[lolitsluis]

Howdy all, 
 
I have been a lurker for the past year and a half and finally,after having looked through the nooks and crannies of this forum, I can't find an answer to my specific question.
 
I just bought my first super serious set of cans,the AKG K702. Currently I am powering them through a NAD C320BEE. I know the NAD is meant for High Z cans like Senns, but I was wondering if they were providing the sufficient power to the AKGs. I do find the amp really bright and forward, and thankfully the 702s tame that but I still find the sound a bit harsh. 
 
I have seen the Millet Starving Student (I happen to be one) as a suggestion for these bad boys. I have also seen the Heed Canamp, Little Dot recommended, and the Bottlehead S.E.X. I was wondering if any of these would be an upgrade or more of a side ways move. I am looking hopefully for a hybrid or tube amp, since I have found most solid state a bit too off-putting. I am also capable of DIY, and would really like to go that route.
 
If anyone has an experience with DIY amps for AKG K702s, or can shed some light to question, I would appreciate it. Thanks all!

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Are your 702's new? If so...they seem to really need a burn-in period. I have read some say theirs took as long as 400 hours. Mine (I have the 701's) have 100-200 hours and there is no harshness. I bought them with those hours on them so I don't know how much they changed from new.
 
Not sure how well your current amp is doing...I am not familiar with it. As far as the Little Dot...that is what I am using, the Little Dot 1+ and it may be the tubes, it may be the amp, but whichever it is, I am not happy with the combo. I am going to be getting a M-Stage soon, I read it has a great synergy with the 701/2's and it just a really good amp overall, especially for the price.

 

[Dreaming Of A Better ...]

how long have you used them for ? i found mine were bit harsh for the first couple of hours, they seem to have smoothed out now.
btw as the poster above me wrote, matrix m-stage is a pretty popular match for the K701 / K702.

 

[V-DiV]

Quote:

Howdy all, 
 
I have been a lurker for the past year and a half and finally,after having looked through the nooks and crannies of this forum, I can't find an answer to my specific question.
 
I just bought my first super serious set of cans,the AKG K702. Currently I am powering them through a NAD C320BEE. I know the NAD is meant for High Z cans like Senns, but I was wondering if they were providing the sufficient power to the AKGs. I do find the amp really bright and forward, and thankfully the 702s tame that but I still find the sound a bit harsh. 
 
I have seen the Millet Starving Student (I happen to be one) as a suggestion for these bad boys. I have also seen the Heed Canamp, Little Dot recommended, and the Bottlehead S.E.X. I was wondering if any of these would be an upgrade or more of a side ways move. I am looking hopefully for a hybrid or tube amp, since I have found most solid state a bit too off-putting. I am also capable of DIY, and would really like to go that route.
 
If anyone has an experience with DIY amps for AKG K702s, or can shed some light to question, I would appreciate it. Thanks all!

K70x's need serious burn-in time (300 hrs; big changes in the first 100-150 hrs).  They also need a good, complementary headphone amp.  I have a C320BEE and I listened to my K701s a bit after they were burned in and didn't think they sounded very good (although come to think of it, the source wasn't very good either).  My Channel Islands Audio VHP-2 is decent with K702, but I'm sure there are better.  My Starving Student Millett Hybrid is warmer but not as resolving as the VHP-2.

 

[lolitsluis]

Thanks for the replies, they are very much appreciated. As of now they have roughly 50 hours on them. When I was using my Grados they started sounding better at this point, so I had assumed they were edging their way. I will keep burning them in, with hopes the harshness goes away. For the most part they sound amazing, just that harshness that's kicking me right now.

 

[Gatepc]

I am running mine through a little dot MK III all tube amp and think it makes a wonderful combo. The tubes take a lot of harshness out of these headphones but keep the detail and make vocals even more pleasing. I think its worth looking at. Also as others have mentioned they do require burn in for a fairly long time. Right now I have around 1000 hours on them I think its safe to say mine where completely burned in at about 500 hours in. 

