I just got my pair of AKG K7xx headphones and I’m really loving the sound. A noticeable improvement over my Sennheiser HD 558’s. I also have a Fiio E10 (original) USB DAC/Amp. Would I benefit from getting a higher end DAC/Amp? If so, any suggestions?
In terms of powering those cans, probably not (judging by the specs anyway). At 62 ohms they shouldn't be super hard to drive, and the E10 should handle them fine. In terms of how clean the audio is, probably. Compared to something like the Schiit stack or the O2/ODAC combo, the E10 is going to sound a bit colored and a bit muddy. Of course, you're looking at $200-$250 for the Schiit stack or O2/ODAC combo, and the E10 probably only cost you $65 or $70, so a jump in audio quality should be expected (not that the E10 isn't a good performer in it's price range).
Whether or not it's worth it to you, I can't answer. If you're happy with the sound you are getting now, then there's probably no need to upgrade. If not, then sure. At the very least your sound will be more accurate if you go with something like the Schiit or O2. Whether you will like it better is hard to say. Audio is super subjective.
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I like the sound very much as it is, I was just wondering if I was missing anything - if the E10 was a "bottleneck" of sorts. Asides from the occasional interference when I place my cellphone too close, it's dead silent, no background hissing, and the sound is very crisp. From what I gather, the K7xx are very close to neutral, but slightly colored, particularly in the lower frequencies. That's fine for me, especially as a metal head. However, the sound is almost too clear and is very punishing on lower quality audio files - I can pick up much more artifacts and it just sounds way worse than my HD 558's, but the higher quality audio the K7xx sound better.
It wasn't too long ago I was perfectly fine with a $20 pair of cans plugged in the front audio ports of a computer - something that is very cringe-worthy for me now. Back then I couldn't for the life of me understand why people spent several hundred dollars on their sound equipment when $20 were "just as good." Now that I've become one of those that have invested a couple hundred in my sound, and still learning the ropes, I was wondering if there is more to sound quality that I can't quite perceive/imagine (yet) similar to how I was a few years ago.
I guess the important question is have I reached the point of diminishing returns?
Probably not (though, again, subjective). In my opinion, that point is probably the Schiit stack (modi/magni) or O2/ODAC. Once you hit the $200 range, you have to spend quite a bit more to get a noticeable increase in performance/quality/clarity for general purposes. That said, others may give you a different answer. It's a really hard thing to pin down since everybody's ears and preferences are different. I may feel that you have to spend upwards of $1000 to get something that noticeably sounds better than a Schiit stack, others may feel that a $400 tube amp paired with a $50 Sabre DAC sounds twice as good.
Your best bet is to test things out if you can. If you have any friends with nice audio set ups, or a stereo store nearby that sells headphone amps and dacs, just take your cans with you and try them out.
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The E10 is probably enough to drive both of what you currently have. Like Ranger said, it's all down to your ears. Say if you got a tube amp like the Vali, you would most likely notice a change in the sound signature. Same if you got the O2 or something similar.
At a certain point in time, the price isn't about clarity and whatever, it's about pursuing what sound you want (which is what audiophoolery should be about, not the price or whatever). There is no saying that if you got a new DAC/Amp things would be better or if there would be a change in the first place.
Sounds like I need to make new friends! j/k
Alright, I'll keep the O2/DAC (or similar) in mind as a upgrade when I have some spare change, but will ride out my E10 for the foreseeable future. I think a tube amp would be a fun experiment, but not in my means since I don't have a lot of spending money these days. Plus because my listening needs are so general, I put a value in accuracy. It's worked out well for the music I listen to thanks to some decent audio-engineering work so it sounds fantastic. But if I find a good audio store, I'll be sure to check out what they have.
The idea of a warm sound signature has appealed to me, but because I listen to many different types of media it's not ideal. Good advice - I'm not about spending big money, but rather pursuing the best possible performance at the best possible value. I've been pursuing sound accuracy and clarity has a happy, cost effective medium and it works out well for me.
Thank you guys for your input! It's much appreciated.
Hey man, I was in a similar situation as you not too long ago. Having been around the block for a while now, I knew all the options, all the theories, all the opinions, etc. I had an E17 for the longest time (a bit better than the E10, but not too much when you consider that you pay for the features as well). Considering that I had two $200 headphones (the Hp100 and the Q701), I felt that I really should upgrade my amp, so I did. I now have the E17 acting as a dac (line out, thereby bypassing the amp section), and the O2 as an amp. With that set up, I didn't notice much difference at all. It is hard to tell for sure since I couldn't quickly A/B them, but when I did switch between them, the difference wasn't all that great.
The biggest thing for me personally is that the O2 is very transparent and much more powerful than the E17. I like transparency because I want to be able to accurately appreciate the difference in the headphones that I have, and I like the power because it can really get the Q701 going. It should be able to power things like the HE400 and Mad Dogs as well, but people tend to say otherwise (though people are also often full of crap, so you have to know when to take them at face value). If I am not mistaken, the E10 has a line out too, so you can do the same thing as what I did. I would say that if you have upgrade fever, and want to KNOW that you are getting enough power and all that, then get either an O2 or Magni 2 and use the E10 as a dac for now and then get a "better" dac later. Or get them at the same time. That said, I've always thought that the ODAC was overpriced. I would personally go for the Schiit stack if you want them to match. The only reason I chose the O2 is becuase I built it myself (read "soldered it together and slapped it in a wooden box").
From what I have personally experienced, I would say that the biggest thing to worry about it 1. The headphones/iems that you use. That will make the biggest difference. 2. The amp. The music files and the dac basically just have to be good enough that they aren't causing a problem or getting in the way of the sound. When you look at what the music and dac are actually doing in a theory point of view, it doesn't require much. Meanwhile the amp and headphones really do affect the actual sound. Amps are often colored (tubes more so), and the headphones obviously make a difference. So just make sure that the music files and the dac are "good enough" and you should be set.
Something that I would like to point out, after a while of using the same headphones, you REALLY adjust to their sound. I don't know if you realize this yourself yet or not, but if you are really used to the sound signature of a pair of headphones, you completely stop hearing the headphones and only hear the music. That is why people say that you should use headphones that you are familiar with if you are mastering/making music. Sure a really accurate pair would be nice, but if they sound off to you because you are used to a really laid back signature, then you are going to make shitty sounding music that compensates for the weirdness you are hearing. My point is that it is really nice to have a pair of headphones that complements your main pair well. That is why I have relatively contrasting headphones sounds (I know that the HP100 isn't all that bassy, thick, etc sounding, but I don't like that kind of sound, so neutral and thin, bass light is my contrast, and I am happy). It may not be anything that you want to think about, but I thought that I would point it out because if you get too used to a can's sound, then you really start getting the upgrade bug. So having a second pair that you really like to switch off to for that change of pace is really nice. The Senn's should serve you well in that regard. Just don't forget that they are there.
EDIT: Sorry for writing a book. I started rambling without realizing it because I was busily enjoying my song. Deafhaven is the shit. But that is a topic for another thread.