Images of items I have purchased (except trainers)

[Steedie]

To go with the AKG K702 purchase. Pretty impressed at the difference, not only in volume but extra oomph as well.

 

[mid_gen]

Machine arrive, Lelit Mara. Shiny

 

[hughtrimble]

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Machine arrive, Lelit Mara. Shiny

So shiny, it's reflected the coffee drops on the wall behind

 

[Psycho Sonny]

To go with the AKG K702 purchase. Pretty impressed at the difference, not only in volume but extra oomph as well.

You need a really good amp and dac to get the best out of them.

Are you going to use them stock or do the bass port mod?

AKG are hard to drive I think it's their sensitivity more than resistance. Without a proper amp you only get like 50% of the experience. You miss out on a lot of the details.

 

[Steedie]

You need a really good amp and dac to get the best out of them.

Are you going to use them stock or do the bass port mod?

AKG are hard to drive I think it's their sensitivity more than resistance. Without a proper amp you only get like 50% of the experience. You miss out on a lot of the details.

I'm definitely no audiophile, I just appreciate good sound so this amp was plenty for me. They are 90% used for gaming with some music when coding. But if I wanted every little detail from my tracks, then I'd spend a lot more than £100 on the headphones, let alone a £70 amp

 

[GothicGhost]

New pup,girl king Charles mixed with a cocker spaniel.

Her new bothers/protectors

 

[ChrisLX200]

aww. Cute

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I'm definitely no audiophile, I just appreciate good sound so this amp was plenty for me. They are 90% used for gaming with some music when coding. But if I wanted every little detail from my tracks, then I'd spend a lot more than £100 on the headphones, let alone a £70 amp

You don't need to spend more than £100 on headphones they are top tier.

You just have to spend it on the right ones like you did.

Also you don't need to spend a million on a amp either the one you went for is fine.

It's just in case someone thinks you can plug these into a tablet and get the best out of them.

They will sound plain if not properly driven.

There is no real upgrade to these only side grades.

Like I said before they used to cost £300 and had an rrp of £600 when I bought mine.

 

[Steedie]

You don't need to spend more than £100 on headphones they are top tier.

You just have to spend it on the right ones like you did.

Also you don't need to spend a million on a amp either the one you went for is fine.

It's just in case someone thinks you can plug these into a tablet and get the best out of them.

They will sound plain if not properly driven.

There is no real upgrade to these only side grades.

Like I said before they used to cost £300 and had an rrp of £600 when I bought mine.

Ah ok, I thought you were saying the amp I got wasn't up to the task and I needed to buy a proper one

Glad these are top tier given the price. I assumed that they are fairly mid-range given the price tag

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Ah ok, I thought you were saying the amp I got wasn't up to the task and I needed to buy a proper one

Glad these are top tier given the price. I assumed that they are fairly mid-range given the price tag

Nah its just that you do need a seperate amp for these. You won't be able to drive these off on board sound or a phone / tablet. They will sound flat and low in volume.

With more power from a seperate amp they open up and the volume gets to levels where you can hear all the details and opens up the sound.

You got a bargain. Like I said they used to cost £300 I'm amazed they are only £100 as they are the best competitive gaming headphones you can buy. I would rank them in my top 3 along side hd700 which cost around £600 and whatever replaced the sennheisers 5 series which used to 555,558,595 and 598. I think they are now 599 and 559 possibly.

Audeze is new on the market and very expensive and closed for their gaming option so gets a mention but too early to rate it yet.

So for competive gaming it doesn't get any better.

If you feel bass is lacking you can do the bass port mod. A quick Google or YouTube search will help you with that it's so easy a 12 year old could do it. So if you like your bass look into that.

 

[robfosters]

Samsung bought out Harmon kardon which owned AKG.

The K702 are still fine. If anything Harmon kardon has improved since the deal as Samsung soundbars are now top tier along side yamaha's.

Sure they introduced cheaper lines but you don't expect a £120 phone to be as good as a £1200 phone.

I second that. I have the Q80R soundbar and it’s an absolute beast. Can’t believe I paid only £350 for it. Absolutely stole it.

 

[V F]

You need a really good amp and dac to get the best out of them.

Are you going to use them stock or do the bass port mod?

AKG are hard to drive I think it's their sensitivity more than resistance. Without a proper amp you only get like 50% of the experience. You miss out on a lot of the details.

