[Rico613]

^ congrats on a good choice !
 

 

[raybone0566]

Got these new K712's yesterday and I'm amazed at how it makes my AD900x sound hollow, distant and unfocused, like being in a bathroom or listening through a tin can. It's less sibilant and more full-bodied/well-rounded compared to the treble cannon that is the AD900x. I'm also impressed by its technical dexterity in complex music, it's noticeably better than even the Fidelio X2 in this regard, which gives up after a certain point. On the K712 every instrument is distinct and nothing is over- or under-emphasized. Overall it sounds very balanced to my ears with a touch of warmth.

welcome, these are fantastic headphones. they are even more lush sounding if run from a tube amp. Enjoy

 

[octiceps]

Thanks guys.

BTW is it normal for the mini XLR connection to be really tight? I have to use some force to insert and remove the cable.

 

[ken1mbhf]

Yeah mine is like that too. I thought I was going to break it when I was attaching the cable.

 

[octiceps]

Are there any mini XLR male to 3.5mm female adapters?

 

[Rico613]

Are there any mini XLR male to 3.5mm female adapters?

http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/123151-Cable-Up-by-Vu-M3-XF3-5
 
I haven't used these.  I assume there is a short flexible cable between plugs, 5' maybe too long?
 
There are lots of places that have this connector combination.  check at Moon Audio

 

[octiceps]

http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/123151-Cable-Up-by-Vu-M3-XF3-5

I haven't used these.  I assume there is a short flexible cable between plugs, 5' maybe too long?

There are lots of places that have this connector combination.  check at Moon Audio

Sorry I meant mini XLR female to 3.5mm female, no cable just adapter. I searched but couldn't find any. I would like to use my BoomPro mic with the K712.

 

[kyungrok325]

Can anyone recommend to me a good amp and DAC for AKG k712's?
I've done extensive searching around the internet and I am a complete noobie when
it comes to audio stuff.
 
I just recently bought the akg k712 (it's coming in this tuesday) and I have no idea what amp and DAC to buy
I have heard numerous people say the asgard 2, valhalla 2, or heed canamp.
I read that asgard 2 is more smooth sounding (I have no idea what that means)
and I read that the heed canamp is the best for AKG k701's, but will it also be the "best" for AKG 712's?
Sorry I am a complete noobie and don't know most of the stuff that im reading about.
 
I will use the headphones mostly for gaming (CS:GO in particular)
and also some light music listening like OST's or something while I'm studying.
 
And what is the difference between an expensive amp ($300) and an inexpensive amp (say a $1000 amp)? Will there be a clear difference?

 

[Rico613]

  Can anyone recommend to me a good amp and DAC for AKG k712's?
I've done extensive searching around the internet and I am a complete noobie when
it comes to audio stuff.
 
I just recently bought the akg k712 (it's coming in this tuesday) and I have no idea what amp and DAC to buy
I have heard numerous people say the asgard 2, valhalla 2, or heed canamp.
I read that asgard 2 is more smooth sounding (I have no idea what that means)
and I read that the heed canamp is the best for AKG k701's, but will it also be the "best" for AKG 712's?
Sorry I am a complete noobie and don't know most of the stuff that im reading about.
 
I will use the headphones mostly for gaming (CS:GO in particular)
and also some light music listening like OST's or something while I'm studying.
 
And what is the difference between an expensive amp ($300) and an inexpensive amp (say a $1000 amp)? Will there be a clear difference?

 
Congrats on getting the K712.  That you decided on the K712 shows you are doing something right!!
 
There are so many ways go go with DAC's & Amps.  FiiO makes good stuff, Violectric is good, Woo Audio is good.  I first used an OPPO BDP 105 as a DAC / CD / DVD player.  It is an excellent value for the money.  
 
If you're willing to grow into this hobby, I'd suggest getting something inexpensive like FiiO gear and get it used in the buy/sell/trade area of HeadFi.  It is good place to do research and see what items retain resale value.  Better sounding gear will hold its value.  In general you get what you pay for in audio gear, but it is easy to overpay if you skip the research.  When you get into the more expensive DACs and Amps, there are many things worth upgrading:  power supply, power cables, headphone cables, interconnects, etc.  The general philosophy is to figure out what the weakest link in your signal chain is and upgrade that.  Easier to start simple and grow into it without spending a bundle.
 
If you don't want to invest a lot of time into research it may be better to go with award winning products like the Woo Audio Fireflies, or OPPO BDP 105 both of which are sold factory direct.  Contacting a solid reputable dealer like Drew at Moon Audio can help make the decisions easier, but you pay a lot for the advice in dealer markups.
 
Well, that's my 2 cents worth . . . keep it fun and enjoy.

 

[ken1mbhf]

If I were you, I would hold off from getting an amp. Just plug the headphones right into your computer and see if you like the sound coming out of it. If the volume is too low then get an amp. If you just don't like how it sounds (treble is too harsh, not enough bass, etc.), then you might end up wanting to return it and look for a different pair of headphones.
 
Also, if you intend to use your headphones with a smartphone (or a tablet or whatever), then I would suggest you look into portable amps. There is a portable amp guide on this site.

 

[Rico613]

Yea, portable amps and DACs are another consideration.  Chord Hugo is reputed to be the best, but $$  check it out here.

 

[ken1mbhf]

Sorry I meant mini XLR female to 3.5mm female, no cable just adapter. I searched but couldn't find any. I would like to use my BoomPro mic with the K712.

Not sure if you're still looking, but a search on eBay turned up the following:
 
Adapter with cable:
Mini Female Male 3-Pin XLR to 3.5mm 1/8" Female Adaptor adapter 1ft to 6ft tiny
 
Just the adapter:
Mini 3 Pin XLR Female TA3 to 3.5mm Jack Socket Adapter TA3F Tiny Headphones AKG
 
But the prices

 

 

[kyungrok325]

Thank you for the fast replies
I'm not thinking about using these headphones outside my desktop any time soon. They are going to stay at my desktop.
that being said, Im not sure I would be able to detect the suttle differences in music
as you guys who have been listening to high-quality music might.
 
And I am a college student so I don't have the luxury to spend $1000s of dollars on amps or DAC's
My price range is between $300-$700 dollars for each amp and dac.
 
And this might be something I might make a hobby out of, but at the moment, because I'm a college
student I would prefer to buy just one amp and one dac and know that I made the right purchases and be satisfied
and use those for as long as i can. I really want to try out different amps but where i live, nobody carries any of these stuff.
 
and yes Im going to use the headphones first, directly connected to my computer to see how it sounds. I want to know
what the headphones sound before i get an amp, and hopefully ill appreciate the amp even more after I use it.

 

[octiceps]

  Not sure if you're still looking, but a search on eBay turned up the following:
 
Adapter with cable:
Mini Female Male 3-Pin XLR to 3.5mm 1/8" Female Adaptor adapter 1ft to 6ft tiny
 
Just the adapter:
Mini 3 Pin XLR Female TA3 to 3.5mm Jack Socket Adapter TA3F Tiny Headphones AKG
 
But the prices

 

 
Thank you! That second adapter looks like just what I need.

 

[jodgey4]

The best value IMHO would be getting a clean DAC and a class-A amp. Schiit's Bifrost and Asgard 2, Audio-GD's NFB-11 or NFB-29 come to mind right off the bat, though there's plenty of other options. I for sure wouldn't advocate spending more money on source gear than you did on your cans.