5 Gaming AMP & DACs to Instantly Improve Your Audio!

Ever wanted to improve your gaming audio instantly? These 5 gaming AMP & DACs each are awesome in their own right, and we'll go over them to see which is best for your needs.
• Sennhesier GSX1000: amzn.to/30GCLB0
• SteelSeries GameDAC: amzn.to/30DSkJB
• Schiit Fulla 3: www.schiit.com/products/fulla-1
• Astro MixAmp Pro TR: amzn.to/3tfD2XL
• BlasterX G6: amzn.to/3tgdHNu
My PC38X Headset: bit.ly/NewPC38X
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• Sennheiser MKH416 Mic: amzn.to/2iOo9bV
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[@connerj4619]

I wonder if he talks so cheerfully in game chat? I wonder what a Randomfrankp rage compilation would look like

[@gammatech4476]

You just had an amazing video idea for Frank man haha, I would pay to see that 😂

[@joshtomato]

That's hot

[@indigo2299]

Accidentally cursing

[@diegovaldes8411]

i bet he the type of guy that says stuff like "dang it!" or "what the fudge!" or "you son of a gun!" when he rage on a game.

[@johnwilkerson1511]

I wonder how many "your mom" jokes he'd make?

[@barbyboi]

Me with a Laptop: Yeah, I should really not plug it in the front IO

[@icesco_op]

................................................................................................................................still get a game amp and dac? lol

[@barbyboi]

@@icesco_op yeah I'm still saving for one, but just wrote that comment because of how often frank said, to not plug your audio gear directly into the front IO

[@RyGuyTheAVGuy]

Very few headphones used for gaming need and AMP and DAC..... they simply do not require enough power to benefit from using and AMP and DAC.

[@xXIamJAEXx]

Depending on the laptop might not bad, don't waste your money on any of these "gaming" DACs get a proper audiophile and when you get better headphones it will drive them better aswell

[@Father_Figure17]

@@RyGuyTheAVGuy yea but this keeps you from plugging into the front IO which you and anyone who hears you speaking through your headset will be thankful for

[@savagejack5300]

“Because we would be here for 3 hours” Very bold of you to assume I wouldn’t listen to you for 3 hours.

[@neby_nebs]

honestly if you're actually curious: gaming DAC/Amps are just about the same level as most of the newer motherboard. Invest in an actual dac and separate amp with a real headphone from Sennheiser or Drop (HD58x is my favorite with shiit magni+modi)

[@MrSharkYT]

Question. I also have a lot of issues with the audio Jacks on my motherboard, lots of noise and cracking if i am using my gpu a lot (but never while gaming). I do use an external usb microphone so that is not really any upgrade for me . For headphones i have the Philips SHP9500, so is it even worth it for me to get the dac for audio quality? I do also have dolby atmos which helps a lot to setup my equalizers The dac will definitely help me with the volume levels and the noise but yeah, any big improvements with quality?

[@Tekniques25]

For those people he's also recording into premiere or whatever editing system he's using, he's not speaking into discord or Skype which is going to compress your vocals to take up less bandwidth on your upload

[@Mr_Meeks]

tbf youtube will compress the audio so it will probs sound similar

[@ianbot9389]

@@Mr_Meeks He is also talking in a studio setup which makes everything sound 10x better

[@epsi9923]

@@ianbot9389 Which is still compressed after the fact, so not really.

[@GOATinPIC]

@@ianbot9389 not really

[@ianbot9389]

@@epsi9923 KZbin compresses to 192 kbps (at 1080p) which is more then enough. It is most definitely not hifi quality. But that should not matter when you're recording with a 50-150 dollar mic. Having said that most importantly the sound characteristics for example the mic not having an echo/the sound being fuller is purely caused by his studio setup which due to the acoustic panels etc improve sound quality more then compression matters. People have a hard time distingishing between 192 kbps and uncompressed for example. It is possible with an high-end setup. But why use a high-end setup to listen to low end microphone comparisons to find the most detail in a microphone. Then you should be looking at high-end microphones

[@Aeysir]

@18:30 You have the Blaster X G6 as having no mic volume adjustment; it does, you hold-push the volume control to cycle through headphone and mic options. If you are using the G6 with a console it also offers additional mix options on that button (all colour coded with the LED ring). Make sure the firmware is updated to the most recent version.

