have the i5 Processor

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V4V4SFC/ref=s9_acsd_simh_hd_bw_b4Ok4_c_x_4_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=YAV3J147A638ED1FDJCY&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=0ae2f422-b2bf-5e3d-9ce8-e6051f3a726c&pf_rd_i=1048424
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J8CCUL2/ref=s9_acsd_simh_hd_bw_b1C5u_c_x_2_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=N0KMSCQMA11K09FMH4N0&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=ad112e6b-2646-5740-bcb2-f227e6e7d96e&pf_rd_i=284822
https://www.pccasegear.com/products/37597/corsair-value-select-cmv8gx4m1a2133c15-8gb-1x8gb-ddr4
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZXDOL6/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b1C5v_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=WC80WMW66RG0XQ3VVHJV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=202b99be-dd6c-5402-b007-d88175803d72&pf_rd_i=284823
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H33SFJU/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b4sE4_c_x_2_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=6ANT2574KVWQF2V9KW5T&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=7e75590d-4a69-5772-b319-56dff81b4149&pf_rd_i=1161760
https://www.pccasegear.com/products/37360?gclid=CjwKEAjwq5LHBRCN0YLf9-GyywYSJAAhOw6ml6F1yrV8GI2P3fukMniqcDrnwsAd0levtuVDjgFQ_hoC2xDw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033Z2BAQ/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_b1PRY3f_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=Y8BCJFTCRVCDD7YPB6SD&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=d8716360-4766-5419-81fe-e3c48400ce8c&pf_rd_i=1292107011
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Deepcool-Tesseract-SW-Mid-Tower-Gaming-Desktop-PC-RED-Computer-Case-No-PSU-/322007039086?hash=item4af91d7c6e:g:eOMAAOSwKtVWvpBG

I have one of these, no issues with it.

So I would have to have audio coming out of both? Well I guess I could turn off the speakers, but when using the speakers I'd have to unplug the headset which I'm trying to avoid.

Is there a simple solution to having both plugged in at the same time without having to unplug/plug and them both be separate?

I currently have this headset and this sound card, and I'm looking to buy these speakers.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Xonar-PCI-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412464523&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+xonar+dg+5.1 Well, I got it on german Amazon, but this one has an english description :D

The issue with connecting it directly to the PC is the amount of noise. A $20 sound card would help in that regard. An amp isn't really needed, but that noise generated by the PC is a bit much. Especially if there's a dedicated GPU running.

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=sound+card&qid=1559320114&s=gateway&sr=8-7

This should be more than enough to get what you need out of the HD6xx

If you plan on upgrading dac, yea it might be worth considering getting standalone amp.

If you just plan on keeping pc as a source and want best amp/dac combo for money, I’d consider soundcard.

Like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Xonar-PCI-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6

Check your motherboard if you have pci slot, get dgx that support pci-ex if there no pci slots.

DGX is PCI Express. The DG is PCI but otherwise pretty much identical, and will work with /u/iamacannibal's board.

I recently bought a cheap Monoprice headphone. I also got a new sound card that has built in amp. My question is, do I have to plugin my headphones directly to the card to utilize the amp? I'm new to all this so I am not exactly sure of the benefits. Would it be fine for me to plug my headphones into my speakers instead?

Most likely you don't need a amp unless the amp from your motherboard is somehow super awful. 80Ohm shouldn't be too hard to drive but if you do need a soundcard, I would recommend the Xonar DG.

https://www.amazon.de/interne-Soundkarte-Digital-Headphone-Profile/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519406906&sr=8-1&keywords=xonar+DG

There is also the DGX if you need the PCI Express slot.

DT 770 + Xonar DG sounds like a pretty decent setup, especially since you don't have many choices in Netherland.

Apologies for repeating myself, but would a dedicated sound card (like this one perhaps) just output 5.1 over optical by default? Obviously some programs, games, etc. will not take advantage of that, but at least it would automatically output in 5.1 whenever possible. Or, would I need an HDMI receiver or something like that? Thank you for your help!

you could pick up a sound card with an optical out. I got this one used for $12 and it sounds good https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473645615&sr=8-1&keywords=dg+asus

Unless you want two monitors, you might as well bump up to a 1440p display. I have the VG248QE and love it btw, but the 1080 is just completely overkill for it.

You might also want to look at Windows 10 instead of 8. Preference aside, it supports DX12 and is generally more compatible with most programs you'll be running.

Audio wise, if you don't mind spending some extra cash, I'd recommend going for a "true" solution instead of a gaming headset. I used to use a Logitech G930 and I really liked it, but it ended up being completely nothing compared to a proper audio solution. My suggestion: AKG Q701 with a sound card: either an ASUS Xonar DG or a Xonar DGX. They're practically the same, they just use a different PCI slot.

The difference it makes: the gaming headset you chose has surround sound virtualization built in to the Logitech software, using Dolby surround. In reality, the "7.1 surround" headset you've chosen is just stereo with virtualization. The sound cards I've linked use the same Dolby surround software (under the title of "Dolby Headphone"), except it's done on the card instead of the program. The key difference is that you can plug in any stereo headset (from the cheapest shit to the best) to the sound card and it'll give you 10x better surround sound accuracy than any "gaming" headset will give you on its own. Audio is one of the most overlooked aspects when building a gaming rig and I implore you to consider spending the extra cash. It really makes a world of difference. Here's a recommendation guide by an audiophile for the best headsets for your money, if you don't want to spend too much on audio.

Thanks for listening.

Buy a PCI soundcard,much cheaper than an interface that you will only need if your recording music

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ASUS-Xonar-PCI-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?keywords=pc+soundcard+internal&qid=1566754529&s=gateway&sprefix=pc+soundcard&sr=8-7

Damn, a E10k is a good place to start? So if I'm looking for higher volume I should be expecting to pay about ~$75? Seems a little ridiculous considering I got these headphones for cheaper than that. Is there no cheaper option that's decent?

I saw in a forum post someone suggested this soundcard. Would something like that work considering it apparently has a amp built into it?

My main concern is getting a headset that takes advantage of my motherboard's audio capabilities. I currently have a USB headset with its own sound card and I really feel like I'm wasting my motherboards potential.

I notice that this connects through USB, but I am assuming it is a completely different process than my current headset. Also, what are the benefits of a DAC/Amp combo as opposed to just a headphone amp?

Thanks a ton, again I am an infant audiophile.

EDIT: To clarify, my question is: what is the cheapest way to amplify my mobo output but keep expensive mobo audio quality? Could I install something like [this]https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-XONAR-Headphone-Audio-Card/dp/B003ZXDOL6/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1483566806&sr=1-1&keywords=headphone+amp+pci but have it only amplify and not handle all audio?

it should be available in regular pci, not only pci-e

for example the Asus Xonar DG should fit just fine