Looking for a little direction -- Headphone Amp

seraph · 11-06-09, 10:34 PM

Good evening gentleman,

About 4 months ago I picked up a pair of AKG K702 headphones to replace my aging Grado's. I'm very pleased with the sound and quality with this set so far but I really feel they are underpowered without some amplification. I'm mostly just running them right off of my also aging M-Audio Revolution 7.1 soundcard.

I've been trying to get the foot in the door in headphone amp stuff to do some research but the internet is polluted with Headroom. Any recommendations or pointers at some nice comparative information would be awesome -- my price range is $700 and below. Thanks!

oztech · 11-07-09, 12:11 AM

If my budget would handle it this year then this would be no. 1 on my list. http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gs1/index.htm

tvrgeek · 11-07-09, 08:10 PM

Lots of choices. Consider DIY? Nothing more than a pair of LH0002 buffers will drive most headphones very well. A lot of tube designs have been published. The WEB is full of various amps. If you are driving it from a sound card, not sure you need to spend big bucks. I grabbed one of the little 10W tube amps off the WEB. Not that bad actually.

sillysally · 11-07-09, 10:42 PM

Yes if you just want to amplify from your soundcard then you don't need much.
Take a look at a Little Dot. However if you start to get into the world of headphones and amps, then take a look at a Woo WA6 with the PDPS upgrade.
These are tube amps and should help take the edge off of your K702s.
Also the best part of tube amps is that you can tweak (tube roll) your amp to better suit your Headphones.

btw, I think your K702 is a low Imp headphone.
Check out Head-FI
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/

ss

EnergyOwner · 11-07-09, 11:01 PM

Very happy with my Little Dot Mk III tube headphone amp. Good value at less than $250 shipped.

Tong Chia · 11-07-09, 11:07 PM

The EARMax Pro might also work
http://www.elusivedisc.com/products.asp?dept=521

or you could build one of the DIY clones of this little amp
http://www.cavalliaudio.com/cj/main.php?page=mj

seraph · 11-09-09, 11:11 PM

Thanks guys -- you gave me plenty to take a look at.

Sparky14 · 11-10-09, 12:20 AM

Go to www.head-fi.org and let the research begin. You'll find a few thousand opinions about which amp matches the K701 well.

Don't discount headroom, they make quality amps. But there are many many options.

11-06-09, 10:34 PM	#1 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a4ac4393' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:30&n=a4ac4393' border='0' alt=''></a>
seraph Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northeast PA Posts: 106	Looking for a little direction -- Headphone Amp Good evening gentleman, About 4 months ago I picked up a pair of AKG K702 headphones to replace my aging Grado's. I'm very pleased with the sound and quality with this set so far but I really feel they are underpowered without some amplification. I'm mostly just running them right off of my also aging M-Audio Revolution 7.1 soundcard. I've been trying to get the foot in the door in headphone amp stuff to do some research but the internet is polluted with Headroom. Any recommendations or pointers at some nice comparative information would be awesome -- my price range is $700 and below. Thanks!

11-07-09, 10:42 PM	#4 \| Link
sillysally AVS Special Member AVS CLUB MEMBER Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,697	Yes if you just want to amplify from your soundcard then you don't need much. Take a look at a Little Dot. However if you start to get into the world of headphones and amps, then take a look at a Woo WA6 with the PDPS upgrade. These are tube amps and should help take the edge off of your K702s. Also the best part of tube amps is that you can tweak (tube roll) your amp to better suit your Headphones. btw, I think your K702 is a low Imp headphone. Check out Head-FI http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/ ss __________________ Don't worry be happy! http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...2#post16582562 http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...7#post15867957 Last edited by sillysally; 11-08-09 at 03:08 AM..

11-07-09, 11:01 PM	#5 \| Link	<a href='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adclick.php?n=a591f81a' target='_blank'><img src='http://rev.avsforum.com/phpAdsNew/adview.php?what=zone:36&n=a591f81a' border='0' alt=''></a>
EnergyOwner Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 763	Very happy with my Little Dot Mk III tube headphone amp. Good value at less than $250 shipped. __________________ The sleeper must awaken.

11-07-09, 12:11 AM	#2 \| Link
oztech AVS Special Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Houston Texas Posts: 5,370	If my budget would handle it this year then this would be no. 1 on my list. http://www.headamp.com/home_amps/gs1/index.htm

11-07-09, 08:10 PM	#3 \| Link
tvrgeek Stubbie Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Bowie, MD. Posts: 1,539	Lots of choices. Consider DIY? Nothing more than a pair of LH0002 buffers will drive most headphones very well. A lot of tube designs have been published. The WEB is full of various amps. If you are driving it from a sound card, not sure you need to spend big bucks. I grabbed one of the little 10W tube amps off the WEB. Not that bad actually.

11-07-09, 11:07 PM	#6 \| Link
Tong Chia Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 613	The EARMax Pro might also work http://www.elusivedisc.com/products.asp?dept=521 or you could build one of the DIY clones of this little amp http://www.cavalliaudio.com/cj/main.php?page=mj

11-09-09, 11:11 PM	#7 \| Link
seraph Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northeast PA Posts: 106	Thanks guys -- you gave me plenty to take a look at.

11-10-09, 12:20 AM	#8 \| Link
Sparky14 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 52	Go to www.head-fi.org and let the research begin. You'll find a few thousand opinions about which amp matches the K701 well. Don't discount headroom, they make quality amps. But there are many many options.