 

[Sophonax]

When I had mine, the best synergy I found with them was on the Schiit Valhalla.  It seems like something of a counterintuitive match, since the Valhalla is an OTL tube amp and therefore at its best with high-impedance headphones.  But for some reason, the K701 sounds great on this amp.  The tubes help to take off some of the harshness I found in the upper mids / lower treble of the K701, and the bass quantity also seems to be increased a bit.  My only complaint with the combo is that there was an ever-so-slight loss of detail when compared to the solid state amps I'd tried the K701 with (HeadAmp GS-1 and Schiit Asgard).

 

[lolitsluis]

Thanks for the input.
 
I have found a thread which details people's experiences with the Schiit, and I like what I hear. I hope to find more input especially regarding DIY experiences

 

[lolitsluis]

bumps?

 

[Chris IL]

I'm a newbie, (or is it noobie?) to this site so naturally any advice I give should not be taken seriously. I've only been involved in hi-end audio for 35 years. I've never encountered a piece of gear that required as long a break-in period as the AKG K702's. I kept noticing improvement up to 1000 hours. So be patient. I'm using a Headroom Micro Amp with much success. $350.

 

[12345142]

The Purity Audio Caliente sounds warm for a solid-state amp and sounds great with my K702s. Also, it's made in Canada and it's $249 right now. I haven't been counting hours but I think the mids and treble have smoothed out since I got my K702s in June. The bass is more 'pop' than 'wham' though...that's not going to change anytime soon. Perhaps a recable will increase the bass, although aftermarket cables should be the last priority in a sound system, if you ask me.

 

[lolitsluis]

bump

 

[adydula]

Hi,
 
I have had the 702's for about a month now and most people seem to use them with a PC source to a DAC to and amp.
 
I am using the 702's connected to the headphone amp section in a standalone Pre-Amp, the Insight + from VanAlstine Audio.
The amp will drive low impedance cans to ear shattering levels. The 702's are I believe rated by AKG as 200 mw input power.
 
The preamp is driven by a Oppo BD83SE BD player with the modded analog section, the analog outs to the pre, the pre to the cans.
 
The sound is out of this world. I have reported on this in other threads. The sound is accurate, tonally wonderful, soundstage is amazing.
Many other cans, very good, sound 'Boomy' to me with exaggerated bass. When I say bass I mean listen to a real bass guitar or bass violin
plucking the strings and hearing the rich harmonics etc....not this 'missing' fullness stuff I keep reading about.
 
Its about clarity, transparency, etc to me, and these cans do a wonderful job here.
 
I have an Asgard coming and will compare my setup to it this weekend and report back.
 
I have 50 hours on the cans and I cant really tell any difference in the sound from day 1.
 
I have had Beyerdynamics, ATH M50's....all sound boomy to me in comparison to the 702's and I used to think they were ok...
 
Good luck with your amp search...the Little III, Matrix M Stage V2, WooAudio WA3, HA160 Burson, Lovely Cube all have great reviews, mostly positive etc..once you get one
start enjoying what you have and listen to the music!!
 
All the best
Alex
 
UPDATE: I listened to the 702s via my preamp, Donald Fagans "Morph the Cat" cd , first track, "Morph the Cat".
If this doesnt have enough bass vai the 702's then I am at a loss of what is. This cut is an awesome demo cut for 702 and their ability
to provide outstanding accurate bold bass. The amp section in the preamp I have, I belive is superlative and cant wait to compare with
the Schiit Audio Asgard this weekend.
 

 

 

[lolitsluis]

Thanks for the words of encouragement adyula, at the moment Im looking at the Valhalla by schiit, but dropping that kind of cash makes me apprehensive :/

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I just wanted to say that I finally pulled the jumpers in my LD1+ switching it from low gain to high gain (why I didn't do it sooner) and I gotta say...I now LOVE my 701's. The difference is day and night. No doubt the LD1+ isn't the best amp out there nor the best amp for the 701's...but for <$150 shipped and tubes...it does a pretty damn good job. I am now happy and keeping my AKG's.