Desktop audio replacement advice

[Rosco]

I'm looking for a bit of assistance with replacing my audio setup for my gaming/recording rig, I'm not a big audio person so I find it all a bit confusing and someone recommended I post here for some expertise rather relying on YouTube videos that don't seem particularly objective.

This is my current setup:

I have my microphone (Rode Procaster), speakers (M-Audio BX5) and headphones (Beyerdeynamic DT880 Edition) plugged into my Scarlett 2i4 (Gen 1) interface and then the Scarlett connects to my PC via USB.

It's a decent enough setup that I bought on a budget when I was a student and it's lasted me about a decade, unfortunately my Scarlett 2i4 is on the fritz, my headphone headband is disintegrating, my earpads needs replaced, the right ear cup randomly crackles and loses connection and they are already being held together by zip-ties due to the metal clip on the headband snapping the plastic slider so I decided it would be a good time for an upgrade.

As this is primarily for my gaming/recording setup I'm currently looking at picking up the Sennheiser HD800S headphones (I've wanted these for a while) as well as a new set of speakers for my desktop (not entirely sure what yet) for casual music listening in my small office room.

To get the most out of the Sennheiser HD800S everyone seems to agree on purchasing an AMP + DAC or AMP/DAC combo, I like the look of something like the JDS Labs Atom 2 stack or the Topping 30 stack but I'd also need some sort of audio interface to handle my microphone which is where I'm a bit confused.

What's the best direction to go with this?

Get the amp + DAC Bundle to run the headphones/speakers and then do the mic separately through something like a Scarlett Solo/Wave XLR or should I be looking at getting a single audio interface that can handle it all - would I be sacrificing audio quality by going for a unified audio interface rather than separate high performing components?

A bit of advice would be much appreciated, there are just so many choices and components and everyone seems to recommend doing it differently that I'm incredibly overwhelmed trying to make a decision.

I aiming to spend up to around £800 (For AMP/DAC/Interface + Speakers) although there is some wiggle room for the right components.

 

[staticV3]

Hi @Rosco! Welcome to ASR.

To get the most out of the Sennheiser HD800S everyone seems to agree on purchasing an AMP + DAC or AMP/DAC combo, I like the look of something like the JDS Labs Atom 2 stack or the Topping 30 stack but I'd also need some sort of audio interface to handle my microphone which is where I'm a bit confused.

What's the best direction to go with this?

Topping make audio interfaces with excellent built-in headphone Amps, which would get the most out of your HD800S.

I'd take a look at the E1x2 or E2x2.

would I be sacrificing audio quality by going for a unified audio interface rather than separate high performing components?

No.

As for the studio monitors, take a look at spinorama.org.

No matter which monitors you choose, a measurement microphone like the UMIK-1 should be included, to measure and correct the room response.

The correction can be applied using the free software Equalizer APO.

Correcting the HD800S is also highly recommended, which you can do by loading the preset .txt file attached below, like so:https://youtu.be/jkgcsVNTJvc

 

[twsecrest]

Topping E2x2 Audio Interface Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping Professional E2x2 audio interface (ADC, DAC, Headphone Amp). It was sent to me by the company and costs US $159. As the British would say, the E2x2 definitely "looks the part" as far as fitting in the general offering of interfaces in...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Maybe get the Topping E2x2 and run balanced cables to the BX5 (for now), and then take some time picking out new studio monitors.

 

[Rosco]

Hi @Rosco! Welcome to ASR.


Topping make audio interfaces with excellent built-in headphone Amps, which would get the most out of your HD800S.

I'd take a look at the E1x2 or E2x2.


No.

As for the studio monitors, take a look at spinorama.org.

No matter which monitors you choose, a measurement microphone like the UMIK-1 should be included, to measure and correct the room response.

The correction can be applied using the free software Equalizer APO.

Correcting the HD800S is also highly recommended, which you can do by loading the preset .txt file attached below, like so:https://youtu.be/jkgcsVNTJvc

Hi, thanks for the welcome and the response!

I was actually recommended the E2x2 by a random user on Reddit, that's where I also received a message from a Kanto rep who recommended I check these forums out (as I mentioned looking at the Kanto YU4 speakers), a lot of people seem to think the E2x2 is great (and I watched a video from Julian Krause where it performed extremely well against many of the others he'd reviewed, especially the headphone side of it).

