[LeonWho]

I'll be getting an AKG K702 soon so I needed an amp!

The amp needs to be as cheap as possible, preferably under/around $200, while being good enough to drive the K702 to its fullest potential given the first condition.

From what I've read, synergy with the K702 is also very, very important.

An DAC would be a huge bonus.

Another big bonus would be if the amp had good synergy or went well with the Alessandro MS1i and the Altec Lansing iM716.

Amps I'm looking at are the:

1. Maverick Audio Amp/DAC
2. Little Dot I+
3. Qinpu A-6000MKII
4. Darkvoice 336Classic
5. DIY Amps?

Any other very affordable choices? Once again, the cheaper the better. DIY amps are also acceptable.

Thanks!
Leon

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Very few amps (if any that I can recall at least for now) in the less than 200 dollar category can deliver what the AKG's need in enough quantity to be driven optimally...that is a ton of clean current. It takes a fairly decent investment in an amp that will do such and do it well. The AKG's are also very inefficient compared to most other headphones on the market. Anything below 90db is considered very inefficient when the average is somewhere in the neighborhood of 98db with quite a few of those types requiring voltage swing rather current to sound their best. IC opamp based units can be low cost and deliver that voltage swing fairly well but the current capacity of such is limited depending on the design, the psu etc...add into that mix a headphone that is inefficient,a minuscule budget and the problem of finding a decent amp to properly drive the K702's is magnified tenfold. Are you even sure you'll like the 702s ? Are you familiar with the AKG house sound ?

Of the 2 amps you listed the hybrid LD I+ would be my choice but I would rethink your amp budget and step up to the 400-600 range. The choices in that price bracket are far and away better than either of the budget amps you've mentioned. The AKG K702's are tough nut to drive with a cheap amp.

Peete.

 

[LeonWho]

Thanks Peete.

Nope. I'm not sure if I'll like the AKG sound, which is why I definitely won't buy the amp until at least summer. However, I did "get in" on the $68 K702 deal, so I guess I'll have to give it a try.

I'm really starved for cash and I really cannot spend that much on an amp, but then again, I'm not exactly looking for the "absolute best."

I found some other amps in my price bracket and edited my original post to reflect that.

 

[viodea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeonWho /img/forum/go_quote.gif However, I did "get in" on the $68 K702 deal, so I guess I'll have to give it a try.

Is it used or brand new? I just bought one cost way more than that

I was looking for an amp for it too. After 3 days of intense research, I thought about the Maverick, and compass then decided to use the headphone out of a full 10 year old full size receiver. I don't know how well it's going to work because I'm still waiting for my headphone.

There was a long thread about using a full sized receiver as headphone amp.

 

[LeonWho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by viodea /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it used or brand new? I just bought one cost way more than that I was looking for an amp for it too. After 3 days of intense research, I thought about the Maverick, and compass then decided to use the headphone out of a full 10 year old full size receiver. I don't know how well it's going to work because I'm still waiting for my headphone. There was a long thread about using a full sized receiver as headphone amp.

It's brand new, but nobody knows whether or not it'll ship, since it's most likely a price mistake.

Ooh. I have a full sized receiver at home. Do you have the link to that thread?

Thanks!
Leon

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Some older receivers have decent head amps in them but you'll not know for sure until you try it...it's a 50/50 proposition it'll be good or bad I'm afraid.

Wow 68 bucks for a pair of new 702's ? Good luck on that score (if it happens). I can certainly understand the lack of funds issue making choice difficult. A Hybrid amp is your best bet for amping the 702's on the cheap and having that sound half decent in the process. Millet minimax, LD MK I+, a second hand EF2 are 3 good ones.

Peete.

 

[vagarach]

After looking a whole lot at what to buy to use with the K702s, I just decided to buy the Hotaudio Thunderbolt Max, $84 off ebay. The TPA6120A2 IC it uses is geared for high current, so for now it should be an O.K amp to hold me over while I work up the courage to buy a several kilogram, $600 amp from far, far away.

From all my research it does seem like the Heed Canamp is an ideal match for the K701/2.

Can't wait to hear what the K702 sounds like, people either love it or hate it!

 

[viodea]

These 2 threads are about full sized integrated amp as headphone amp.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/usi...ed-amp-329395/
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/man...-jacks-338299/

 

[Stein]

I think for the most part people love the sound of the K70X, but hate having to synergize to make it sound good. The only complaint I've really seen is that it's a bit bright, but the sound stage more than makes up for that, imo.

 

[Xcalibur255]

The wide soundstage really compounds the problem for those who find the K701 to be bright. It creates the impression of a very thin and hollow presentation, devoid of weight or substance. It's the 3Khz upper midrange peak in their response that gives me trouble..... my hearing is sensitive in that region so the K701/2 just sounds like it's shrieking at me half the time. Most of the people who dislike their sound can lay the blame on this midrange response peak. Some others love it because it accentuates the treble and creates the airy sound it is known for.

 

[baka1969]

I'm going to suggest the iBasso D2+ Boa and D4 Mamba. The Boa actually does a decent job with the 701.

 

[slytown]

Millet Minimax FTW. I love that thing. Haven't heard the 701s on it, but did hear the A900s and 650s.

Most likely that $68 is a scam though. :|

 

[Slash47]

With $200 I'd either save up to around $500 for something like an Amb M3 which is great, or just plug it straight into your source and spend the money elsewhere. I love my Elekit as well, which is around $450 or something.

$200 amps rely on opamps or BUF634's for power. They all sound very lifeless with the K701. I strongly prefer my otherwise inferior HD595's from these amps.

EDIT: Isn't the Millet Max capacitor coupled? That would not be good either.

 

[Emokid]

I would take a look at some TPA6120A2 based amp, my does great job with K701. Far better than most of portable amp i guess. These are some serious full size headphones, so they need some serious full-sized amplification. Otherwise they'll sound like a crap.

Take a look at the sheet, these IC's are pretty cheap a do very well.
http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tpa6120a2.pdf

 

[mrarroyo]

You can buy an used Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 for under $175 including S&H. Then get a replacement wall-wart from Jameco ( Jameco Electronics Power Supplies & Wall Adapters: JAMECO RELIAPRO: ADU120150E1012 ). The Jameco wall-wart provides 1.5 amps of available power versus the 0.5 amps of the stock wall-wart and it is very cheap.

More info on the Jameco wall-wart at: http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/Products/ProdDS/167151.pdf


Later as you get more funds you can perform the PinkFloyd mods. Cheers and good luck.