[neouser]

Hello, I actually own a RME HDSP9632 paired with brand new AKG k271 mk2. They replaced my HD595. Now the Headphones are good and theres no doubt, but theyre actually sounding like crap, mostly at mid-high volumes. It's a pretty odd thing cause the sound actually doesnt lack of definition. In clean songs (classic/jazz/latin), the sound is undynamic and sterile, tiring. The worst comes with more "full" songs (rock/metal), its all very muddy, confused, weird and unpleasant. Like its not enough, in some (also very well recorded songs) with crisp highs, they are so tiring that its difficult to listen for more than 2minutes.

There's definitely something wrong. Actually the HP out of the rme is directly connected to the analog out (its the same), so its not really an amped out. I also know that k271's are quite difficult to drive. I tryed connecting the output of my dac to a m-audio active speaker with headphone out, and situation is clearly better.

I think I need some amp, space is not a problem, problem is budget, about 200$, shipping included, better if available in europe.

Thank you in advance,
Marco

 

[Ishcabible]

What pads are you using?

They don't sound undynamic and tiring from my A726. I'm using velour pads btw. It'll be a slight improvement if anything until you can afford a nicer amp.

 

[neouser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ishcabible /img/forum/go_quote.gif What pads are you using? They don't sound undynamic and tiring from my A726. I'm using velour pads btw. It'll be a slight improvement if anything until you can afford a nicer amp.

I tried both but we ain't talking of a slight, thin problem man, changing of pads its just a subtle difference, I am actually asking for a cheap amp to drive possibly well this hps,

thank you

 

[Filburt]

Two things:

First, K271 I found, much like my 701, took some weeks to settle out from hysteresis and they ended up sounding less bright and sterile, with more bass afterwards. I have a MK I but I assume the MK II is pretty similar. I went and got the velour pads, but I think the MKII comes with those standard doesn't it?

Secondly, as for an amp, I'd look for either a CKKIII built by someone, or some variant of kevin gilmore's amp such as maybe a used headamp unit (e.g. gilmore lite, gilmore v2).

Third option is have someone modify the RME with different op-amps on the output. I've done that on another RME card that used the same d/a converter (AD1852) and thought it was worthwhile.

 

[neouser]

I actually cannot mod the card, however I have a keces 131.1 on wich I could connect the headamp, any other suggestions on good sounding cheap amps?

Also is likely that rme sounds this bad with this headphones?

 

[neouser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by neouser /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually cannot mod the card, however I have a keces 131.1 on wich I could connect the headamp, any other suggestions on good sounding cheap amps? Also is likely that rme sounds this bad with this headphones?

Anyone?

 

[Audiotodd]

With AKG products, SS amps are generally considered the safest options (although many people seem to like tubes with the K701). I too have been researching amp options for both the K271 and the K701. From what I have seen, the Headamp Gilmore Lite, Little Dot MKV, Heed Canamp, Purity Audio KICAS and Audio-gd C2C. From what I can tell, the C2C is the best value. Balanced inputs, clean, warm sound. It seems to have the whole package at a great value. The new Little Dot MKVII may also prove to be a contender in what is now a highly competitive field.

 

[neouser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiotodd /img/forum/go_quote.gif With AKG products, SS amps are generally considered the safest options (although many people seem to like tubes with the K701). I too have been researching amp options for both the K271 and the K701. From what I have seen, the Headamp Gilmore Lite, Little Dot MKV, Heed Canamp, Purity Audio KICAS and Audio-gd C2C. From what I can tell, the C2C is the best value. Balanced inputs, clean, warm sound. It seems to have the whole package at a great value. The new Little Dot MKVII may also prove to be a contender in what is now a highly competitive field.

thank you for your reply mate, but those amps you reported are quite too expansive for my budget. Actually I wonder how this amps perform compared to the amp section in pro audio cards like profire 610 for example. In the end theyre quite simple projects and I wonder if theyre really better.

Thank you,

Marco

 

[Audiotodd]

I apologize. Nevertheless, I am of the view that if you are going to buy a system you might as well buy something that you won't want to upgrade for a long time. If I were you, I would look at the FS section and ebay for used amps in the $200-300 range as these will likely be $400 or $500 amps new. Their performance will be exponentially better than a new $200 amp, most of which can't really drive inefficient AKG phones.

 

[holland]

PenguinAmp.com - that will help. It won't be perfect, but will be good enough until you get obscenely loud (to the point where you clip the voltage rails and go deaf with metal music) and/or you want to test some 24-bit dynamic range without compression.

That is if you want to cheap out.

For $200, look at CK2III

Rockhopper Audio

Keep an eye on that space also.

You can also shop for a Millett Starving Student.

To answer your question. Better can be subjective, but if your amp is clipping then there's no point. Soundcards are limited by the voltage they have on the PCI or PCI-E rails. Sure they can multiply the voltage, but there's only so much they can do. If your soundcard takes a +- 12V plug from the computer power supply, then you may be able to do OK with it. However, computer PSU is noisy and the sound card needs a very good filtering section on the analog rails.

FWIW, the K271 is one of the more difficult to drive cans. Low sensitivity and Low Z.

 

[cerbie]

First, that sounds really bad. My PCDP doesn't make mine sound that bad

.

mp101 has a few portables for sale, preferring EU buyers, if you still want to go moderately cheap. The Govibe v6 has a rep for being fairly colored, but he's got one thread with Cordas and I think an iBasso unit.

One thing to remember with these HP amps is that most are being made by small companies, often down to one-man operations: meaning parts costs are higher, there's less R&D available to reduce costs w/o reducing quality, per-unit profit must be high, there's often prideful craftsmanship involved, and so on. Equivalent electronics in a $500 amp might be $50-75 if a large audio electronics company decided to create and widely market such a thing. It's at least mostly still a cottage industry (take SM Pro Audio as an one of a few counter-examples).

 

[neouser]

well guys, thanks for the replies. Actually the pairing hdsp9632/k271 doesnt work so well. After some more listening I can confirm the sound is simply unpleasant. And it's really hard do describe whats the problem. Mostly it simply doesn't sound "right". I thought "it's clipping", well i put on some very well recorded albums and I can say is detailed, A LOT. But for some reason the headphones are being driven bad, cause i'd say sound is "plastic", and in some songs highs are razors, like they were distorted, and bass is just weird, I really don't know. I am sure the problem is not the hps.

And data confirms what i said about detail: rmaa of the hp out of rme is just Excellent. So there must be some other problem, any ideas?

About amps, I am kinda pissed about buying 400/500$ amps which i see around here, cause as mate says up here, electronics are worth 10times less.
Are there any good pro audio products or something? Or at least something wich sounds good costing fairly.

Thank you

 

[cerbie]

If there's nothing in for sale that works (a portable that takes DC in aught to be OK), the only cheapish one I've read of is the HP4...but, as to how it actually sounds: ???.