[ToMuchAtOnce]

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On Amazon UK - the Matrix Cube would be a good option. Decent amp with decent Dac. 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrix-Audio-Cube/dp/B00564IJ1W/
 
The rPac is promising, but I have never seen or heard one. 
 
The AudioEngine D1 is also quite a good bargain. 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audioengine-Premium-24-bit-supplied-Bartletts/dp/B0079KWSF4/

Thank you so much! I shall look into these two . I read a couple of reviews for the rPac on here, was recommended over the Fiio Combo in SQ by a long shot.

 

[mikiphile]

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Hi, I recently got myself a pair of AKGs K701s.
Rather than add to the exhaustive threads on amp recommendations, I thought it better to post here.
I want a solid state amp ( or amp/dac) under $300 (£200) either portable or desktop. No DIY, nor Tubing. About to go to University, simply not reasonable.  Though if you really insist on tube amps - hybrids maybe; I might consider it.
Preferably on amazon UK as I have £100 credit, as I currently have no income.
Some ideas:
 
1. Fiio E7 + E9 Combo: £100 ($200)
2. Arcam rPac £150 ($250)
3. Graham Slee Novo  ($300)
 
Any advice on these choices would be appreciated, and any that fit my criteria- and the headphone- would be great

Welcome to the community, we truly feel sorry for your wallet. 

I am WAS pretty much in the same place where you are, only Im already attending college. I started off with the K242s, because I wanted a headphone which is truly hi-fi, but wasnt intending to start spending some serious money on it. 
 
Then, on my way home after the 3rd semester ended, I was like... damn, i keep reading reviews and different stuff on head-if, lets join them. Then after less then a week, I had already decided to buy the K701s and I was already considering amping options... but everything seemed totally out of my budget. (i wasnt even supposed to buy the K701s)
 
Then, I considered several different low budget options like FiiO and stuff, but I knew that Schiit's Lyr and Bifrost were the right Amp and dac for me. I came across another headfier who lives in Dubai (since Im doing my internship here in the UAE), who offered me the Lyr and Bifrost for an EXCELLENT price, and even threw in some great interconnects and tubes!
 
Here in Dubai, I had the opportunity to hear some of the best gear ever invented: AKG K1000, Grado PS1000, Hifiman HE-6, Audeze LCD-2, and many other greats, driven from the highest end Woos and other SS amps on the market. I also had the opportunity to hear the HD800s in Dubai Audio Centre, when I was auditioning the Lyr for the first time. The most amazing audio experience in my life was the private auditioning of the MBL 101e MKII, which is one of the best omnidirectional high end speakers ever made.
 
So... after tons of reading here, and a brief audition (with an old K701 pair) I decided that the Lyr was the best amp for them, and I got it. Believe it or not, I am yet to go back home, and hear them together. I am really looking forward to it.
 
My advice to you.. dont pull the trigger yet, wait for a while. If you do some reading, the K701 get a lot of hate here for a very good reason. They are very picky about amplification. They will very likely sound thin and totally dry unless paired with a proper amp. A hybrid amp is the best way to go. 
 
Anyways, good luck and enjoy the K701s.

 

[Chris J]

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Does anyone know how to recable it?

 
Ummmm, buy some K702 or Q701s?

 

[liamstrain]

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Does anyone know how to recable it?

 
Download assembly PDF from Harmon... disassemble headphone, cut or desolder old wires, put in new ones, reassemble.  

 

[papelboyl1]

I wanna get these for working out(cardio/weights). How's the clamping force of the headphones? Jet a bit concern with them falling out when doing weights lying down/etc, I intend to get a shorter cable like half a meter. Any ideas where can I get them? Thank you ☺☺☺

 

[ProjectDenz]

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I wanna get these for working out(cardio/weights). How's the clamping force of the headphones? Jet a bit concern with them falling out when doing weights lying down/etc, I intend to get a shorter cable like half a meter. Any ideas where can I get them? Thank you ☺☺☺

 
Aren't these a little big and obtrusive for working out. All that sweat on the K701!

 

[papelboyl1]

Didn't think of the sweat... Scratch that idea then thanks ☺☺☺t

 

[Chris J]

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Didn't think of the sweat... Scratch that idea then thanks ☺☺☺t

 
LOL!
 
I'm sure they would fall off anyway!

 

[mikiphile]

Quote:

I wanna get these for working out(cardio/weights). How's the clamping force of the headphones? Jet a bit concern with them falling out when doing weights lying down/etc, I intend to get a shorter cable like half a meter. Any ideas where can I get them? Thank you ☺☺☺

Regardless of how improbable is, imagine if the gym owner is an audiophile... he would kick you out and steal your K701s 

 

[Chris J]

Regardless of how improbable is, imagine if the gym owner is an audiophile... he would kick you out and steal your K701s 

The gym owner probably thinks Beats are the best!

 

[chicolom]

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I wanna get these for working out(cardio/weights).

 
 
For workout headphones I find the AD700 or a pair of Stax to work much better.

 

[mikiphile]

Quote:

 
 
For workout headphones I find the AD700 or a pair of Stax to work much better.

I heard there are benches with a Blue Hawaii electrostatic amp given as an upgrade. Very cosy if you wanna use your Stax when you bench 80 kgs.

