Best Amp for AD 700
Feb 10, 2009 at 8:50 PM Post #2 of 31
Anything with more impact and to support the bass and lower mids. These things will need little or no power. I suggest looking for a Solid State that will have no noise that AD700s will pick up. A Solid State with black background, complete pitch black.

If you don't have DAC, focus on the DAC first, then the amp. DAC will make the most the difference for your AD700s. Or can just look for a combo deal.

I'd look at Compass, DAC/Amp combo, the DAC can be used in the future with another Amp and headphones. And the Compass can be used to power your AD700s until then. The Compass features a 100% discrete design from DAC to Amp.

Music Fidelity's X-CanV8 is supposed to be just awesome for low impedance phones like the AD700. Its also a combo DAC/Amp.

If not, look at the DAC-100 from Audio-gd or the KECES 151 for DACs. For more expensive, the DacMagic.

Amps, so many of them, Purity Audio KICAS, Graham Slee Novo or Audio-gd C2C. Those are three 100% discrete solid state I can think of. I say go for discrete over integrated, although some integrated amps sound fantastic.
 
Feb 10, 2009 at 9:17 PM Post #4 of 31
Oh I would add that one of Head-Fi's prolific posters loves his AD700 over some of the flagship headphones he has used. And he loves them with the Little Dot MK II and read somewhere people like the hybrids. Little Dot MK 1+ and the Starving Student from Whiplash Audio.
 
Feb 10, 2009 at 9:40 PM Post #5 of 31
my DAC could be a Theta Digital Ds Pre Gen III. Its what I use in my home system. I've never used headphones before. The AD 700 will go between my home system and my eMac.

Thats why I'm looking for an amp. It will be for the eMac when I'm not using the Theta.
 
Feb 12, 2009 at 6:15 PM Post #7 of 31
Does anyone use the DAC from their speaker rig with their headphone amp? Or do most folks use a separate rig for their headphones.

I have a Theta Ds Pre Gen III. Can I hook that up to a dedicated headphone amp?

I'm new to headphones but have been an audiophile for years.

my AD 700's should be arriving today.
 
Feb 12, 2009 at 6:35 PM Post #8 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by WarriorAnt /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Is there anyone who is pairing an amp with the AD 700 right now?


I use a Graham Slee Solo which (apparently) is not so good with low impedance headphones. It is great with the AD700 and 900 because it gives the headphones slightly more impact and weight.

Portable, I've been using both the Meier Audio Move and the Pocket Amp but the impact is not quite there. (More noticeably on the AD900).

Just a touch more weight makes them magical.

Ian
 
Feb 13, 2009 at 2:30 AM Post #9 of 31
Thanks Ian,

I got my AD 700's this morning and let them burn for about 8 hours.
First thing I did was listen to several compositions of my own.

I was delighted to hear that my efforts to create a large soundstage in my own compositions came thru on the 700's.

The presentation of these headphones is exactly the way I mix and compose my own compositions.

As far as the headphones realm goes It may take me a while to get used to any headphones since I am a devout listener of Martin logan electrostatic speakers combined with Krell class A electronics. I'm more a fill the room with a soundstage kind of person and have never really used headphones before but these AD 700's sound really appealing for just over $100. Thats the price of 2 VPI bricks! Amazing.

I'm going to have to really lurk here in this forum now and think about an optimal setup perhaps a year from now because it seems one can get a top of the line everything in the headphones realm for the price a tri-wired set of Cardas Gold speaker cables.
 
Feb 13, 2009 at 6:36 PM Post #10 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by WarriorAnt /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks Ian,

I got my AD 700's this morning and let them burn for about 8 hours.
First thing I did was listen to several compositions of my own.



They are a lovely headphone. I use both the 700 and 900 and use them to monitor my stuff as well. (Along with monitors and other headphones) It's always difficult to decide on a good mix/balance with so many variations to consider.

I left the AD700's playing for a solid week before using them at all seriously but they are amongst my favourite headphones for tone colour and soundstage. I love the way that you can really hear into the details with them.

I also have the 1000's but not so keen on them. Sweet spot for me was the AD900.

Ian
 
Feb 13, 2009 at 6:52 PM Post #11 of 31
Never heard the AD1000, but for me AD900 is the one for me over the AD700 also.
 
Feb 13, 2009 at 7:10 PM Post #12 of 31
I have my AD700 + little Dot I+ (stock tubes) < avr preamp <optical source (digital) they are so much fun...they dont really require an amp but they are better somehow. apparently the ld+1 is suppose to compliment low impendance hps (800mw to 32ohms)
I like the fact that I can increase the volume my avr with minimal to no distortion.
 
Feb 13, 2009 at 8:40 PM Post #15 of 31
Quote:

Originally Posted by WarriorAnt /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Do the AD 900's need amplification?


Not really. They are low impedance. However, they do seem to point out amp differences very easily. I am much more aware of the amp properties when listening via the 900's. Less so with the 700's.

Ian
 
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