Sound card or Amplifier?

[Jetster]

Any modern Amp or AVR with HDMI will be the best option for your headphones. This would be the Amp and DAC in one
There are some disadvantages to optical (Toslink) but it will work with stereo. HDMI has a larger bandwidth

HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can't get transmitted across optical

 

[Aquinus]

I don't know I am confusing, Seems the HD800s will not give real performance on PC

If you really want help, answering this question could help:

What exactly about your current setup do you not like?

Knowing this will help inform what is good for your uses. For example, if you get the HD800, HD700, or HD650 but expect flat response, you're going to be disappointed just as someone who wants more bass will be disappointed with the HD280 or 380s. What you want will influence which product is ideal for your use case and if you can't explain what you want, you probably have no business buying audiophile headphones if I'm going to be brutally honest.

These formats can't get transmitted across optical

For headphones you don't need more than 192Khz/24-bit uncompressed 2-channel PCM which optical is capable of doing. You don't need 8 channels of that for headphones.

Edit: Even 192Khz/24-bit might be excessive unless you have content sampled at that rate.

 

[Jetster]

For headphones you don't need more than 192Khz/24-bit uncompressed 2-channel PCM which optical is capable of doing. You don't need 8 channels of that for headphones.

Edit: Even 192Khz/24-bit might be excessive unless you have content sampled at that rate.

The only point I was trying to make was if your going to drop $1500 on phones and $500 on a DAC than you might as well get the newer tech. Then if we wanted to expand it's ready

 

[Aquinus]

The only point I was making was if your going to drop $1500 on cans and $500 on a DAC than you might as well get the newer tech. Then if we wanted to expand it's ready

Sure, but as I said to the OP:

if you can't explain what you want, you probably have no business buying audiophile headphones if I'm going to be brutally honest.

I think this is true even if you have the funds to throw unlimited money at a problem. When I bought my headphones I specifically wanted closed-backed flat-response headphones. If I didn't, I could also spend $1,500 and not get what I wanted.

 

[Jetster]

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are nice with a nice sound card sound pretty good.

 

[Aquinus]

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are nice with a nice sound card sound pretty good.

I think I was looking at the M60x when I eventually just got the Sennheiser HD380s.

Edit: FWIW, I use a Fiio E17k Alpen 2 and it gets the job done, is very portable, and works with my iPhone.

 

[MazeFrame]

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are nice with a nice sound card sound pretty good.

Don't bother with the M50's, the 40's are just as good for cheaper.

HDMI can pass higher-resolution audio, including the formats found on Blu-ray: Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio. These formats can't get transmitted across optical

ADAT and MADI would like a word with you.
For headphones, there is no need for more than two channels at 192kHz 24bit. All the other smoke and mirror tech is not needed (or wanted).