Looking for a Dac/Amp combo under $150-$200 that can power an AKG K712 Pro.

[YJX94]

It must have USB and Optical (TOSLINK) inputs and be wall powered.

I need something that isn't going to colour the sound and keeps the sound signature of the K712 Pro the same as much as it possibly can. No changing the sound signature and I just need it to improve the headphones in every way. Take everything the headphones have which is bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging and just make it better without changing the core sound of the headphones as much as possible.

Just need it to improve the sound across the board.

 

[cossix]

Those headphones are pretty sensitive and are low impedance so most anything will drive them decently! I've heard the O2 is very transparent, perhaps you can look at that? I don't know the prices on those units though

 

[YJX94]

I know the O2+ODAC is fantastic but it's lacking that optical input I need.

I already have them connected to a Mayflower ARC on my main desk but I need a dac/amp for my other desk. I don't want to pay $250 for another ARC though, I don't use the PC on that desk much and I don't need a mic input either. But I need that optical input for the console I have there as well as the PC.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

It must have USB and Optical (TOSLINK) inputs and be wall powered.

I need something that isn't going to colour the sound and keeps the sound signature of the K712 Pro the same as much as it possibly can. No changing the sound signature and I just need it to improve the headphones in every way. Take everything the headphones have which is bass, mids, treble, soundstage and imaging and just make it better without changing the core sound of the headphones as much as possible.

Just need it to improve the sound across the board.

Save another $50 and get the Schiit Modi2 Uber with the Magni3.

 

[YJX94]

Save another $50 and get the Schiit Modi2 Uber with the Magni3.

That's also a good option but I would prefer an all in one. Is there really no all in one that can do what I need under $200?

What about the Micca Origen+/Origen G2?

What about the FX Audio Dac-X6 with the high gain jumpers mod and opamp rolling?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

That's also a good option but I would prefer an all in one. Is there really no all in one that can do what I need under $200?
What about the Micca Origen+/Origen G2?
What about the FX Audio Dac-X6 with the high gain jumpers mod and opamp rolling?

Not for the 93dB/1mW K712. Note that it isn't literally xxdB as soon as you turn the volume away from 0, and that figure is relatively low if you want to listen relatively loud with low distortion.

If it's just for gaming I guess it will work well enough. You can crank it up and barring clipping and obviously f-ed up distortion you'd be too focused on other stimuli while gaming to notice that explosions and such don't sound as clean as when using these on a higher sensitivity headphone or using a more powerful amp on the K712.

 

[YJX94]

Not for the 93dB/1mW K712. Note that it isn't literally xxdB as soon as you turn the volume away from 0, and that figure is relatively low if you want to listen relatively loud with low distortion.

If it's just for gaming I guess it will work well enough. You can crank it up and barring clipping and obviously f-ed up distortion you'd be too focused on other stimuli while gaming to notice that explosions and such don't sound as clean as when using these on a higher sensitivity headphone or using a more powerful amp on the K712.

Hmm so I've been doing some research and I've seen many people say that the Origen isn't that good of a pairing with the K712 Pro. Many people say that the Dac-X6 with the aforementioned mods is perfectly fine for it.

Bear in mind that I need this all in one unit for my secondary desk which I do not use all that much since it isn't in my room, it's more for the whole family to use. Therefore I just need something cheaper that can power these headphones nicely.

Heard lot's of people say that the X6 with the 2 mods can power the T50RP MK3's easily and they get really loud at 12 o'clock on the volume knob. I'd argue that the T50RP MK3's are harder to drive than the K712 Pro's. The K712's are power hungry but it's blown out of proportion by some people.