[Chizzler]

Hello,
I've been in contact with the folks at AKG's tech department about my K1000's. They sound good with most music but when pushed hard they tend to break up. I was told by AKG that they should have at least 45 watts per channel to work properly. Yes, 45 watts, for headphones.

Anyway, my Fisher and my HH Scott don't come close so I'm on the hunt for a reasonably priced high power tube amp. Anyone have any ideas? Is there such an animal? Can I squeeze more power out of the amps I have? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!!

 

[kunwar]

Try the Norh SE9 It is very reasonably priced and could give you a good idea of where you might want to go in case you don't like it.
If you have the dosh then Singlepower amps are calling and Someone with an AKG K1000 will chime in pretty soon with a recommendation.

 

[smokey]

What is your idea of reasonably priced? I'm not immediately aware of anything too much under $2,000 US. The Cary SLI-80 puts out 80 watts ultralinear, and can be had used in the $1,500-$2,000 range. Another is the VTL IT-85, which is similarly priced. Other than those, your best bet might be solid state.

Good Luck

 

[lan]

K1000 don't really need that much power.

How much output does your HH Scott have?

 

[ampgalore]

45 watts into any headphone will destroy that headphone.

 

[Haribo]

I've heard something like 7watt for the K1000?

 

[kentamcolin]

I thought the Eddiecurrent HD300 had plenty of power for the K1000, but you must listen much louder than I since that amp puts out only 1 or 2 watts. Depending on your budget there are still many possibilities. I would check out a Cayin TA-30 from www.2baudio.com. I've worked with Paul over there on a few amp projects and he is excellent to deal with. I briefly tried the K1000 with the Cayin and it ROCKED. This is a 30 wpc integrated. Well constructed and very neatly laid out inside. I would strongly recommend paying the extra few hundred dollars for his mods though. I believe the total will be something like $800-$900. I'd also get some better EL-34 tubes. Svetlanas are a big improvement over the stock tubes and new are under $100 for a matched quad. Bone stock this amp had harsh treble and fairly flat soundstage but modded with better tubes it's a winner (better caps are included, external bias adjustment, and "focus control"). I was not able to audition a modded amp with the K1000, but owned a fully modded one a while back and can attest to the vast improvement in sound. The "focus control" is a little like a treble tone control. It is designed to tame any treble brightness that might occur with different speakers and really works well to "dial in" speakers. This would be a great thing to have with K1000's that can tend toward brightness. Also, being an integrated amp, you have multiple inputs as well which a really nice if you use more then one source. It's a nice looking amp as well. That's my $.02.

 

[mkmelt]

The K1000 phones are rated for 1 watt continuous power @ 120 ohms. The 45 watt suggestion was directed at an amplifier's power rating at 8 ohms. With average power levels of between 200 and 800 milliwatts, figure on peak power levels with music being about 10X higher, or approx. 2 to 8 watts.

Most solid state amplifiers only deliver a fraction of their 8 ohm rated power when presented with a high impedance load such as the 120 ohm impedance of the AKG K1000 phones. Tube amplifiers generally have an easier time powering high impedance loads. Many solid state amplifiers (headphone or othewise) can deliver 200 milliwatts into 120 ohms, just not the needed peak power levels. Many tube amplifiers can deliver several watts of power into a 120 ohm load without clipping. A few amplifiers, but not many, have power supplies capable of providing the needed peak to peak voltage swing for 8 - 10 watts at 120 ohms.

Before you give up on your existing tube amplifiers, try powering the AKG K1000s with a Marantz receiver or integrated amplifier. My experiments with the Marantz 1060 indicate it can deliver approx. 3 watts RMS power into 100 ohm load before clipping, more than enough to play the K1000 at realistic levels for classical music, jazz, vocals, etc.

 

[tyrion]

I have a Marantz 1060 amplifier and it drives my HD650 without problem. I can't put the volume much past 9:00 as it becomes too loud at that point. I do not have any experience with the K1000 so I don't know if there is any comparison between them and the HD650.

 

[darkclouds]

Something's amiss. Are you using the AKGs as room speakers? j/k

In anycase, when I had no problem driving the K1000 with 8watts of 300B SET amp. I can blow out my eardrums way before clipping. As a matter of fact, a friend of mine once commented that he can hear the music clearly from several feet away while I was wearing the cans. I'm quite certain you will not need 45 decent watts to drive them. I'm not sure what's going on with your HH Scott and Fisher amp. You can also look on audiogon for a low power tube integrated, something from ASL would run $500-1k. But if you insist on a higher power tube amp, you can also try a pair Cary/AES Sixpacs monos ($2400) putting out 50 wpc.

 

[kuma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore 45 watts into any headphone will destroy that headphone.

I've tried three amplifiers with K1k.
30 watts Art Audio SET Jota monoblocks
40 watts Art Audio Concerto push pull stereo amp
120 watts Bel Canto eVo.

...and they did not destroy the 'fones.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuma I've tried three amplifiers with K1k. 30 watts Art Audio SET Jota monoblocks 40 watts Art Audio Concerto push pull stereo amp 120 watts Bel Canto eVo. ...and they did not destroy the 'fones.

I've run a 60 apc Adcom into my K-1000, and it liked the extra juice a lot...but my 20 wpc Fisher 400 still sounds better.

To address some of the other comments in this thread, the current Singlepower amps can not drive the K-1000. However, there may be some new models later this year...

My favorite K-1000 amp so far is the AudioValve RKV. Push it far past the volume it's currently capable of, and your ears will be at risk. And it sounds great with the K-1000...

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore 45 watts into any headphone will destroy that headphone.

The K-1000 is more properly described as "earspeakers" rather than a headphone. It requires much more power than any other headphone. Some headphone amps don't have the power to drive it at all, and others can only drive it at low volumes. A few headphone amps can push it properly. It was actually designed to be driven from a power amp.

 

[tom hankins]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore 45 watts into any headphone will destroy that headphone.

Not true at all.

 

[bozebuttons]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore 45 watts into any headphone will destroy that headphone.

I have used my CJ priemer 12 monoblocks 140watts a channel with my K1000s.Some other members who where at my home for a mini meet awhile back got to listen to them on the CJs.