Although as I was doing more research I saw quite a few comments of people rubbishing it and insisting that there were much better alternatives at slightly higher price points (although I couldn't really find any) or insisting that doing separate Amp/DAC/XLR was the way to go over an interface which they insisted made too many compromises in comparison, this is what really started me down the path of being confused.

Another concern I had was was the HD800S 6.35mm cable vs the balanced 4.4mm cable that people seem to insist is better, most interfaces don't seem to have this as an output options which is why I was originally leaning towards the Atom 2 stack which does provide 4.4mm headphone output.

This was all much easier a decade ago when there weren't so many popular options to pick from (or I was to poor to even look at them).

 

[Rosco]

Topping E2x2 Audio Interface Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Topping Professional E2x2 audio interface (ADC, DAC, Headphone Amp). It was sent to me by the company and costs US $159. As the British would say, the E2x2 definitely "looks the part" as far as fitting in the general offering of interfaces in...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Maybe get the Topping E2x2 and run balanced cables to the BX5 (for now), and then take some time picking out new studio monitors.

I'm not in a super hurry, I'll probably try to pick it all up in like 3 weeks when it's Black Friday and I can hopefully snag a deal or two.

I think that speakers/studio monitors are going to be the most annoying part, there's some that I've dug into and get a good write-up sound-wise and would fit perfectly on the desk for some nearfield listening but I fully well know will annoy me if I have to stare at them every day like the iLoud MTM MK2.

 

[staticV3]

Another concern I had was was the HD800S 6.35mm cable vs the balanced 4.4mm cable that people seem to insist is better, most interfaces don't seem to have this as an output options which is why I was originally leaning towards the Atom 2 stack which does provide 4.4mm headphone output.

The balanced cable does not increase sound quality.

Additionally, the Atom Amp 2's 4.4mm jack is just there for convenience and is connected to the same Amplifier outputs as the regular 6.35mm jack.

 

[Rosco]

The balanced cable does not increase sound quality.

Additionally, the Atom Amp 2's 4.4mm jack is just there for convenience and is connected to the same Amplifier outputs as the regular 6.35mm jack.

That's good to know and certainly opens up more possibilities, I sort of guessed that was going to be the case because if 44mm really was better then there would almost certainly be a 44mm jack in a lot more audio products.

I did a bit of research earlier regarding the issue and there were people insisting that it doesn't make a difference at all then another group saying that it makes it sound better and as I don't know what on earth I am doing at the best of times when it comes to audio I really didn't know what to make of it.

 

[kyuu]

You've already got great suggestions for the rest of it. For new studio monitors, if you're on a strict budget I'd recommend either the Kali Audio LP-UNF or the venerable JBL 306p Mk2. If you've got a bigger budget that of course opens things up a bit more.

 

[Rosco]

You've already got great suggestions for the rest of it. For new studio monitors, if you're on a strict budget I'd recommend either the Kali Audio LP-UNF or the venerable JBL 306p Mk2. If you've got a bigger budget that of course opens things up a bit more.

Thanks for the recommendations, looks like I have a lot of research to do.

I really like the look of the Kali LP-UNFs (although I wish they had a normal shaped cabinet) and I was looking at other interesting ones like the Neumann KH80 that ranked highly on the Spinorama link posted above, although they are quite a bit more expensive.

 

[kyuu]

I really like the look of the Kali LP-UNFs (although I wish they had a normal shaped cabinet) and I was looking at other interesting ones like the Neumann KH80 that ranked highly on the Spinorama link posted above, although they are quite a bit more expensive.

Keep in mind that while the Neumann KH80 are excellent speakers, they are tiny with correspondingly little dynamic ability and high distortion at higher volumes and/or lower frequencies. Don't just look at the numerical score, that doesn't take everything into account and was never considered terribly useful for differentiating between speakers even by the people who came up with the scoring system. Amir prefers the much cheaper JBL 3-series due to their superior dynamics and bass capabilities, and most people would likely agree.

 

[chelgrian]

For suggestions on what to look at for monitors the first thing we need to know is how far away you are sitting from them and how large the room is.

 

[Rosco]

For suggestions on what to look at for monitors the first thing we need to know is how far away you are sitting from them and how large the room is.

It's a small room and they'll be on my desk, I'll be sitting just out of arms reach from them, around 1 meter distance.

 

[chelgrian]

It's a small room and they'll be on my desk, I'll be sitting just out of arms reach from them, around 1 meter distance.

