[Nintendogs]

Hi, i've been at a constant war with myself on getting the AKG k702 or the k272 headphones (same price), but recently I ended up with a pair of Sennheiser PXC 350's for Christmas, and I was wondering if you could help decide weather I should keep the senn's, or return them and get the K702 or the K272's to fulfill my audiophile needs. Here a few things that you should know:

1. I will be using the headphones for almost everything, from recording on a camcorder to mixing audio to just enjoying music.

2. They will be used on a laptop plugged into a "creative notebook sound blaster sound card", and a motorola droid phone, and any given prosumer camcorder.

3. I will be in both noisy and quiet environments, such as a bus and the school studio (and sometimes a classroom).

4. I know there is sound leakage on the k702, and they also offer better sound than the k272, but how much sound really leaks out of the headphones? enough to disturb sitting across from me in the studio? Or in class? Does a padding or cover exist for these headphones to prevent sound leakage when I need it quiet? Or should I just use tape? (lol)

5. I have VERY sensitive ears and will keep the volume very low on the headphones, so this might help with the sound leakage issue, and if I understand correctly, they will be easier to drive.

6. I will be needing to wear these headphones for time periods of up to 3-4 hours. (So they need to be comfy

)

6. With the PXC 350's, after about ~60 minutes of listening to them I get a little bit of a headache, and my ears start to hurt for some reason. Do you think that this issue is because of the closed backs of the headphones?

Please help!!!

Thanks!

 

[Zombie_X]

Well if you're not going to be using an amp I can only suggest the K272. K701 are very power hungry and and won't be all that good from a camcorder or Ipod. Though they are low impedance, their sensitivity isn't the best. This in conjunction with their impedance creates a bigger draw for power and also lower volume output.

For the K272, just get the K271 in it's place. They sound exactly the same, plus you save nearly $100 in the end. The K272 is the same thing, but it comes with extra stuff that you most likely don't need. Plus it's a ton easier to drive than the K701.

For mixing the K701 would be best as it's very revealing and accurate. You'll be able to hear all the things buried in your audio files. This will be compromised if you go unamped.

As for comfort, both are very comfortable.

The headache issue may be from pressure on the ears or pressure to the head.

 

[Nintendogs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie_X /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well if you're not going to be using an amp I can only suggest the K272. K701 are very power hungry and and won't be all that good from a camcorder or Ipod. Though they are low impedance, their sensitivity isn't the best. This in conjunction with their impedance creates a bigger draw for power and also lower volume output. For the K272, just get the K271 in it's place. They sound exactly the same, plus you save nearly $100 in the end. The K272 is the same thing, but it comes with extra stuff that you most likely don't need. Plus it's a ton easier to drive than the K701. For mixing the K701 would be best as it's very revealing and accurate. You'll be able to hear all the things buried in your audio files. This will be compromised if you go unamped. As for comfort, both are very comfortable. The headache issue may be from pressure on the ears or pressure to the head.

Thanks for the help!

But what exactly does it do if the device is not powerful enough to drive the K702? Also what does a headphone amp really do? Just amplify the sound and increase the volume? Because I doubt I'll need it any louder.

Thanks again!

 

[Zombie_X]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nintendogs /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the help! But what exactly does it do if the device is not powerful enough to drive the K702? Also what does a headphone amp really do? Just amplify the sound and increase the volume? Because I doubt I'll need it any louder. Thanks again!

Well the headphones will get loud enough unamped, but there are compromises to the SQ, especially bass and instrument separation and also transients. Some higher end cans, when unamped, have muddy bass and sound thing.

Just because a phone is a relatively low impedance, does not mean it will be powered correctly. There are so many factors that come into play when amping and driving.

Amped necessarily provides current and voltage to headphone to help the diaphragm function better. Basically an underpowered source like lets say an Ipod, are not all that powerful and would not meat the power requirements for a K701.

A K701, in my experience, requires about 400mW of power to function properly. I would say an Ipod would not be able to output 100mW into a K701 at all. What ensues would be bass clipping and a somewhat sluggish and thin sound (yes I have tried K701 unamped).

Of course this is all my opinion on the matter.

 

[Acix]

You can start with the 272 and update later on. I can recommend you the Echo DJ indigo PCMCIA sound card, great solution for laptops music.

