Got my AKG K1000, what now? (I'm a novice)
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:38 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 14
josendk

josendk

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Hi all, I'm still considering myself something of a new guy in the high-end hifi scene.
 
Anyway, I managed to get myself a pair of AKG K1000 and I can plug them into the Jack on the front of my Denon AVR 1907.
 
For the sound to be alright I have to turn the volume way up. Now I don't want to spend lots of money on a pre amp right now (I'm a college student).
 
I am considering this: http://zynsonix.com/Graphics/Gallery/Fullsize/4Pin2SpadesFull.jpg , but with banana-plugs instead of spades.
 
Please give me some good advice and don't be too advanced in your response.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:40 PM Post #2 of 14
What? though they are incredible IMO the k-1000 is not the ideal starter headphone on a budget.
 
However by the sounds of things I recommend tracking down a well serviced vintage silver-faced receiver and using the k1000 via speaker taps rather than through a headphone amp.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:44 PM Post #3 of 14
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:46 PM Post #4 of 14
Man, you went yard on your first purchase! 
biggrin.gif
  No personal experience with these beasts, but I have read here at Head-Fi that speaker taps are one of the preferred ways of feeding them.  There should be ample info here, so it is worth some searching.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:53 PM Post #5 of 14
hey hey, it's not the first purchase. I own a 5.1 speaker system of cerwin-vega speakers and I use AKG HSC 271 for PC-communication and listening to loud music at night (living in a dorm) :D.
 
Getting off-topic, sorry about that. Based on the specs of the headphones and my receiver, does that tell you pro's anything that I should know? Can I damage the K1000's? Will it sound good and deliver enough power? (compared to the Jack). Because this solution: http://zynsonix.com/Graphics/Gallery/Fullsize/4Pin2SpadesFull.jpg is more than 120 dollars so I don't want to regret buying it.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:58 PM Post #6 of 14
You made the right choice. Went right to the pinnacle right off the bat. Make sure you get a vintage amp at a minimum.

Headphone amps don't really do them justice, you want a speaker amp.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 5:59 PM Post #7 of 14
No I don't think you'd damage them running them out of speaker taps at all, or even headphone outs for that matter - as with anything else just don't crank them up to deafening levels or anything.  They were designed with speaker amps in mind IMO.  If you do some searching for k1000 amps you'll see a lot of different ideas.  Some cheep, some expensive.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 6:04 PM Post #8 of 14
When you guys say that I want to plug them into a speaker amp, is my receiver "good enough" for that?
 
On a college-student-budget, with my hardware, would you go ahead and order the cable I mentioned in my last reply and then use that with the Denon? :)
 
Btw. thanks a bunch for helping me out, great community!
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 7:38 PM Post #9 of 14
Yeah a receiver is basically what you should be using. Though controversial, receivers that are modern are not typically of the same sonic qualities and build of those of yesteryear and hence why I recommended the vintage silver faced ones (and one that has been well maintained at that).
 
I am not sure what's the situation with your k1000 cable. if it is stock the 4-pin XLR I'd recommend making a cable from scratch or having a friend do it for you if you don't know how to solder.  the money you save is definitely helpful or could be applied to a better amp/receiver.
 
Basically you just need some Mogami or Canare Microphone cable (a buck a foot or less) and a female 4-pin XLR connector ($5), solder the connector to the right ends of the cable, use heatshrink to differentiate left from right and you've got a cheap home-made solution.  The stock XLR connector is not gold-pins for the male end from my memory so you may want nickel plated pins for the female one you buy just to be holistic.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 7:58 PM Post #11 of 14
Personally, would not use a receiver. [good vintage sets are hard to find, the k1000 deserves more than any ole' classic]
Just doesn't achieve the same level or resolution/transparency unless you want to spend + money.
speaker amps are good to look into, do some research on specific models and the power output.
t-amps are a budget option that do surprisingly well.
normal designated desktop amps will work decently, contrary to popular belief, but aren't recommended.
 
Apr 18, 2012 at 10:52 PM Post #12 of 14
"Silver-face" means nothing in terms of quality, and there's tons of garbage out there with an aluminum faceplate. There's also a whole mountain of excellent products from the 1980s, 90s, and today that lack aluminum faceplates - some of it is even plastic covered (God forbid, because we all know how much that impacts the sound!). My point is, how something looks tells us nothing about it, beyond how it looks.
 
Now on to the "is the Denon good enough" - absolutely yes. In many cases it's a better bet than older units for a variety of reasons (mostly to do with how the front-end is put together in a modern receiver). There's no advantage here in buying yet another amplifier, especially an old one (especially if you're being asked for hundreds or thousands of dollars because it's "vintage" and "true hi-fi").
 
I agree with building your own cable too (you can actually go bare-wire if the thing is gonna stay plugged in perpetually; it's the most ideal way to connect up, and it's also the cheapest). 
 
If you want a non-receiver solution, the HiFiMan amps would be a good starting point. If memory serves the K1000 are something like 77-78 dB/mW (very low sensitivity), and the HiFiMan amps (like the EF-5) target their orthos that are in that 82-85 dB/mW range (also very low). They have tons of power. There's also Schiit. 
 
 
 
 
 
Apr 19, 2012 at 4:17 AM Post #13 of 14
 
Alright, we are working our way to a solution here:
 
This http://www.head-direct.com/Products/?act=detail&id=30 seems great, but it does not look like I can get it with a european power-plug, and it's 500$.
 
This http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=2 also looks cool, I have always wanted to try a tube pre-amp for my setup. 350$ is something I can pay if this is the top solution compared to my budget.
 
The last possible solution is buying the cable and just use the B-front-speaker output on the back of my Denon Receiver, that would be max 150$ depending on the length I choose. (I am not comfortable with soldering myself, whatever I end up choosing here it must be good and longlasting.
 
 
I think I'm going for the cable, then it's also very easy just to switch between A- and B-speakers on my receiver.
 
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