[Liu Junyuan]

I think you would be happy with this choice.

 

[HaVoC-28]

  Thanks brother! I think that seems like the best option atm  
 
I'm very silly. I was looking at the objective 2 headphone amplifier alone which is US$129. the 02+ DAC COMBO is US$279. 
 
I personally don't know the difference is but Lachlanlikesathing (from youtube and a former member off head-fi) owns the 02+DAC COMBO. so that at least is out of the question. 
 
The Audioengine D1 shouldn't be out of the question, I quite like the price. 
 
The schiit Magni 2 is $199 in Australia. Would I need the Schiit Modi for it to work. If so, that's a bi of an investment that I'm not happy to pull the trigger on. 
 
Back to the headphones, would the K712's be the best option for my needs? (scroll up to read my preferences) I would really like the Phillips Fidelio X2's but here in Australia I can only buy them off amazon for US$299. however after postage and currency conversion It would cost closer to AU$380+400 to buy it, is it worth it over the K712? 
 
Are the X2's fully open or semi-open? or are they as open as each other?
 
if The X2's were to ever sell in Australia they would probably be priced at $399 or even as high as A$449 anyways. That's Australia for you.

 
You can still use the E7 as DAC , and also as the amp upgrade later the DAC part if you feel the need , going step by step can save you money and give you time to think about what you really need . If O² is cheaper than magni² then go with O² for amp part , use the E7 as DAC , and later buy what ever DAC you want , you don't need to buy an ODAC necesserly . Hifimediy ES9023 based dac with asynch usb perform pretty close number wise to ODAC and should sound absolutely the same as ODAC but costing twice less .
 
X2/K712 are both open design , and they also known to be good allrounders . Either is a good choice to complement your closed can  .  For allarrounder operation , you can also consider DT880 (if you don't bother a bit extra treble) or HD600 , but has you have to pay extra for living with Koalas and Kangurus don't know how much they cost there .

 

[BillsonChang007]

Thank you pointing that out. 

Atm I'm leaning towards the AKG K712PRO's if I can get them for $299  however it will be from overseas (I don't mind the wait). Since I live in Australia the X2's are going to cost me AU$380-400 off amazon since there is no where in Australia I can get them unless I want to pay a ridiculous price. You US guys/girls have no idea how lucky you've got it with Amazon.

I'm from Brunei! I believe its worser than Aus when it comes to this. UE6k still selling $300+ here. The only way you ca purchase "better" headphone here is from a small authorized reseller which only sells headphone with in line mic and remote and only JBL, UE brand. End.

Anyway, K712 is a good choice

 

[Fluffy Muffinz]

   
You can still use the E7 as DAC , and also as the amp upgrade later the DAC part if you feel the need , going step by step can save you money and give you time to think about what you really need . If O² is cheaper than magni² then go with O² for amp part , use the E7 as DAC , and later buy what ever DAC you want , you don't need to buy an ODAC necesserly . Hifimediy ES9023 based dac with asynch usb perform pretty close number wise to ODAC and should sound absolutely the same as ODAC but costing twice less .
 
X2/K712 are both open design , and they also known to be good allrounders . Either is a good choice to complement your closed can  .  For allarrounder operation , you can also consider DT880 (if you don't bother a bit extra treble) or HD600 , but has you have to pay extra for living with Koalas and Kangurus don't know how much they cost there .

sorry I'm a noob, so to clarify.
 
are you saying that down the road I could buy either the objective 2 amp (not the ODAC) or the magni 2 amp and hook up my E07K to either one and use that as the dac? 
 
The JDS Labs Objective 2 headphone Amplifier is $199: http://www.noisymotel.com/product.asp?ProductID=414&gclid=Cj0KEQiAiamlBRCgj83PiYm6--gBEiQArnojD_3JP2bTXXmKlxl_cd3D7xs7p2iMXZ2dDZk4tWugR3waAu8B8P8HAQ
 
And also is the Magni 2 headphone Amplifier: http://www.addictedtoaudio.com.au/product/schiit-audio-magni-2-headphone-amplifier?gclid=Cj0KEQiAiamlBRCgj83PiYm6--gBEiQArnojDwchqNHm1bPlUzRc8Ywn-FTAjnRHqDp4HQHuxbmhL2QaAoXP8P8HAQ
 
which is good as that isn't as expensive as I thought over the Audioengine D1
 
So if I bought either one of those and hooked up my E07K to it, it should work?
 
not sure what your trying to say about the Kangaroos and Koala's part? lol but  I know that Kangroo meat is very expensive super lean meat! they taste delicious too!  
 
If that's the case I think I'll go for the K712's as they are more readily available in Australia. In Australia they retail for $600 but I can save $300 and buy it overseas but sacrifice having a genuine AKG warranty. 

