[philcheon]

Calling all Head-fi members!
 
Just kidding.
 
Alright, so I'm getting more and more immersed into the world of high end audio, and for practicality, have chosen headphones over speaker systems.
 
Ultimately, I'm going to eventually want to build a proper system for high end headphones, but I have only a few clues for where to start.
 
I've looked at some desktop amps, DACs, and things like that, mostly around a price range that falls below 200-300 dollars. In that range, I've found the Audinst HUD-mx1, Schiit Asgard, FiiO e7 and e9, AUNE, and various other equipment that I can't name off the top of my head.
 
Sooner or later, I'll have a pair of K701's, and I'll also have a PA2V2 for portable listening, which will also be used with the K701's until I have a dedicated amp. It is to my understanding that the K701 is an extremely picky headphone that works very well with a few specific amps, and that the majority of them are vacuum tube amps.
 
All I have right now is a sound card that was bundled with an ASUS Rampage motherboard (for those of you that are computer geeks/nerds/whatever you want to call yourself like me, or perhaps computer specialists). It works fine, but it isn't the best card. Most of the desktop amps take RCA, so I figure that if I have a USB DAC, I can get a "purer" digital signal than when it goes through the sound card. "Purer" being used very lightly, since it's all just binary 1's and 0's. Once it goes through the DAC, I could output into an amp. Most DACs to my knowledge appear to have built in amplification, which is why I'm looking for advice. It's too much to ask for a beginner's guide when there's so many kinds of headphones, amps, DACs, etc., but I figure it won't be too much to get some help with a basic set up.
 
I'm lurking the forums an awful lot and it's very interesting to hear comparisons between different gear, such that tube amps tend to sound "warmer" and that OPAMPs tend to not be as good than an all-transistor/solid-state amp or tube amps.
 
TL;DR
 
Noob wants to build decent desktop setup for high fidelity audio. How do?

 

[BotByte]

I've heard little dot works well with AKG, btu not too sure about the 70x series
 
But you would need a USB DAC to hook to a tube amp
That's the problem with tube amps is that most of them can't run from a native USB
 
Here's a article here:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/501631/amp-and-dac-for-akg-k701
 
And what they say is true, they are hard to run and you need close to $500 for a starter amp for them
 
 
How about this:
 
What's your total price range?
What source are you using? (Mp3. ipod)
And what music do you listen to? Or movies and games?

 

[philcheon]

I'm looking to invest in an amp first, DAC later (if discrete). I will be building the basic system over a period of one to four months, which comes out to a flexible budget of around 600 dollars. If a few things I am trying to sell, sell quickly and at a good price, it may be cut down to only two months with a slightly higher dollar amount.
 
The source will be digital. Seeing as I just paid a good amount of money for K701's, I don't want to nor can I afford to huck them around with me, so it will stay mostly attached to my computer. Most of my music collection is at least 256 kbps, with a few of my favorite albums in 320kbps MP3 or in a variety of lossless formats.
 
The K701's (apparently) highly analytical sound will be used for my classical, orchestral, jazz, and vocals collection of music, although I will experiment with my K240's to see how they render electronic, rock, and ... whatever genre you can assign to Radiohead. I will also see how they do for movies and games, although I may resort to speakers or my K240's. Basically, I'll be listening to music that will hopefully exemplify the K701's ability to create a large soundstage and be exacting and precise.

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

I'm looking to invest in an amp first, DAC later (if discrete). I will be building the basic system over a period of one to four months, which comes out to a flexible budget of around 600 dollars. If a few things I am trying to sell, sell quickly and at a good price, it may be cut down to only two months with a slightly higher dollar amount.
 
The source will be digital. Seeing as I just paid a good amount of money for K701's, I don't want to nor can I afford to huck them around with me, so it will stay mostly attached to my computer. Most of my music collection is at least 256 kbps, with a few of my favorite albums in 320kbps MP3 or in a variety of lossless formats.
 
The K701's (apparently) highly analytical sound will be used for my classical, orchestral, jazz, and vocals collection of music, although I will experiment with my K240's to see how they render electronic, rock, and ... whatever genre you can assign to Radiohead. I will also see how they do for movies and games, although I may resort to speakers or my K240's. Basically, I'll be listening to music that will hopefully exemplify the K701's ability to create a large soundstage and be exacting and precise.

1. you don't buy an amp just because. You need an amp because your headphones need it. K701 are headphones that are added to a person's already established collection. Best for you is to look for a can that will be a good starter while you can still grow you collection.
 
2. I want to know what your source is. Ipod? Sansa? Sony receiver? I don't care if it's digital, I need to know what you're actually playing from.
 
3. AKG are studio headphones and need a good set up to run correctly. But the best setup you can have a simple one.
 
you've got $600 to spend. You want a can for classical and jazz correct?
 

 

[philcheon]

Quote:

1. you don't buy an amp just because. You need an amp because your headphones need it. K701 are headphones that are added to a person's already established collection. Best for you is to look for a can that will be a good starter while you can still grow you collection.
 
2. I want to know what your source is. Ipod? Sansa? Sony receiver? I don't care if it's digital, I need to know what you're actually playing from.
 
3. AKG are studio headphones and need a good set up to run correctly. But the best setup you can have a simple one.
 
you've got $600 to spend. You want a can for classical and jazz correct?
 

I am buying an amp specifically because I have K701's.
 
My smartphone and my computer are my sources.
 
I need an amp for K701's.

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

I am buying an amp specifically because I have K701's.
 
My smartphone and my computer are my sources.
 
