[ylekot]

I have acquired a set of AKG K340 headphones. They are in good shape, I did have to replace the elastic adjuster bands which was easy thanks to this group.

So on to my question, what reasonably priced $200.00 US or less tube amp will push these monsters?

Yes I used the search feature but managed to confuse myself (are these 400 ohms? 800? Will a 600 ohm setting run them?).....I also realize there are MANY options for amps so I expect varying opinions.
Nobsound? Little Dot? Prefer to hear from folks with experience with these specific headphones (unmodified)

Thanks

 

[ylekot]

So.... from my continuing research it seems that these should work well with an OTL tube amp....man I wish I had paid attention in school

 

[ylekot]

These things sound really good powered by my Yamaha receiver and EQ'd to my liking......no one has any advice?

 

[Monsterzero]

The K340 are one of the most power hungry headphones Ive ever owned. They require more power than the K240 sextetts as well as the K240 DF.

Which Yamaha receiver are you using?

 

[ylekot]

I am using a Yamaha R-S202BL Not a high end receiver but drives my Cerwin-Vega floor speakers well enough at 50 to 75 percent output.

The K340's really start to work about 75 percent volume but I have no idea as to the specs of it's headphone output.

 

[Monsterzero]

Im not sure any OTL below 200.00 will be enough for the K340. The Darkvoice 336 might do the trick,but its above your budget.
I used to use the La Figaro 339,and that complimented the K340 pretty well,but again above your budget.
IMO your best bet for the K340 is a vintage SS receiver,something warm to offset the bright nature of the K340.
Sansui and Marantz from the 1970s were quite warm sounding and highly musical.

Perhaps @richard51 can offer some other suggestions.

 

[ylekot]

Yeah I have been doing some research in my downtime and I think these headphones need someone way more dedicated to the hobby than I am.

 

[Monsterzero]

Yeah I have been doing some research in my downtime and I think these headphones need someone way more dedicated to the hobby than I am.

Yeah,theyre seriously not easy to drive,and frankly,not that great IMO,although @richard51 has a modded pair,and theyre his favorite headphone.
However since you already have it,seem to like it,and are already using a receiver,why not keep using that?

Frankly getting an old receiver would be an upgrade over what you have,and shouldnt break the bank.

Check out the video I did on using vintage receivers as headphone amps. Lots of good info.

 

[ylekot]

Unfortunately my receiver is in the living room where everyone does everything in my small 1000 square foot house, so I end up sitting in front of the TV in a chair to plug in to my receiver. The fact that everyone in the room can hear my music is not endearing them to my book reading wife who finds the music distracting.....I thought these were closed but the seem open to me....

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

My friend has owned a pair of these since the cold war and while he says they certainly need some juice to sing, he also mentioned how many great and inexpensive modern amps that can drive them well. Atom, Magni3 and his Valhalla 1. I own the Valhalla 2 which also works a treat with them.
Anyways I don’t think these need as much power as what most folks in the hobby allude to

 

[Monsterzero]

Atom, Magni3 and his Valhalla 1. I own the Valhalla 2 which also works a treat with them.
Anyways I don’t think these need as much power as what most folks in the hobby allude to

Unfortunately my receiver is in the living room where everyone does everything in my small 1000 square foot house, so I end up sitting in front of the TV in a chair to plug in to my receiver. The fact that everyone in the room can hear my music is not endearing them to my book reading wife who finds the music distracting.....I thought these were closed but the seem open to me....

As the person above suggested you can get a small dedicated HP amp,like the Schiit Magni 3,which has a very small footprint,so it would be easier to setup elsewhere in your home. I used to own the Magni 2,and I dont think its anywhere as good a solution as an old receiver as youre missing the power,and the Magni is a bit bright sounding to my ears. I have read good things about the JDS Atom,but I havent heard it myself.

The good thing about the Magni 3 or Atom is theyre inexpensive,and if for whatever reason you dont like them,theyre quite easy to sell here in the classifieds.

Regarding the power requirements of the K340,the only headphone Ive owned that needed more power was the HE-6,so I dont feel im overstating their amp requirements.
FWIW Ive owned 34 different headphones over the years,and reviewed dozens others. K340 is #2 hardest to drive.

 

[ylekot]

I think I'm going to pass them along and get something easier to drive, a little more mainstream and versatile. These do have a good sound but they do not isolate enough and I am not going to give up floor/desk/end table space to another receiver. I appreciate your assistance and knowledge. Good video about vintage receivers by the way, I was not aware that the different brands were that much different sonically but I do not have much experience either.

 

[richard51]

The Akg K 701 are way more easy to drive and they are now, tough very different with a bigger soundstage than the 340, almost on par with the 340, for me now one of my 2 prefered headphones...They are more confortable…. They lack the astounding naturalness for the voices and medium frequencies of the 340 but with the right installation and mods they are almost a TOTL headphones at a low cost now... I dont plan to replace the 340 nor the 701... I listen mostly now in near listening field or normally in my room...My discovery in audio is simple: buy a good product and try to clean vibrations, Electrical house grid, treat the room.... These tweaks made more for the sound than the gear itself....Same for the headphones...None of my gear sound the same nude or with all the tweaks...My best...

 

[ylekot]

The Akg K 701 are way more easy to drive and they are now, tough very different with a bigger soundstage than the 340, almost on par with the 340, for me now one of my 2 prefered headphones...They are more confortable…. They lack the astounding naturalness for the voices and medium frequencies of the 340 but with the right installation and mods they are almost a TOTL headphones at a low cost now... I dont plan to replace the 340 nor the 701... I listen mostly now in near listening field or normally in my room...My discovery in audio is simple: buy a good product and try to clean vibrations, Electrical house grid, treat the room.... These tweaks made more for the sound than the gear itself....Same for the headphones...None of my gear sound the same nude or with all the tweaks...My best...

701's eh? I will have to check those out.......I think I am going to get a Little Dot MkII from the specs it looks like they should match up quite well...These headphones sound GREAT!!!

 

[richard51]

But remember it is mandatory to address not only the power required for a specific headphone but address the vibrations problems of the audio system for example and the cleanliness of the electrical source be it a power supply or a power conditioner...The 701 is less natural sounding than the 340, but more confort, a bigger soundstage and with mods in the audio system, they sound more than great...I am an AKG man it seems, I dont want Hifiman nor Stax anymore, too costly and not really better, only different... The price used for the 701 is around 150 bucks...You can drive them with a cheap tube amplifier like the Bravo tube amplifier so good that one of my friend sell his schiit magni on the spot because like says Monsterzero too bright for the 701...No comparison...My best to you...