[implodingtreble]

Hello all,

I just received my k7XX and I'm currently looking for an usb dac/amp combo. These are my first hi-fi phones and I'm eager to start listening/gaming with them, however I am trying to be patient and wait till I pick up a dac/amp. I was wondering if anybody has experience using Fiio E07K with the K7XX. Or if anyone has any suggestions for a usb powered dac/amp combo that is around 100 USD. I know this is the first edition thread, but help out a bloke like me whose late to the party? Please? 

Disclaimer; I did try the "Search this thread" button to no avail. 

Thank you and be excellent to each other. 

 

[RyHi-FiGuy]

  Hello all,

I just received my k7XX and I'm currently looking for an usb dac/amp combo. These are my first hi-fi phones and I'm eager to start listening/gaming with them, however I am trying to be patient and wait till I pick up a dac/amp. I was wondering if anybody has experience using Fiio E07K with the K7XX. Or if anyone has any suggestions for a usb powered dac/amp combo that is around 100 USD. I know this is the first edition thread, but help out a bloke like me whose late to the party? Please? 

Disclaimer; I did try the "Search this thread" button to no avail. 

Thank you and be excellent to each other. 

Eh..what are you going to use them with, PC? I'm assuming so since gaming. Well if 100 is your max, I'd recommend just getting a good amp and waiting on the DAC. Perhaps the Schiit Modi or Vali ( I'd recommend the Vali). I decided to wait on the DAC myself, as my PC is fairly good, but a good amp will make a huge difference. Plugging my k7's into my pc or phone by itself sounds god awful, but with an amp it sings. Just my 2 cents though.

 

[implodingtreble]

 
Eh..what are you going to use them with, PC? I'm assuming so since gaming. Well if 100 is your max, I'd recommend just getting a good amp and waiting on the DAC. Perhaps the Schiit Modi or Vali ( I'd recommend the Vali). I decided to wait on the DAC myself, as my PC is fairly good, but a good amp will make a huge difference. Plugging my k7's into my pc or phone by itself sounds god awful, but with an amp it sings. Just my 2 cents though.

Thanks for the response. I'm going to use them with my laptop (music, movies) and my ps4 (hopefully ps3/360). Going into more detail, I do have a DAC from turtle beach (http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Upgrade-Headset-Compatibility-TBS-0115-01-4/dp/B00JC5Y9LK) but I'm sure I can do better. After doing some more digging and youtube searches, I came across the SMSL M2 and the SMSL SD793-II. Only problem with the SD793-II is that it only has a optical and coaxial in. Which If I wanted to use it with my laptop I guess I can get a 3.5mm to coaxial? 

So portability out the window? I was looking at the Magni 2/Vali but decided to venture to other ideas because paying for a schiit stack is a bit expensive. Everyone seems to be point to schiit. But, I went from clueless thinking Skull Candy Hesh's were amazing to realizing Monoprice 8323's are a damn good buy for the price, to clueless K7XX owner whose brain is melting researching dac and amps.

Just looking at other options, it's like someone telling you "just get a civic" for your first car. Cheap, cheap to fix and reliable. Ya man, but with the 4k I drop on a Civic I can get a 09 Kawasaki Ninja...not that I don't value your input. I'm just providing context. I also may be a Newbie overthinking everything.

Side Note: I would suggest everyone checking out z reviews on youtube, he seems like a fellow head-fi who knows his stuff. Who loves SMSL for some reason. 

 

[HideousPride]

I don't know if they sell it anymore since coming out with V1.2, but the original Audioquest Dragonfly is a pretty neat $100 product that I rather like as a portable amp/DAC combo.
 
We've got a employee at the office who swears by the TCG TRD3 if you're into obscure stuff that potentially sounds really good.
 
I personally like the Schiit stacks a lot from both a sonic and aesthetic standpoint, but that might be pushing the budget.

