I’ll admit I am fairly new to the hifi audio scene when it comes to computers stuffs. I’m in the process of building my new computer with a Asus Z170 Deluxe mobo. It does have onboard audio(much like all new boards it would seem). I’ve also settled on acquiring a pair of AKG 612 Pro headphones. Is the onboard audio going to be enough to power the headset? If not, should I be looking into a USB sound card? Or should I be looking at acquiring something like the Mayflower Electronics O2 + ODAC. Or lastly would something like the FiiO E10K handle the same thing? Or perhaps a combination of the two?
Price is not too much of an issue, as you can roughly see my price range with what I am looking at. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?
That is up to you. Some people decide they need one, some don't. Listen to them and see if you like the sound, if it's up to your tastes, then go for it. All an amp or DAC will do is change what you hear, it doesn't magically make headphones better.
Understood, though, I've read that many devices do not have enough power to drive some middle/higher end headsets. The 612's have an impedance of 130 ohms if I recall, with out going overly technical, perhaps I might have to, will the onboard hardware be able to handle that type of impedance?
The O2 + ODAC is already an Amp + Digital to Audio converter combination. No need to add another one (Fiio) to that. If you want one choose between them, not both.
Regarding the headphones: borrowed the same headphones from my cousin a while ago and tested them with my onboard sound. They got enough power from the mobo to be loud enough for me.
I'd say see for yourself if you need an Amp. Plug them in, try them out for a while and then decide.
If you have a "Deluxe" mobo then very likely it will have a switchable output for higher impedance headphones or even up-gradable "op amps". Check the manual for that.
The current mobos have much better audio built in anyway so it'll very likely work anyway as above.
The external DAC/Amp devices can improve sound but you may have to pay for something like the Mayflower O2 to get a noticeable improvement over the onboard. For me my O2 gives a good clean sound and has only one driver which Windows installs automatically (usb composite device driver).
At this point in time I am using the mobo only. While not necessarily "loud" and I know that that is a subjective quality, the sound that is produced has a very good quality to it.
I might end up getting an O2 later on, but for now I think this works well. The mobo is an Asus Z170
You can get a Fiio music player and run that as a dac if your just using them to driver headphones. And you can store all your music on it. Keep in mind the dac will affect the sound of your headphones any dac.
If you consider just getting the O2 you are limiting yourself to just desktop usage. Keep in mind their are other options where portable high end music players that are very well endowed. Because why not want to take your music with you in the lazy boy or on the porch whilst having some nice tea.
If you like the sound quality that your board provides consider getting a dac that has the same sound signature. The O2 might have the same sound signature but what is really making the difference is their ability to driver higher impedance headphones. Which is good. But if you are just using headphones for the computer and not studio use where their is a lot of equipment that has a ton of wattage running though it.