250 Ohms is pretty high to push with a DGX. You could just get an external headphone amplifier, which would allow you to keep your current sound card configuration, or invest in a headphone amp focused sound card like the Xonar STX, SoundBlaster ZXR, or a good quality external USB DAC/amp.

Positioning accuracy might be a factor of the position of the speakers inside the headphones, and the shape of your head too. If the speakers aren't axially positioned towards your ear canal, you'll end up getting less-than-optimal positioning. Unfortunately, nothing you can do about it except get better (properly) fitting headphones for your head shape, or maybe adjusting your wear position/style.

Greg

 

Yeah, I'm running it on 'Exciter' mode for over 64ohm's headset, I'm just under 4x that. I figured I'd need a new soundcard, but It's a decent bit of money to drop on something that I can't test, if your with me. I honestly don't know anything about 'colouring', or if my signature is 'warm' or 'cold', I can tell what sounds great and what sounds bad, And I can pick out differences over headphones that my friends and family can't.. I just don't understand the lingo, I suppose.

How much would I benefit from an AMP/DAC combination? I might sound incredibly stupid, but here goes. Does an amp simply make my audio louder? People say that you 'hear more' with an amp.. but how, is what I'm asking. Research hasn't aided me much. And along with a DAC.. does it simply add crackles/pops like you'd get from a Vinyl? I feel about 5 asking those questions.

 

You need to buy an amp for those regardless of whether or not you buy a new sound card or DAC. The DGX is fine and I doubt you'd see much improvement that was worth the cost. Do you have dolby headphone enabled?

Get a Schiit magni and they should sound much better. Amps have a lot of influence over driver control, not just volume.

 

A headphone amp will do two things for you .... 1) It will allow you to run higher average volume. 2) It will allow you to drive higher transient volumes. The second one is responsible for bringing out the tight bass and fast attack transients like snare drums and cymbal hits. If you have insufficient current available to drive the speakers in your headphones to the proper excursion, you might be able to deliver more accurate listening at lower volumes and experience attenuated peaks at higher volumes.

You DO need some kind of amp for 240 Ohm headphones. Either a sound card with a decent quality amp, OR an external headphone amplifier, OR an external DAC with a headphone amp built-in.

I think something like this would do the job - it's an external DAC with a amp built-in.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_772D1/Audioengine-D1.html?tp=59309&awkw=33652047985&awat=pla&awnw=g&awcr=10368454705&awdv=c

Greg

 

The quality of the DGX as a DAC is fine, and the Audioengine D1 isn't very powerful. Schiit magni is only $100 and has plenty of power with almost 0 impedance.

 

The Magni looks nice, I've heard great things about one in combination with a Modi. Would I not need a Modi then?

Only issue is, $99 is £62, which is excellent. But, Being from the UK, shipping duties/VAT imposed would make that skyrocket quickly - I was forced to pay an extra £12 on my ModMic, that only cost me $35/£27..

There are retailers in the UK for the Magni, but unfortunately at £99 rather than $99 -.-

EDIT - Found one used on ebay currently at £42.. This could be promising. Around 6 months old.

 

If you live in EU, look for Objective2. Best alternative to schiit magni.
There are few shops in Europe that build them.

 

So, Update.

Decided I'd opt for a set of Sennheiser HD 558's. £10 cheaper than my DT 990's.. and wow. I'm really impressed.

The 'lack of bass' I'd always heard about changed me a little. In my opinion, the 558's have obviously reduced bass to the 990's, but it's just.. right. It's just there, I can hear it and I enjoy it, it's not WOBWOBWOB UCANTHEAROTHERPARTSOFTHESONG, it's just great. I can totally see where the neutral aspect of Sennheiser comes into play when I'm re-listening to my flacs. Another positive is that they're 50Ω, meaning my DGX powers them fine. Probably going to grab a Creative card for better positional audio, but even as it stands, my CS experience has improved remarkedly. I'm 100% sure I'm going to save for a nice set of 600/650's when I decide to upgrade, along with a nice amp when the time comes.