Attempting to pin down what I actually want...

hey folks, thought i'd introduce myself and see if anyone can offer me anything in the way of advice.

At the minute I listen to all my music through my PC and rockbox'd iPod. I've finally got some room at home to put some 'normal' hi-fi. I think, strangely, that I want to go for a speaker-less option. I live in a terraced house, and have a baby on the way, add to this my genre(s) of choice of music is Metal, Noise, experimental etc. So was thinking headphone route was more sensible option.

Is there any point in going for an amp and cd player, I really don't want to go down a vinyl route. I don't have the funds (or patience) to do that properly. So should I simply buy a headphone amp, a decent set of headphones and listen straight from my PC? (its next to where i'll be listening from too).

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Hopefully this will spark some conversation so I can nail down what it is I actually need

 

Hi Parka,

Whether or not you run the headphone amp from your computer directly would depend on the quality of your soundcard.

My suggestion would be to get yourself a Behringer SRC2496.
http://www.bluearan.co.uk/menu/inde...er_SRC2496_Ultramatch_Pro&browsemode=category

This is a digital to analogue converter (DAC) and headphone amp in one (and also analogue to digital converter should you ever want one!). You can then feed that a digital signal from your computer and all the delicate audio conversion will be done away from the electrically noisy environment of the computer by a superior DAC.

The headphone output in the SRC is surprisingly good IME and unless you go for headphones costing more than, say, £150-£200 I don't think you would be left wanting. I use AKG K401's.

 

If your soundcard's good then buy a mid priced headphone amp (say project headbox / rega ear) and some half decent phones - you're all the way!

 

www.headfi.com