[SOLVED] Recommendations / Beyerdynamic DT 770 Studio 80Ohm AMP / PRE AMP

[Sheev Palpatine]

Hi all,

I have had a pair of DT 770's since May last year and I have used them all the time on a sound card on my PC. Me as usual being lazy always puts things off. I am upgrading my PC soon and I wanted to boost my headphones limitations that the card is setting. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any cheap amps or devices that can boost my sound louder while keeping sound clear and crisp. I am very new to sound and audio and know very little when it comes to buying anything for them. I use these headphones for gaming, I don't like gaming headsets. However I listen to a lot of music so hence I want a good sound.

These are the 80Ohm ones, I was tempted by the 250Ohm but didn't get them.

 

[drivinfast247]

Hi all,

I have had a pair of DT 770's since May last year and I have used them all the time on a sound card on my PC. Me as usual being lazy always puts things off. I am upgrading my PC soon and I wanted to boost my headphones limitations that the card is setting. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any cheap amps or devices that can boost my sound louder while keeping sound clear and crisp. I am very new to sound and audio and know very little when it comes to buying anything for them. I use these headphones for gaming, I don't like gaming headsets. However I listen to a lot of music so hence I want a good sound.

These are the 80Ohm ones, I was tempted by the 250Ohm but didn't get them.

At 80 Ohms you shouldn't have any issue driving them from onboard audio.

 

[Sheev Palpatine]

At 80 Ohms you shouldn't have any issue driving them from onboard audio.

Sadly the sound is weak, even at max, on Windows 7 and 10, with drivers of the card, I still can't get it to go loud. I use other cheap headphones, and they seem slightly louder.

 

[drivinfast247]

Do you have a budget?

 

[Sheev Palpatine]

Do you have a budget?

I'd say £100 at max as I have to do upgrades on more than one PC, and Christmas presents as well. I wanted to have the headphones on a hub switch to put to four computers but not sure if that is possible?

 

[Sheev Palpatine]

Which out of these two would you say is the best?

Either this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08CVG6YV4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1KEFHE3KMZSAL&psc=1

Or these two together:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KXQDPTG/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A3SCFTIO8CSK1X&psc=1

DollaTek 6J1 Mini Vacuum Tube Preamp Audio Hi-Fi Stereo Pre-Amplifier Treble Bass Control: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy DollaTek 6J1 Mini Vacuum Tube Preamp Audio Hi-Fi Stereo Pre-Amplifier Treble Bass Control at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[hang-the-9]

Which out of these two would you say is the best?

Either this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08CVG6YV4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1KEFHE3KMZSAL&psc=1

Or these two together:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KXQDPTG/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A3SCFTIO8CSK1X&psc=1

DollaTek 6J1 Mini Vacuum Tube Preamp Audio Hi-Fi Stereo Pre-Amplifier Treble Bass Control: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy DollaTek 6J1 Mini Vacuum Tube Preamp Audio Hi-Fi Stereo Pre-Amplifier Treble Bass Control at Amazon UK.

www.amazon.co.uk

All those links go to general Amazon products for DAC/AMPs not really to specific products.

My favorite under 100 DAC/AMP with no mic needed is the FX Audio DAC-X6, for a bit over 100 the ifi Zen DAC is probably the best pick https://www.amazon.com/iFi-Zen-DAC-...GCNBQDQY20Z&psc=1&refRID=NR0CBRB14GCNBQDQY20Z

If you just want a good but cheaper (relatively) amp to run off the motherboard soundcard, the JDS Labs Atom is good https://jdslabs.com/product/atom-amp/ Liquid Spark https://www.amazon.com/Monolith-Liq...5a8f1c374df2f87d16a6c6a8a51b1b&language=en_US

SMSL and Topping have good products also but those are hit and miss as to the models, the expensive stuff is great, the lower cost stuff can be iffy. Not sure I would recommend any of those over the others.

 

[Sheev Palpatine]

Sorry.

The first one was DollaTek 6J3 Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier and the other one was AIYIMA DAC-A2 DC5V Mini USB Powered DAC Audio Decoder

The FX Audio sounds like a good investment and I will keep it on the list. However that JDS Atom is a decent price, the issue is am in England so am not sure if I can get the FX Audio but I will have a look around. Thanks for your opinion, am new to Audio, one of my weak points haha.

 

[drivinfast247]

Sorry.

The first one was DollaTek 6J3 Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier and the other one was AIYIMA DAC-A2 DC5V Mini USB Powered DAC Audio Decoder

The FX Audio sounds like a good investment and I will keep it on the list. However that JDS Atom is a decent price, the issue is am in England so am not sure if I can get the FX Audio but I will have a look around. Thanks for your opinion, am new to Audio, one of my weak points haha.

JDS is a fine choice! JDS Atom is an AMP only, so remember to use the Line Level output of your audio device.

 

[hang-the-9]

Sorry.

The first one was DollaTek 6J3 Vacuum Tube Integrated Amplifier and the other one was AIYIMA DAC-A2 DC5V Mini USB Powered DAC Audio Decoder

The FX Audio sounds like a good investment and I will keep it on the list. However that JDS Atom is a decent price, the issue is am in England so am not sure if I can get the FX Audio but I will have a look around. Thanks for your opinion, am new to Audio, one of my weak points haha.

One of the things I like about the DAC-6 is that it has a separate line out for speakers, so using powered speakers you control the volume separately from the headphone output, which is nice to not have to adjust volume all the time swapping between the two. And they are always on so you can use headphones and speakers at same time if you want. There is even a high gain hack that can be done to get more headphone amp power if needed for harder to drive headphones. My second pick would be the ifi Zen if looking for a DAC/headphone AMP in one vs just an amp but that is due to the cost difference not due to quality. If you are OK with spending over $100 I would pick the ifi Zen. JDS Atom would be a higher quality headphone amp but it's not likely you will be able to tell the difference between that and the others. Really you would need like 4-6 different amps and dacs to compare along with several headphones to compare to be able to pick what you like best. With getting just one, I think the DAC-6 or the ifi Zen are good mainstream parts.

 

[Sheev Palpatine]

JDS is a fine choice! JDS Atom is an AMP only, so remember to use the Line Level output of your audio device.

I will have to look into all of this am so rusty.

 

[Sheev Palpatine]

One of the things I like about the DAC-6 is that it has a separate line out for speakers, so using powered speakers you control the volume separately from the headphone output, which is nice to not have to adjust volume all the time swapping between the two. And they are always on so you can use headphones and speakers at same time if you want. There is even a high gain hack that can be done to get more headphone amp power if needed for harder to drive headphones. My second pick would be the ifi Zen if looking for a DAC/headphone AMP in one vs just an amp but that is due to the cost difference not due to quality. If you are OK with spending over $100 I would pick the ifi Zen. JDS Atom would be a higher quality headphone amp but it's not likely you will be able to tell the difference between that and the others. Really you would need like 4-6 different amps and dacs to compare along with several headphones to compare to be able to pick what you like best. With getting just one, I think the DAC-6 or the ifi Zen are good mainstream parts.

So if I was to get the JDS I would need a pre amp as well? However if I got the Zen I have all in one?