Rayz, keep an eye on the For Sale Forum for a good deal on an amp. I've seen a few links to a new $280 Dynalo being offered, but I don't know whethe it is a well made amp yet. Certainly it is worth considering and I hope it is good.
As for the soundcard... it has nominally more power than an iPod. Not a good match for a difficult to drive headphone. Unfortunately, that card got caught in a whirlwind of hype and possible shilling here. There were some comments abou this when the hype rolled in, but they mostly were drowned out. You can't believe everything you read here, unfortunately.
Also, the K-701 is a controversial headphone. I never managed to enjoy it, despite loving pretty much every other AKG I've listened to. I hear some real problems in the treble and so do others here. Again, a lot of these opinions get drowned out. When I look or a new product, I usually skip over the positive reviews and focus on those that dislike it. That is usually the fastest way to find out the shortcomings and problems with a pieceof gear. You always have to consider the possibility that you aren't going to like something, unfortunately.
logwed, tube amps that do well with low impedance, low sensitivity headphones are almost always transformer coupled. Tubes have a relatively high output impedance which comes across in an OTL. Transformers can dramatically lower output impedance to make it work. The only exception is the Zana Deux. The 6C33C is unique in having a very low output impedance. That makes the Zana very special - you get the benefits of OTL without the drawbacks. I think the 6C41C will do that, too, but there aren't any 6C41C amps on the market and I'm not aware of any DIY plans - though I wish there were some. The handful of Eddie Current Dual Mono 6C41C amps in existence sound spectacular.
