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Suggestion for desktop amps......current budget overstretch


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I must say that the K702's definitely require burn-in. I was pretty shocked at the difference when I compared filburt's well worn k701's (which I really liked) to my relatively fresh pair of k702's (didn't like nearly so much). After running them for a while they seem to have started to sound closer to how filburt's were.

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I've heard enough mp3 players (including my friend's Zune) to say (at least for myself) that their DAC capabilities aren't as great as standalone DACs (including the Pico) probably because of size and power constraints of portable players. I've yet to hear an iMod, but everything else (like iPods+docks) doesn't quite reach the level of not-PMPs.

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I think the pico amp/dac suggestion is quite a good one at your price point. The g-lite/pico dac is also a good suggestion but in reality may not be a huge step-up from the pico amp/dac. A bigger step-up, but at a larger cost is to go with the TTVJ Fet-A as the amp with the Pico DAC. IMO the Fet-A loves grados and sounds quite nice with the hf-2, at least with my relatively short audition at CanJam.

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I think the pico amp/dac suggestion is quite a good one at your price point. The g-lite/pico dac is also a good suggestion but in reality may not be a huge step-up from the pico amp/dac. A bigger step-up, but at a larger cost is to go with the TTVJ Fet-A as the amp with the Pico DAC. IMO the Fet-A loves grados and sounds quite nice with the hf-2, at least with my relatively short audition at CanJam.

Do you think the pico or gilmore/pico can drive 701 at a reasonable level ?

And with the pico dac/amp say one day i wanted to upgrade to Fet-A like your suggestion above, can i by pass the power on the pico and just use the dac?

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Do you think the pico or gilmore/pico can drive 701 at a reasonable level ?

Pico DAC/AMP - Level: Yes; Quality: No

G-Lite/Pico DAC - Level: Yes; Quality: Maybe

Of course I'm one of those curmudgeons that thinks the 701's need more power to sound good (as well as a double-entry recable).

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thanks......hmm, for 300 more I'm gambling.......why not ?? Thanks morphsci

THE GAMBLING IS JUST DONE......JUST ORDERED GILMORE LITE/PICO DAC.........

My overall budget just went to 1200(813 fr this +425 fr HF2) +370 (fr impulse purchase of 701) = close to 1600.

GOD, PLEASE STOP THIS INSANITY..........

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Pico DAC/AMP - Level: Yes; Quality: No

G-Lite/Pico DAC - Level: Yes; Quality: Maybe

Of course I'm one of those curmudgeons that thinks the 701's need more power to sound good (as well as a double-entry recable).

I would tend to agree. As much as I love my Pico, it is not cut out for driving a heavy load like the K701.

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Have we talked about electrostatics yet? :indra:

go away sprit.......:palm::palm::palm: I may end up with electrostatics setup and alimony....... :D

Or maybe I should downgrade all my song collection back to 64 or 128 then use ibud......I come from this and no harm going back to this:p

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I must say that the K702's definitely require burn-in. I was pretty shocked at the difference when I compared filburt's well worn k701's (which I really liked) to my relatively fresh pair of k702's (didn't like nearly so much). After running them for a while they seem to have started to sound closer to how filburt's were.

hm... maybe I shoulda given em more time. Oh well. Got no setup here now. Do tell me how it goes in the long run.

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Crappy, have you even heard the HF2s yet, let alone with a pico dac and gilmore lite? I'm just wondering if I should come down and beat you over your freshly sutured noggin over this. You should know better.

I'm perfectly happy with my HF2 with the pico amp/dac and my macbook. Is there a better combo out there? Maybe. I don't much care right now. I'm really enjoying these.

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Of course I'm one of those curmudgeons that thinks the 701's need more power to sound good (as well as a double-entry recable).

My 701s improved significantly with a good double-entry recable. (Moon Audio Black Dragon)

Somebody said it, but I'll say it again. They take an insane amount of burn-in. Mine sounded like ass straight out of the box. I left them playing in picnic cooler covered with blankets for two weeks and they sounded promising. After six months of use they started sounding good. For all I know, they may still be breaking in....

-Carl

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My 701s improved significantly with a good double-entry recable. (Moon Audio Black Dragon)

Somebody said it, but I'll say it again. They take an insane amount of burn-in. Mine sounded like ass straight out of the box. I left them playing in picnic cooler covered with blankets for two weeks and they sounded promising. After six months of use they started sounding good. For all I know, they may still be breaking in....

-Carl

Does the bass ever fill out and get punchy?

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My 701s improved significantly with a good double-entry recable. (Moon Audio Black Dragon)

Somebody said it, but I'll say it again. They take an insane amount of burn-in. Mine sounded like ass straight out of the box. I left them playing in picnic cooler covered with blankets for two weeks and they sounded promising. After six months of use they started sounding good. For all I know, they may still be breaking in....

-Carl

Carl's 701s sound wonderful out of my rig, with as much bass as pleases me and with punch. YMMV.

And I agree with those who say this re K701s: moar power, recable, and long burn-in (and I'm not a burn-in believer in general)

Edited by boomana
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go away sprit.......:palm::palm::palm: I may end up with electrostatics setup and alimony....... :D

Or maybe I should downgrade all my song collection back to 64 or 128 then use ibud......I come from this and no harm going back to this:p

Talking about ear buds, you can put together this very nice system:

G-Lite > Pico Dac > Yuin PK1

This would beat many, many headphone based systems. Of course Boomana's is a great approach if you insist on headphones:

G-Lite > Pico Dac > Grado HF2

If you must base your system around the K701, you'll have to spend enough money to get a good amp that can give them the current and voltage they need to sound their best.

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Does the bass ever fill out and get punchy?

Yeah. It goes deep and is tight and quick if the amp's up to the task.

Some people say they're thin in the mid-bass. Personally I hear what might be a little suck-out in the upper bass. But it's the sort of thing that one person might call a suck-out and another might just say is not having too much warmth.

They're still not the fastest race car on the track on top, compared to some other headphones. But now that my Woo 6SE is getting well broken in and I have the Sophia 274B in, I'm having a hard time finding anything to criticize up there.

-Carl

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I have no problems with the bass even now I'm driving it with under performed Headsix. The beauty about this is that you will be hard guessing on how this phone transformed with a better amps, better cabling and source......For me, this phone will always have surprised waiting on every corner.

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Pico amp does a respectable job at it, ...

If by respectable you mean loud enough to listen too, then yes. If you mean enjoy listening then no. In fact, my K340's sound better (still wouldn't do it except as an experiment) off the Pico than the K701.

No, it doesn't. I like my pico a lot, but no no no to pico and K701s.

QFT

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