[@spawnandbatman6975]

I’m not sure if my g6 has a bad mic input or my mod mic that came with my dt990 pros are bad. I tested my mic and it doesn’t work so I’m thinking that’s the issue. I plugged in my Hyper X headsets and audio plus mic worked perfectly

[@Stevitar]

You sold me! I've been wondering what the purpose of AMP and DACs were for the longest time. This was really informative. Thanks! The GSX1000 is mine now!

[@alpree]

schiit knows their shit.

[@vermili0n9]

That amp is fulla schiit.

[@BurningMoreXP]

And I’m writing this while taking a schiit. 😂😂😂

[@epsi9923]

@@BurningMoreXP Remember kids, robbery is bad.

[@RyGuyTheAVGuy]

Very few headphones used for gaming need and AMP and DAC..... they simply do not require enough power to benefit from using and AMP and DAC.

[@alpree]

@@RyGuyTheAVGuy ikr? still love his videos though

[@kushchopra4300]

Me who uses a wireless headset : this looks important ...

[@ayaanshsolanki3578]

Me who doesn't have headphones

[@Drt23]

Same

[@koboa]

I know it’s a joke, but your headphones *should* have a 3.5 mm cable that you plug into the headset. :]

[@180_z6]

same kinda

[@vitalik38815]

There are wireless DACs

[@seilos3265]

Just last night I was looking for these on youtube, what a coincidence that you decided to upload this lol

[@Ukiegaming]

I absolutely love my Sennheiser GSX1000. Being using it for almost two years. The best surround sounds and it looks fantastic

[@slimbo689]

I'm looking for the loudest and clearest sound for footsteps and obviously what direction because my hearing isn't the best so not sure which would be the best, and I'm going to pull my hair out if people keep sneaking up on me lol. Do the GSX do a good job for that or do you think something cheaper might do the same job.

[@alecharris5754]

IVE BEEN WAITING ON THIS SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT!

[@thumbsarehandy.]

I needed this, thank you! My front was broke anyway but my cable barely reaches to the back.

[@ChauChannel011]

I’m not even kidding when I say that I was just thinking about getting one of these for my speakers and I couldn’t remember which of your 100’s of videos that they were in. You read my mind! Thank you

[@Kempan]

I've been waiting for this video, I'm one of the 50% using my front IO and really want better audio

[@Ryan-dp7eh]

Heey, really appreciate the info and in depth look at all of these! I ended up picking up the Hel from schiit after seeing how their budget version faired in the round up!

[@MrDavster]

I am now more confused about what to buy than before I watched this vid. x) lol

[@owenzumbolo3576]

Just the video I was looking for. Thanks Frank!

[@daetton4910]

Been waiting for this for forever. thank you mr frnak !! :)

[@Kevin_7_11]

You were right, it is instant! I just ordered a dac amp combo, they haven't arrived yet but my audio is already better!

[@ZxhirZ]

I was just looking into this! That Was some good timing!

[@matthewgluck437]

This was awesome, know it was a ton of work, copped the headset and the senheiser amp. Thanks bro!

[@lucasmabrgaming4141]

No way frank, I was just looking at your videos trying to find where you mentioned a audio port, I can’t believe this lets go

[@robsauceda4087]

Haha I just realized I need one of these then went on KZbin and your video was sitting right there for me to watch thanks bro!

[@abhid521]

Thanks for the vid man, I really needed to get an honest review about the best Dacs and Amps.

