[mccao]

I've recently obtained a pair of K712 Pros, but I don't have any amps or dac's aside from a DX50 for my IEMs. I plan to use the K712 for quiet listening with my laptop as the primary source. I hear that even though it the K712 doesn't have high impedance it should be treated as such. If so, is there any ~$120 budget set ups that will be sufficient for the K712 to shine? Preferably a 3.5mm input jack so I can connect w/o too many cables/another dac.
I'm still a noob in this so please send help. Thanks!

 

[windowlicker]

In that budget for DAC+amp, you are really working with either FiiO E10K or Schiit Fulla, and E10K will probably have more juice.
 
Or you can settle for onboard DAC for now and just get an amp, in that case you can get a Schiit Magni 2 for $99.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I hear that even though it the K712 doesn't have high impedance it should be treated as such.

 

What? Where'd you get that idea? You can drive a 300ohm headphone like the HD600 with an amp with high output impedance, like many intergrated (speaker) amps' or CDPs' integrated headphone outputs. Use the same amp on the K7xx series, and you will probably end up with tinny sound and inarticulate bass.

 

[windowlicker]

I am guessing what he means is that although their impedance is not high, you still need an amp to drive them adequately. Common misconception of "more ohms -> need bigger amp".

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I am guessing what he means is that although their impedance is not high, you still need an amp to drive them adequately. Common misconception of "more ohms -> need bigger amp".

 

Oh, efficiency basically. The AKGs are also efficient; problem with them is that when you hook them up to a good amp vs any source the numbers would normally say should be enough makes them sound thin. It's not even a matter of the amp coloring the sound - relatively powerful, very clean amps can really make the AKGs' reproduction f percussion for example sound more life like.

 

My guess is that at the same THD level they sound boring, but once driven louder with the better amp, the other device is distorting more. That said, the Q701 was fine out of a Fiio X3. Not like a K701/2 on Burson Soloist, but surprisingly not that far off from with my Cantate.2.

 

[Me x3]

K712 are much harder to drive than HD600. They need the same voltage but 5 times more power to sound at the same level, you also need an amp with low output impedance to properly drive your AKGs.
 
Fiio E10K (USB DAC/Amp) should do the trick!
 
Best Luck!

 

[dolphy007]

I spent around thirty minutes listening to the K712 through my AK100 MK2, I felt that it didn't need an amp. I own the K701 and the difference between the two headphones was night and day. The K712 had the dame miss to high end signature as the K701 but the bass was another story altogether. It was deeper and full bodied. If I didn't already have the K701 and the Grado PS500 I would have bought them on the spot.

 

[guitargonaut]

With a sensitivity of 93 dB/mW the K712 is a bit harder to drive than some.  The increased overhead of a decent quality external amp would be an improvement over the laptop's soundcard.  $100.00 will buy a Schiit Magni which will do about as much for the K712 as anything else out there.  Another $100.00 for the Schiit Modi would allow an improvement over the laptop's DAC at a budget price.

 

[mccao]

Thank you all for your kind advice. I have decided to get a E10K for now as it is both cheap and convenient. As for the Schiit duo.. one day. Can't Wait!

 

[mccao]

ALSO: What if I were to simply use the DAC mode on my ibasso DX50 and plug that into a Magni 2? Isn't the magni a better amp than the one on the Fiio e10k? Or is the magni only worth getting when combined with a modi?

 

[cel4145]

ALSO: What if I were to simply use the DAC mode on my ibasso DX50 and plug that into a Magni 2? Isn't the magni a better amp than the one on the Fiio e10k? Or is the magni only worth getting when combined with a modi?

That's what I would do. My K612 Pro is a bit challenged (sounds very good at medium volumes) with my DX50, but I definitely enjoy the benefits of a desktop amp hooked up to the DX50 with them