[DeathDealer623]

Quote:

Usually when you plug your headphones into a receiver, the speaker amplifiers stop driving the speakers and switch over to driving the headphones.
I would guess your receiver can easily drive 600-Ohm headphones, so 250-Ohm should be no problem.
Is the PS3 connected to the Pioneer with optical or HDMI?
I would think the Blu-ray movies would benefit from using HDMI, over optical.
Hopefully burn in solves the bass problem.

I bitstream via HDMI only from PS3 (as well as HTPC) to Pioneer AVR so as to ensure best A/V experience possible. 
Hmmm...good to know about the receiver driving 600ohm as I was skeptical and opted for DT990, 250ohm instead (I may swap them to compare now).
 
Appreciate the response, PurpleAngel, and hopefully I am more satisfied after a few days of burn-in.
 
So Pioneer AVR should power Q701 even easier then?  Curious if anyone else uses their receiver for gaming (I can't be the only one)?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The 600ohm has less bass than the 250ohm, but they're 98% the same.

 

[Brown Intruder]

Thanks to this thread my white Q701s arrived this morning. Because of all the cash I have spent on headphones this year I have only bought a fiio e09 to go with the akg's and my mixamp. First impressions are that they are more wider and clearer than my pc360s... They also seem  more "sterile" ( I cannot think of  a better word) than the pc360s. Although I was only using my mixamp because my e09 has not arrived.
 
Tonight I will give them a proper go, before I leave them for five days straight of burning-in whilst I am in the uk visiting family and friends. Has anyone else noticed a change in these cans after a certain amount of hours burn-in? 
 
Also, thanks to chicolom and mad lust envy for recommending the akg's 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Glad to hear you like them.... do you? Lol.

Although I absolutely do not believe in burn in at all, more the belief that your brain and ears adjust to the sound, as well as your physical and mental state of health (fatigue definitely alters sound), as well as expectation bias.

People have stated that AKGs need like 300 hours of burn in, if you truly wanna believe in that sort of thing. I prefer to just use them instead of waiting for some magical change.

I'll go ahead and say to just leave them burning in for that week you're away, then enjoy them once you're back.

 

[smellyfungus]

glad I'm in the same camp as you on burn in. with my normal use that burn in time would take me four months. by then id think most people would forget how they sounded "originally". to each their own I suppose.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Just the expecation and hopes that it sounds better is enough to trick your brain into believing it's true. That's why I skip the nonsense and enjoy my headphones from day one. Drivers do change with more use (Tyll on Innerfidelity showcased the changes for the K701 or K702m, and proved that it's constant, random, sporadic, and ultimately subtle).

How people can believe these changes are always positive just make me laugh inside. If the bass is too prominent, burn in tightens it. If there is a lack of bass, burn in adds bass. If treble is too prominent, burn in reduces it. If treble is too smooth, burn in adds treble etc. It's a joke. It either adds or takes away whatever the person desires from the burn in itself. :rolleyes:

The only time a driver changed where I noticed was with my first M50s. They had a metallic zing to the treble which went away in less than an hour. It was instant. That was a freak occurence, and not some legitimate case of 'burn in'. That or some defective driver that corrected itself as soon as I sent a signal to it.

 

[Brown Intruder]

I only had one quick game of halo with them... They are definately clearer than the 360s!
 
Opinions differ on "burn-in" but I will do like you say and leave them playing. 
 
A quick question, is the e09 an ok amp to start with in your opinion? I'll look at something more expensive next year perhaps. Or hopefully someone will release a real good quality mixamp.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I love the E09K (aka E9K). It's very clean sounding,. and I could swear it's a smidge better than the old E9, though they should be identical.

I'd say the Magni is a better choice for the Q701. It has more power at the AKG's impedance level (or any level really), and a lower output impedance for less distortion. The AKGs aren't hampered by impedance mismatches (unlike typical dynamic headphones), but the Magni is still technically superior.

Unless you need a line out and pre-amp out, I'd go with the Magni over the Fiio, though they are comparable. The Fiio is slightly more musical, and just a smidge harsher in the treble, but it's just a different apple from the same tree. Both are relatively neutral and clean sounding. I honestly wouldn't expect highly noticeable changes from varying solid state amps, unless they clearly specify as being warm or bright, etc. If you want bigger than subtle changes, go with tube amps. I prefer the simplicity and cleanliness of solid state amps.

I feel like getting one of these, because it's so cheap, lol. I read they don't have Fiio E9 power, so not sure how good it is power-wise. Never seen any actual specs at different impedences.


http://www.amazon.com/Bravo-Audio-Multi-Hybrid-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00ADR2DTG/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&qid=1356615220&sr=8-26&keywords=headphone+tube+amp

 

[Brown Intruder]

Thanks MLE. Really, I only want something to give me enough juice to drive the akg's and a mic at the same time.
 
Anyway, the e09 is already paid for...just waiting for amazon. Thanks for all your advice, I am sure that it must get boring answering the same questions day in day out!

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Lol it's okay. That's what I'm here for. Don't worry. I think the E09K is a great amp, and it will suit your needs just fine. I'm actually sad I don't have it anymore. I was very impressed with it. My OLD E9 had a noisy volume knob (when adjusting volume), as well as a faulty 3.5mm input (not that anyone should use it anyways, as it had an atrociously high 43ohm output impedance). The E9K I had was just perfect. Very black background, and pure, energetic sound.

http://www.amazon.com/Little-Dot-standard-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00A2QM5O6/ref=sr_1_47?ie=UTF8&qid=1356615983&sr=8-47&keywords=headphone+tube+amp

Wonder how the Little Dot I+ sounds. Power specs seem pretty similar to the E9K, but a tube hybrid. $88 too. $109 on their main website.

 

[mgdunaway]

Well I have decided to go uber budget and purchase the Skullcandy Slyr. The promo code of REDBULL50 is still valid so if I can just get a decent headSET to pair with my mixamp for the time being I will consider it Great Success for $40. I'll be sure to post my thoughts after some use with BLOPS 2. Cheers

 

[Brown Intruder]

Ok so I have used the q701s a bit more now with just a mixamp and yep it was definately a massive improvemnt over the pc360s. Great sound stage, directionality and the clarity is amazing. Just in halo I have been noticing things that I have never heard before. 
 
Well pleased with them

 

[burritoboy9984]

Quote:

Well I have decided to go uber budget and purchase the Skullcandy Slyr. The promo code of REDBULL50 is still valid so if I can just get a decent headSET to pair with my mixamp for the time being I will consider it Great Success for $40. I'll be sure to post my thoughts after some use with BLOPS 2. Cheers

 
If you haven't already purchased them, may I suggest grabbing the PLYR 2's instead. At only $25 more with the 50% discount, they are a steal! If you already purchased the SLYR's don't fear, they will do fine.
 
-Erik

 

[Heretic817]

MLE or Chico or anyone else really -
 
Would you say that the Q701 have any noticeable improvement with the addition of an amp? I am not talking about an amp making the "sound better" per se. From an engineering perspective I believe if you are listening to an amp it's a design flaw. (although if that's your thing rock on) My concern comes from the fact that my volume knob on either the Mix amp or the PC is alarmingly close to full tilt. So, I would imagine that if I could measure it I would find some clipping at the signal peaks. Subjectively speaking do you think you noticed any improvement beyond just volume? 

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

The Q701 is basically the most amp dependent headphone outside of the HE-4 that I've used. It improves in dynamics, fullness, and refinement. Yes, it not only needs an amp, it deserves an amp. It behaves like a 600ohm headphone.