 

[cel4145]

Eh..what are you going to use them with, PC? I'm assuming so since gaming. Well if 100 is your max, I'd recommend just getting a good amp and waiting on the DAC. Perhaps the Schiit Modi or Vali ( I'd recommend the Vali). I decided to wait on the DAC myself, as my PC is fairly good, but a good amp will make a huge difference. Plugging my k7's into my pc or phone by itself sounds god awful, but with an amp it sings. Just my 2 cents though.

+1

Thanks for the response. I'm going to use them with my laptop (music, movies) and my ps4 (hopefully ps3/360). Going into more detail, I do have a DAC from turtle beach (http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-Upgrade-Headset-Compatibility-TBS-0115-01-4/dp/B00JC5Y9LK) but I'm sure I can do better. After doing some more digging and youtube searches, I came across the SMSL M2 and the SMSL SD793-II. Only problem with the SD793-II is that it only has a optical and coaxial in. Which If I wanted to use it with my laptop I guess I can get a 3.5mm to coaxial? 


So portability out the window? I was looking at the Magni 2/Vali but decided to venture to other ideas because paying for a schiit stack is a bit expensive. Everyone seems to be point to schiit. But, I went from clueless thinking Skull Candy Hesh's were amazing to realizing Monoprice 8323's are a damn good buy for the price, to clueless K7XX owner whose brain is melting researching dac and amps.


Just looking at other options, it's like someone telling you "just get a civic" for your first car. Cheap, cheap to fix and reliable. Ya man, but with the 4k I drop on a Civic I can get a 09 Kawasaki Ninja...not that I don't value your input. I'm just providing context. I also may be a Newbie overthinking everything.


Side Note: I would suggest everyone checking out z reviews on youtube, he seems like a fellow head-fi who knows his stuff. Who loves SMSL for some reason. 

I agree with RyHi-FiGuy. Get a good amp and wait on the DAC. The amp will make the biggest difference. If you want something portable, get a FiiO E12 amp. It will drive the K7XX very, very well.

SMSL stuff has a built themselves a reputation of poor reliability over the years. It's cheap stuff. I've always figured that the way that they manage to undersell Topping (who makes similar, but slightly more expensive products) is through lower quality control and buying electronic component batches that have poor failure rates. Might work out for you. Might not. Don't pass on the E11K as a portable amp for the same price as the SMSL--which many people here agree is excellent for the price--just because some guy on YouTube said to. LOL

Otherwise, check the trade forums here. You might find something that meets your needs that is closer to your budget.

And no. You can't use a 3.5mm to coaxial cable to connect the analog output on your laptop to the digital input on a DAC. Even if you could, it would make no sense. The point of hooking a DAC to a computer is to bypass the computer's inner DAC/audio chip and take digital directly from your computer. If you are connecting anything to that 3.5mm headphone jack on your laptop, too late. The sound has already been processed internally in your computer.

 

[Koolpep]

  Hello all,

I just received my k7XX and I'm currently looking for an usb dac/amp combo. These are my first hi-fi phones and I'm eager to start listening/gaming with them, however I am trying to be patient and wait till I pick up a dac/amp. I was wondering if anybody has experience using Fiio E07K with the K7XX. Or if anyone has any suggestions for a usb powered dac/amp combo that is around 100 USD. I know this is the first edition thread, but help out a bloke like me whose late to the party? Please? 

Disclaimer; I did try the "Search this thread" button to no avail. 

Thank you and be excellent to each other. 

+1 to what the others said. I still have the E07K and tried it with the K7XX just now.
 

 
 
Not bad at all. I found it best though to sound with gain set to +12 but overall a quite pleasant sound.
It's no iDSD micro but it delivers enough fun into these headphones. I would say you can be quite happy with this combo.
 
Slightly above the budget are the Dragonfly as others mentioned or the Audioengine D3 which I also have and really like what it produces. Then there is the CEntrance DACPort HD but this won't ship until September.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[cel4145]

Hello all,
I just received my k7XX and I'm currently looking for an usb dac/amp combo. These are my first hi-fi phones and I'm eager to start listening/gaming with them, however I am trying to be patient and wait till I pick up a dac/amp. I was wondering if anybody has experience using Fiio E07K with the K7XX. Or if anyone has any suggestions for a usb powered dac/amp combo that is around 100 USD. I know this is the first edition thread, but help out a bloke like me whose late to the party? Please? 

