Low volume on AKG k271 MKII - new audio interface?

  • Thread starter Thread starter arsi89
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arsi89

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Hi!
I just bought a pair of the AKG k271 MKII. I plugged them into my M-Audio Firewire Solo, and they sound fine when I'm listening to finished mastered tracks and itunes/spotify. But when I'm using them for monitoring in cubase the volume gets kinda low even when I turn the volume knob to the maximum. I've got a samson s-amp but I don't really want to use it since it distorts and mucks up the sound.
So I'm planning to buy a new Audio interface with usb. Im considering the m-audio FastTrack Ultra but i'm not sure if thats got enough power to drive my K271s enough so i could hear my mix in a comfortable volume.
Does anyone have any other suggestions to what AI I could buy to drive my headphones??

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I know the 240's are about the quietest of the several phones I use.. the higher end ones may be similar. But still my go to' faves.
They're generally loud enough but for where you need the isolation + shear volume.

"Does anyone have any other suggestions to what AI I could buy to drive my headphones??

Missed a spot. Adeguate volume comments above re; any of the phone outs on various mackie mixers, Central station, Furman's little SP20 amp driving two or three their remote boxes.. etc.
 
I also use the 240 studio and they are also 1 of my favorites. But they didnt have the problem of "too low volume". The reason I want to use money on a new audio interface is because i also want to upgrade my old firewire solo anyway.

I don't want to buy a cheap headphone amp because it truly makes the sound worse. It might not be noticeable to the untrained ear but i really don't want to compromise the sound quality when it comes to my mixes.
Unless I use my money on a studio quality headphone amp but then again its just as well to use the money on a proper AI which can boost my headphones without distortion etc.

Missed a spot. Adeguate volume comments above re; any of the phone outs on various mackie mixers, Central station, Furman's little SP20 amp driving two or three their remote boxes.. etc.
Click to expand...

Could you explain that one more time?
I seriously did not understand what you meant.
 
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you would be mixing with headphones. I thought you would only be tracking since most people mix on monitors. Even still, the Solo should provide enough volume; is the Cubase master volume set too low?
 
arsi89 said:
I also use the 240 studio and they are also 1 of my favorites. But they didnt have the problem of "too low volume". ..

...Could you explain that one more time?
I seriously did not understand what you meant.
Click to expand...
Right, you asked about phone amps and those are just examples of what I've used. But now that I see you've also been ok with the 240 as well, maybe the 270's are out-o wack.. :) Or indeed quite different(?) Interesting turn there.
 
yes i was surprised to hear that the 271 seemed to need more juice.

I bought them so i could monitor my mix with them since the sound is extremely detailed, especially on the mids and highs. ( the bass is solid and clear, but not as powerful as on the the 240s)
But ill probably buy a pair of good monitors when I get the money and move to a room with better acoustics.:)

I dont really want to use money on a headphone amp that costs just as much as an AI. Rather just buy a new AI with what i need, since ive already been planning to buy a new one:)

I've looked at the specs on the fast track ultra and firewire solo to try to compare the two. But unfortunately im not really savvy on the specs and term when it comes to power and volume of the output. So I was hoping if you guys could tell me if the fast track has more juice.

Anyways, here are the specs:

Fast track ultra:
Headphone Output (D/A)
Maximum Output -2.5dBV at THD < 0.05% into 32 ohms
Working Range 32 to 600 ohms

Firewire solo:
headphone outputs
max output: -2.0dBV (0.8Vrms) into 32 Ohms
signal to noise ratio: -106dB @ 48kHz (A-weighted)
dynamic range: 105dB @ 48kHz (A-weighted)
frequency response: +/-0.2dB, 20Hz to 20kHz @ 48kHz
+/-0.3dB, 20Hz to 40kHz @ 96kHz
crosstalk: -86dB, 1kHz, channel-to-channel
output impedance: 75 Ohms
working headphone impedance: 32 to 600 Ohms

Could anyone please explain this to me?
 
Fast track ultra Headphone Output (D/A)
Maximum Output -2.5dBV at THD < 0.05% into 32 ohms

Firewire solo headphone outputs
max output: -2.0dBV (0.8Vrms) into 32 Ohms


Real engineers know this stuff off the top of their heads. Me, I have to cheat.

http://www.doctorproaudio.com/doctor/calculadores_en.htm#calc_dBu2
0dBV would be 1 volt out.
These guys do;
-2.0 .79 volts into 32 ohms
-2.5 .75 volts into 32 ohms
Not much difference there. I looked at Mackie, presonus for a comparison, crap is they don't even spec their output. Some others that do say several volts out, or 100-200 milliwatts. So I don't know where the hell these fall in.
 
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