Doubt it. I'm using the AKG K702 that was on both a Auzentech X-Fi Prelude and Audigy 2 ZS with a S.M.S.L sAp II Pro and I definitely wasn't missing details. Even at one point on the Sound Blaster AE-5. Same details across all cards. The AMP with the other two cards were between 9 - 10 o'clock and certainly wasn't losing details.

I had to at one point get some extra foam rings as I was suffering fatigue from the treble details, which mellowed it down for me. It had originally started to hurt until that was done.

 

[robfosters]

Will be using mine with the Scarlett 2i2 interface and a Boss Katana guitar amp. Not sure what kind of power amps they actually use in guitar amps actually.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Doubt it. I'm using the AKG K702 that was on both a Auzentech X-Fi Prelude and Audigy 2 ZS with a S.M.S.L sAp II Pro and I definitely wasn't missing details. Even at one point on the Sound Blaster AE-5. Same details across all cards. The AMP with the other two cards were between 9 - 10 o'clock and certainly wasn't losing details.

I had to at one point get some extra foam rings as I was suffering fatigue from the treble details, which mellowed it down for me. It had originally started to hurt until that was done.

the first sound card i didn't bother checking the rest retailed for £120. that should be more than capable.

i was referring to onboard and tablets / phones, etc. weak small amps. anything costing £40+ should be fine if it's been well made. but you do get overpriced crap too so money doesn't equal quality however I'd fail to see how a £120 sound card would struggle with most headphones if not all.

if you do doubt what I'm saying maybe head over to head-fi and read for yourself. akg's are notorious for needing power. well the 7 series is anyway. the other models can be driven fine from phones, etc.

fidelio x2's are what i would recommend for tablet or phone use or onboard sound.

 

[Mickcas]

Also using the k702s myself. Driven by a ae-5, you did the right choice in an amp, really opens them up.

I also strongly suggest the bass port mod, I ran mine for almost a year without thinking it wouldn't make much difference, finally did it last week and its totally transformed them. Highly recommended

 

[LeeUK]

Two £1 notes (surprising what you buy off eBay during lock down!)

Fun fact: The Royal Bank of Scotland £1 note is still current currency and valid, if anywhere will accept it that is!

 

[V F]

the first sound card i didn't bother checking the rest retailed for £120. that should be more than capable.

i was referring to onboard and tablets / phones, etc. weak small amps. anything costing £40+ should be fine if it's been well made. but you do get overpriced crap too so money doesn't equal quality however I'd fail to see how a £120 sound card would struggle with most headphones if not all.

if you do doubt what I'm saying maybe head over to head-fi and read for yourself. akg's are notorious for needing power. well the 7 series is anyway. the other models can be driven fine from phones, etc.

fidelio x2's are what i would recommend for tablet or phone use or onboard sound.

The AE-5 didn't but the Prelude and Audigy 2 ZS didn't have the power since there is no AMP. That was why I went back to them since you have the AMP on the desk. I didn't like the AE-5 because you had to control the volume via the software slider or keys. Dial is always best.

 

[Kol]

What mic are you going for? I love my Rode NT-USB although I've not bothered with the pop filter that came with the shock mount, instead opting to just use a foam cover and it seems to work well. I don't always have my mic in a position where the pop filter would work very well so the foam cover works well for me.

Out of interest, what shock mount do you have for your NT-USB? I need to get an arm and shock mount (currently on the supplied stand).

 

[InvaderGIR]

Out of interest, what shock mount do you have for your NT-USB? I need to get an arm and shock mount (currently on the supplied stand).

I spent a lot and went with the SMR.

http://www.rode.com/microphones/nt-usb

Click on compatible products, I bought both the WS2 and SMR (from Amazon) along with the PSA-1.

A friend did get the PSM1 I think for the same mic and arm as me but I think he had some issues with the size of things so isn't totally keen on his. The SMR isn't exactly cheap though and the PSM1 was like 1/2 or 1/3 the price.

When I first got it middle of last year

How I currently have it set up

 

[Psycho Sonny]

The AE-5 didn't but the Prelude and Audigy 2 ZS didn't have the power since there is no AMP. That was why I went back to them since you have the AMP on the desk. I didn't like the AE-5 because you had to control the volume via the software slider or keys. Dial is always best.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/calculating-the-amp-you-need-example-with-the-akg-q701.723964/

Read the first post - then come back and make a solid argument that the K702 doesn't need a decent amp