[Soundinista]

 
Quote:

Back to the first post, it is a fact. If you aren't prone to loud listening, you'll be fine running the 701s out of an iPhone. Headphones aren't magical beings that need pampering, they're simple electroacoustical devices and they will run on common electronics. Try them out without an amp.
 
Given your predisposition to the Q460, the 701s will be quite a change and may not be to your liking, regardless of how they're amped. So I suspect it's possible that you get these and don't initially like them, post on head-fi, and get a dozen responses that say either a. you need an amp or b. they need burn-in. While there's some truth to these suggestions, the 701 will still sound like a 701. If, on the other hand, you get it and wind up loving it, which is probable since there are some things the K701 nails (soundstage, clarity), but you would like more headroom than your portable device will provide, then check out the new O2 amp which should run around 120$ built by a DIYer.
 
I can't believe that thusfar no one has expressed their sorryness about your wallet

While I like your myth-busting approach in principle, this is badly misleading advice. I've never listened loudly, I'm not rich, not a masochist, I started out listening to AKG's on a portable, have now spent thousands of dollars upgrading my headphone amps, have always noticed a clear improvement with each step forward, and really wish I had been warned about how I'd end up wasting a lot of money in my pursuit of top-notch sound. But, yes, it does come down to how highly you value top-notch sound. For one who doesn't, why consider the Q701 in the first place? Why not go with $20 earbuds?

 If you want to get the most out of a Q701, however, it won't come cheap. Sad but true. (Yes, the basic sonic traits of a Q701 are there when they're poorly amped, but you get a bad caricature of their sound.)
 
Don't get me wrong: I don't doubt that you mean well. But your advice is misleading for anybody who considers investing in a Q701. Crappy sound can be had for much less.

 
 

 

[oldshoe99]

If it works on most tracks that's good, but most people have high, medium, and lower-volume tracks and the low volume tracks may not be listenable with power hungry headphones.

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

If it works on most tracks that's good, but most people have high, medium, and lower-volume tracks and the low volume tracks may not be listenable with power hungry headphones.

I'm with Soundinista - considering that K701's can be underwhelming with a host of desktop amps and that my K601's
are currently strangling my full-sized 250mW desktop for juice - Running a K701 out of an Iphone is just madness.
 
Not that the situation would not rectify itself. The OP would either yield to buying an amp or sell them off eventually.
 
My iShuffle is a good comparison to the Iphone. I've tried my higher ohm 601's out of it. Verdict? Tragic.

 

[Willakan]

 

 

+1 for the Objective 2. If you don't want to DIY it's about $150 fully built. I have one in the pipeline to drive essentially the same headphones as yours (AKG K702). E9 is great, but the output impedance is a tad on the high side for low impedance 'phones on account of the integrated headphone amp chip used and its particular implementation requirements.
 
These headphones are very power hungry, but not obscenely so - you don't need some ludicrous 6W-into-32-ohms monstrosity.
 
 

 

[Ishcabible]

Quote:

 
But all I have are Huggies.  Am I amping them wrong?

How was this passed over? I spit out my cranberry juice laughing at this. 
 
Another reason, imahawki, that you might be subconsciously wanting open headphones is that most closed headphones have a strange honky coloration to them that sounds off. It's pretty unavoidable considering the design of closed headphones. 
 
If possible, take a look at the K601 or K501 (with K701 pads). I like both of them more than the K701.

 

[Zombie_X]

I would agree with this. I have used my K702 with my Zune HD and it still sounded good. The need for an amp with the K702 is grossly overstated IMO as they don't require that powerful of an amp. They just need lots of current. IMO most headphones can be powered my mobile and potable devices and will sound fine. Amping is very overrated, though it does clearly help. I even found my T1 to sound good but not awesome on my Zune HD.
 
I'm probably in the minority on this though.
 
 
Quote:

A rep from a large online headphone retailer told me I could run a pair of AKG Q701s directly from my iphone.  Saying it wouldn't reach the full potential of the headphones but would work just fine.  Yes, no, maybe?

 
 

 

[Gwarmi]

@Zombie_X
 
See you've got an SR80i - I love mine on the desktop amp and also on the ishuffle, the former is better though for sure.
 
But many will argue that it is minimal so I guess we have different views. For me it's a very real difference, especially
in relation to bass impact.

 

[Zombie_X]

For me I can't tell a real big difference when the SR-90i is amped by my Roc or my Zune. The only difference I hear is the Roc gives it a tab more bass. Everyone's ears are different though so who knows
 
Quote:

@Zombie_X
 
See you've got an SR80i - I love mine on the desktop amp and also on the ishuffle, the former is better though for sure.
 
But many will argue that it is minimal so I guess we have different views. For me it's a very real difference, especially
in relation to bass impact.

 

[Marximus]

When I had my recabled K701s, I found them to be very competent out of my iPod nano.  I honestly couldn't tell a difference between my main rig and the iPod.  But then, the recabled K701s were night-and-day different from stock, so YMMV.  I still find multiple headphones that sound great out of iDevices.

 

[dyl1dyl]

IMO, the K701s sound okay unamped but really excel paired with the right amp, such as the Woo wa5, wa6, schiit valhalla, lyr, littledot mk6, 4se, etc.

 

[imahawki]

I ordered the K271 MKii yesterday.  They should be much easier to drive.  They'll be here Monday and I'll let you know what I think.

 

[imahawki]

As a wrap up, I ultimately say "crap".  My iPhone couldn't even drive the 271s to moderately loud listening volumes.  It would have completely choked on the 701s.

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

As a wrap up, I ultimately say "crap".  My iPhone couldn't even drive the 271s to moderately loud listening volumes.  It would have completely choked on the 701s.

Heya,
 
Portable amp? I drove K701's on my Vivid V1 Tech portable dac/amp and it sounded good. I can live with not having 100% driven potential, 98%~99% is ok, when going portable as far as I'm concerned... (ie, no overhead).
 
Very best,
 

 

[imahawki]

Yep, I picked up the FiiO E7.  My follow-up was merely to point out that after trying the K271 and needing a portable amp to really make those work, it was really kind of crappy for the retailer to claim I could run the K/Q701 straight from my iPhone.