Upgrading my desktop setup

[admin_exported]

Ok so I've really become interested in upgrading the set up that I have at the moment and am willing to spend some money on doing it.

I bought a pair of Grado SR80i headphones the other day and now want to add to that. My current set up is:

I use my desktop PC to run everything (music wise) and I'm using the Creative Soundblaster X-fi Xtreme audio sound card I have (brand new around £40) with some Logitech Z4 speakers plugged into it and then I plug my headphones into the speakers headphone port when I want to use them.

So I was wondering where I could go next...

I was thinking of buying a headphone amp/DAC ??

What do you think?

Any help is much appriciated

Thanks

 

[idc]

Definitely a headphone amp/DAC, but what is your budget and do you want to upgrade the speakers as well as the headphone listening?

 

[Anonymous]

Budget around £150

And if I could make both the headphones and speakers better then i shall be very happy

I know that a headphone amp can really make good headphones shine but I'm not going to be changing my speakers anytime soon (I can only run a 2.1 setup on my desktop and I like the Z4s) so if I can do something to them as well at the same time as the headphones then this will be a real bonus

 

[idc]

The best way to improve the speaker sound is with better stand alone active speakers or connected a DAC to an amp that has a headphone output. But as the budget is £150 and headphones are the priority I would start with an amp/DAC.

Your get headphone amps with DACs such as from Firestone Audio and DACs with headphone amps such as from Beresford. I would also consider portable amp/DACs such as from iBasso which can still be used as part of a desktop system.

I cannot recommend any over anyother as I have not heard anything outwith Firestone.

 

[Anonymous]

What would be the best option though?

To save up more and buy a DAC and an amp so then I could use that for both speakers and headphones

Or just buy a headphone amp and then upgrade from my Z4s later on seperately

Thanks

 

[idc]

Sound wise it is very difficult to tell. Using a integrated amp you are using your computer as the source for a traditional setup. Getting a headphone amp/dac and say speakers such as the B&W MM1 (which also has a headphone out) or active speakers such as by Gelenlec, Epoz or Yamaha as an upgrade form your Logitechs is less traditional, and arguably less compromised.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm new to all this so bare with me if I do not understand fully

So what you're saying is I get a headphone amp now e.g. i was thinking this

http://www.beresford.me/products/TC-7520.html

Use that with my headphones til I save up some money and buy some speakers to connect to it ye?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm new to all this so bare with me if I do not understand fully

So what you're saying is I get a headphone amp now e.g. i was thinking this

http://www.beresford.me/products/TC-7520.html

Use that with my headphones til I save up some money and buy some speakers to connect to it ye?