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I say the K1000 is THE best headphone for the money!! - Page 4

post #46 of 112
12/30/05 at 6:24am

and they're officially discontinued....

I read the rumour that they were going to be discontinued, but I didn't see anything official till I saw this on AKG's website.

It's too bad. I recently bought a used pair, and can say that through my main rig (VPI Scout/Phillips 963/Audible Illusions M3a/B&K ST140) they offer some of the best sound I've ever heard. I can't say the same for them through a t-amp. I have found that the t-amp's sound improves if I add my spare preamp, and NAD C160, to the mix. The t-amp is a very questionable choice though, it has high dc offset (although some samples measure better than others), and it has a problem with increasing high frequency output into loads above 8ohms, which can translate into brighter sound (that some people think might damage your hearing).

I am building a gainclone to use with them, hoping that the short simple signal path combined with a good amount of watts (LM4780, up to 100/channel depending on power supply) and a warmish sound will mate well with the AKG. Plus the form factor of the gainclones can be so small, excellent for a bedroom system.

-Aaron.
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post #47 of 112
12/30/05 at 1:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by spacemanspliff
pffft if you want to throw the balanced RS-1 arguement in fine but compare them to a K1000 w/ http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/s...rt2/k1000.html and I know who wins.
I have both a balanced RS-1/SDS-XLR and K-1000 with hardwired Equinox, and don't need to speculate when I can listen. Either can be great depending on the particular sound a person is looking for. There is no absolute winner (nor should there be). It all depends on preference. Short take: For imaging: K-1000. For detail and frequency extension: balanced RS-1.

The review at 6moons is overhyped in regards to what the cable upgrade does. The sound is a bit smoother, and I think a bit more extended, but effects are fairly subtle, and the modded K-1000 does not "kill" a stock one (although it is indeed a better headphone).
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post #48 of 112
12/30/05 at 8:00pm
ive been fearfull that after hearing the k1000 presenation i would be disappointed by all other headphones. to me its money better spent on a pair of speakers.
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post #49 of 112
12/30/05 at 8:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hirsch
I have both a balanced RS-1/SDS-XLR and K-1000 with hardwired Equinox, and don't need to speculate when I can listen. Either can be great depending on the particular sound a person is looking for. There is no absolute winner (nor should there be). It all depends on preference. Short take: For imaging: K-1000. For detail and frequency extension: balanced RS-1.

The review at 6moons is overhyped in regards to what the cable upgrade does. The sound is a bit smoother, and I think a bit more extended, but effects are fairly subtle, and the modded K-1000 does not "kill" a stock one (although it is indeed a better headphone).
I think this is a fair review and something along the lines of what I was suspecting. I really do think the K1Ks are great headphones and just one of those cases of phones that I haven's got to hear under the best of circumstances. The balanced/SDS-XLR RS1s on the otherhand... I think I've finally got to hear them at their fullest potential. Maybe, hopefully, the K1Ks too someday.
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post #50 of 112
12/31/05 at 7:11pm
Thanks, Patrick. My K1000s are off at RedWine Audio getting the Stefan AudioArts Hardwired K1000 cable installed. Can't wait!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick82
The K1000 hasn't yet showed its limit no matter how much money I spent on my system. That's good enough to make it the best headphone for ANY price.

I don't need a subwoofer with my K1000, I get all the bass I need. Lower than 40 Hz is too annoying anyways.

The stock cable should be replaced with Stefan AudioArt Hardwired K1000 cable.
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post #51 of 112
12/31/05 at 7:13pm
I can echo everything that you said. I have owned or listened to just about all of the high-end headphones, and none hold a candle to the K1000s IMHO.

Quote:
Originally Posted by some1x
I'm driving K1000 straight from DAC1 internal amp. Sound is Just about every other headphone I've owned (hd600, hd650, baby orpheus, rs1, ps1, etc...) sounds boring compared to K1000s. W5000s are definitely not the be-all, end-all of $1000 cans. I'm just begining to find good things about them. If forced to choose one to keep, it would be the K1000.

I would have never guessed that dynamics and soundstage were that important to me. Now, it is hard to listen to other phones and not miss K1000s explosive dynamics and big, natural sound projection.
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post #52 of 112
12/31/05 at 7:29pm
That does it. I am buying a back-up pair. These are the best headphones I have ever owned.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sheya
I read the rumour that they were going to be discontinued, but I didn't see anything official till I saw this on AKG's website.