 

[BillsonChang007]

sorry I'm a noob, so to clarify.

are you saying that down the road I could buy either the objective 2 amp (not the ODAC) or the magni 2 amp and hook up my E07K to either one and use that as the dac? 

The JDS Labs Objective 2 headphone Amplifier is $199: http://www.noisymotel.com/product.asp?ProductID=414&gclid=Cj0KEQiAiamlBRCgj83PiYm6--gBEiQArnojD_3JP2bTXXmKlxl_cd3D7xs7p2iMXZ2dDZk4tWugR3waAu8B8P8HAQ

And also is the Magni 2 headphone Amplifier: http://www.addictedtoaudio.com.au/product/schiit-audio-magni-2-headphone-amplifier?gclid=Cj0KEQiAiamlBRCgj83PiYm6--gBEiQArnojDwchqNHm1bPlUzRc8Ywn-FTAjnRHqDp4HQHuxbmhL2QaAoXP8P8HAQ

which is good as that isn't as expensive as I thought over the Audioengine D1

So if I bought either one of those and hooked up my E07K to it, it should work?

not sure what your trying to say about the Kangaroos and Koala's part? lol but  I know that Kangroo meat is very expensive super lean meat! they taste delicious too!  

If that's the case I think I'll go for the K712's as they are more readily available in Australia. In Australia they retail for $600 but I can save $300 and buy it overseas but sacrifice having a genuine AKG warranty. 

Hey!

If I were you, I will stop waiting and get the K712 Pro first. When it arrived, try pairing it with the E07K. If you find it fine, then its good. If not, come back here and hunt for a amp ^_^ the E07K uses WM8740 DAC chip which is very good already for the price!

Billson

 

[HaVoC-28]

  sorry I'm a noob, so to clarify.
 
are you saying that down the road I could buy either the objective 2 amp (not the ODAC) or the magni 2 amp and hook up my E07K to either one and use that as the dac? 
 
The JDS Labs Objective 2 headphone Amplifier is $199: http://www.noisymotel.com/product.asp?ProductID=414&gclid=Cj0KEQiAiamlBRCgj83PiYm6--gBEiQArnojD_3JP2bTXXmKlxl_cd3D7xs7p2iMXZ2dDZk4tWugR3waAu8B8P8HAQ
 
And also is the Magni 2 headphone Amplifier: http://www.addictedtoaudio.com.au/product/schiit-audio-magni-2-headphone-amplifier?gclid=Cj0KEQiAiamlBRCgj83PiYm6--gBEiQArnojDwchqNHm1bPlUzRc8Ywn-FTAjnRHqDp4HQHuxbmhL2QaAoXP8P8HAQ
 
which is good as that isn't as expensive as I thought over the Audioengine D1
 
So if I bought either one of those and hooked up my E07K to it, it should work?
 
not sure what your trying to say about the Kangaroos and Koala's part? lol but  I know that Kangroo meat is very expensive super lean meat! they taste delicious too!  
 
If that's the case I think I'll go for the K712's as they are more readily available in Australia. In Australia they retail for $600 but I can save $300 and buy it overseas but sacrifice having a genuine AKG warranty. 

 
As pointed before by me and again by Billsonchang007 first get your headphone , if K712 is the least expensive option for you go for it . Try it with E07K  , if you feel that something is wrong or missing and not enough punch etc, you can think in first buying another amp , and use the E07K as DAC , it could be used that way , it use good DAc chip , peraphs it implementation is not the best , but it should be more than ok for now .  So yes if you feel need for a better amp keep at first the E07K as DAC and use it with O²/Magni² or any other interesting offering .
 
Well yeah the kangaroos thing , was about that some goods seams pretty expensive in Australia

.

 

[Solarium]

So after trying out a variety of headphones, light and heavy, I've came to the conclusion that I will not be able to tolerate anything over 300g's. I've been looking for something to replace my HD650, tried 400i, which was superb but its weight, even with the massive improvement over the original 400's, still gives me neck cramps after awhile. I'm looking for something that has a larger soundstage to the 650, good imaging, slightly brighter, same or less weight (<300g), as good bass (impact and quality), and under $500. In the end, I came to the K712 pro, which is $370 on amazon. They will come tomorrow, so I'm crossing my fingers
 
BTW, if I love these, I heard they are exactly the same as the K7xx massdrop edition, which is available for $200. I might just get those if they're indeed the same.

 

[HiSenn5]

  So after trying out a variety of headphones, light and heavy, I've came to the conclusion that I will not be able to tolerate anything over 300g's. I've been looking for something to replace my HD650, tried 400i, which was superb but its weight, even with the massive improvement over the original 400's, still gives me neck cramps after awhile. I'm looking for something that has a larger soundstage to the 650, good imaging, slightly brighter, same or less weight (<300g), as good bass (impact and quality), and under $500. In the end, I came to the K712 pro, which is $370 on amazon. They will come tomorrow, so I'm crossing my fingers
 
BTW, if I love these, I heard they are exactly the same as the K7xx massdrop edition, which is available for $200. I might just get those if they're indeed the same.

