[zdkaiser]

Hello all,

I am fairly new to this website and had a few questions for you all. I was wondering how the AKG K701s would sound if powered by an Ibasso D2+ Boa (or a similar portable amp)? It is the only amp I have and I want to buy the AKGs. I have Grado 225is and they seem to do well with that amp. I know Grados are a bit easier to push though. Let me know what you all think.

I want to hear all the pros and cons.

 

[Luckyleo]

Welcome!

There are a lot of posts and discussion about this topic. Try the search function. However, in my opinion (and that of a lot of people with much more experience and shall we say community respect than I) you can't go wrong with the Heed Canamp SS amp. It has enough juice to bring out the best in the AKG 701's. That's what I bought for mine. I upgraded from a portable amp (Pico) and the differences were stunning to say the least. You can use them with the Ibasso, and you'll hear sound just fine, and you may even enjoy the experience. I'm suggesting that the good experience you'll have with the Ibasso is so much less than a well matched table amp like the Canamp.

 

[Ninkul]

K701 requires a large amount of current to sound "optimal". They'll sound -ok- from the D2 but you can do much better. I recommend finding a pair to audition first, they may or may not be for you.

 

[6ces11]

I agree with Ninkul. I found them boring when i got the chance to try them. Clarity is all there, but no imagery.

 

[aimlink]

They not only respond to an amp that will offer a lot of power, but also to recabling. Additionally, you need an amp that offers clean power and with quick transients, the recipe for clarity with dynamism. This requires a little investment. I don't know what it will sound like with the Ibasso. The sonic signature of the K702 makes it sensitive to a flat sound with inadequate dynamics when not properly amp'd. However, in truth, this has a lot to do with the recordings. The K701/2's will make a flat recording really flat and lifeless. Other cans will be more forgiving.

 

[Ninkul]

Having bought the K701 on a whim.. I didn't like them a whole lot at first (unamped properly). Then I bought an amp and they improved but.. they didn't always sound good (they had on and off days). Now my ears have adjusted to the K701 and i love em. Everything else sounds overly bassy now :\

 

[franatium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif They not only respond to an amp that will offer a lot of power, but also to recabling. Additionally, you need an amp that offers clean power and with quick transients, the recipe for clarity with dynamism. This requires a little investment. I don't know what it will sound like with the Ibasso. The sonic signature of the K702 makes it sensitive to a flat sound with inadequate dynamics when not properly amp'd. However, in truth, this has a lot to do with the recordings. The K701/2's will make a flat recording really flat and lifeless. Other cans will be more forgiving.

2nded I find the 701 really shows up poor recordings. I hook mine up to my eee 701 for nighttime movie watching sometimes which I imagine it less powerful than the Ibasso D2, its alright unamped for non-music I guess but does make you miss them being amped properly.

 

[Arctia]

I found headroom's crossfeed does mellow out the K701 quite a bit. It takes the edge of the trebles and gives it the bass that many people found lacking. Of course you do suffer in the detail department if you use crossfeed, but K701 is famous for its details, so you might be okay with it.

 

[VALIENTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zdkaiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hello all, I am fairly new to this website and had a few questions for you all. I was wondering how the AKG K701s would sound if powered by an Ibasso D2+ Boa (or a similar portable amp)? It is the only amp I have and I want to buy the AKGs. I have Grado 225is and they seem to do well with that amp. I know Grados are a bit easier to push though. Let me know what you all think. I want to hear all the pros and cons.

zdkaiser, may I refer you to my thread below for an additional information about AKG K701. You may find it helpful. Thank you.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/gra...g-k701-463718/

 

[aimlink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arctia /img/forum/go_quote.gif I found headroom's crossfeed does mellow out the K701 quite a bit. It takes the edge of the trebles and gives it the bass that many people found lacking. Of course you do suffer in the detail department if you use crossfeed, but K701 is famous for its details, so you might be okay with it.

I actually prefer my ALO K702's without the crossfeed. That nice and clear sound becomes coloured by the crossfeed.

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

I also prefer turning crossfeed OFF. It warns up the midbass at the cost of bass resolution and narrows down the soundstage width.

 

[aimlink]

I'd love to try something like the Phonitor to fiddle with crossfeed. The HeadRoom amps offer only one setting while the Phonitor allows you to adjust the degree of crossfeed.

 

[TheBigCW]

If you want adjustable crossfeed, look into a Corda amp. I really really like my Headfive (relatively inexpensive) with the very similar K601. But I believe Corda also has a unit that allows standalone crossfeed.

Also, 300th post.

 

[zdkaiser]

Does anyone have any experience with the K701s and a portable amp? Could you all comment on that?

 

[Happy Camper]

Portables = polite
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