Just saw this deal for the FiiO E12 for $100: http://www.focuscamera.com/fiio-e12-mont-blanc-portable-headphone-amplifier.html. You absolutely cannot go wrong for $100 for the E12 if you would like a portable amp

Also, E18 for $130: http://www.focuscamera.com/fiio-e18-kunlun-android-portable-usb-dac-amp.html And E17K for $110: http://www.focuscamera.com/fiio-e17k-alpen-2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier.html

 

[Chuckaroo91]

Just saw this deal for the FiiO E12 for $100: http://www.focuscamera.com/fiio-e12-mont-blanc-portable-headphone-amplifier.html. You absolutely cannot go wrong for $100 for the E12 if you would like a portable amp

Also, E18 for $130: http://www.focuscamera.com/fiio-e18-kunlun-android-portable-usb-dac-amp.html And E17K for $110: http://www.focuscamera.com/fiio-e17k-alpen-2-usb-dac-headphone-amplifier.html

 


Making me want to spend money!

 

[implodingtreble]

Don't pass on the E11K as a portable amp for the same price as the SMSL--which many people here agree is excellent for the price--just because some guy on YouTube said to. LOL

That's why I came to you guys! If someone keeps swearing by a brand on youtube there are a couple possible scenarios. The product is legitimately good. The product is okay and the reviewer is biased or the worse case scenario, reviewer is being paid off by the company. Anyways I digress 

So the smart move would be get a decent amp that is versatile and well received like the Schiit Magni. Lol please don't kill me guys. I'm extremely grateful the lot of you took the time to write out suggestions and even point me to some sales. One last question, I really shouldn't worry about a DAC for my laptop then? Going back to what RyHi-FiGuy said, he waited on a DAC because his PC was fairly good. However I only have an Asus which I don't know what brand it is...

...Okay guys I feel silly, I'm kind of typing this like we are having a conversation at a meet up because I'm not afraid to look like a fool. Part of the learning process right? So I bought this Asus refurbished laptop some time ago. When I was looking for a model number to tell you guys and so I can do some research I found a SonicMaster label. Upon googling it I found this
http://www.asus.com/sonicmaster/global/whats-sonicmaster/ what do you guys think? They say it's catered to pro audio, so I really shouldn't need a DAC no?

again, I feel silly.

Edit: Ugh I'm an idiot, I'm dumb, I'm stupid. So I plugged my headphones in just to see, they are working just fine at level (percent?) 30. So I really just need an Amp for my laptop...my god I feel like I just wasted your guy's time. I apologize...

 

[AKGunkie]

 
That's why I came to you guys! If someone keeps swearing by a brand on youtube there are a couple possible scenarios. The product is legitimately good. The product is okay and the reviewer is biased or the worse case scenario, reviewer is being paid off by the company. Anyways I digress 

So the smart move would be get a decent amp that is versatile and well received like the Schiit Magni. Lol please don't kill me guys. I'm extremely grateful the lot of you took the time to write out suggestions and even point me to some sales. One last question, I really shouldn't worry about a DAC for my laptop then? Going back to what RyHi-FiGuy said, he waited on a DAC because his PC was fairly good. However I only have an Asus which I don't know what brand it is...

...Okay guys I feel silly, I'm kind of typing this like we are having a conversation at a meet up because I'm not afraid to look like a fool. Part of the learning process right? So I bought this Asus refurbished laptop some time ago. When I was looking for a model number to tell you guys and so I can do some research I found a SonicMaster label. Upon googling it I found this
http://www.asus.com/sonicmaster/global/whats-sonicmaster/ what do you guys think? They say it's catered to pro audio, so I really shouldn't need a DAC no?

again, I feel silly.

Edit: Ugh I'm an idiot, I'm dumb, I'm stupid. So I plugged my headphones in just to see, they are working just fine at level (percent?) 30. So I really just need an Amp for my laptop...my god I feel like I just wasted your guy's time. I apologize...

