[Sahar360]

Recently I got my AKG K7XX from Massdrop.
However, i found the sound very unsatisfying:
Using Creative Sound Blaster Z soundcard, the sound is muddy, unatural, i find myself most of the time pushing the volume knob way up then I should.
In games the soundstage is OK, but not as clear and crisp as my older Audio Tehnica AD700.
 
So, what now, is it the fault of the soundcard? Is it worth spending 100$+ for a dac\amp combo for headphones that I dont think I even like, yet it still might be an improvent, but perhaps too minor?
Should I just get a pair of easier to drive AD900X? (I loved my older AD700, but its time for an upgrade).
 
I use my headphones for 60% gaming 40% music.
 
Thank you in advance .

 

[ProtegeManiac]

So, what now, is it the fault of the soundcard? Is it worth spending 100$+ for a dac\amp combo for headphones that I dont think I even like, yet it still might be an improvent, but perhaps too minor?

 
Unless it's something used, possibly worn and possibly about to break something within a few years, you won't find a DAC-HPamp combo that will work with the K701 and the soundcard. Best you can go with for that kind of money is a Schiit Magni, which is an amp.

 

[Sahar360]

I can always sell the soundblaster Z and just use S/PDIF output from the motherboard soundcard.
Question if its worth spending money on dac + amp, or the difference will be minor.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sahar360 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I can always sell the soundblaster Z and just use S/PDIF output from the motherboard soundcard.

 

Depending on what DSP features your motherboard has and what you use on the SBZ, you wouldn't want to do that. The reason why the DAC-HPamp needs to be compatible with the SBZ is because if you're using the DSP on it for surround sound simulation or the global EQ on the software suite (ie both affect whatever you're listening to, like movies or streaming through the browser, unlike the EQ and DSP tricks built into Foobar). Following that, the DSP chip also handles SPDIF conversion, which is why you need to use a DAC-HPamp with an SPDIF input and not USB.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sahar360 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Question if its worth spending money on dac + amp, or the difference will be minor.

 

Judging by what you've noticed with the K7XX and the specs of what you have in your system right now the most likely culprit is the 30ohm output impedance on the SBZ. As for whether that is minor or worth it to you is not something we can determine well enough, as it isn't exactly going to be drastic. It will at minimum clear up the muddy bass, but I can't be sure if you can hear all the other differences. For one, if apart from the output impedance you're not actually driving the SBZ to output levels that get it to audible distortion (despite the low sensitivity/efficiency), then there will not be any easily audible difference.

 

[Monsterzero]

The K7XX is not easy to drive.I used to own it and tried it with my Magni Uber 2 and though it did get plenty of volume,it was not enough to solidify the bass response.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Recently I got my AKG K7XX from Massdrop.
However, i found the sound very unsatisfying:
Using Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card, the sound is muddy, unnatural, i find myself most of the time pushing the volume knob way up then I should.
In games the sound stage is OK, but not as clear and crisp as my older Audio Technica AD700.
So, what now, is it the fault of the sound card? Is it worth spending 100$+ for a dac\amp combo for headphones that I don't think I even like, yet it still might be an improvement, but perhaps too minor?
Should I just get a pair of easier to drive AD900X? (I loved my older AD700, but its time for an upgrade).
I use my headphones for 60% gaming 40% music.

 
A Bravo Ocean tube (hybrid) headphone amplifier ($80), connected to the SB-Z's Front speaker jack, might improve audio quality, for music, with the K7XX.
But connecting an amplifier to the SB-Z's front speaker jack bypasses the card's surround sound feature (SBX), which is not needed for music.
If you still have the ATH-AD700 headphones, might as well stick to those for FPS gaming.

 

[GRUMPYOLDGUY]

  The K7XX is not easy to drive.I used to own it and tried it with my Magni Uber 2 and though it did get plenty of volume,it was not enough to solidify the bass response.

 
At 62Ohm nominal impedance and 105 dB SPL/mW it is fairly easy to drive.
 
You might be experiencing the effect of the impedance curve at low frequencies. This is correctable with EQ or using a source that is better matched in terms of impedance at that frequency.  

 

[Monsterzero]

   
At 62Ohm nominal impedance and 105 dB SPL/mW it is fairly easy to drive.
 
You might be experiencing the effect of the impedance curve at low frequencies. This is correctable with EQ or using a source that is better matched in terms of impedance at that frequency.  

I use AIMP on my computer,which has an 18 band EQ on it...never could get the "ragged" bottom to go away.However when I plugged my K7XX into an old Sansui 881 receiver...BOOM...great sound,no crappy bottom end....and didnt need an EQ to accomplish it.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Recently I got my AKG K7XX from Massdrop.
However, i found the sound very unsatisfying:
Using Creative Sound Blaster Z sound card, the sound is muddy, unnatural, i find myself most of the time pushing the volume knob way up then I should.
In games the sound stage is OK, but not as clear and crisp as my older Audio Technica AD700.
So, what now, is it the fault of the sound card? Is it worth spending 100$+ for a dac\amp combo for headphones that I don't think I even like, yet it still might be an improvement, but perhaps too minor?
Should I just get a pair of easier to drive AD900X? (I loved my older AD700, but its time for an upgrade).
I use my headphones for 60% gaming 40% music.

Did you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when you installed the SB-Z card?
Slight chance active on-board might effect an add-on sound card.

 

[Sahar360]

How are the AD900X in comparison, will switching to them be a downgrade? Do they sound as warm as the K7XX?
 
I dont have the budget to justify any DAC\AMP more expensive then the schiit stack (magni 2 + modi 2), they are barely in my budget anything more expensive is out of it.
Think I just might stick to SMSL 793-II / SMSL M3 and AD900X.
 

  Did you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, when you installed the SB-Z card?
Slight chance active on-board might effect an add-on sound card.
 

 
100% disabled it in all possible ways.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  How are the AD900X in comparison, will switching to them be a downgrade?
 
I dont have the budget to justify any DAC\AMP more expensive then the Schiit stack (Magni 2 + Modi 2+), they are barely in my budget anything more expensive is out of it.
Think I just might stick to SMSL 793-II / SMSL M3 and AD900X.

 
I own about 5 or 6 Audio Technica headphones, one being the ATH-A900X, which was my preferred headphone
So assume you will like the AD900X
 
SMSL

 

[GRUMPYOLDGUY]

 
I use AIMP on my computer,which has an 18 band EQ on it...never could get the "ragged" bottom to go away.However when I plugged my K7XX into an old Sansui 881 receiver...BOOM...great sound,no crappy bottom end....and didnt need an EQ to accomplish it.

 
So the second part of my statement worked for you.
 
You're better off using a soft parameteric EQ than you are with graphical EQ by the way.... graphical EQ will create a very narrow peak around the bin center freq... which is rarely useful.  

 

[Sahar360]

   
I own about 5 or 6 Audio Technica headphones, one being the ATH-A900X, which was my preferred headphone
So assume you will like the AD900X
 
SMSL

 
if not SMSL, which AMP + DAC would you recommend for them (100$ budget)?
 
Btw, Thanks for all who reply and help, really appreciate it

 

[jakecrz]

oh well, I guess I'll just burn this k7xx when I get it. wasted my $199 for nothing if it's not good as you say. *sigh*

And I only have E10K so I guess it won't power to full potential. No budget for better amp/dac combo. I just went with the flow of the drop cuz ppl say they are good. **** my life.

 

[Draulius]

I had the AD700 and preferred it too, even over the K712. Not worth the price jump at all, so I got the AD900x instead.