So the first two things are not to do with speakers but still important:

- Put some budget towards room treatment probably absorption on the wall immediately behind you is the most important location.

- You will probably need to raise the monitors to get the acoustic axis in the right place with respect to your ears. Some companies will sell you desk top stands alternatively some heavy books work as well.

Then it really comes down to how much you want to spend, for example you can get a pair of the JBL 306P MK 2 for the price of a single Genelec 8020D.

If you are spending on the sennheiser headphones does that mean the monitors are less important to you?

 

[mcdn]

The JBL 305/306 still have super audible hiss when used nearfield. I can hear mine from 2 metres away when it’s quiet.

If you’re happy with that visual appearance (you mention not liking the iLouds or the Kali UNF), then the Kali IN-5 could be a good option. Coax is a great choice for nearfield as the radiation pattern is very consistent whether you are leaning forward or kicking back. Erin has a good review

and obviously DSP, but with the PC as the single source you can do it on there.

 

[Rosco]

So the first two things are not to do with speakers but still important:

- Put some budget towards room treatment probably absorption on the wall immediately behind you is the most important location.

- You will probably need to raise the monitors to get the acoustic axis in the right place with respect to your ears. Some companies will sell you desk top stands alternatively some heavy books work as well.

Then it really comes down to how much you want to spend, for example you can get a pair of the JBL 306P MK 2 for the price of a single Genelec 8020D.

If you are spending on the sennheiser headphones does that mean the monitors are less important to you?

I'm hoping to buy a house next year (currently renting) so I'm not able to put anything too permanent behind me at the moment but I already have fabric on the wall behind me currently as a temporary measure but will be looking to do proper acoustic panelling when I build out my room at my new place.

I'm also looking at getting a set of speaker stands to bring them up to head height, something like the Kanto SP6HD or SP9 which I'll also probably heighten a bit with some foam insulation pads like I currently use on my BX5s.

If you are spending on the sennheiser headphones does that mean the monitors are less important to you?

I mean I'd certainly say that they were *less* important but certainly not unimportant to me, I play/record certain video games where sound is very important which is why I originally purchased the Beyerdynamic DT880, for the relatively cheap price it has an incredibly solid soundstage and you can really pick out the sounds in space easily, the main downside is the lack of bass but for my purposes this is still pretty ideal.

I've played around with a whole bunch of headphones over the years and the HD800S blew me away, they were everything I liked about the DT880 but better so it's certainly the most important part of my new setup to me but if I'm upgrading my whole setup I'm more than happy to spend on better monitors too.

When I do any editing I like to listen to it both with headphones and without headphones and I do the majority of my casual music listening/movies, etc. using just the monitors.

Since I'm almost certainly going to go with the single Topping E2x2 rather than separate DAC/amp/interface, it really frees my budget up more to go with a more high end solution to what I was originally planning to go for, I can stretch up to around £450-500 per monitor and not be mad at myself for spending too much.

 

[chelgrian]

The Kali IN5 seem to be £550 for a pair and the topping interface is £150 so that would leave you £100 from your budget for cables stands and something to breakup the reflection from the wall behind your chair.

 

[Rosco]

The JBL 305/306 still have super audible hiss when used nearfield. I can hear mine from 2 metres away when it’s quiet.

If you’re happy with that visual appearance (you mention not liking the iLouds or the Kali UNF), then the Kali IN-5 could be a good option. Coax is a great choice for nearfield as the radiation pattern is very consistent whether you are leaning forward or kicking back. Erin has a good review

and obviously DSP, but with the PC as the single source you can do it on there.

This is one of the things that really annoys me with the M-Audio BX5 D2s I currently have, they have a constant notable hiss but for the super low price I got them at and how long they've lasted, I really can't complain too much.

I've really been looking at a few I like the look of: Kali LP-UNF, Kali IN-5 like you recommend, the Kali LP6v2 (which I think might be just a bit too big for desk), Neumann KH80 DSP, Neumann KH120A (don't know if this is worth pushing my budget for), JBL 305/306 (I *really* don't like the glossy look), Kanto ORA4, etc.

I've got a million more videos and reviews to watch/read but I'll hopefully eventually come to a decision!

 

[chelgrian]

S&R did maintain a ‘hiss list’ for a while. All monitors have some HF hiss but some a far better than others the last link I had was

Hiss (S&R) - 2021 04 30

docs.google.com