It's the night of day one, and I thought I would start a thread about our favorite sound at the show, as far as we can determine after day one.
Before the show, I was familiar with the AKG K601, and Beyerdynamic DT880 (250 ohm). I drive them with an Antique Sound Lab MG-HEAD.
I listen mainly to classical. My priorities are:
- Natural sound: violins sound like violins, trumpets sound like trumpets, etc.
- Expressive shapes: the ebb and flow and beat of the music is dancy (the beat should be clear but not overemphasized).
- High resolution. I enjoy inner detail on sustained sounds like massed strings, brass choirs, etc. Freedom from resonance and stored energy effects.
My friend Don North brought a pair of AKG K701 to the show along with his Sonett amp, and I was eager to hear the combination. I was also eager to listen to the Sennheiser HD650 and HD800, the Grado GS1000, and the Sony what's-it-called (the $4000 one), because I haven't heard these before.
Well, honestly I have to say my favorite sound at the show (from what I've heard so far) was the Sonett driving the K701.
There is one major problem in evaluating gear at the show. The rooms are noisy, sometimes even full of people talking at near-shout level. It is really impossible to hear anything closely. In addition, I'm always listening to someone else's digital source and amp so I can't control that element.
And I'm pretty picky about digital sources. For example, I really don't like the Meridian sound. It's polished and suave but not musically involving. So I pretty much am guaranteed not to like any rig using the Meridian.
A lot of rigs were driven by small portable solid-state amps. I'm a tube guy.
To run down my reaction to the other 'phones:
- Sennheiser HD650 and 800. The Sennheiser sound is, like the Meridian, polished and suave but not musically involving... the upper mids seem way laid back, and the tone colors of upper midrange notes seem grayed-out, seriously compromising the musical expression. (I was driving the HD650 by the Sonett and using my own Naim CD5X as the source; I think some kind of Luxman solid-state amp was driving the HD800 in Todd's room.)
- GS1000. Grayed-out tone colors. Was driving with the Sonett... it is possible that there is an impedance incompatibility problem.
- Sony $4000 headphone... I can't remember now what it sounded like because I must have heard 100 things today, but it didn't seem any more special than the K701 (while costing many times more).
- Orpheus. Amazing highs, very delicate and fast. However, the whole presentation was not musically natural to me. Unfortunately the source was the Meridian CD player, so who knows what the problem was.
And what I liked about the Sonett/K701 combination:
The K701 handles piano leading edge better than the K601, and has a wonderful timbral clarity in winds. The inner detail on sustained string and brass notes, and the ability to differentiate between the sustained note and the hall ambience, is incredible.
My favorite thing about the Sonett/K701 combination is the way it invites me into the experience rather than dragging me into it. And once I accept the invitation and find my way in, the rewards are enormous.