Recommendations? d2000 vs ad1000 vs k701 - Page 2

k601/k701 is not the best phone out there for trance/techno music. You should check out some German Maestro stuff, they have good phones which can run well without any amplification and also, they are readily available at EU. The phones you have mentioned, esp AKG K701 require proper amplification for their optimal performance, so i guess this would nt be a great choice unless you plan to get good amplification later on and want to have a headphone system which you can later build on.

I just listened to Shpongle's latest album on my k701s, from the headphone amp on a lavry da10. I cannot imagine a better set of cans. I think Shpongle counts as trance

I listen to plenty of trance, dance, electronic music on this setup. I also listen to the same music through Beyer dt770s, which have a lot more bass than the AKGs. I use the dt770s at work where I don't want an open can, but I'd much prefer the AKGs.

The bass is not excessive, but it's not lacking. It's tight, quick, realistic (when listening to live or instrumental music, that is. what's "realistic" mean when listening to synth?). Where the AKGs really shine is detail, separation, headspace, and accuracy. On a well recorded trance album, headspace and separation really improve the music (for me). At the same time, the AKGs will instantly reveal any sloppy sound engineering (which is exactly what you need in the studio, but kind of a bummer as a listener).

I get the impression that few people listen to trance/dance on these cans, but for me, they're the go-to can for pretty much any genre. If I want tonsil-rattling bass, I'll listen on studio monitors or on my crummy stock car speakers.

Unfortunately for comparisons, I haven't listened to the other cans you've listed. Also, all my impressions are based on amped listening. I don't think I've ever dared to listen to them without an amp.

EDIT: as to trying before buying, I bought the k701s without trying them first, but I bought them from a very reputable and respected US dealer who would have taken them back if I didn't like them. You should be able to find a dealer like that in the EU, or just take a trip to the AKG office in Vienna

The 701 have the best sound stage and the most detail of every headphone I have heard. The bass is well defined and realistic than any can I heard. I own 3 other headphones. The 701 are the one that makes me relax the most.

The older I get, the more genres splinter off into subgenres. Back in my day, we only had techno, and it came in .mod format, and headphones hadn't been invented yet =)

I bought a K701 last year & ran it through a Predator, Mustang, SR71A, iBasso D3, Xin Reference and more recently a Pico Headamp/DAC and a Audio GD Phoenix.

I will tell you I was thinking of including the K701 in the "must sell off" pile until I put it into the HiFiMan Ef-5. It always sounded very thin and lacking of base. The K701 sounded very good through the Audio GD Phoenix, but the EF-5 just gives the music more life.

My opinion is that you're not going truly experience the best of the K701 with a portable amp. You really need to go with a powerful desk top amp.

GLC