It's too bad. I recently bought a used pair, and can say that through my main rig (VPI Scout/Phillips 963/Audible Illusions M3a/B&K ST140) they offer some of the best sound I've ever heard. I can't say the same for them through a t-amp. I have found that the t-amp's sound improves if I add my spare preamp, and NAD C160, to the mix. The t-amp is a very questionable choice though, it has high dc offset (although some samples measure better than others), and it has a problem with increasing high frequency output into loads above 8ohms, which can translate into brighter sound (that some people think might damage your hearing).

I am building a gainclone to use with them, hoping that the short simple signal path combined with a good amount of watts (LM4780, up to 100/channel depending on power supply) and a warmish sound will mate well with the AKG. Plus the form factor of the gainclones can be so small, excellent for a bedroom system.

-Aaron.
Reply
post #53 of 112
1/2/06 at 4:23am
I would not be surprised if they bring back K1000 and jack up the price to $2000. It would be good if they go into business with Stefan AudioArt, that way the hardwired K1000 cable can be installed right from the factory.
Even for $2000 it would be way underpriced, comparing to my other headphones and the sound quality they offer the fair pricing should be something like this:

HD590: $120
K501: $900
K1000: $30 000


Would I buy K1000 for $30k if I had the money? Definitely!


I'm hoping they will start developing K1001 or K2000 soon. There are improvements to be done with the binding posts, and the chip could be removed completely. They could also make more comfortable temple pads and different size interchangeable headbands, this way people with big heads can wear them too. They should also experiment with different thinner diaphragm material and amorphous wiring! I want to be beta tester.
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post #54 of 112
1/2/06 at 10:35am

Writing to AKG

I wrote to AKG over the weekend and suggested that the K1000 was the best headphone in the world, but that it needed better cabling (Stefan AudioArt's Equinox) and some strong guidance concerning proper amplification (naming names).

I strongly advised them not to discontinue the earspeaker concept. I hope that they come out with a follow-on product.

Tom


Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick82
I would not be surprised if they bring back K1000 and jack up the price to $2000. It would be good if they go into business with Stefan AudioArt, that way the hardwired K1000 cable can be installed right from the factory.
Even for $2000 it would be way underpriced, comparing to my other headphones and the sound quality they offer the fair pricing should be something like this:

HD590: $120
K501: $900
K1000: $30 000


Would I buy K1000 for $30k if I had the money? Definitely!


I'm hoping they will start developing K1001 or K2000 soon. There are improvements to be done with the binding posts, and the chip could be removed completely. They could also make more comfortable temple pads and different size interchangeable headbands, this way people with big heads can wear them too. They should also experiment with different thinner diaphragm material and amorphous wiring! I want to be beta tester.
Reply
post #55 of 112
1/13/06 at 5:58pm

K-1000s Damaged in Transit

A word to the wise. Be careful when you ship AKG K1000s anywhere.

I sent mine in for the Eqinox cable mod, and they arrived with one channel totally out, and the other channel scratchy. Fedex is being nice about it, thank goodness, and they will get them repaired by AKG.

In case you were wondering, I sent them double-boxed, in the original AKG wooden box with foam lining, in a larger cardboard carton lined with styrofoam peanuts. Somebody along the way must have dropped them hard enough to cause the damage.

So "be careful out there" [Hill Street Blues]
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post #56 of 112
1/16/06 at 7:25pm
Thread Starter 
more like played elephant soccer with it jeez! they still amaze me. I am getting doobooloo to hardwire them w/ some military grade silver cable and beef up my PPA to raise the gain and to build a psu. Man how can they get better? by the way the ZU pivot interconnect is a nice piece for anyone looking to get 1/8th to rca out action.
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post #57 of 112
1/16/06 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
btw just wanted to add that the option of being able to open and close the headspeakers on their hinges alone makes them impossible flexible in the accoustics/soundstage/ flat out OWNING category. I really hope they come out with a new model and yes I will pay 2k for a pair.
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post #58 of 112
1/16/06 at 8:58pm
It's interesting that no Stax owners have jumped in here - Stax makes headphones that are in the same price range, and have that crazy 'stat pixie dust sprinkled on just as generously as with K1000s (although the open ear speaker setup is quite unique to the K1000s, as far as I know.)
Sure it's easy to say that electrostats have a different wow factor compared to dynamic transducers like the usual DT880 / HD650 / K701s, but compare them to other stats and I'd like to know how that affects the value proposition.
Any Stax owners care to comment?
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post #59 of 112
1/16/06 at 9:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonance
and have that crazy 'stat pixie dust sprinkled on just as generously as with K1000s (although the open ear speaker setup is quite unique to the K1000s, as far as I know.)
K1000's are dynamic. They aren't electrostats.
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post #60 of 112
1/16/06 at 9:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jahn
Google "Headphone Girl" and click on Images and you'll be presented with this fine specimen!
That's so sad
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