 

[mikiphile]

Well ladies and gentlemen.. its been 10h of listening time on my Lenovo (Foobar2000 Wasapi) => USB => Schiit Bifrost => ALO interconnects => Schiit Lyr (CV2492 Mullard) => AKG K701.
 
The first thing I noticed is the insane amount of detail these headphones pick up from very high quality recordings played with perfect bit. I have listened to some cds with these headphones, but my CD player is fairly low end compared to the Bifrost. 
 
The tubes really breathe life into these headphones.. The Lyr drives them to their full potential (without magic smoke coming out). Lots of recordings which were unbearable on my SS receiver now sound at least great... and the the rest is fantastic. The bass extends very very low and has great texture.. however there is still lack of punch. The midrange is very AKG, softened slightly by the tubes which makes male vocals sound slightly more realistic than before and the piano is much better than I remember. The brightness is still present but to a slightly lesser extent. Ive been listening to Jamiroquai for the past hour and it sounds quite good, without any hint of fatigue.
 
I am very pleased with my choice.. and I will stick to this rig for some time to come for sure. Ive always liked these headphones and now I really love them, while trying to stay non-biased. Its true that I can find other heaphones out there which suit my sonic preference even more, however, I these is some magic that these headphones have which I havent really seen in other cans.
 
Is there anyone who has a similar rig and what are your opinions?

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Well ladies and gentlemen.. its been 10h of listening time on my Lenovo (Foobar2000 Wasapi) => USB => Schiit Bifrost => ALO interconnects => Schiit Lyr (CV2492 Mullard) => AKG K701.
 
The first thing I noticed is the insane amount of detail these headphones pick up from very high quality recordings played with perfect bit. I have listened to some cds with these headphones, but my CD player is fairly low end compared to the Bifrost. 
 
The tubes really breathe life into these headphones.. The Lyr drives them to their full potential (without magic smoke coming out). Lots of recordings which were unbearable on my SS receiver now sound at least great... and the the rest is fantastic. The bass extends very very low and has great texture.. however there is still lack of punch. The midrange is very AKG, softened slightly by the tubes which makes male vocals sound slightly more realistic than before and the piano is much better than I remember. The brightness is still present but to a slightly lesser extent. Ive been listening to Jamiroquai for the past hour and it sounds quite good, without any hint of fatigue.
 
I am very pleased with my choice.. and I will stick to this rig for some time to come for sure. Ive always liked these headphones and now I really love them, while trying to stay non-biased. Its true that I can find other heaphones out there which suit my sonic preference even more, however, I these is some magic that these headphones have which I havent really seen in other cans.
 
Is there anyone who has a similar rig and what are your opinions?

Whenever I use my Xcan (hybrid) v3 amp with the k702's I love the sound for a short while. The soundstage is huge and the bass big and deep, but it's that "punch" that you mentioned that is missing compared to my solidstate amps. It's a shame because with solidstate you don't get that tube soundstage and bass...  The best happy medium that I have found, is with a mosfet design SS amp. They tend to have that warm organic "tubelike" character with the current enough to drive the K's to their potential. Only... without the bigger soundstage.

 

[mikiphile]

Quote:

Whenever I use my Xcan (hybrid) v3 amp with the k702's I love the sound for a short while. The soundstage is huge and the bass big and deep, but it's that "punch" that you mentioned that is missing compared to my solidstate amps. It's a shame because with solidstate you don't get that tube soundstage and bass...  The best happy medium that I have found, is with a mosfet design SS amp. They tend to have that warm organic "tubelike" character with the current enough to drive the K's to their potential. Only... without the bigger soundstage.

To be honest, I am having second thoughts on what I said about the punchyNESS.. I gave them some pretty good listening time today, I suppose it would be shocking to say that I did not get ANY listening fatigue over round 3 hours of continuous play time.. Within those 3 hours, I heard some recordings which seemed punchy enough believe me.
 
I cannot believe how can people say that these headphones "NOTORIOUSLY" lack bass! For sure, they are not a warm sounding headphone, and they aren't the most relaxing headphone to listen to. However, they do extend very low and have excellent bass texture. I had the opportunity to listen to a pair of D7ks and I totally hated the way they sounded. Maybe I had very high expectations, but the bass texture the K70X have (properly driven) can easily challenge the D7ks... call me whatever you like... but I know what I heard!
 
Most people immediately discard the K70X simply because they dont have the patience to pair them with the right gear... and these headphones really deserve the right amp. They are hugely rewarding. 

Don't judge me and my knowledge from what you see in my current gear. I have had the opportunity to hear most of the high end gear being discussed about here on the forum... Currently I don't have the cash to own something that high end, however it took me a year of research to get to where I am, and I am hugely pleased with the end result.
 
My opinion might be slightly biased, but I am aware of the downsides of these headphones and I sometimes understand the bashing they get on this forum.. however, I do think that they are worth two times over their price! Furthermore, about the "bashing", the majority of the headfiers have lost their credibility (in my opinion) to say that the HiFiMAN HE-6 are not a good headphone.. that is utter BS!!!
 
As they say: "de gustibus non disputandum est" its always a matter of preference... and they do suit my sonic preference more or less.
 
For the NON-Believers: Try my combo.. and see what you make of it! It really sounds superb!
 
Next stop for me: "Project Portable": 1. Portable player, 2. Portable DAC+AMP or DAC/AMP combo 3. IEMs.. smells like JH13