[66645]

Hi, K701 looks very promising to me, but I cant afford an amplifier, due to a simple reason - I would like to have some freedom to move in my apartment, meaning I need to connect it so some mp3 player with powerful output (like cowon D2 - 37mW per channel for 16 Ohm). Has anybody tried such combination? Does it worth it? Or K710 still need an amplifier? Will it be better to go with ATH-A900 in this case?

I can't check by myself, so any advice will be greatly appreciated.

...and in general, if K701 is not good for my needs, which cans will be a best portable choice (for home use, without an amplifier, with good MP3 player) - I don't care about type - close/open/IEM/whatever elce...?

Grados, seems to be not very comfortable to me....

P.S. Also I love the sound of Sony MDR SA1000 very much despite the low bass....

 

[dw6928]

701s are extremely power/current needy and would be a poor match. You would not even begin to appreciate them as they would be underpowered, sound thin
and anemic. Honestly, you would be wasting your money w/o an amp for these wonderful headphones. Try to find something less demanding. My Denons are an example and there are many others. Just not 701s (or Sennheiser 650s). Good luck.

 

[reorx]

nope. uh-uh. negative.

if youre really in a financial bind, even a cheap portable amp like a cmoy or a go-vibe will do wonders...just dont expect the 701s to be maximized.

a better fit would be some portable cans. Non-grado you say? start off with the SEARCH FUNCTION

But to start you off, for cans at least, i can recommend the AT-ES7, AKG k81dj, dt770 80 ohm version, or the sennheiser px100.

 

[66645]

THANKS, clear enough!
Portable amplifier? Hmm.. I'll check it out...but it probably quite uncomfortable to carry two devices... no, money is not the issue.

So, no K701...

, ...going down... what about A900 for portable use...?

I already paid attention on AT-ES7... but it big step down, I guess...

 

[JaZZ]

I disagree with the above posters. Actually I have the iAudio 7, not the D2, but from the reviews I expect it to have very similar sonic and electric characteristics. In short: the K 701 mates astonishingly well with the i7, sounds lively, full-bodied and clean. The only reservation addresses the limited volume. After all the maximum I had to set was 38 (of 40), so in fact I never reached the limit so far. Even when set to maximum, the sound stays dynamic, clean and transparent; the amp certainly has some power reserve left for activated effects. However, with a few classical recordings you'll have the wish for higher gain, though, unless they're normalized.
.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reorx /img/forum/go_quote.gif But to start you off, for cans at least, i can recommend the AT-ES7, AKG k81dj, dt770 80 ohm version, or the sennheiser px100.

By far not in the same league as the K 701 -- even with the i7/D2. But they will play louder, of course. And the PX 100 is a good portable alternative indeed, especially when equalized with the D2's sophisticated semi-parametric equalizer.
.

 

[66645]

Quote:

I disagree with the above posters. Actually I have the iAudio 7, not the D2, but from the reviews I expect it to have very similar sonic and electric characteristics. In short: the K 701 mates astonishingly well with the i7, sounds lively, full-bodied and clean. The only reservation addresses the limited volume. After all the maximum I had to set was 38 (of 40), so in fact I never reached the limit so far. Even when set to maximum, the sound stays dynamic, clean and transparent; the amp certainly has some power reserve left for activated effects. However, with a few classical recordings you'll have the wish for higher gain, though, unless they're normalized.

Hmmm, now I'm a bit confused - two completely opposite opinions

D2 is even more powerful then iAudio 7. iAudio has 26 mW per channel, D2 has 37. So, if it works on iAudio 7....

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reorx But to start you off, for cans at least, i can recommend the AT-ES7, AKG k81dj, dt770 80 ohm version, or the sennheiser px100. By far not in the same league as the K 701 -- even with the i7/D2. But they will play louder, of course. And the PX 100 is a good portable alternative indeed.

Yes, I'm aware of these alternatives, just want to check if I can afford something better with portable, before going down.

PX100 is definitely not what I'm looking for...

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif By far not in the same league as the K 701 -- even with the i7/D2. But they will play louder, of course. And the PX 100 is a good portable alternative indeed, especially when equalized with the D2's sophisticated semi-parametric equalizer. .

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I disagree with the above posters. Actually I have the iAudio 7, not the D2, but from the reviews I expect it to have very similar sonic and electric characteristics. In short: the K 701 mates astonishingly well with the i7, sounds lively, full-bodied and clean. The only reservation addresses the limited volume. After all the maximum I had to set was 38 (of 40), so in fact I never reached the limit so far. Even when set to maximum, the sound stays dynamic, clean and transparent; the amp certainly has some power reserve left for activated effects. However, with a few classical recordings you'll have the wish for higher gain, though, unless they're normalized. .

iAudio's sound on K701 compared to an amplifier...big difference?

Thanks!

 

[tjumper78]

i've never had k701.
however, i tried listenining to my senn hd650 from cowon iaudio x5. i was surprised at how decent it sounded unamped.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lelek45 /img/forum/go_quote.gif iAudio's sound on K701 compared to an amplifier...big difference?

Sonically it's not a big difference to the Corda Opera. Absoutely pleasing sound with no glaring deficit. You have to decide yourself if the power reserve is sufficient for you. It is for me -- and I don't listen at particularly low levels. Of course I wouldn't use this combo in the open.
.

 

[66645]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sonically it's not a big difference to the Corda Opera. Absoutely pleasing sound with no glaring deficit. You have to decide yourself if the power reserve is sufficient for you. It is for me -- and I don't listen at particularly low levels. Of course I wouldn't use this combo in the open. .

Thanks! It's worth trying, I think,... at least it will sound better then PX100.

By the way, since you have HD650, does it require the same power as K701? Less or more?

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lelek45 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks! It's worth trying, I think,... at least it will sound better then PX100.

Definitely.

Quote:

By the way, since you have HD650, does it require the same power as K701? Less or more?

Very slightly more -- I'm talking of the volume indicator.
.

 

[HardHeadCase]

I recommend you get a Meier Headsix to accompany your DAP and your 701s.

 

[majkel]

Whatever people say that this will be loud enough or not, even the 250 ohm DT880's and 300 ohm HD600's will play louder from the same player at the same volume set. Grados will be significantly louder than the latter two, and the Sennheiser's HD595 a bit louder than the Grado's. I'm not convincing you to buy certain headphones, just to give you the references. In other words, the AKG K701's are one of the worst choices for un-amped usage with the mp3 players.