[Tigerhawk]

Un-amped, the K702 is pointless IMO.  I did some comparisons regarding bass when I had them.  Just out of an HT omega soundcard (non-amp version) the bass was weak and hardly present.  Once amped, they really transformed in the bass department.  There is still not much quantity overall, but the bass really can hit hard and deep.  Overall though, I found the HD600 is just an overall better headphone as a whole.  It just did everything well, where as the K702 just had too many weaknesses and odd moments; so I kept HD600s and the K702s went back. 

 

[EddieE]

I think I'm the only person in the world who thinks the K702 sound great unamped - obviously compared to them amped they are a shadow of their potential but I don't think they sound bad at all. 
 
Actually I know for a fact that I'm not the only person to think that as I've had PM discussion with another person who said the same but would never say so publicly here for fear of being stoned!
 
The "K702/K701 impossible to amp" myth is one of the most enduring on head fi but certainly does not make any sense looking at their specs and in my experience as an owner is simply not true. While there is no argument they sound best off my Cantate.2 (the meier crossfeed improves the amazing K702 soundstage even furthur) I've had thoroughly enjoyable listening sessions off a Pico amp/dac and a neco soundlabs portable and even off my Clip + and Cowon S9straight out of the hp out - although admittedly the lower end suffers a little from the daps - 90% of the sound is there.
 
Maybe it comes about from them having such a polarising sound? Lots of people say they hate them and the people who love them think maybe it's the amp and a myth starts to build?
 
Anyway, that is my own, highly controversial opinion that will no doubt see me slated!

 

[Prog Rock Man]

The only headphones I know of that really do not work unamped are the Sony DR 4C at 10,000 ohms. They don't make them anymore. OK so the AKGs will work straight out of an ipod and sound better than other equivalents, but please accept, they are not exactly performing at their best. You may as well get other headphones more suited to ipods.

 

[Mochan]

I've said this many times as well. The K701 is fine unamped. I too have tried them off a Clip+ an they did respectably well. The amp insanity surrounding the K601 is the worst I have ever seen.

 

[magicalpig]

^ What he said.

 

[Acix]

One session with the Phonitor, and you can feel the end of the complains. Natural and transparent like no other.

 

[kunalraiker]

phonitor would be for high impedance headphones.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

phonitor would be for high impedance headphones.

The Phonitor play high and low the same. But most of the AKG's are hard to drive for example the HD-800 are loud by 2.5 db compare to the K-702.

 

[VALIENTE]

My unamped K701 is as good as my Grado SR60, but a bit cold with respect to the warm funny side of SR60. I assume K701 will be funny if you hook it up with an amp that will provide synergy. Try getting a desktop amp like Burson HA-160, you will be happy!

 

[E. Cavanaugh]

Quote:

OK so the AKGs will work straight out of an ipod and sound better than other equivalents, but please accept, they are not exactly performing at their best. You may as well get other headphones more suited to ipods.

TRue...they can sound ok, but the sound quality will be poor. They reach their full potential when amped. 

 

[Acix]

Quote:

 
they lack bass and are tinny sounding .... is balanced b22 decent enough ?
 

NO.

 

[E. Cavanaugh]

Quote:

NO.

I was thinking on that. I agree with you. 

 

[nigeljames]

 
Quote:

Funny, because I found them to be at times thin and bass lite with the Woo6, Woo3, and my MAD Ear+HD. I preferred the SS Total Bithead to them. I just couldn't get into them with tubes (and I'm a "tube guy"). Are you EQing your K702s?
 
Being relatively low impedance cans, they really need current (not voltage) to drive them properly and the B22 can do that better than most tube amps.

 
EQing thats sacrilege I say, sacrilege

 
But you don't mention the Woo6 se

   Actually the K701's don't sound thin and bass lite with my Solo SRG I either.
Maybe its my source (Cyrus CD8se) but the bass is very full, tight and punchy and although the HD650's have more body and fulness to the general sound the K701's could never be called thin on my system.
 

 

[Mochan]

No, they don't sound "ok" out of an iPod they sound very good out of an iPod. They just sound even better with a proper system behind them. The only caveat is that you need to turn your volume up on your iPod... but they sound better than many lesser headphones even in this setup.
 
Quote:

TRue...they can sound ok, but the sound quality will be poor. They reach their full potential when amped. 

 

 

[joelpearce]

Quote:

The only headphones I know of that really do not work unamped are the Sony DR 4C at 10,000 ohms. They don't make them anymore. OK so the AKGs will work straight out of an ipod and sound better than other equivalents, but please accept, they are not exactly performing at their best. You may as well get other headphones more suited to ipods.

Just for fun, we plugged my AKG K240M into an iPod once.  It sounded absolutely horrible.  If the K701s are even close to that hard to drive, I don't recommend it.