Hi all,   Finally ponied up and bought a high end headphone in the AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition. From the moment I first listened to them, I was amazed at the sound stage and clarity of mids and highs, however, on some of my songs I noticed a "scratching" sound when there wasn't much...

My budget is ~$300. I have no desire to break the bank on my first adventure into high end audio, that will come later I've considered the Modi/Magni from Schiit but also the O2 from JDS. I have no idea what makes one better than the other, just know they are Amp/DAC combos that are well regarded.

What would you suggest for a DAC? Do I even need one?

Hi all,   Just bought myself a pair of the AKG 702 annies and this is my first endeavor into high-end audio. I don't currently have any kind of dedicated amp or DAC. I'm wondering what is the best bang for buck for driving these bad boys? I mostly listen on my MacBook Air and PC (no sound...

I was originally going to get the K702 annies but then heard about the K812 and was wowed. I will probably get the 702 Annies for now and when the price of the 812 come down in the next year or so I'll grab those! Thanks for the input!

Might I ask why? I saw a review of the HD 800s as both a reference headphone but also a gaming headset. I am hoping the K812 will be that for me.

Hey everyone, I am a reference headphone virgin and am looking for my first set of cans. I saw that AKG is coming out with the K812 as their new flagship, and I'm really interested. What is everyone's opinion on these headphones? Is there a targeted MSRP out yet? Furthermore, I'll also be...

Hey all,    I am going to be building a new PC in the next month or so. I plan on using it mostly for gaming, and I am going to be getting the AKG K702 65th Anniversary (recommended by MadLust on this forum).   I will obviously need something a little beefier to drive these headphones so I'm...

Quote: ^This. I will mainly be playing BF3, so yes, sound imaging is important to me and I get that with an open headset.

Quote: If you're referring to Astros and TBs and Tittans, which are branded as "gaming headsets" then yes, those are closed. However, I had a pair of A40s and they were nothing special. Terrible sound and an inconsistent mic. For the same price, I could have certainly gotten a better...

Quote: That's not necessarily true. I'm looking for a large soundstage so that I can place footsteps around me. From what I've researched, sound imaging is much better in open headphones. Also, with a lot of bass, it will drown out the mids, which is where the majority of sounds in an FPS...

Anybody have any opinions on these two sets of headphones? I love the look of both of them, and the price point is the same so what does everyone think of their sound signature? I will mainly use them for gaming and listening to music. I do listen to a lot of rock music so I know Grado really...

Quote: So can you give me a hard and fast rule for "harder-to-drive" headphones? What impedance is hard to drive? Over 80ohm? 100? Secondly, is there a situation where I only need a DAC but no amp? Neither? Both? Sorry for so many questions, but honestly no one is answering my questions...

Quote: Budget of $100-$150. Nobody has answered my question, though. I know what a DAC is and I know of DAC/amp combos on the market (Fiio E7 for example). What I want to know, what is the requirement for a DAC or amp? Is it a certain driver? Certain coils? A range of impedance? Are there...

I know what a DAC actually is, I know that it converts digital to analog. I want to know when and why I need it. What type of headphones? How high of an impedance? Those sorts of things. I am going to be driving the AKG K702 65th Anni. edition

When do I need one and why? I've read that a DAC really won't alter sound and that amps are only needed if you want more volume. Could someone explain these things to me?  

Hey all,   I am new to high end audio and was wondering what everyone thought about these two sets of headphones. I will mainly use them for listening to all types of music (rock, metal, hip-hop, dubstep, pop, etc) as well as for gaming.   Which one better suits my needs?