[Smugsie]

  lol, you got me
 
well from my experience with the Q701 vintage amps are one of the best and cheapest options for the Q701...
my current vintage amp which costs arround 300$ drives the 701 better then amps like AMB M3, master 9, leben and many more i have tried.
At his budjet there are some options, but i want him to try before buying ("u can try good vintage amp that is in your budjet with the Q701 by a chance?")
because im not sure every amp will have good headphones output...

It will take a bit of luck to find a vintage amp that will turn out nicely. Granted there's quite a lot of good vintage amps out there where engineers didn't just wire resistors to a speaker output and smack a headphone label on the top... ending up with a noisy output.

 

[Rishumon]

   
I can tell you that the E17 isn't a fair pair with the Q701's. Since the bass is looser than similarly priced desktop options (ODAC/O2/Modi/Magni), treble isn't as extended, soundstage a bit narrower and midrange can be a bit peaky. Of course those characteristics are a bit exaggerated but if you heard the Q701's and E17 together, you'd know what I'm talking about.

I was at some point considering the EF2A but users have stated that they're a bit noisy, so I avoided that as a tube amp. I also would avoid unpopular tube amps, take it from someone who ordered 3 chinese tube amps, they usually end up noisy, lack extension on both ends and have absolutely terrible dynamics.

The ODAC/O2 is also a good choice, but if you end up wanting a warmer sound; you can order an LME49720HA op amp (with adapter) and replace it as the output voltage buffer. 
Here's a trick that I found with the AKG Q701's if you eventually end up raising your budget for the DAC/Amps.

If you want the sound as-is, but want more microdetails out of a good DAC; solid state amplifiers are your best bet. As the current just simply fills the AKG's requirements better.
If you want a bit more upper treble extension and a warmer bass-body, tube amps have higher voltage outputs that do just this.

ODAC/O2 doesn't ship unfortunately. I'm looking to get a wide soundstage or just a neutral AMP. Looks like in the AMP section it narrows down to only EF2A(given that the E17 aren't strong enough)... I also found about the HA-P50 series, have you heard anything about these? HA-P50-B and HA-P50-R to be more exact.
 
Edit: also wanted to ask what do you mean by "noisy" regarding the tube AMPs?

 

[Smugsie]

  ODAC/O2 doesn't ship unfortunately. I'm looking to get a wide soundstage or just a neutral AMP. Looks like in the AMP section it narrows down to only EF2A(given that the E17 aren't strong enough)... I also found about the HA-P50 series, have you heard anything about these? HA-P50-B and HA-P50-R to be more exact.
 
Edit: also wanted to ask what do you mean by "noisy" regarding the tube AMPs?

If you want to be in the safe zone, this is what I generally advise you to get out of an amplifier for an AKG Q701.
200mW output@63 Ohms
Signal to noise ratio: -100db

I have not heard of those amplifiers, someone else might be able to chime in better.

It's a small hissing noise, listen to the first 10 seconds of the video before he starts moving the camera. That noise is noisy noise that resembles more like a hiss than noise, still noise.
 

 

[jayohhvee]

Hey deal of the day today on Amazon is the AKG Q 701 Quincy Jones Signature Reference-Class Premium Headphones for 100.

 

[CaveManta]

That is a killer deal for the Q701! But Amazon says they're "Unavailable" now. Does it mean they sold out already, or are they just doing maintenance? o.O I need to force my brother-in-law to get them.

 

[VeggiePopper]

That is a killer deal for the Q701! But Amazon says they're "Unavailable" now. Does it mean they sold out already, or are they just doing maintenance? o.O I need to force my brother-in-law to get them.

Also the price went back up, to $135 for the white version, $158 for the lime green, and $175 for the black ones. Too bad, I was ready to make a purchase.

 

[B-Dawk20]

100 for the Q's is highway robbery

 

[Evshrug]

Yes, ridiculous value!!!

In my experience, the Modi/Magni stack is decent, but it's an entry level stack and AKGs still have plenty of potential to unlock. A great amp and DAC really do scale up the headphone experience... I love my K612, but I love them even more with my $600 amp! I think I'm at a point where I could use a headphone upgrade, but I'm pretty confident that an endgame setup will end up having amps and DACs costing much more than the headphone.

I use a Liquid Carbon these days with my K612, and a vintage Theta DAC. A friend of mine really liked a Cordia JAZZ he recently got to borrow for review, those are like $300-400. Bifrost + Lyr is a good combo too, though the Theta is better so I want to sell my Bifrost Uber (I'm lazy).

 

[i luvmusic 2]

My $80 vintage receiver for my Q701 sound a lot better than my Bottleschiit amps.

 

[Evshrug]

Yeah? What brand is the receiver? Did you get it on eBay?

 

[i luvmusic 2]

PIONEER SX-3700 Local pickup.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

You can even use any AV receivers(bigger soundstage) like what i used to power up my Q701 that is why i decided to go vintage beware though some are noisy so try before you buy.

 

[jasonb]

The best I have heard my Q701 is when paired with my LG V10 smartphone which has ESS Sabre dac and amplifier chips in it. I've used my Q701 with a Fiio E17, then a Vintage Pioneer SX-750, then straight out of the speaker taps on an Emotiva Mini-X A-100. An ODAC was used with the SX-750 and the Emotiva. 

 

[headphones1999]

  The best I have heard my Q701 is when paired with my LG V10 smartphone which has ESS Sabre dac and amplifier chips in it. I've used my Q701 with a Fiio E17, then a Vintage Pioneer SX-750, then straight out of the speaker taps on an Emotiva Mini-X A-100. An ODAC was used with the SX-750 and the Emotiva. 

interesting 
 
will wait until one of my friends will get himself a v10 to try it out

 

[B-Dawk20]

The best I have heard my Q701 is when paired with my LG V10 smartphone which has ESS Sabre dac and amplifier chips in it. I've used my Q701 with a Fiio E17, then a Vintage Pioneer SX-750, then straight out of the speaker taps on an Emotiva Mini-X A-100. An ODAC was used with the SX-750 and the Emotiva. 

Dude! The combo is surprisingly excellent. Like, I think my desktop setup sounds better with the Q, but it isn't extreme. I was jamming for awhile when I tried it out. My 225i isn't being done many favors but the V10-Q701 is really a pleasant surprise.