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K1000 - Are they REALLY worth 2-3 times the price of K701? - Page 2

post #16 of 148
12/6/06 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dead Ghost View Post
Oh boy, i am more confused now than when i started the thread, lol.

The thing is this:
- i can get the K1000 @ 500-600 Euro, on ebay Germany.
- the K701 are @ 250-300 Euro here.
- i don't have an amp and dac (only my revo 5.1), YET. My buy order is this: 1. Headphones, 2. Amp, 3. DAC.
- a good and matching amp&dac will follow, either for K701 or K1000.
- i don't plan to change headphones (and amps\dacs, etc) like crazy in the future. I am planning to stay away from the endless money pit as far as i can.
- since i don't have a proper room (and money) for a GOOD set of speakers, i'm looking for the next best thing that can get me close to the speaker type sound.
- i CAN'T listen before i buy.

As i said before, it seems i don't have such trained ears as most audiophiles, so if i make the effort to buy the K1000, i aspect to notice the difference on the spot, not having to listening for weeks to make up my mind on which is better of the two.
Proper aplification is a necessity and should be thought of as one component at this level of referance and cost.

Buy a Heed and the 701s for the price of the K-1000 used unamped; And know you have new components with at least all of 90% sonically vs. what you may eventually attain spending more for used. And develop a well balanced system with which to enjoy your daily musical journey.

Stay tuned~
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post #17 of 148
12/6/06 at 12:32pm
Yes, the K1000's are most definitely worth the extra over the K701. Mind you, the K701 is a good phone, but it is completely outclassed by the K1000. The K1000 was the first headphone where I literally dropped my jaw when I heard it. No other headphone or piece of audio equipment in general has done that to me, though the O2 and K340 came close. Try one and you will realize what we all are rambling about !

Aditya
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post #18 of 148
12/6/06 at 2:13pm
Good K1000 amps aren't that expensive (you can find some of the best for under $1000). You will need a good source however.

I think the K501 or K601 are good alternatives to the K701 if you want to save even more money. All 3 have a really amazing midrange, but for rock music all 3 sound too artificial to me.
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post #19 of 148
12/6/06 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 
As i said, amp and dac will come later on, as soon as i get the money, and i will get the best for this headphone. But until then, i'm afraid that i will not find used k1000 anymore, so that's one of the reasons i want to buy the headphone first. So amps and dacs are not a problem.
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post #20 of 148
12/6/06 at 2:34pm
For what it's worth, this (Phil Gold) review is rather on-topic.

-Angler
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post #21 of 148
12/6/06 at 3:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dead Ghost View Post
Oh boy, i am more confused now than when i started the thread, lol.

The thing is this:
- i can get the K1000 @ 500-600 Euro, on ebay Germany.
- the K701 are @ 250-300 Euro here.
- i don't have an amp and dac (only my revo 5.1), YET. My buy order is this: 1. Headphones, 2. Amp, 3. DAC.
- a good and matching amp&dac will follow, either for K701 or K1000.
- i don't plan to change headphones (and amps\dacs, etc) like crazy in the future. I am planning to stay away from the endless money pit as far as i can.
- since i don't have a proper room (and money) for a GOOD set of speakers, i'm looking for the next best thing that can get me close to the speaker type sound.
- i CAN'T listen before i buy.

As i said before, it seems i don't have such trained ears as most audiophiles, so if i make the effort to buy the K1000, i aspect to notice the difference on the spot, not having to listening for weeks to make up my mind on which is better of the two.
If you really want to save money in the long run I would recommend with just buying the K1000 now and tweaking your rig over the next few years. If you have to, you could always sell the K1000 for as much or more than what you buy it for today.

That being said, it is possible that you like the 701 sound more than the K1000 sound. If you think that is really a possibility from reading reviews, maybe buying the 701 now would be better.

Happy listening. I love my K1000s.
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post #22 of 148
12/6/06 at 3:18pm
Go for it. It is still my favourite dynamic headphone, and I would choose it over the L3000 any day of the week. The K701 is good, but it did not do anything special for me.
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post #23 of 148
12/6/06 at 6:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dead Ghost View Post
Yes, i have read most of the k1000 vs k701 threads, but i can't decide if the K1000 are worth three times the price of K701. I mean, is there such a NIGHT&DAY difference between the two headphones, that can make me go ? I really don't think i have audiophile ears, as i didn't noticed a difference between a m-audio revo 5.1 and an audigy 2 (with a pair of grado sr60), so for me, the k1000 should sound incredible compared to k701, to justify the price difference.

ps: sorry for my poor english skills.
Yes I think it's worth it. And I also think it's one of the only headphones that will make somebody with non-audiophile ears or experience, go WOW when they first hear it.
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post #24 of 148
12/6/06 at 7:30pm

yeah

Definitely worth it!
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post #25 of 148
12/6/06 at 7:55pm
You don't have to have "special training," to hear the merits of the K-1000. It doesn't sound like any other transducer in the world. Anybody with two ears will hear the difference between the K-1000 and the finest "conventional" headphones. Whether the difference is worth the extra bucks is a personal choice. One thing, people over state the need for "special amplification," with the K-1000. Its merits can be heard with a very humble solid state integrated amp. It improves subtly as you move closer to a pure class A source, but let me emphasise its merits are apparent even when hooked up to a less than pedigreed non-audiophile source.

