Thanks again for the replies... I'm starting to understand what everyone is getting at. Before I was under the impression the amplifier just made things louder to overcome the impedance. I see now that it's for better quality. Just to see everything in perspective; when you guys say better...

So a HR Total BitHead would fit the needs of a AKG K701? Just how much power do I need to get these headphones going on my macbook pro?

Thanks for the reply guys... Yeah I'm only spending 250 on these headphones (ebay) so 500$ for an amp is out of the question for now... I just want extremely high quality headphones that have potential... If I can get by without an amp that would be ideal and maybe I'd consider an amp down the...

Hi, I'm interested in purchasing the AKG K701s and I'm getting some conflicting information on various review sites. Some say to power these headphones on a laptop or iPod I need an amplifier... others say it's fine without it. I'm interested in hearing from someone who owns these if I can...