[RatFarm]

I am still breaking in my K701's but I am stunned at how BADLY my Creative X-Fi drives them. Anything above moderate level and the distortion sets in. And where is the low bass??? Listening to Jon Hassell's City Of Fiction, the super low bass is MIA. Mid bass punch sounds strangely hollow and distant. The mids are great though. Still saving for an amp but now I wonder if I should have picked a headphone that is easier to drive ....

 

[cotdt]

the modded X-Fi can drive the K701s just fine. but i still recommend a tube amp with this headphone.

 

[RatFarm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotdt /img/forum/go_quote.gif the modded X-Fi can drive the K701s just fine. but i still recommend a tube amp with this headphone.

Does your modified X-Fi deliver more juice to the headphones (via bigger caps or higher current opamps)?

 

[cotdt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RatFarm /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does your modified X-Fi deliver more juice to the headphones (via bigger caps or higher current opamps)?

it's not about juice, it's about dampening. getting the K701s loud is not hard, but you need to do so with authority. the LM4562 can drive the K701s to very loud levels and with little distortion.

 

[Asr]

The K701 is not about bass. You got the wrong headphone if you want bass. No amp would fix it either. Try a different headphone.

 

[Kees]

Good you knew that when you bought them!
And also that they are no bass monster, especially with average amping (with good amps they can do equally well as HD650 in that department).

 

[cotdt]

as said by the above posters, relative to the HD650 or the Denons, the K701 are no bass monster (although extension is just as good). however, if you have a tube amp, you'll get a fuller sound and some bass boost. usually tube amps also boost treble, but not so with the K701 since the impedance curve is very flat except for the lower frequencies.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

Seems to me that a lot of folks are driving ghe K701 without an amp. That's not the way to be. I recommend an LDII++ for a starter.

 

[Senad]

It seems that a lot of people love K701 and LDII/LDII+/LDII++ mix. Did anybody get a chance to try new LDIII or LDIII+ (who comes up with these names?!

) in combo with K701?

 

[piper78]

I opted for a SS amp and chose the Heed CanAmp to pair with my 701's, I have no regrets.

 

[ojyarumaru]

K701's are definetaly not for bass.