Whatever you do, keep the HD650. I've sold mine and went for the HD800. Big mistake. I also had the K712 for a week or so. Didn't like the mids and the built quality. The K702 or the K612 is a better choice.

 

[kman1211]

Whatever you do, keep the HD650. I've sold mine and went for the HD800. Big mistake. I also had the K712 for a week or so. Didn't like the mids and the built quality. The K702 or the K612 is a better choice.

Why did you find it a big mistake selling them and going for the HD 800? What did you not like about the build quality of the K712? I find the K712 noticaebly better built than the K612, Q701, and K702(all Austrian made) I compared them to, it had sturdier and more robust plastics and felt more solid overall. I understand issues with it's sound, I personally have had issues with its treble.

 

[BillsonChang007]

K712 and earlier production K702/65 uses different pads. The K7xx is based on the K702/65 if I am not mistaken

 

[Fluffy Muffinz]

It turns out that anywhere I can find the AKG K712's for around $300 is either grey imported or shipped from overseas. Meaning that I'll either won't have any warranty whatsoever or I'll have a third party warranty. Therefore it comes down the the discretion of the seller. They can choose to dishonour the warranty and I won't be able to do one single thing about it. 
 
As far as the K712's, If I were to buy them overseas my prefered company would be Kogan as I've dealt with them before.However it's going to cost $399+shipping.
 
So would it be best to pass on this one? as it will cost me $600 to buy it in Australia and frankly I couldn't imagine spending that much money on a pair of headphones in my life. 
 
OR 
 
Should I buy the Phillips Fidelio X2's off amazon for AU$400.11? will I get some sort of warranty from them?

 

[BillsonChang007]

  It turns out that anywhere I can find the AKG K712's for around $300 is either grey imported or shipped from overseas. Meaning that I'll either won't have any warranty whatsoever or I'll have a third party warranty. Therefore it comes down the the discretion of the seller. They can choose to dishonour the warranty and I won't be able to do one single thing about it. 
 
As far as the K712's, If I were to buy them overseas my prefered company would be Kogan as I've dealt with them before.However it's going to cost $399+shipping.
 
So would it be best to pass on this one? as it will cost me $600 to buy it in Australia and frankly I couldn't imagine spending that much money on a pair of headphones in my life. 
 
OR 
 
Should I buy the Phillips Fidelio X2's off amazon for AU$400.11? will I get some sort of warranty from them?

I am not so sure about you, but if I were you and my heart is growing towards the K712, even if I get the X2 for cheaper, I may not be satisfied with the purchase! 
 
As far as I can tell, I have been using the K702/65 for quite some time now and have no issue with them. 

 

[Solarium]

 
Whatever you do, keep the HD650. I've sold mine and went for the HD800. Big mistake. I also had the K712 for a week or so. Didn't like the mids and the built quality. The K702 or the K612 is a better choice.

Got the k712 today, I feel like it's a nice mix between the 650 and the 598. It's not as mushy/warm as the 650, and the soundstage is larger, somewhere between the two (closer to the 598). I feel the bass is just as good as the 650, maybe not as impactful at mid-bass, but extends further. Not as claustrophobic. The treble is definitely more harsh, but not as prominent as the 598. What is the problem with the treble people are complaining? I also don't notice the lack of mids as much, sure it's not as forward as the 650, but I feel the 650's mids were TOO forward.

 

[Fluffy Muffinz]

  I am not so sure about you, but if I were you and my heart is growing towards the K712, even if I get the X2 for cheaper, I may not be satisfied with the purchase! 
 
As far as I can tell, I have been using the K702/65 for quite some time now and have no issue with them. 

in term of the headphones RRP, yes the X2's are cheaper by a lot. however if I were to buy a pair of imported  K712's, it's actually cheaper. 
 
K712: AU$299+ shiping
X2: AU$400.11 from amazon
 
The difference is that I'm not sure if I'm prepared to commit to the K712's third party warranty. I would be more then happy with a pair of K702 65th annies but they are quite expensive and hard to find. 

 

[sky.xd]

  in term of the headphones RRP, yes the X2's are cheaper by a lot. however if I were to buy a pair of imported  K712's, it's actually cheaper. 
 
K712: AU$299+ shiping
X2: AU$400.11 from amazon
 
The difference is that I'm not sure if I'm prepared to commit to the K712's third party warranty. I would be more then happy with a pair of K702 65th annies but they are quite expensive and hard to find. 

 
I was also in the same situation but was able to hear the K712 locally in Australia and went to import them.
 
I've purchased a few headphones over the years and none of them have had issues so I think a 2 years warranty isn't going to a huge deal if you're saving 50% off retail tbh.