[@oldandslow8994]

Frank, good reviews! I have also mixed and matched a lot of Amp/Dac combos. If you get a chance try running the 5.1 optical output of the G6 in speaker mode of course into the TR mixamp and try the Surround that way. I find in a lot of PC games it does a better job of virtual surround sound than the SBX or the TR's usb version for some reason. Not sure why or it is a placebo? I have tried this with the PC38x, TyGR 300s and the A40 and a few others. You are limited to which headphones due to the TR's low Impedance requirements. Also in your review you might Specify which games you used for testing sense the sound design for each game has such a great impact on stereo versus surround. Thanks and good job!

[@ChauChannel011]

Hi, Frank! I have a random question. So, my speakers do get this frequency interference but it’s mainly from my Logitech Powerplay mouse pad. When I move my mouse to certain spots, the speakers would get interference. I tried plugging it in the back and I tried a usb dongle. None of them work. Is there a different way to help with this problem? Thanks so much!

[@S4CobRa]

Hey randomfrankp, love your vidoes man. I am personally looking for a dac\amp to up my audio game, this video was of great help. I have done some research on the soundBlasterX and wanted to correct one little thing in this video, you actually can adjust the mic volume using the volume wheel. hold the volume wheel until the light turns red.

[@c4sualcycl0ps48]

Damn, I just started looking into upgrading my headphone setup today. I don’t usually watch Randomfrankp videos, but this has been given to me by fate

[@convert313]

Excellent review man , i was just looking out for one of these two days ago.

[@megazillia]

I have the sound blaster g5 and it works pretty well and for $40 CAD. Although it technically CAN handle the impedance of my Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro I really need to upgrade to something better to get the most out of them. Any suggestions for ones that can connect to 2 devices? Currently, I have my sound blaster connected to both my console(Via USB) and my PC(Via Optical) and I'd like to continue to do so or at least connect to both some other way so I can get audio from both.

[@TommyM2]

was waiting for this video!

[@curbsidepuppy4916]

Always creating awesome content keep up the good work!

[@defy8988]

Man read my mind I needed one of these so I tried to see if he had a video on these yesterday.

[@mrquik]

I’m glad you used the pc38x for the sound test. I bought them because of your best headsets of the year video and I’ve been enjoying them for a while now. Super happy with the sound quality but I’m gonna have to get and amp/dac to improve mic quality. It’s decent but not quite up to par with my old headset.

[@rez372]

IVE BEEN WAITING SOOOO LONG FOR THIS VID

[@dr.manhattan7313]

Soundblaster is great, had a pair of dt990 pros at 250ohm and it's crazy the sound quality u get but upgraded to the 600ohm version and it still powers it great and sounds fantastic in everything from gaming to just listening to music.

[@Thenicksamples]

Fantastic video! Keep up the good work.

[@strongstormTV]

Great video, I would like a dac that lets me switch from speakers to headphones easily... my speakers only have 1 cable (do not have a left and right cable)... is there a dac i could use for them? The speakers are a set of bose speakers. Thanks

[@isurf239]

using the Astro DAC with Virtuosos via optical in/ 3.5 out and in all my years I am blown away by the sound, it is actually the first time I actually could hear the most tiniest details of sound. Also the Realtek 3D audio is enabled. Blows everything I have tested out of the water, but that's my personal opinion. Also the Astro mixamp software is enabled and the ability to have different sound profiles and create your own is my perfect cup of tea.

[@thannydevitos2332]

I’ve had my (older generation Astro a40 TR) for 8 years now and it still works great

[@pushydom7517]

i bought one that Frank recommended a while back in his Top Tech under 50$ and it gets the job done, way better than my front IO

[@yassharrathi1337]

Can you give me the link? Or just tell me what episode was it

[@clawson32104]

Great and informative reviews. I know the Astro will work with consoles but will any others work on the Series X?

[@abdullahalhashem986]

I was astonished to see the difference between the front output and back directly from the motherboard, Thanks.

[@DHunt88]

I'm looking into getting the Sound Blaster GC7 myself. Been really interested in AMPs and DACs lately.