Don't worry, you aren't bothering anyone here.  I think most people feel that DACs aren't absolutely necessary, and we would suggest getting an Amp first. But, nonetheless a set-up can benefit from one, although the other components will probably have a much greater effect, your onboard DAC output will most likely go through the amplifier section of the soundcard which will probably introduce some noise. And i always recommend people change their set-ups one piece at a time so you can understand each piece of the puzzle.

 

[implodingtreble]

Well ladies and gents, after all that I was able to pick up a barely used Magni 2 from the trade section for a decent price. Hopefully it comes as described and I'll be rocking it out on my ps4/Laptop within a week. So far I'm enjoying them on my laptop. Going to enjoy them a bit more before I run them through some tests to see if there is any rattle. 

 

[SpiderNhan]

The built-in sound my desktop PC's motherboard is downright horrible, but my Asus Zenbook doesn't sound bad. The biggest difference the Zenbook's built-in audio my DACs (V-MODA Vamp Verza and Aune T1) is the DACs provide a clearer, cleaner signal. With the onboard Asus DAC, I can sometimes hear noise when the CPU is working, whereas the Verza is perfectly shielded against all that EMI(Electromagnetic Interference). The boost in sound quality is subtle but definitely better once you learn what to listen for and the extra power you get, especially for an AKG K-series headphone, will be obvious. I haven't heard your Asus laptop, but one thing I've learned about amps is if the signal you start with wasn't that great to begin with the amp will only make the bad signal louder, hence the need for a DAC.

 

[Zombie_X]

Yo gents,
 
Man these K7XX are nice! I do love the extra bass and warmth, and they compliment the K701 and Q701 really nicely. They are also easier to drive? They get louder on my V200 much sooner than my K701, and that's direct swapping. So odd as the stats for these are the same. The bass control and extension else seem better. I also noticed my Auditor really drives them to the limits, unlike my K701....but that shouldn't be.. I am at a loss this shouldn't be.
 
Look forward to my three way shoot out between the K701, Q701, and K702. For now I'll return to listening to Army of The Pharaohs. Underrated rap band they are.

 

[implodingtreble]

  Yo gents,
 
Man these K7XX are nice! I do love the extra bass and warmth, and they compliment the K701 and Q701 really nicely. They are also easier to drive? They get louder on my V200 much sooner than my K701, and that's direct swapping. So odd as the stats for these are the same. The bass control and extension else seem better. I also noticed my Auditor really drives them to the limits, unlike my K701....but that shouldn't be.. I am at a loss this shouldn't be.
 
Look forward to my three way shoot out between the K701, Q701, and K702. For now I'll return to listening to Army of The Pharaohs. Underrated rap band they are.

 
I concur. Reading up on these I wasn't expecting them to be able to drive fairly well. Luckily my laptop and phone are able to drive them decently. Even in my DS4 controller, yes the volume has to be up almost all of the way, but the sounds coming from Arkham Knight have been pretty rad. Heard new sounds while listening to Alice Cooper - Hello Hooray, Dire Straits - Money For Nothing and listening to System of The Down now and I never heard Serj's voice like this before. Hell even with Netflix not streaming on the highest quality, these cans have been making experiencing Death Note that much better. 

I definitely can't wait for my amp to come in. 

 

[Shaffer]

Yo gents,

Man these K7XX are nice! I do love the extra bass and warmth, and they compliment the K701 and Q701 really nicely. They are also easier to drive? They get louder on my V200 much sooner than my K701, and that's direct swapping. So odd as the stats for these are the same. The bass control and extension else seem better. I also noticed my Auditor really drives them to the limits, unlike my K701....but that shouldn't be.. I am at a loss this shouldn't be.

Look forward to my three way shoot out between the K701, Q701, and K702. For now I'll return to listening to Army of The Pharaohs. Underrated rap band they are.

Interesting. I noticed an opposite effect. I have to turn the volume up going from K702 (Austrian with bass mod) to the K7XX. FWIW, I don't use my V200 with K7XX.