AKG K501 love... - Page 55

In a convoluted sense, yes. Assuming you bought them new and are attempting to imagine their price if having been sold in the US instead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by muxamed 

 

In an ideal world it would be like that every $1000 dollar headphone sounds better than a $700 dollars headphone and that we know with certainty that, if we buy a $1000 headphone we have one that sounds superior to any $700 headphone. In reality I am affraid it doesn't work like that. There are many other factors involved. Take a look at the new k702 Anniversary which cost $400 while k701 only costs $200. Is k702 really (technically) superior to k701? No it isn't. What do we pay for when we buy k702? For novelty, limitedness. We certainly don't pay for better SQ or better quality in any other way. We can only say that something is better "to our ears". There are very few, if any, objective ways (besides the price which I think is misleading) to discern SQ superiority. Only our ears can do that.

Agreed on these parts, but that wasn't the point I am making. The new Denon D7100 for example has an MSRP of $1200. I wouldn't pay $200 for them. Well, what are they actually worth then? The $1200, because that's the MSRP? I don't think so. 

What I am suggesting is that based on my experience with headphones, and headphones I consider "good performance for the cost", the performance of the AKG K501 places them squarely in the sub $200 range and near the $150 spot. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by elwappo99 

 

What I am suggesting is that based on my experience with headphones, and headphones I consider "good performance for the cost", the performance of the AKG K501 places them squarely in the sub $200 range and near the $150 spot. 

I am not sure how much money this is in Sweden but I guess that you are sugesting something corresponding maximum 200 Euro. But how do you determine their placement performance-wise? What are you measuring and comparing with? For me K501 is in the same performance range as DT880, HD650 or K701.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdockweiler 

 

The K501 had really smooth mids to me. It sounded much more balanced than my K702. I got the K400 and it had really shouty mids, but I think that was due to the DAC I had at the time (HRT MSII).

 

Apparently there are 3 different sounding versions of the K501. I think I had version 1 that was considered bass light.

 

Here's some graphs for the K501:

 

http://en.goldenears.net/6927

 

Oh and if you're bored, this is the K601:

 

http://en.goldenears.net/index.php?mid=GR_Headphones&search_target=title&search_keyword=k601&document_srl=8449

I got my K501 from an ex AKG staff member and pay'd about 60 EUR for it.

Which version I have, I cannot say, there is no ser# on it. I have the orginal box too - there is only a sticker on the buttom 2458Z0005 / 1000 28 R8 / 52606

on the box there are hints to test reports of some german HiFi journals - 1996 and 1997

The K501 is a very good headphone for woman vocals or chamber orchestra, but at some rock, pop or japanese drums the bass lacks. Here are my K/Q701 or D7000 better.

G. Mahler symphonys are the best with D7000 - they bring out the darkness (blackness) best .....

Quote:

Originally Posted by FritzS 

 

I got my K501 from an ex AKG staff member and pay'd about 60 EUR for it.

 

Which version I have, I cannot say, there is no ser# on it. I have the orginal box too - there is only a sticker on the buttom 2458Z0005 / 1000 28 R8 / 52606

on the box there are hints to test reports of some german HiFi journals - 1996 and 1997

 

The K501 is a very good headphone for woman vocals or chamber orchestra, but at some rock, pop or japanese drums the bass lacks. Here are my K/Q701 or D7000 better.

G. Mahler symphonys are the best with D7000 - they bring out the darkness (blackness) best .....

Were your k501s new or used when you bought them? 

I like Mahler through my HD650. Anyway, strings sound best with k501 of my headphones.

In my opinion K501 have better bass extension than K701 and much better than K702 (I was shocked because my K701 and my fiends K702 are very different sounding headphones) - amount of bass is not visibly larger in K501, but it reaches lower (more air).

K501 with good amplifier (strong and neutral) and good source (mulibit DAC, but not any cold/artificial sigma-delta/bit-stream DAC) in my opinion beats the K701 but not in every aspect and not in every kind of music and sometimes I like them both the same.

Both K701 and K501 was the flagship models of the AKG, and should cost the same, but now not produced any longer K501 are more scare, then even used more valuable.

In Poland street price of K401 was 200 USD (600 PLN for sure), so of K501 probably 300 USD - similar to the lowest price of new K701.

What about 999 USD for used AKG K501? http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=AKG+K501

Maybe I'm wrong or unable to test them right in their natural "environment" (classical music?), or my taste is inappropriate (at this moment I like current driven Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 the most for the albums I use to listen to).

Quote:

Originally Posted by muxamed 

 

Were your k501s new or used when you bought them? 

 

I like Mahler through my HD650. Anyway, strings sound best with k501 of my headphones.

I got them from an ex AKG staff member - but I dont know how old and used they are. But they looks very good (like new) and I spend them new pads too.

The ex stuff member worked in the service depardment, now he is in pension.

Quote:

Originally Posted by borizm 

In my opinion K501 have better bass extension than K701 and much better than K702 (I was shocked because my K701 and my fiends K702 are very different sounding headphones) - amount of bass is not visibly larger in K501, but it reaches lower (more air).

K501 with good amplifier (strong and neutral) and good source (mulibit DAC, but not any cold/artificial sigma-delta/bit-stream DAC) in my opinion beats the K701 but not in every aspect and not in every kind of music and sometimes I like them both the same.