[@christrubl5014]

The sound blasterx G6 does have mic volume control. You have to push in and hold the volume knob for 3-5 seconds and then you can adjust the Mic gain.

[@RuiPalmeira]

i have the G5x, will try that mic "trick" with it.

[@aaron2054]

What audio interface do you normally use for your studio reference monitors Frank? Could it also be used for headphones as well or are (I'm assuming XLR/rca) audio interfaces used with those studio monitors just for them and can't also be used for headphones as well. I'm looking to find something that can be used with my studio monitors as well as a pair of headphones (audio technica) and a separate mic. Might be asking too much, but I'm not sure.

[@Max-ei1pf]

Awesome video! I plug my headphones into my elgato wave 3, and btw has anyone got any recommendated settings for the elgato wave 3?

[@maloc1166]

Hey FrankP i saw you said in the features the soundblaster G6 didn't have microphone volume adjustment on board and it does. You have to push in on the volume nob twice or three times and it switches you to your mic settings

[@monitofca]

What would you recommend for a console + discord setup, right now I'm using a portable dac (qudelix-5k with a dt 770 pro or shure se535 and a modmic wireless for voice input ) and I'm switching from a MacBook (work station) to a ps5 (when gaming) what would I have to use to get ps5 game audio and discord voice chat

[@rickysmurf]

Do you also route your pc speakers through the back motherboard ports? How do you split the audio? I’m looking for an audio switch between headset and speakers, any suggestions?

[@gamingfish6773]

How would you compare the sound quality (not only gaming but also music) between the fulla 3 and the g6? For example with your hd58x

[@argh6666]

Directly into the motherboard I plug my speakers that have mic and headphones outputs, sorted!

[@vincentforest4343]

Listening this directly through my SoundBlasterX G6. It was also my first AMP/DAC and saw a huyge improvement over back IO. It is sitting weirdly on my desk tho, may I ask you who you mounted it under your desk ? Thanks!

[@Callimero007]

thank you for the comparison! i use a Motu m2 for my setup as I only use a headphone about 30% of my time for the rest I use active studio monitors and a cheap xlr mic. for me this audio interface is perfect!

[@rocat6069]

Very cool and well explained video! i just have a question. ----> Will the PC38x use its full power with the astro mixamp?

[@bigmike4133]

GSX 1000 with a hd58x and the modmic 5 is my setup and I'm loving it. Also have a Polk mini soundbar plugged into it for when I don't want to use the headset.

[@BasJon]

Great review can I ask please which one is best for music too improve volume and bass thanks

[@Princeton_James]

You are using my favorite headphones. I love those!

[@amirthegreat.x]

Wow I literally was lookin for such a video yesterday

[@xXIamJAEXx]

Please look at a proper audiophile KZbinrs, you will be wasting money on any of this stuff, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about

[@deadsoulgaming7115]

dude, plugged my speakers into the back i/O and omg, there legit is a difference, I never knew. Thanks for that advice

[@crate718]

Great video. I was wondering can you pair seenheiser hd560s with astros mix amp? Trying to get the best headphones for FPS on my Xbox series s

[@Th-Ruben]

Hey Frank, what if you use the Blackshark V2 and need to use the USB dac to get the full control on Razer Synapse and want to use a dac?

[@amaurytoloza1511]

I strongly recommend a short post called "demystifying onboard audio" in hifi guides that is much more informative about the onboard audio in your mobo and why it matters

[@ObscenePizza]

It's interesting that this post actually claims the opposite on the subject of the sound quality of the front panel. Quote: "The front panel normally has a better shielding and amp solution compared to the back I/O of your motherboard. Connecting your headphone to the front panel is the best course of action if you don’t have a dedicated external DAC/AMP solution.".

[@ensseraz]

wait so would this be good to improve my mic when i'm streaming/recording?

