Looking for alternative recommendations to Sound Blaster E5 USB DAC...

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FM 3370

Gawd
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Jun 29, 2002
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After using a Sound Blaster E1 USB DAC for a couple of years I've always wanted to eventually get the "high end" Sound Blaster E5. I can't say I'm very knowledgeable when it comes to audio. I just got some Sennheiser HD598cs headphones and they sound great. Best headphones I've owned yet I'd like to to get a good USB DAC to get the most out of it. Other than the an upgrade to a Sound Blaster E5 from the E1, what other USB DAC's are recommended? I see the E5 going for around $180-200 yet if there is something that's cheaper and much better that would be great to know about.
 
Here's the question: does the E1 with the HD598cs produce noise when nothing is playing, and do they get loud enough without having to crank the volume most of the way up?

If you don't have noise and the cans get loud enough, then you don't really have a case for an upgrade, because you don't really have much to improve. You're already using offboard DAC and amp.

Since the HD598cs are 23Ω, you're not likely to be having issues powering them. I know they're pretty nice, but real DAC/Amp requirement
 
IdiotInCharge said:
Here's the question: does the E1 with the HD598cs produce noise when nothing is playing, and do they get loud enough without having to crank the volume most of the way up?
Click to expand...

I have the E1 at work and when I was using in-ears, there was always a constant white noise that was irrespective of volume. Then I switched to Audio-Technica M40x and with them plugged in there is zero white noise. I plugged by in-ears back in and the static was there. Very strange.
 
IdiotInCharge said:
Here's the question: does the E1 with the HD598cs produce noise when nothing is playing, and do they get loud enough without having to crank the volume most of the way up?

If you don't have noise and the cans get loud enough, then you don't really have a case for an upgrade, because you don't really have much to improve. You're already using offboard DAC and amp.

Since the HD598cs are 23Ω, you're not likely to be having issues powering them. I know they're pretty nice, but real DAC/Amp requirement
Click to expand...

There is definitely some white noise when I plug into the E1. Thought this was weird since the Klipsch Promedia 2.1's I have plugged into the same E1 don't produce any extra noise. In that case I'll see about the options westrock2000 and hhuricane1 posted.
 
If I had to spend $200 for dac/amp I'd get Schiit modi 2 and magni 3 for $99 each.
Extremely good value for the $.

The magni 3 was very recently released and will be a LOT of power for 23 ohms cans!
If the impedance curve of the hd598cs are similar to my HD598se they probable peak up past 125-150 ohms and will gain from decent amplification.
Even if my 598se are said to be 50ohms they have a peak at almost 300ohms at 90Hz in their impedance curve and benefit greatly from a good amp.
I went from my sound blaster Z (which is said to support high omhs cans) to a vintage sansui 2000x receiver (and later a vintage hafler dh-110 preamp) and the improvement were huge!

Not exactly in the same price range but I recently got a 2nd hand Bifrost dac and loving it and Schiit is regarded highly by most audiophile (at least by those with limited budget!).
 
Do you need virtual surround? If not there are cheaper or equal options. SDAC/Modi+Magni3, Fulla 2, Dragonfly Black/red, Monoprice Desktop Amp, Fiio E10k...tons of options in that price range if you just need a DAC/amp without the E5's bells and whistles.
 
Schiit for the budget. Nothing better. You may not hear a huge difference btw. The 598s sound pretty good out of anything and do not scale up much.
 
Yeah consider just not bothering with a DAC/amp. I mean I run them out of an Xbox controller sometimes and they sound great.
 
I have the G5, looks similar to what the E5 is. I have been happy with it and a set of 250OHM headphones, but I hear the Shiit DACs and AMPs sound pretty good.
 
You can get very minute improvements by switching DACs. Only if you have a pair of very difficult cans you can get big improvements by investing to a quality headphone amp and DAC. Your current ones are one of the easiest loads.

You should get a basic hi-fi level headphone amp and a suitable DAC, then invest into better headphones. The cans are your weak link until you get to the most expensive STAX etc. top models. Once you've paid an arm and leg for headgear you may get improvements by paying an arm and leg for a new DAC.

However if you do it the other way round and buy a super expensive DAC without upgrading your headphones - chances are you won't benefit at all for the spent money. The only hardware upgrade I could recommend to improve your current cans markedly is the smyth realizer.
 
uca202 works fine as long as you don't use the headphone output, and instead use the composite/rca. Most dacs on the market are perfectly fine, and you don't hear any motherboard noise than you don't need one at all. An amp on the other hand is a different story.
 
You could pick up a Monoprice tube amp/DAC for $60 :
https://gearpatrol.com/2017/10/11/monoprice-stereo-tube-headphone-amp-sale/

Not much info on it on HeadFi, but looks decently built.

161542.jpg
 
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