 

[Nintendogs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zombie_X /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well the headphones will get loud enough unamped, but there are compromises to the SQ, especially bass and instrument separation and also transients. Some higher end cans, when unamped, have muddy bass and sound thing. Just because a phone is a relatively low impedance, does not mean it will be powered correctly. There are so many factors that come into play when amping and driving. Amped necessarily provides current and voltage to headphone to help the diaphragm function better. Basically an underpowered source like lets say an Ipod, are not all that powerful and would not meat the power requirements for a K701. A K701, in my experience, requires about 400mW of power to function properly. I would say an Ipod would not be able to output 100mW into a K701 at all. What ensues would be bass clipping and a somewhat sluggish and thin sound (yes I have tried K701 unamped). Of course this is all my opinion on the matter.

Thanks! So in that case, I might end up getting a portable headphone amp. The real issue that I am worried about is sound leakage and outside noise. So how bad is the sound leakage on the K702? And would they be usable on something such as a somewhat noisy bus with their open design?

Thanks again!

 

[agogo]

I see you didn't get a reply to your last Q post - which hp did you end up buying?  And were you happy with the final solution?  Thread has been helpful but curious to know outcome.
 

 

[agogo]

I see you didn't get a reply to your last Q post - which hp did you end up buying?  And were you happy with the final solution?  Thread has been helpful but curious to know outcome.
 
Flag*[views fr a newbie]*
 
well, my K702 has been out of the box for less than a week.  Though still in its early stages of burn in, I have been very happy with it unamped, (increasingly so) but then again it depends on the kind of music you listen to. 
 
I've found that the iPod Classic (circa'07) drives it well enough for it to be unamped (IL DIVO, Michal Hromek's Celtic Guitar, Alicia Keys Unplugged, Black Eyed Peas "Where is the Love") - (in my opinion only, hvg said that I'd like to think myself relatively discerning) the volume on maximum is just right not to bust my ear drums.  Qualification - but if you like to get hot/ emo with your music that's where amping is a must. (U2 Bon Jovi & the like)
 
At this juncture, I have not heard any improvement, aside from bass & volume, on my K702 via the fiio E7 or E9 amps - if anything I preferred the sound of 95% of my music without the amp, as the clarity of accoustics or vocal is slightly compromised with the amp, slightly colored and rolled (unless that's what you prefer, I'm not sure if you should call it smoother) - not as accurate (if that's what you term it).  The exception being if you're playing U2 or Bon Jovi or Jamiroquai then the E7/E9 would definitely give it a lift.  But I am not that happy at this moment with my E7 or E9 as the L3 Line Out Dock connection is touch n go leaving me tweaking for optimal sound every so often I ever so slightly move it.  Someone has said I had wrongly used LOD but isn't that what it's for, to connect your iPod, iPhone etc to the amp?  Aside from the connectivity, I guess I could've lived with the E7/E9 as a cheap/ not so cheap transformer for the K702 into a pair of Denons.... or perhaps I just need better amps.  apologies for rambling.
 
Soundleakage - in my opinion, if you are listening to it unamped, the volume isn't going to be that loud, but I must say for the K702 leakage comes through as more tinny & higher pitched (still burning in) compared to the Sennheiser HD598 which sounds fuller & like a pair of quasi speakers (lower impedance hence louder but definitely smoother).  So something to think about.  On an old noisy rumbling bus, I doubt this would be an issue, but if you are commuting on something that glides and is relatively quiet then NO. This depends on who is around you as well and the type of music you listen to (ie if everyone is on headphones, you're in gd co). BUT I would definitely NOT listen to this in class - it could be annoying tinnying away.  You will need closed headphones even those sometimes leak sound but at least they are purpose built for sound insulation.
 
Portability - though extremely comfortable (dpdg on size of head) to me, I'm not sure if you would want to lug this around - it's light but chunky and you wouldn't want to risk damaging it.  The wires are 10ft/ 3m long.
 
I love the 'pitch black' background - there is no bloat on the K702 (if I'm using this term correctly), it gives off a very neutral, placid (deferring & not in your face), accurate sound reproduction.
However when you start comparing, is where you start noticing differences and where preferences come in. 
 
Happy Hunting.