A community for discussion around all topics related to headphones and personal audio.
Don't have to run them balanced, but yes you 100% need a better DAC/amp than an on-board pc source.
And depending on what version of the 990 you have, you need a DAC/amp for that too...
Just because it's loud enough, doesn't mean it's being driven well.
so you invested in a 500$ headphone and decided to plug em into a 1$ trashcan onboard soundschip ?
Unfortunately, yes you do need at least a moderately powerful amp. Fortunately, once you get something stronger, you will be able to enjoy the lovely qualities of both headphones. I own the XS and can report that it has a fast, detailed bass and lacks almost all harshness (to my ears).
Fortunately you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to get a decent amp. First, try your headphones on an amp (friend or at an electronics store). If you don't have access to either, buy an amp online from a store that allows refunds. If you don't hear a difference after a few days of listening, return it. When you're ready to buy something you really want, see if there is a local shop that sells used equipment, check eBay, or buy new.
Thanks guys for helping me. Looks like the Fiio K7 is the best option - powerful and not too expensive. I'll get the dac tomorrow.
P.S as CPOx said, i spent more time listening to music with XS and yeah, even with my mobo i can hear the difference now. The soundstage and imaging is much better, the bass has somewhat of a texture (this wow'ed me), but still the treble is a bit too bright and often sibilant, just like with 990s.
This is due to a lack of power. You need an amp, it will make them louder and a lot better sounding. Whenever I use any if my headphones directly into my computer, they lose a lot of bass, lose detail, and lose soundstage. Getting an amp will also make the DT990 sound better.
A dac/amp combo would be enough to differentiate the sound. That motherboard probably has a lot of noise at those levels
if your PC has usb-c out, try with a dongle. (dunno if Apple Dongle works with PC?) you'd get a lot more power from that.
if that doesn't improve, then a FiiO K5 would certainly do the trick.