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@Hayden_Moffett Even if you “have the money“ (what is your budget?), there’s a bit of a learning curve in figuring out what kind of house sound you prefer or other feature that would be meaningful to you. While some (many) would recommend a Schiit stack of separates, I might recommend a Sennheiser GSX 1000, and someone else might recommend an iFi iDSD Micro Black Label, a Shanling M3s, or a Bottlehead. I just recommended (in order) a desktop system of separates, a computer “sound processor” which will occasionally fool you into thinking your surround speakers are on, a battery-powered “transportable” system that you can’t really use in your pocket on the go but sounds really good at the office or by the bedside, an “on the go” portable music player that can free up your phone or connect to all your other stuff, and a tube amp that might appeal to a fascination for electronics or nostalgia. All good options worth looking into if they are interesting, btw.
Personally, I think of a flagship smartphone as the average person’s baseline, and make suggestions from there. Most DACs at or under $100 barely distinguish themselves from what is built-into a smartphone, so a lower budget/getting started is best off focusing on an amp first. Maybe get an iDSD or Chord DAC product to add to that later. Also, consider where you’ll have the opportunity to listen: by the home computer, at the office, while exercising or commuting, at the home theater, in bed? I would say I listen by my computer in my home office the most, and so I’ve built my system around that.
With the HD 58X Jubilee, I assume your environment will be similar (though I have worn my HD 650 on planes and busses, and to my surprise when asking other passengers they said they really didn’t mind the slight leakage). So, something a bit more capable, ok to be larger as long as it doesn’t take up too much desk space, would be ideal. I grew up listening to my dad’s stereo speakers, also I like surround sound. So my Sennheiser GSX 1000, with it’s binaural processing, is what I value most on my desk along with my headphones (and work essentials). It has plenty of juice for the HD 58X Jubilee. If you don’t care about getting the soundstage outside of your head, maybe pick up a nice amp that intrigues you within your budget, first. I also frequently use my Sennheiser HD 820 DAC/Amp combo... it can power all my headphones, connect to my Mac (USB), PC (USB> GSX 3.5mm> RCA input to the HDV 820), and PS4 (Optical) easily and switch inputs, and it’s physically big but just big enough to fit a sheet of paper on top of in case I’m typing something or whatever. That’s a fairly expensive option... but the idea is something versatile and high quality, so you don’t buy twice. Schiit (maybe Asgard 2), Bottlehead (Crack), Cavalli Audio, Chord, Meier Audio, Audio GD... these are all good brands that you won’t go wrong to choose, and there are many more.
I haven’t heard the current generation, so I’m not fully comfortable saying yes or no. Still, I wouldn’t want you to feel like “Oh, so that’s all you get for $200?” Many Amps have plenty of power for practically all headphones, so that doesn’t make Schiit special. If you can wait a bit, a friend of mine who writes audio reviews professionally is publishing a Magni 3 review next week, and I am going to RMAF (audio show) the first weekend of October. I can give you more first-hand highlights of components then.
TL;DR – I recommend skipping a DAC upgrade for now unless yours has a problem, and saving up for something that will really make a difference, like an iFi iDSD Micro Black Label or Chord Mojo. For now, get a good amp, and the one that has my interest the most in the budget realm is the Cavalli Liquid Spark ($99 on Monoprice). I really liked the prototypes, and I’m looking forward to the professional comparison between the Spark and the Magni 3 that will publish sometime this week. You can also find great deals on used gear, as people upgrade.
General amp and DAC info: https://youtu.be/MDbh7yDVFL8
Unfortunately, the MSI motherboard doesn’t have it’s outputs in the back labeled, so I can’t tell if there’s a line-out that bypasses the built-in amp on the motherboard. Worse case scenario, you should have a good experience plugging a dedicated amp to the MSI’s headphone out jack. An amp (like the Asgard2) is an extremely easy load on your MSI’s built-in amp, extracting the best quality possible out of what is built in to the MSI. The discrete amp (like Asgard2) will then power the HD 58X Jubilee with authority and better separation between the note. Just turn the Asgard 2 down to almost nothing, set Windows volume close to max (maybe 94%), and then turn the Asgard2 up till you reach a comfortable level.
