Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › K701 "lean" compared to K601?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

K701 "lean" compared to K601?

post #1 of 40
6/24/09 at 2:40pm
Thread Starter 
I've owned a K601 for years and love it.

Purchased a K701 a couple weeks ago. Has 200 burn-in hours on it. It's still quite lean and "distant-sounding" compared to the K601. Does it catch up eventually (after more burn-in) or is it always going to be a bit of a lean, not-so-warm 'phone?
Reply
post #2 of 40
6/24/09 at 2:49pm
Burn-in is always day longer than money back period
Reply
post #3 of 40
6/24/09 at 2:51pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by QQQ View Post
Burn-in is always day longer than money back period
So true.
Reply
post #4 of 40
6/24/09 at 3:31pm
Yes, a K701 will never be a warm headphone out of anything even remotely resembling neutral gear.
Reply
post #5 of 40
6/24/09 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ph0rk View Post
Yes, a K701 will never be a warm headphone out of anything even remotely resembling neutral gear.
My impression of the K701 is similar but I wouldn't think of the K601 as being any warmer or more full-bodied. I don't have the experience with either phone to disagree with the OP but I would be curious to see if anybody could verify his findings.
Reply
post #6 of 40
6/24/09 at 4:15pm
The K601's are warmer and less analytical for sure.
Reply
post #7 of 40
6/24/09 at 4:22pm
The K701 is much more spacious than most headphones, and it takes a while to get used to. I love it, but whether you will is a mystery. Give it a little more time, but definitely don't wait until the return period is up
Reply
post #8 of 40
6/24/09 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1127 View Post
I've owned a K601 for years and love it.

Purchased a K701 a couple weeks ago. Has 200 burn-in hours on it. It's still quite lean and "distant-sounding" compared to the K601. Does it catch up eventually (after more burn-in) or is it always going to be a bit of a lean, not-so-warm 'phone?
It needs a lot of power to sound full-bodied.... and it is not a phone for low volume listening. For me, burn-in coupled with listening at real world levels @ high gain on my Ultra Micro solved that lean-ness of tone.

Also tilt the headband back a little towards the backward sloping edge of your head.

Don't pull the drivers down vertically by too much and also place the can slightly forward towards your cheeks and covering your side locks.

Correct positioning makes a lot of difference to the K701.

It is a wonderful headphone when driven well.

Sorry, I posted this in a haste, so my choice of words and construction of sentences might be a little weird.
Reply
post #9 of 40
6/24/09 at 4:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bhanja_trinanjan View Post

Sorry, I posted this in a haste, so my choice of words and construction of sentences might be a little weird.
Thanks for the ideas. Actually your English was perfect. Is English a second language for you?

-Mike
Reply
post #10 of 40
6/24/09 at 5:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1127 View Post
Thanks for the ideas. Actually your English was perfect. Is English a second language for you?

-Mike
Yes....

I am a Bengali (West Bengal, India) and Bengali is my mother tongue. But I write mostly in English as India is a large country with several languages. English and Hindi help us Indians to bridge barriers of language. (Though my Hindi is downright horrible )

Coming back to the topic, I listen to a lot of classical orchestral music and the K701 does a commendable job. I can't imagine to afford the HD800 yet, so I am pretty satisfied with what I have.

However, the K701 is very source and amp dependent. I had to retire my iPod in favour of a full fledged CD player(see signature) before I could enjoy the K701. The amped iPod just sounded terrible. Bad recordings also sound bad, but good recordings never fail to shine.

Bass goes very deep on the AKG and is very very tight.... so expect quality over quantity... the bass is like a disciplined and obedient kid, who never plays pranks and seems boring at times ... hahaha But I appreciate the sheer quality of the bass on the AKG... its just terrific!
Reply
post #11 of 40
6/24/09 at 5:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1127 View Post
I've owned a K601 for years and love it.

Purchased a K701 a couple weeks ago. Has 200 burn-in hours on it. It's still quite lean and "distant-sounding" compared to the K601. Does it catch up eventually (after more burn-in) or is it always going to be a bit of a lean, not-so-warm 'phone?
I can't speak for the K 601, but what's essential for the K 701 apart from driver break-in (which takes at least 300 hours at high levels and with lots of low frequencies) is the softening of the earpads, which brings the drivers closer to the ears and makes the sound fuller, warmer and less distant. It may take more than 1000 hours and even then progress further. You can accelerate it by squishing them now and then. And you can simulate the effect by pressing the earpieces against your head during listening.
.
Reply
post #12 of 40
6/24/09 at 6:02pm
X2... What Jazz said. I apply mild lateral pressure to ensure a closer seal. I also listen in an absolutely quiet room. Only then I can fully appreciate the marvel that the K701 is... It's resolution of detail is just exemplary
Reply
post #13 of 40
6/24/09 at 7:44pm
Can I add that, while both need a decent amp, everything I have read indicates that the 701 is not a very good choice for heavier rock. The 601s do a good job with metal (Deftones, Opeth, Sabbath, Pantera etc) from my integrated amp, but you just wont get a decent appreciation of the AKGs without the necessary grunt. I also stand by what I've said about the 601s sounding so much better after 200 hours than they did at 50.
Reply
post #14 of 40
6/24/09 at 8:00pm
You can break in the k701 all you want, it will still sound brighter than a k601. I have the impression of more deep bass out of the k601 too, but this might be just due to the fact I can listen to them slightly louder without fatigue.

I should add that I have owned both twice for a combined total of more than 12 months each, and listened with a variety of amps.
Reply
post #15 of 40
6/24/09 at 10:39pm
I fund the K-702 to have enough bass!
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphones (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › K701 "lean" compared to K601?