The bottom line is that the K-1000 is a triumph of radical design and no-compromise execution. Its like no other transducer in the world. That's one of the reasons its so, ahem, attractive. On the other hand, no other headphone I have ever owned, and no other speaker I have ever owned has evoked the kind of pure joy and sensual delight as the K-1000. Its the aural equivilent of eating in a great restaurant for the first time.


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post #26 of 148
12/6/06 at 8:04pm
What are the odds of AKG bringing the K1000 back? I know they've done it before (more than once?) in response to demand. Surely someone in AKG's marketing department must be aware of the interest here, the 2nd hand values, the ebay auctions etc etc. If they came back in a relatively small run at the original MSRP or even a little more, I'm sure they'd have no problems shifting them. Head-fi would probably take half!

What was the gap between production runs before?
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post #27 of 148
12/6/06 at 8:38pm
The K701s are selling so well that I seriously doubt that they are even entertaining bringing back the K1000. If used prices hit $2000+ they might consider it.

Funny, when I purchased my K1000s (April 2004) there were only a few K1000 proponents, now that they've been discontinued it has become a freaking cult. I remember singing the praises of the K1000s to a resounding chorus of crickets and deafening silence.

They are a FOTM.

I’m also wondering when the K701 backlash will subside. Since they have been so popular it seems many enjoy trashing them. It’s as if some believe that if you trash what’s popular you’re somehow proving your audiophile credentials. It’s why audiophiles love to knock B&W and Krell.

The backlash will subside and then you will all join me genuflecting in front of the mighty K701s
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post #28 of 148
12/6/06 at 8:46pm

Hilarious analogy~

Guy walks into a stereo shop, looks around and sees the AKG display goes to the top of their line because he wants to only buy once he tells the salesman. Tells the salesman he is on a budget of usd $1000, and is running a revo 5.1 soundcard and he isn't an audiophile. After alot of back slappin and interjected sports talk with a few of the salesmans friends who stopped by with their opinions and talk of trade ins and upgrades. The nonaudiophile walks out of the store with a used pair of K-1000 having extinguished his budjet because the K-1000 were suggested to blow a pair of new 701s paired to a Heed canamp outa the water, although cost the same as the headphone in hand. After all, it was the BEST advice given at the store full of audiophiles; Who own much gear and trade it in all the time, surely he too will share their opinion soon. Soon as he can save up another similar wad to spring for the amp and again then for the DAC which is needed to really enjoy headphone listening. Glad he didn't waste any time with that 701 Heed deal. This deal will surely be, eventually twice as enjoyable. Being paitient and eventually spending three times as much will all be worth it. He may even like being an audiophile after all.
But, he still has his reservations about the need for the vahallaha interconnects the salesmans buddys told him about which would blow anything else outta the water.
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post #29 of 148
12/6/06 at 8:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dead Ghost View Post
Yes, i have read most of the k1000 vs k701 threads, but i can't decide if the K1000 are worth three times the price of K701. I mean, is there such a NIGHT&DAY difference between the two headphones, that can make me go ? I really don't think i have audiophile ears, as i didn't noticed a difference between a m-audio revo 5.1 and an audigy 2 (with a pair of grado sr60), so for me, the k1000 should sound incredible compared to k701, to justify the price difference.

ps: sorry for my poor english skills.
that's for you to find out

I contemplated KK, but went with speaker and never looked back
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post #30 of 148
12/6/06 at 8:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yikes View Post
The K701s are selling so well that I seriously doubt that they are even entertaining bringing back the K1000. If used prices hit $2000+ they might consider it.

Funny, when I purchased my K1000s (April 2004) there were only a few K1000 proponents, now that they've been discontinued it has become a freaking cult. I remember singing the praises of the K1000s to a resounding chorus of crickets and deafening silence.

They are a FOTM.

I’m also wondering when the K701 backlash will subside. Since they have been so popular it seems many enjoy trashing them. It’s as if some believe that if you trash what’s popular you’re somehow proving your audiophile credentials. It’s why audiophiles love to knock B&W and Krell.

The backlash will subside and then you will all join me genuflecting in front of the mighty K701s

Yikes is a wise man and knows what he is talking about. Remember -- some headphones have very vocal proponents, and some have very many silent ones.
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