[@stable_hands]

How do you feel about the razer blackshark v2 now? How does it sound with the dac/amps in this video

[@PTR2K]

I have a Focusrite Scarlet solo because I need an aux port. Should I upgrade or stick with what I have? Not sure how good it is compared to others but I got it last year to run my Beyerdynamics DT990 Pros and my AT2035

[@KyoFox]

Can you use wireless headphones with the Sennheiser amp and deck? I've got the razor black shark and I'm wondering if this would improve it sound quality

[@nitr0441]

Do I need and amp and dac for just headphones (I already have an external usb mic) or just amp?

[@Umbhaki]

Nice info, what about the GSX300? Worth it? Looking to improve sound quality, im not interested in fake surround sound, dont like it...I have an asus z97 using the onboard sound, its ok but hoping something like the Epos GSX300 in stereo mode will make a noticeable improvement....

[@Stryk3r420]

i have a question, what options do I have to drive a wireless headset with AMP/DAC? any AMP/DAC which support Bluetooth or Wireless sound to head sets?

[@Metalsonic91]

for years ive been using the mixamp pro tr with game audio coming down optical cable and discord/any other voice chat though usb and it works amazingly and allows me to have 2 separate audio channels with out software allowing me to record clips for montages with out my friends talking in the back ground where as before i used to have to plane alone if i ever wanted to record

[@lgskiller]

Where can I get one of those adapters for the SteelSeries DAC? I have some 559's I wanna test it out with it :)

[@jayden_2954]

Just what I needed. Which one would work best with my mh752

[@TylerrSnipes]

For those that have multiple console. Does the Astro mix amp pro TR work with switching between both xb1 and PS4? I have the old one and it works that way. I’m looking to upgrade to it

[@vr6trooper]

Hi I just got my prebuilt and obviously the audio is waayyyy different than my series x. I currently have a pair of steelseries 9 and I am having difficulty changing between game audio and discord audio. I do not know anything about this stuff but I want tot learn. So my question is, Will one of these act as an external volume setting for both discord chat and game audio??

[@unclekonrad]

i was waiting for something like this

[@djk8541]

I'd like to see more DACs and interfaces move the I/O to the rear. I don't think the majority of us are unplugging our gear very often so it's silly to me to have the I/O on the front with wires running across the desk

[@LyK0sa]

Alternatively, get something with front facing controls and mount it on the underside of your desk. I have an ifi zen DAC/can stack set up this way and it looks really clean, and minimises desk clutter.

[@mitchhifi9192]

It's for consoles

[@terratenientesalgo2511]

I am very indecisive, since I dipped my toes in audiophile stuff, I started collecting iem and chungus headphones, I switch so often depending the situation and type of content that I am considering getting a separate Amp that allows to connect many headphones and iem at once.

[@1_Hedge_1]

I totally agree

[@AapjeJelleAapje]

Are there more decks where u can put in ur box? Cause i use a headset but also a stereo set, only the first one allowes both to use but thats really pricy

[@xXmobiusXx1]

I have tested The G6 and the Sennheiser 1200 pro myself, found out after a deep dive the 1200 uses USB 1.1 interface which limits the bitrate of the mic AND 7.1 mode ( 16 bit 48khz ) while the G6 is USB 2.0 or early 3.0 which allows high bitrate across the board.

[@spacefootballer]

is there an option for a BT headset and usb mic? something i could control and change between them without windows?

[@jacobkorban476]

Thank you I had no idea the Astro mix amp pro could be used with my pc38x headset. gave it so much more volume thanks for the video saved me money from buying another dac.

[@FhargaZ]

I just bought soundblaster x3 mostly for my 4.1 PC speakers and still thinking what is best setup for them. I couldn't find new 5.1 and up pc speakers, only soundbars.

[@HalfDayHero]

Will I be able to use an AMP if I need my headphones to plug into my microphone for monitoring purposes?

[@osamakaiser4205]

Question, I know AMP and DACs are often used for Desktops. Can these be used for Laptops also?

