[Tom W]

So what started out as a new set of phones for my ipod at work turned into a lot of research. Somewhere along the way I found some reviews on the HD650’s and the AKG 701’s and got the great idea to get a killer set of phones for the house.

After some additional research I realized that I wasn’t going to plug either of these phones into a used $40 CD player and be happy with the SQ or realize their full potential.

I am NOT an audiofile. I owned some decent full-size systems over the years but nothing top shelf. I would like a set of very good phones to really begin to “learn to listen”.

I really thought I would love the K70x’s but after looking around here I think choosing an amp for them and/or buying these phones without listening to them would be a mistake.

So here are a few questions that might seem basic but haven’t found the answers here yet and I’ve been out of the high end equipment browsing for far too long.

If my source is a $200 Blu Ray or SACD Player am I wasting my time buying a 750-1000 phone/amp combo?

Should I use the DAC in the player or buy and amp with one built-in DAC and go digital right into the amp from the player and/or PC (most of my library at this time is CD based)?

From what I have read the HD650 can ‘live’ with a less expensive amp than the K70x’s so possibly the phone/amp combo with the HD650 could be less than the K70x’s. Or at the very least I’m less likely to pick the ‘wrong’ amp initially for the HD650’s.

Since I’m in the beginning of my H-F days should I stick with a solid-state amp until I lock in with a set of phones that I love?

I do realize that as I listen I will probably want to upgrade some or all of my equipment at some point but would like to get a setup that can give me a few years before I’m back here looking for an upgrade.

I know it is a lot to ask and I’m sure some of it has already been covered but I need to get answers to some of these questions so I can get started and do more research.

Thanks for your help and if you can only answer one question that would be a great start.

 

[priest]

Welcome to Head-Fi. If I were in your position, I would stick with the HD 650, unless you listen to alot of jazz and/or classical. The HD 650 are more universally liked, although the K 702 has many fans. The HD 650 is just more of a sure thing. As for the set-up, I would use the $200 player as a transport, and get a solid state dac/amp. The DAC1 sounds great with the HD 650. Although people here seem to like the Chinese dac/amps alot. I have just never heard any of them. Hope that helps at least a little bit. Good luck, and enjoy your search.

 

[MomijiTMO]

Hello and welcome to HF. Thank you for doing your own research first. It's a bit of a bum to realise you can't plug these headphones into your iPod and go!

Regarding the headphones, I'm sure you've realised that there are likers and haters of both. I won't bore you with a comparison but I like the HD650 more than the K701. Both amps need a decent low-fi to sound ok. Without them, they sound boring.

 

[UncleFestive]

I can't comment on the K701s as I've never heard them. I did this same research a couple years ago and bought the HD650s. I am so satisfied with their sound that I have never worried about what I might be missing. In my opinion they are a safe bet for someone just starting out.

A safe bet for an Amp/DAC is the Audio GD Fun. Plug in your transport, computer or whatever. The DAC is built in. Use headphones, powered speakers or another amp to passive speakers. The preamp/headphone amp is built in. Control it all from the front panel. Want to tweak the sound? the Fun has a multitude of configurations you can change with just jumpers or modules. A great beginners introduction to mid/hi-fi.

Whatever you decide, post up with your results and impressions. Good Luck!

 

[greenstuffs]

i'd rather listen to my K702 than the HD650 i have.
The HD650 is very easy on the ears like relaxed, the bass is great other than that it can't do highs or mids with a decent punch, clarity is there but you miss a lot when u compared to the K702.

The K702 does mids and highs pretty well and the bass is somewhat lacking if you compare it directly to the HD650 although is not an issue unless you are a bass lover then you should get the HD650. Having said that you need a decent source, it doesn't have to be a dedicated amp or anything.

People that says "K702 sounds like crap out of ipod" is not true, is still better than anything else out unamped but the amp just gives the music a lot more life. I mostly listen to classic rock, pop, classic so i like the K702, i still use my HD650 if i was going to watch a movie.

I also have the K271 which are great, its bass packs more punched due to being closed and the mids and highs are still there also somewhat less than the K702. I'd still use the K702 over the HD650. I have the LD MK IV amp to drive them.

Having said that pick according to what you give more importance, lets say when u try a pair of headphones the first thing your focus is bass then you should get the HD650 or you like crisp vocals with a nice touch of treeble accompanied by a subtle bass then K702 is a decent choice.

Both are headphones many leagues above than what you find in the consumer market. I think you will like either one as long as you don't compare them side by side so is not like u can go wrong because they are very good headphones, however you will pick a winner when you have the chance audition both since they are so different.

 

[wlvca]

I have both the HD650 and the K702. Both sound best with good amplification. I am using a solid state amp with them.

Enjoy both phones and bought them together specifically because they have different sound signatures and are complementary

Just a few weeks in with both but if I had to choose only one today I prefer the K702.

That's based on the better detail and wider soundstage of the K702.

That said, I do enjoy the HD650 as well.

Either would make a good choice depending upon your listening preferences.

 

[Tom W]

First off, Thanks to all that replied.

Secondly, an apology of sorts. While I searched for 70x's and 650 I never searched for comparisons of the two (which I now realize that there are many threads on this subject).

Thirdly, Any input on the DAC's in the cheaper Blu-Rays or SACD's? Do I need to avoid using these?

Thanks again.

 

[logwed]

SACD does not input digitally, so you cannot use a DAC when playing SACD discs (redundant, I know). If it also plays standard CDs, more likely than not, it will have an optical and/or coaxial output.