Both K701 and K501 was the flagship models of the AKG, and should cost the same, but now not produced any longer K501 are more scare, then even used more valuable.

In Poland street price of K401 was 200 USD (600 PLN for sure), so of K501 probably 300 USD - similar to the lowest price of new K701.

What about 999 USD for used AKG K501? http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=AKG+K501

 

Maybe I'm wrong or unable to test them right in their natural "environment" (classical music?), or my taste is inappropriate (at this moment I like current driven Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 the most for the albums I use to listen).

I agree with the most of what you say. K501 with a nice amplifier outperforms many more expensive headphones. I use them with Matrix M-Stage, a very versatile and powerful amplifier. I have also used my k501 with a Musical Fidelity X-can v3 (1 W output) and it powers them efficiently and sounds amazing. X-Can is another forgotten diamond, rarely discussed on these pages and overshadowed by many mediocre alternatives. Can be had for $100-$150 used and is a fantastic amplifier for the price.

Seems folks may be confusing "price", "worth" and "value".  "Worth" is how much good or pleasure one derives from a thing. "Value" is a means of describing the worth of the thing as an abstract in relation to the economy as a whole. "Price" is that "worth" or "value" in the context of a specific market.  Obviously they are not all the same thing. Something is "worth" what someone is willing to pay for it - which varies depending on the economic state of the individual, the current economic climate, and the "value" the individual places upon owning that particular item at that particular point in time. (Watch auctions for these principles in action.)

I won't get into the relative worth or value of the K501. I will observe that there were different "versions" which sounded different from one another and that can be a source of differing opinions on the "worth" or "value" of the cans. A good example is the "brown ring" ear pad "version", which was said to have better bass than the non-brown ring version. I can believe this because I own a brown ring version and always thought the bass was accurate rather than "weak" as reported by some. Given this, and the other sonic characteristics, I believe my K501 to be an excellent headphone and I wouldn't sell it for $200. However, if someone offered me significantly more ($900!!) I undoubtedly would, which is indicative of the "worth" and "value" I place on my set. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by muxamed 

 

I agree with the most of what you say. K501 with a nice amplifier outperforms many more expensive headphones. I use them with Matrix M-Stage, a very versatile and powerful amplifier. I have also used my k501 with a Musical Fidelity X-can v3 (1 W output) and it powers them efficiently and sounds amazing. X-Can is another forgotten diamond, rarely discussed on these pages and overshadowed by many mediocre alternatives. Can be had for $100-$150 used and is a fantastic amplifier for the price.

My experience:

My own build WNA MKII perform some other amps with the right OPA - now with two OPA627 and LM6171 in railsplitter. It performs the GSP Solo (with LME49720HA instead of the AD823) too.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/99596/new-wna-mkll-head-amp-kit/750

I compared now with Amber Rubarth, Session From the 17th Ward

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/poprock/detail/-/art/Amber-Rubarth-Sessions-From-The-17th-Ward/hnum/2952935

K501 lacks in bass and Amber Rubarth's voice sounds a little flashy (shrill), Q701 more balanced, with D7000 the chello and drums have the right body.

At some tracks sparrows chirping softly in the recording room, this could I hear best with D7000

More about Musical Fidelity X-can

http://rockgrotto.proboards.com/board/21/musical-fidelity-dac-10d-x10

http://www.rock-grotto.co.uk/x-ccessories.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by muxamed 


Very well put. Could you please explain this ring thing? What ring? How can we determine which version we have?

Check out the thread here. It's an old one, but essentially lays out the theory that AKG made subtle improvements to the design of the ear pads for the 501 that made a difference in the aural characteristics, particularly the bass. There were black, grey and brown "rings" on the inside of the ear pads, with the brown ring pads providing more bass than the others. You have to take the ear pads off the ring is around the entire pad. If you have the brown ring you won't miss it. I posted pics of mine years ago, but can't find that post. I may still have the pics on my PC at home and will take a look later and post them if I do. I will say I've never had a problem with the bass of the 501s, but I am in the "accurate" camp as opposed to "bass head" camp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by muxamed 


According to that thread added bass response changed the tonal balance of the headphone to the negative. It is like using k601 pads as stated by some people.

Perhaps in the opinion of some, but you know how that goes in the world of audio. I find the tonal balance of my 501s quite comparable to my AT AD-900s.  Not as spacious a soundstage and not quite as "open", but otherwise quite natural and even. But people like what they like, whether it is accurate and natural or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluesDaddy 

Check out the thread here. It's an old one, but essentially lays out the theory that AKG made subtle improvements to the design of the ear pads for the 501 that made a difference in the aural characteristics, particularly the bass. There were black, grey and brown "rings" on the inside of the ear pads, with the brown ring pads providing more bass than the others. You have to take the ear pads off the ring is around the entire pad. If you have the brown ring you won't miss it. I posted pics of mine years ago, but can't find that post. I may still have the pics on my PC at home and will take a look later and post them if I do. I will say I've never had a problem with the bass of the 501s, but I am in the "accurate" camp as opposed to "bass head" camp.

I have two sets of pads - the original that coming with and a new pair. Both are completly dark-grey/black. I listen with the new.