[iCxLegion]

Hi all. Just picked up a pair of AKG-7XX from a user here, which is plugged into my Yamaha DSP-A1 receiver, connected to my computer (no soundcard, straight to mobo). I enjoy the headphones, but I feel that the sound could be better, as the highs are very harsh sometimes. Should I consider getting a Schiit stack (or something better) or is the DSP-A1 enough for these cans? Am I just expecting too much out of these? 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Hi all. Just picked up a pair of AKG-7XX from a user here, which is plugged into my Yamaha DSP-A1 receiver, connected to my computer (no soundcard, straight to mobo). I enjoy the headphones, but I feel that the sound could be better, as the highs are very harsh sometimes. Should I consider getting a Schiit stack (or something better) or is the DSP-A1 enough for these cans? Am I just expecting too much out of these? 

 

The K7-- all tend to have treble peaks but you have two other issues in that situation. First, the K7XX doesn't have the angled pads of the K701/702 and Q701, so the drivers are more directly smack over the ear canal. Cheap way to deal with that is to push the headphones forward against your earlobes to move the driver more forward, second best is to get the angled K702 (not the K701) pads.

 

Second problem is that speaker gear manufacturers tend to assume that the only headphones that exist are Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic reference headphones, so they keep on making headphone outputs with very high output impedance that can EQ the bass negatively on anything with lower impedance.

 

Two ways of dealing with this. Either you get a different DAC-HPamp (and maybe the K702 earpads too) but in the end you're still stuck with the naturally taller treble peaks on the K7XX, or get a different headphone altogether with higher impedance and shorter treble peaks. Something like the Sennheiser HD600, or the HD650 which totally has no treble peaks.

 

[iCxLegion]

 

 

The K7-- all tend to have treble peaks but you have two other issues in that situation. First, the K7XX doesn't have the angled pads of the K701/702 and Q701, so the drivers are more directly smack over the ear canal. Cheap way to deal with that is to push the headphones forward against your earlobes to move the driver more forward, second best is to get the angled K702 (not the K701) pads.

 

Second problem is that speaker gear manufacturers tend to assume that the only headphones that exist are Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic reference headphones, so they keep on making headphone outputs with very high output impedance that can EQ the bass negatively on anything with lower impedance.

 

Two ways of dealing with this. Either you get a different DAC-HPamp (and maybe the K702 earpads too) but in the end you're still stuck with the naturally taller treble peaks on the K7XX, or get a different headphone altogether with higher impedance and shorter treble peaks. Something like the Sennheiser HD600, or the HD650 which totally has no treble peaks.

I've been having a problem with getting a good seal around my head, so I'll definitely give the angled earpads a try. What's a good amp+dac combo for this setup for under $350 or so? Or should I just sell the 7XX and pick up 600/650's? Is the DSP-A1 good to run anything at all? Or should I just stop trying to re-incorporate old gear? lmao

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
Is the DSP-A1 good to run anything at all?

 
Well, it can run speakers in a surround set-up.
 

 
Or should I just stop trying to re-incorporate old gear? lmao

 
It's not really the age that's the problem. Even current Rotels have a 138ohm output impedance, and Musical Fidelity despite having low output impedance on the X-Can V3 has a 70ohm output impedance on the current replacement for that series.
 

  I've been having a problem with getting a good seal around my head, so I'll definitely give the angled earpads a try.

 
I wouldn't unless you're dead set on keeping the AKGs considering they're $45 each. Not each pair, each piece. That's $90. You could have just sold them and picked up an HD600.
 
 

  What's a good amp+dac combo for this setup for under $350 or so?

 
Schiit Modi2 Uber and Vali2, or the AudioGD NFB-11.
 

  Or should I just sell the 7XX and pick up 600/650's? 

 
That's worth considering. The HD650 has a drastically different sound balance - taller and wider bass plateau and weaker than the K7-- series practically everywhere above 2000hz.