Yet another USB Dac Headphone Ask?

[Marsman]

If you don't fancy buying another sound card, Creative have SBX protstudio software which can be bought from their site, that works with whatever audio source being used. I think it's about £30. Not cheap really given you can get SBX with an Audigy FX sound card, which is also around £30.

You may find the K702's fine without needing to use them with something that has a dedicated headphone amp.

Yes they are more demanding than most headphones, but that really applies to when the volume is increased. The K702's need 4x as much power as HD595 for the same SPL volume, but even an average smartphone would be fine with the AKG's, up to a certain point. It really depends what is satisfying to you.

Some chap on these forums uses K702's with a Xonar DX, which also doesn't have a dedicated headphone amp. Similar question was asked; would the headphones be loud enough with such a sound card that has no dedicated headphone amp. When he got the headphone he found the volume was fine.

On the other end of the scale, I've seen someone with a Schiit headphone amp and K7xx's (Massdrop version of K702), say even at max volume that it wasn't quite satisfying enough for him.

Swap those two setups round and for one guy, it would be way too quiet; the other guy would most likely be deafened.

Anyway; certainly best to get the headphones first, then go from there.

 

[Andy0102]

Thanks for the reply. A very helpful community! I will keep that software in mind if/when needed

 

[EsaT]

The cheap gaming headphones I dug out of a box recently to use are a horrible bassy mess and the faux leather is flaking off and sticking to the side of my head



Without buying some extra equipment my options are the two already mentioned (soundcard and Marantz amp) and a tiny little amp I have somewhere assuming I havent thrown it away which I'm pretty sure is a Gemtune SMSL SA-50.

First minute of this is good quick test for gaming capabilities of headphones with sounds from different directions and distances:

Actually you would need good headphones to know the difference...
Bad ones make it sound like having head in bucket under water.

Beyerdynamic has reasonably priced replacement earpads to keep headphones clean.
AKG charges way more for pads of K702...
And trust me you don't want to know the price they charge for K712's pads...

Spoiler

Pair costs nearly as much as whole K702!

For comfort Beyer takes also win.
AKG's "automatically" adjusting head band may look very fancy, but it's not that good at adjusting to different head sizes and relies partially on pressure to keep cups positioned.
So with larger head pressure could feel considerable and mechanism has some "elastic" bands which could stretch.
Again on smaller and especially downward narrowing head they can feel like cups try to creep down.
Beyer's manual head band adjustment has big range and works well.

I own AKG K702, K712, Beyerdynamic DT990 and that retired tape keeping parts from falling Sennheiser.


That SMSL doesn't even try to pretend to be headphone amp.

 

[Andy0102]

So off the top of my head price for each currently in the UK is something like £90 for the K702s £110 for the DT990s and I have also seen used/refurbished K712s for £140 but not sure I'd want to go that route.

Reasons for leaning slightly more towards the K702s are the price, the detachable cable and from what I have seen, slightly more positive reviews for gaming. I guess both K702 and DT990 are to some peoples taste and not to others, I saw some reviews where people said the K702s sound boring and others where they say they work so well for gaming it almost feels like cheating. Likewise I have seen some reviewers speak very highly of the DT990s and others describe the treble as painful. From the small amount of research I have done treble is pretty helpful for picking out sounds like footsteps and too much bass is a real hindrance so for gaming that might not be soo bad. The build of the DT990s does look better and the adjustment mechanism looks better for sure. It sounds like K702's dont stay put on the head so well but DT990s might have a little strong clamping force (to begin with.)

Honestly I could go either way at the moment, I'm sure either would do the job well and be a massive upgrade from the headphones I am using right now It might just come down to a spur of the moment purchase of one or the other once nonessential UK companies are open for business again. I'm doing 55-60 hour weeks at the moment so I think I will have earned a little treat for myself once things get back to normal (or closer to.)

BTW are DT990s easier to power than the K702s or more or less the same?

 

[EsaT]

Likewise I have seen some reviewers speak very highly of the DT990s and others describe the treble as painful.

It sounds like K702's dont stay put on the head so well but DT990s might have a little strong clamping force (to begin with.)

BTW are DT990s easier to power than the K702s or more or less the same?

For music "Beyer's treble" would be certainly quite much for anything lower volumes. (when ear's sensitivity for treble is lower)
Though most headphones have seriously below neutral treble hence most people having inaccurate reference.
But in gaming that treble balances above neutral bass punch.
And equalizer's 8kHz band is good for controlling it.
Just like it's easier to tone down stronger bass than make weak bass fun.

DT990 Edition certainly has lower pressure than AKGs.
Studio use aimed Pro might have pressure closer to AKGs, but it can be loosened by bending that middle part of head band.
(spring steel inside cushion so won't break like plastic toys)

While needing little more voltage (not problem with PC, but battery powered devices things like phone) 250 ohm DT990 actually needs about half the power per dB and especially draws less current.
AKG K700-serie is toward more power hungry end of headphones, while Beyer is average.

 

[FishLicker]

I just got rid of my DT990 Editions a few months back. Very overrated headphones IMO. They’re bright and the bottom end is nowhere near as punchy as I would like despite what most say about them. However, I think I just prefer the more direct, punchy sound closed headphones offer. I much prefer my B&W P7s over them but they are closed, but their bass leaves the likes of the DT990s in the dust.

I’ve tried the likes of the HD58x, 650, loads of other Beyers, Grados, most of them lack bass and sound boring, the Grados were probably the most entertaining for a closed headphones but they’re horrifically uncomfortable and overpriced.

Obviously if you’re set on open headphones then disregard it all but all I would say is don’t rule a good pair of closed backs out; the accepted wisdom is generally that open headphones are better but 20 years of headphone listening has seen me settle with closed backs. To me all headphones are compromised, and not particularly natural but the closed backs are for me more engaging. That said I’ve heard some dreadful ones too.

Don’t know if this post was even remotely useful, but I’m bored and felt like typing it

 

[R3X]

I just got rid of my DT990 Editions a few months back. Very overrated headphones IMO. They’re bright and the bottom end is nowhere near as punchy as I would like despite what most say about them. However, I think I just prefer the more direct, punchy sound closed headphones offer. I much prefer my B&W P7s over them but they are closed, but their bass leaves the likes of the DT990s in the dust.

I’ve tried the likes of the HD58x, 650, loads of other Beyers, Grados, most of them lack bass and sound boring, the Grados were probably the most entertaining for a closed headphones but they’re horrifically uncomfortable and overpriced.

Obviously if you’re set on open headphones then disregard it all but all I would say is don’t rule a good pair of closed backs out; the accepted wisdom is generally that open headphones are better but 20 years of headphone listening has seen me settle with closed backs. To me all headphones are compromised, and not particularly natural but the closed backs are for me more engaging. That said I’ve heard some dreadful ones too.

Don’t know if this post was even remotely useful, but I’m bored and felt like typing it

It's a good point, so many pros for open headphones in general but like you suggest a good pair of closed headphones can easily compare or be better.

I prefer closed back head phones, privacy and watching movies, tv shows or music at 3am don't help either but at least I don't have to wake up the family, lots of amazing closed headphones including the new AKG K371 and even Audio-technica-ATH-MSR7b and many more.