I need an amp for K701's.

Do you already have the K701s?
 
And anything under $500 for a amp will not make those K701 run well.
 
If your searching for a amp, go to the amp section. 
 
And a smartphone is a horrible source. You will need a USB amp/DAC that will run a K701. I have no clue what would actually will run them. Going from you MoBo sound will just break a Amp apart and be a waste of money. 
 
So, let me get this straight
 
In your first post you didn't have them.
Now you have them
You have a smartphone and running from a desktop
Your budget is $600. Now with cans or without?
 
1. AKG mobile do not work. It just doesn't. They are the most unmobile cans I can think of.
2. You will need a good mobile source. Cowon S9/J3 or Clip+
3. You need a amp that will work with the K701. About 15% of amps out there now. But you need it from your desktop and best from a USB. That's about 2% of USB amps. Then you need a DAC because the K701 doesn't work well with digital channels. 1% of USB amp/DAC out there. But I don't know what one it is.
4. You want a portable amp/DAC. I'm lost
 
Best plan:
Get a USB DAC. HRT Music Streamer is good
Go to a second hand shop to pick up a AM/Fm receiver. This will act as your amp. The USB DAC will act as a preamp and break down the digital signal even more. You will need high quality cables to connect.
Then your K701
 
Portable:
Cowon J3
FiiO E9
 
If you have the cans, this would fit within budget
If you don't, it's about $100 over. 

 

[2enty3]

Quote:

And anything under $500 for a amp will not make those K701 run well.

I'm not sure where you got that from, but I don't think that's true at all. I believe most amps above the $200 line are no longer about if they can run the 701's, but whether they like the sound. That said, if you want an amp that is deemed "excellent"( by a majority of H-fi) for the K701, then you are bound to go over the $500 mark. If you want something that is "good" with the 701's, then you can likely stay within the $500 mark.
 
I'm using the NFB-12 which is an AMP/DAC and it only cost $200, and I think it runs the 701's just fine.
 
It's just up to you whether you want your setup to be the best money can buy, or if you just want something to satisfy your thirst for Hi-Fi. If I were you, I would save up. More cost-effective.
 

 

[philcheon]

BotByte:
 
I never said I will be using the K701 as a mobile headphone. I have other, cheaper headphones for taking outside my home.
 
What I was looking for, I found in your post: a USB DAC. The HRT Music Streamer 2 will fill that purpose. I needed a go between from my computer to whatever amplification I would have later on.
 
I don't need a mobile audio source as I said I will not be taking these headphones out of my home. The only thing I need now is an amp that functions decently for the K701's without breaking the bank.
 
I do admit I was not clear on whether or not I own K701's. I already own them, so the ~600 dollar budget is completely separate from the headphones.
 
This what I understand from your suggestions:
 
computer -> HRT Music Streamer -> Receiver -> K701
 
You'll have to clarify why exactly I should invest in a stereo receiver instead of some moderately decent headphone amp. 
 
Currently, this is what I want to work on:
 
digital audio source (computer) -> HRT Music Streamer -> amplification -> K701
 
I appreciate the help. It is difficult to teach a beginner this sort of thing. 

---

2enty3:
 
I'm sure that there are many amps that can effectively drive the K701 without reaching the 500 dollar mark. It is indeed about deciding how much to spend to at least make using the K701 bearable as compared to the potential when used with much more expensive amps.
 
I will look up your suggestion on the NFB-12.

---

 
Right now, it seems my set up will include an HRT USB DAC, which I can then use to send the signal to an amp... I was thinking I would get a tube amp, but since I've only heard that tubes are good for AKG's, I'm not completely sold on tube amps only.

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

computer -> HRT Music Streamer -> Receiver -> K701
 
digital audio source (computer) -> HRT Music Streamer -> amplification -> K701
 
Right now, it seems my set up will include an HRT USB DAC, which I can then use to send the signal to an amp... I was thinking I would get a tube amp, but since I've only heard that tubes are good for AKG's, I'm not completely sold on tube amps only.

A lot of people don't understand why you won't get much value in headphones amps. This is because they are marketed as "Audiophile" and thus created a small legion of followers
 
I say this time and time again. A Receiver will give you more and better sound quality then a "Headphone" amp.
 
I run a receiver as my main system. I use my Desktop as my source.
 
Desktop > Foobar2000 > FLAC > 3.5mm to rca from MoBo > receiver > Headphone
 
A stereo receiver is a amp/DAC/speaker amp in one package. A second hand one works the same as the new ones in store because the tech hasn't changed. You could even get something special when getting a older tube receiver.
 
A receiver also produces a better, more relaxed power that can be played with and adjusted to run any headphones. Almost, any headphones. Electrostatic + Planar need their own amps.
 
But it's a cheap fix for power at $30.
 
The music streamer you could probably wait off on if you're going to get a receiver since they both work as DACs. 

 

[philcheon]

No offense, but your entire explanation just became very simple.
 
I will take your advice and find a decent receiver then. 30 dollars isn't much of a dent, either.
 
Although, the only problem with an AV receiver is their size in comparison.

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

No offense, but your entire explanation just became very simple.
 
I will take your advice and find a decent receiver then. 30 dollars isn't much of a dent, either.
 
Although, the only problem with an AV receiver is their size in comparison.

Que?
 
Well I don't tell people about the receiver unless they really need the money help
 
Anyways, make sure you get one with a Red and White RCA, prefer the Phono mode and a headphone jack front.
 
Try getting a newer one for starters. If it has only RCA jacks in the rear, is probably newer. I have the spring tabs.