Need Suggestions:Entry Level Setup

all this talk of the soundblaster made me remember that there’s another line other than the g series that could fit the bill. the ae series has an internal card and an external amp and interface and could get it all done in one. the highest tier one, the ae-9, looks to have some pretty nice specs like super low noise level, 48v phantom power for the mic, surround sound with active speakers, and I would assume if the g6 can do 600 ohm beyers, the ae-9 can and it even has a 3 way gain switch on it for IEMs, normal, and high impedance. there’s refurbished ones under $300 from
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/used/1500556?gclid=CjwKCAiA5t-OBhByEiwAhR-hm62uSFuDffuVNgVwH8672DhFBVbOjZTs3c54V74-JLjxuWQeTUJSGxoCcjcQAvD_BwE

could be a convenient little package, @Falenkor you ever heard any of these?

he needs this setup for his ipod too though. an internal chip is not going to get the job done for him

had quite a bad experience on a lot of the internals mainly in the form of bad distortion… ae 9 is alright… there is better ones out there though… its been a while since I sat with those kinds of hardware

What did you end up buying? I came over a used Creative Labs Sound Blaster X7 which might have what you’re looking for. You might get a good deal on one used. I think they’re decent enough and should have plenty of power to drive the 600ohm headpones. I have no idea about sound quality, but I think it’s ok.

Sorry about late reply ,I had covid and took a lot to recover from it.I felt I needed to reply to all of you for helping me with my request and also for other people who can use this info as a reference .

I have ordered below setup.
hd560s (210 AUD)
Motu m4
Asgard 3

Couldn’t find dt880 600ohm anywhere so I had to compromise .

Is my choice correct? I do have 21 days to test out the headphones and if not then I can return them.
Another cans that I had my eye on was the dt900 pro x .let me know if you want me try on those as well.

You made a very good call on the HD 560s. Very neutral other than a slight treble peak. Excellent headphones for the money.

Best wishes for a continued recovery from COVID.

Is your choice correct? Well ask yourself do they work for you. Is there anything you find maybe can be improved. Take time to sit with them and listen… play games see if the specs needed are on point for you. We all hear differently so your experience will be your own in most cases. 560s are damn good though for the money as a gamer

It wont hurt to test out the others mentioned if possible but i wouldnt stress bout that too much

@pk500: Lets see if they get the job done. Will test them in Apex and Valorant.
Thanks for the wishes.I am almost back to my best.

@Falenkor : That is true. Will think of testing DT900X as well to see how it fares against the neutral HD560s.I have heard conflicting reviews from people about them. Some have preferred one over the other.
Personally, which one do you prefer?

Hard choice. I like the overall tonality to the 900 but when i need good separation its not too great… 560 isnt perfect buts its a jack of all trades… it doesnt really perform poorly. Id take the 900 tho based on personal preference due to comfort less i can get some thicker pads on 560s… the 560s pads wear down quite quick and are much thinner than 900. If were talking ampless though thats 900 handsdown

I will be definitely using amp with my cans. What pads do you recommend for HD560s?
I am interested to know if there are pads that would enhance them in gaming.

If competitive keep stock or a form of velour / perforated from like dekoni… though any other use depends on what your looking for. Sennheisers arent the best on pad swaps imo

Noted.Thanks for guiding me .Will probably give an update once I have played enough with the setup.