Need help with headphones and sound card please!

Hi everyone, so i am currently looking at upgrading my headphones for my pc and getting a new sound card to go with it. My current headphones are the Astro a40s. I originally bought them for my xbox but I have now gotten rid of it and use my pc exclusively. I mainly play games and listen to a little bit of music. Not to much into watching movies and my monitor when i have a 55in LED tv to do that. So as of right now im looking at the Sennheiser HD 598's and i really like them. But i would also need to get a good enough sound card to take full advantage of them. And for that im looking at the ASUS Xonar Essence ST sound card.

So my question is, is this a good combo? Any recommendations? Does anyone have either the headset and sound card and recommend it? Just looking for advice so thank you for helping me out.

Hi everyone, so i am currently looking at upgrading my headphones for my pc and getting a new sound card to go with it. My current headphones are the Astro a40s. I originally bought them for my xbox but I have now gotten rid of it and use my pc exclusively. I mainly play games and listen to a little bit of music. Not to much into watching movies and my monitor when i have a 55in LED tv to do that. So as of right now im looking at the Sennheiser HD 598's and i really like them. But i would also need to get a good enough sound card to take full advantage of them. And for that im looking at the ASUS Xonar Essence ST sound card.

So my question is, is this a good combo? Any recommendations? Does anyone have either the headset and sound card and recommend it? Just looking for advice so thank you for helping me out.

Sa1nT_Ch3wy

Music preferences? Budget? Other headphones to look at:

BeyerDynamic DT880

AKG Q701

Grado SR225i

Sennheiser HD600(I would highly recommend these. Some people think that these sound better then the HD800(With the right amp of course. They work best with tube amps. Best to look at the Schiit Valhalla and the Schiit Bifrost or the Maverick Audio A1)

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Also if you get any of these headphones you will need to get FLAC or Lossless audio files.

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Just thought of another set up. This is the one I would recommend the most. Get a Hifiman HE-400 and a FiiO E10. Will be a very good set up. They are orthodynamic headphones, very comfortable, and are very good for gaming.

http://www.head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=115

http://www.amazon.com/FiiO-E10-USB-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B005VO7LG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347845705&sr=8-1&keywords=FiiO+E10

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Make a account at Head-Fi. I am a member there and other people will help you a lot. They know more than me. Just post what type of games you play, budget, and what type of music you play.

Well i just wanted to say thank you for the replies everyone. And for a budget im trying my best to keep it under $400. The games i mainly play at the moment are Battlefield 3, Skyrim and Sims (my wife plays that lol). And for music just about everything besides country. I I've also been looking at the Sennheiser PC360's as well. I can get a used one for about $150. Now are those as good as the HD598s? Better? Again thanks for all the help :D

Currently with the same soundcard but with the hd555 and couldnt be happier :)MonsieurX

Do you use those for gaming? And did you have any troubles setting up the drivers for the card?

[QUOTE="MonsieurX"]Currently with the same soundcard but with the hd555 and couldnt be happier :)Sa1nT_Ch3wy

Do you use those for gaming? And did you have any troubles setting up the drivers for the card?

Get the Hifiman HE-400 and FiiO E10. Trust me.

Go onto head-fi and make a thread!!

Get the Hifiman HE-400 and FiiO E10. Trust me.

Wolfetan

[QUOTE="Wolfetan"]

Get the Hifiman HE-400 and FiiO E10. Trust me.

Bozanimal

Well the more i look around the more i quesion if i really need to upgrade my Astros? I mean i know they're not the best, but i mean they work? I've also look at a different sound card that are a tad bit cheaper. The Asus Xonar DX and they have Dolby Digital Live which is what i need to really get the most out of them? How does that look? I mean the less i spend the more my wife will be happy :P

Oh and everyone thanks for the feed back!

Well the more i look around the more i quesion if i really need to upgrade my Astros? I mean i know they're not the best, but i mean they work? I've also look at a different sound card that are a tad bit cheaper. The Asus Xonar DX and they have Dolby Digital Live which is what i need to really get the most out of them? How does that look? I mean the less i spend the more my wife will be happy :P

Oh and everyone thanks for the feed back!

Sa1nT_Ch3wy

Heck, They'd still sound better than the HD598 and Asus Xonar.. There 250 ohms they don't need that kind of amp for them. Wolfetan

Not sure which is 250 ohms; the HE-400 is 35 ohms and the HD598 is 50 ohms.

Let's get to it: I haven't heard the HiFiMan HE-400 personally. Let's just get that out there. That said, I have used the HD598 at length. They sound very, very good- as good as the AKG Q701's, in my experience without requiring an amp to shine, but benefitting from one (as do the HE-400's, I understand). And I would agree that the Xonar Essence is probably more than is necessary to power the HD598's, but both headphones will benefit from the cleaner amp and better isolation the card offers.

Now I'm going to go out on a limb, a bit: I would personally get the HD598 over the HE-400, again, without having listened to the HE-400. This hurts my argument, but my understanding is that the HD598 is a more accurate and more comfrotable headphone at a lower cost, to boot:

The HD598 is going to offer more detailed mid- and upper-range response, and a more neutral sound, overall. I can also vouch for its comfort and performance, where the HE-400 is supposed to be heavier and doesn't offer the comfy velour pads of the HD598s.

I'm not saying the HE-400 is a bad headphone, but for the price and purpose of the OP, I think they'll be happier with a sound card that supports environmental audio effects, Dolby Headphone, and offers a bit of amplification (which both the Xonar DG and Essence cards do) paired with less-expensive, more comfortable headphones.

Happy gaming,

Boz

[QUOTE="Wolfetan"] Heck, They'd still sound better than the HD598 and Asus Xonar.. There 250 ohms they don't need that kind of amp for them. Bozanimal

Not sure which is 250 ohms; the HE-400 is 35 ohms and the HD598 is 50 ohms.

Let's get to it: I haven't heard the HiFiMan HE-400 personally. Let's just get that out there. That said, I have used the HD598 at length. They sound very, very good- as good as the AKG Q701's, in my experience without requiring an amp to shine, but benefitting from one (as do the HE-400's, I understand). And I would agree that the Xonar Essence is probably more than is necessary to power the HD598's, but both headphones will benefit from the cleaner amp and better isolation the card offers.

Now I'm going to go out on a limb, a bit: I would personally get the HD598 over the HE-400, again, without having listened to the HE-400. This hurts my argument, but my understanding is that the HD598 is a more accurate and more comfrotable headphone at a lower cost, to boot:

The HD598 is going to offer more detailed mid- and upper-range response, and a more neutral sound, overall. I can also vouch for its comfort and performance, where the HE-400 is supposed to be heavier and doesn't offer the comfy velour pads of the HD598s.

I'm not saying the HE-400 is a bad headphone, but for the price and purpose of the OP, I think they'll be happier with a sound card that supports environmental audio effects, Dolby Headphone, and offers a bit of amplification (which both the Xonar DG and Essence cards do) paired with less-expensive, more comfortable headphones.

Happy gaming,

Boz