[@nathanielriel7378]

I own a hyper X quad cast mic, would it be possible to use with all 5 of them. And just saying @randomfrankp I needed this video for a very long time, thank you

[@boomdaus]

I personally have the gsx 1000. Games chat volume is fantastic and has brought me back to watching movies ever so often as the 7.1 on back gsp 500 headphone is soo good. I would have bought the shiit fulla 3 if was more readily available in the UK.

[@Brianmc2134]

This came at the perfect time! just bought the Drop 58x Jubilee want to try and pair it up with a DAC or amp

[@pranavbarla4635]

Definitely gonna use these for my airpods lol

[@spacemice4475]

Would you need one of these for a actual mic (not one on a headset)?

[@bankruptjojo5009]

I run the Creative X7 because it has speaker posts. Is there any good options for connecting speakers with speaker wire other then my X7?

[@SicnetwrkPro]

love it. keep them coming.

[@justicewonder]

Glad this video finally dropped. You've been teasing us for way too long .

[@George-wv5wk]

I need one with DLX cable for a blue ember and 6.35mm jack. Can it work parallel in the same dac ?

[@MrSramozz]

This really does make me wonder if the USB thing that comes with the Razer Kraken Tournament headset that allows you to control the volume is some kind of AMP & DAC or if i need one...

[@kampa373]

is there any amp that can connect to wireless headphones like g933s etc? for those dont wanna go back to wired headphones...

[@rickylesperance2125]

Great video, one question. Did you use the optic cable when you used the Astro amp? And do you think it would effect the audio?

[@parkerlewis7924]

i use an optic cable for my 400$ amp and dac stack. so ur good my guy, you shouldnt see an issue

[@daneo3785]

I’ve been waiting for this

[@MrHowardc43]

I can see all the amp u recommend are for 3.5mm audio jack. What can I do with the USB headset. How do I improve the sound?

[@wobinwoods]

I remember purchasing the Astro MixAmp Pro TR about a month ago with my Astro A40 tr's. I remember the mix Amp made no difference even with hours of tweaking, tutorials and messing around. I'm just concerned with purchasing stuff just in case my ears are messed up or this is all a scam but my astros alone sound so bad for gaming and music. I don't know what to do :/ I've also purchased the Bose noise cancelling headphones 700 in the last year. for £300 They sounded exactly the same, I returned them straight away. I guess you have to spend 1000s just for a tiny difference? What do you guys think? Currently I swap between Astro a40s and the earphones that came with my phone because they both sound EXACTLY the same, I feel like I'm crazy. Just a frame of reference; I've been using various kinds of headsets for years. Steel series, turtle beach, razor, beyerdynamic. never experienced any kinds of differences other than comfort. :(

[@Truster18]

Hey @randomfrankp, with the ALC1220 Audiochip in "newer" Motherboards, Port-D (Front Panel Audio and Mic) is actually preferred. With ALC1220 the Front Panel Mic Connector has better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). 120 dB to 110 from the 1200. It also comes with impedence Detection. This headphone amplifier at port D has a high output voltage of up to 2.1 Vrms and can drive high impedance headphones (up to 600 Ω), which is not possible with the ALC1200. TlDr; if u have a Motherboard with ALC1220 Audiochip, Front Panel is probably better, espacially if u have high Impedance headphones.

[@eukariootti1]

In practice, those dB's in the brochures are completely meaningless BS. In reality, none of those chips meant for the Integrated audio are actually great. My motherboard (Asus X570-E) has ALC1220. In practice, with my case (Fractal Design R6) and its stock cable, Front Panel Headphone jack is unusable. Insulated cable might've helped for the horrible buzz, but I didn't bother. If cable is needed due to latency, I always use Optical Out, from my motherboard to the AV Receiver. Works as intended. Luckily, most of the time I use Bluetooth 5.0 integrated on that motherboard (Intel AX200). It too works as expected, including too much latency for many Gamers. Realtek SW is carbage. Windows 11 seems to create some extra challenges. In the future I might buy a real sound card, external propably. Perhaps G6, perhaps something else.