There’s a lot that goes into DAC design, like jitter, clocking, and many people ignore that there is an analog portion of the Digital to Analog conversion process, almost like a pre-amp with no volume control. To a certain extent, all DACs at a low price point sound fake and plastic once you have heard what a good or great DAC can do for the sound. I couldn’t pin down the difference (much less say I heard a significant improvement) between the Modi I borrowed for a week and the line-out of a $61 Creative Omni 5.1, so I stuck with the cheaper device which also offered a lot of bonuses like surround sound, microphones, etc (your motherboard seems to offer some version of these same benefits). The Bifrost Uber was a bit better, but again basically on even footing with the Creative X7, so it didn’t make sense to add the Bifrost Uber to my signal chain despite the Bifrost Uber costing me about $330 used.
That is why I said the differences will be small below about $350, and you might as well use your existing DAC until you decide you want a better one because around the price of the Chord Mojo (which I got for about $380) and iFi iDSD Micro Black Label is when all the little improvements start to add up to something you’ll really notice as a worthwhile upgrade. As long as you’re not hearing bad interference or chirping noise in your sound with the motherboard now, another low cost DAC won’t sound like an appreciable upgrade for the money you’ll spend. If you have a chance to borrow a DAC and see for yourself, or if you are comfortable buying and reselling used gear, then I do recommend finding out for yourself, but the easier safer recommendation from me is to say “just get a good amp and wait on the DAC.”
if music IS playing, then what your describing (horrible background distored noise) Is usually what I hear with most Schiit amps that I have heard.
BUT with that said, most here would just call that their house sound signature.
Ok, helpful hat on. Good news, Schiit will warranty service manufacturing defects. Unless they determine that is normal operation. Many amps have a noisy background when you turn their volume to max (well beyond ear-damaging levels of music was playing). However, I would describe that noise more like the crackles you hear with a TV or Radio setting inbetween channels... you know what that sound is like? Doesn’t sound like little lasers to me. Out of curiousity, is it like softened pops and crackles, or a continuous “ieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh” sound? More good news! Since you got the more expensive model, if you decide you don’t like it, they only assess a 5% restocking fee to return it, unlike the 15% for the Magni! Yaaaay! Of course, if you do the maths, that’s like... $12.50 for the Asgard, $15 for the Magni... my advice to try something different was free... Ah well live and learn.
But you got it so fast! Did you pay extra for rush shipping or something? I have one friend who would say “I’m too American to wait for that!” I mean, he wants things cheap and on sale too, but he also wants it fast like a bat out of hell!
Seriously though, put the Asgard 2 at normal music listening volume, read the Liquid Spark review I linked for you (which includes comparisons to 4 different amps), and think if you really want to keep the Asgard 2.
I have heard them out of what I thought was perfectly grounded outlets and id describe the sound as bright, brittle, and dry. So if that’s what your hearing out of the HD58X’s then don’t be alarmed! It’s just the amp.
Now- there is a great mod you can do that is cost effective and works great- get a rubber washer that fits over the volume pot. That way you won’t scold your hands every time you want to turn the volume up or down while listening.
Due to some engineering decision from Schiit (I am not an engineer so I can’t comment on the benefits of them doing this-) the asghard 2 heats up SOO much and do to engineering some how funnels all the heat into the volume pot. The end result is a volume pot that is so hot you cringe every time you want to turn it. Since it burns you.
but thankfully since the community wanted to like this amp so bad, someone figured out all you have to do is go to a Home Depot/Lowe’s ect and search for the right rubber washer to fit over it so then your able to change the volume after it heats up to 1000 degrees.
i am just joking its not 1000 degrees.
But in all seriousness,please consider the mod so you don’t hurt yourself touching the only thing on the amp that was designed to be touched.
When I started out I was lucky enough to have people give me advice before I made amp purchases. There are factors out there that are not normally known unless you are in the hobby a bit. I took their advice in the beginning (I still do!), that way I didn’t get stuck with a dud amp (since I didn’t know anything my self starting out).
Also, TinEars is enjoying pulling your leg. Good naturedly, but it is true that the volume knob gets really hot once the amp has warmed up to proper operating temperature.
Do you feel like the sound quality improved with the amp? What has been your favorite songs so far?