[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero /img/forum/go_quote.gif Headphones....then amp....then dac....then a better amp....then a better dac....then better headphones.....then better cables....etc....

What he say!

 

[Mannymax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cap10 crunch /img/forum/go_quote.gif I want to buy k701s in the near future but also want to buy a dac, most likely the dacmagic. I have ad700s and should I buy dac then k701? Or is a 400$ dac pointless for an 80$ pair of hps like I've read about? I know for sure I'm going to buy hp then dac or other way around and then buy an amp to get some bass out of the k701s later on. I listen to a variety anywhere from Claude Debussy to Jay-Z to Gorrilaz etc.

Well, I own the K702, which essentially is the same as the K701, if you have not heard the K701, I would strongly recommend, you audition these phones before you buy them, their sound is not everyones taste, including mine, your music is quite diverse, so if your like me, these phones won't be for you, these phones are great for classical and jazz, however, with other music genres, their terrible IMHO and am now in the process of upgrading to some phones that are not as specialized in the sound sig as the K702/K701.

I also own a Dacmagic and I can not recommend this little unit enough, it improves on everything, great piece of kit. I Also have a Heed canamp and this brings the Bass out on the K702's quite substantially .

My advice would be, headphones and Amp then dacmagic. IMHO if you do go ahead and go for the K701, think you will be pretty unimpressed with their sound unamped

 

[cap10 crunch]

Wow yeah I guess the whole "I need an amp just to use the dacmagic" decides that for me haha. But even with that Heed canamp the bass isn't enough? I'm not completely decided on the k701. I might get hd650 but I think I'll love the k701's details.

 

[joelpearce]

I would definitely listen to what others are saying.

If you are looking for just one pair of headphones that you're going to be happy with playing everything from classical to hard rock/rap, you need to spend some time researching headphones that play most genres well.

I might tend to steer you towards some Beyerdynamics instead, but neither the AKGs or Senns are noted for being good all-rounders.

 

[stang]

I would go for the K701. Listen to them for about 400 hours or so (will be burned in by then and you will know the sound signature off by heart), then buy the amp and DAC together and see how much of a difference there is

But generally, I go like this: Headphones, amp, DAC, better amp, more (better) headphones, better amp, better DAC.

 

[Ninkul]

IMO both the DAC and the Amp are useless without one another. You're just amplifying bollocks if you're getting your sauce from the headphone jack in a laptop or pc.. Just save and get them all at once.

 

[roker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninkul /img/forum/go_quote.gif IMO both the DAC and the Amp are useless without one another. You're just amplifying bollocks if you're getting your sauce from the headphone jack in a laptop or pc.. Just save and get them all at once.

yeah, but if you're buying piece-by-piece

amp then DAC makes the most sense

You can run your iPod to the amp until you can get a DAC

even better

buy a decent DAC/amp combo, but in my opinion (and experience), it's better to have separates.