[aatar1]

I have just bought a pair of AKG K712 pros, they sound good with a smartphone as a source and it doesn't lack loudness, but I've heard they're power hungry and I don't get the best out of them especially in the bass compartment. So I ordered a Khadas Toneboard as a dac and was eyeing the Atom amp but it's almost double twice the price here in Europe, some people recommended me the FIIO k5 pro combo and return the Khadas but the others say the DAC in it is bad. So what do you think would be a decent match for the AKG 712 pros

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I have just bought a pair of AKG K712 pros, they sound good with a smartphone as a source and it doesn't lack loudness, but I've heard they're power hungry and I don't get the best out of them especially in the bass compartment. So I ordered a Khadas Toneboard as a dac and was eyeing the Atom amp but it's almost double twice the price here in Europe, some people recommended me the FIIO k5 pro combo and return the Khadas but the others say the DAC in it is bad. So what do you think would be a decent match for the AKG 712 pros

I'd worry more about the output impedance of the amp circuit than the DAC chip, followed by power output and distortion+noise levels.

If you don't listen loud enough nor can you hear the difference when going a bit loud on a few tracks while the sound stays effortless, you don't need a lot of power.

Output impedance though can either boost the bass making it loose or make it sound like a tin can. The former might already be happening but having a "thwuump" where it should e "thump!" is usually just appreciated over having only "thwuu."

 

[aatar1]

I'd worry more about the output impedance of the amp circuit than the DAC chip, followed by power output and distortion+noise levels.

If you don't listen loud enough nor can you hear the difference when going a bit loud on a few tracks while the sound stays effortless, you don't need a lot of power.

Output impedance though can either boost the bass making it loose or make it sound like a tin can. The former might already be happening but having a "thwuump" where it should e "thump!" is usually just appreciated over having only "thwuu."

I'm sorry, that's gibberish for me, I need a straight forward recommendation.
Are you trying to say that an AMP/DAC combo won't make much of a difference?

 

[PurpleAngel]

I'm sorry, that's gibberish for me, I need a straight forward recommendation.
Are you trying to say that an AMP/DAC combo won't make much of a difference?

The AKG K712 are 62-Ohms, which means it would be desirable to have a headphone amplifier that has an output impedance of 6.2-Ohms or less, which helps with damping control, an output impedance of 10-Ohms would not be that bad, as a higher output impedance would give the AKG k712 a bloated (louder, less detailed) bass and what you want is more bass.
Check out the website avforms, it's located in the UK, so might be able to point you to the best deals in Europe.

 

[aatar1]

The AKG K712 are 62-Ohms, which means it would be desirable to have a headphone amplifier that has an output impedance of 6.2-Ohms or less, which helps with damping control, an output impedance of 10-Ohms would not be that bad, as a higher output impedance would give the AKG k712 a bloated (louder, less detailed) bass and what you want is more bass.
Check out the website avforms, it's located in the UK, so might be able to point you to the best deals in Europe.

Do you have any specific recommendation for that said Ohm range, please? I

 

[340519]

The benchmark dac/amps are great.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Do you have any specific recommendation for that said Ohm range, please? I

JDS Atom or Schiit Magni headphone amplifiers have a low output impedance.
Maybe find a good price on a used O2 (Objective 2) headphone amplifier?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Are you trying to say that an AMP/DAC combo won't make much of a difference?

I'm saying you need to focus more on having a better amplifier or a DAC-HPamp with a better amplifier circuit than the DAC or the DAC part of a DAC-HPamp.

I'm sorry, that's gibberish for me, I need a straight forward recommendation.

AudioGD NFB-11.28
Head-N-HiFi ODAC with Burson Soloist SL Mk2
Schiit Modi3 with Asgard 2 ; or just get the Schiit Asgard 3 with built in DAC