That's what I'm doing now, but I need a device that isn't battery powered as my desktop set-up. Buying a separate amp is an option I'm considering. Anyway, thanks for your reply. As you guessed, I'm not interested in some of the functionalities that the X7 offers.

It's been asked before, but I'd like to know what you guys think now. I have the E5 and I'm looking for a desktop set-up (I need RCA outputs for my active speakers). To those of you who owns/owned both the E5 and the X7, is it worth the investment or I'm better off looking for something else (in...

I was thinking about purchasing this set (I already own the E5), but the issue you describe is quite serious. Hopefully somebody over here will help to sort this out.

  I had the same experience. 

I'm glad I gave them another shot before it was too late. The second pair I got works effortlessly even with my modest audioengine D1. I don't know what made the first pair sound so harsh. Now I get why they're so well regarded. The X2 are no longer needed now. 

  It's one of the reasons why I love them.  The soundstage is also quite big considering they're closed.    I'm surprised they're not getting the recognition they deserve. 

  The E5 isn't a speaker. What are you using it with? 

If you want mids and a more neutral representation without losing the cozy signature of the X2, maybe you should go for the HD600. The soundstage is narrower though.     The K712 isn't a forgiving headphone so coming from the X2 keep in mind that some music you enjoy with it might not sound as...

I never tried the mojo, so I can't say anything about it. Some people here liked the pairing, others didn't.    You should give the D1 a chance, maybe just as a DAC. But, as I said above, I think you need something else for your K712. 

 I answered you in the D1 thread.    As this reviewer correctly pointed out, the K712 is extremely unforgiving in the upper region. If there's even a slight sign of sibilance or harshness in the recording, with the K712 you'll notice it immediately. The D1 is a bright dac/amp hence it's not a...

EDIT.    I bought a second pair of K712 and now they're working great with the D1. Apparently my first pair of K712 was defective. 

  The K712 is slightly darker compared to the K702, but the soundstage felt more accurate to me. With the K702 it felt like music was coming in front of you from an horizontal stage. With the K712 instead your head is the center and you're surrounded by music. 

  Over the last month I had the chance to try brand new pairs of both models, K712 and K702. The K702 felt surprisingly cheap for the price. The headband was really, really flimsy.  The first time I put them on I didn't notice anything. After a couple of times I started hearing a crack coming...

  I had the opposite experience. The Woox one I bought in December 2014 was annoyingly sibilant to the point I returned it soon after.  A couple of weeks ago I purchased a brand new Gibson pair. It's way less sibilant and when it is it's usually because of the recording/mastering.   If you...