Everybody's hate K701! (OR- Did anyone of K701's haters even tried them out trough extreme amp?) - Page 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jibbie 

To my ears, the K701 provides such a perfect sphere of sound its like I'm listening to speakers and not headphones.  

i.e. 'airiness', larger soundstage, the size of the soundstage and imaging (how accurately the instruments are placed and can be heard from one another)  are different separate aspects however.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elanzer 

You won't change the K701 drastically by amping them, with the STX you've already provided them with the majority of power they need.

 

It's not entirely the fact that they need a very powerful amp, it's that they need the RIGHT dac/amp. They need to be colored into something that is enjoyable to the user, and that in the end isn't always enough to change the K701 from what they are, which is why people give up on them. It's definitely a sound signature that's not for everybody, it doesn't sound like it's one for you.

The STX is an amazing piece of kit for the price... but it really does not provide "the majority of the power"... well I guess technically it does because you can play the K70X through them... but the K70X are not very efficient and tend to like a lot of current.

That being said I too have never grown to dig the K70X on any of the amps I tried it with.

They had a great soundstage... nice detail (although not crazy revealing like people seem to believe... to my ears anyways) and the tonality was really weird... everything (instruments and voices) sounded as if it were plastic or some sort of synthetic thing...

Also, the soundstage was far too big, and imaging too poor to make it believable... sounded like a dolby dsp... fun but not something you keep listening to for extended periods.

The HD 800 has a huge soundstage like the K70X, but the tonality (although it is bright, but not as bright as I remember the K70X) is MUCH better and the imaging is insane and is capable of supporting such a massive soundstage. The K70X is not.

All of this being said : If you like the K70X that is ALL THAT MATTERS. Some amps will be better, some will be worse, but non will "fix" the K70X if you do not like them in the first place. If you adore them, they can get better yes... but they will never have tons of bass, or proper tonality if you don't perceive them that way in the first place.

Just because others do not enjoy your K70X doesn't mean you should not, or try to understand it... just focus on what you love and let everyone else do the same. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by sokolov91 

All of this being said : If you like the K70X that is ALL THAT MATTERS. Some amps will be better, some will be worse, but non will "fix" the K70X if you do not like them in the first place. If you adore them, they can get better yes... but they will never have tons of bass, or proper tonality if you don't perceive them that way in the first place.

 

Just because others do not enjoy your K70X doesn't mean you should not, or try to understand it... just focus on what you love and let everyone else do the same. ;)

If people are as understanding as you, the forum would be a much better place
 

I've used K701's for years mainly through a Heed Canamp, and they sound plastic, thin and shrill. Don't like them all that much.

I did like them at first, but slowly, even without listening to other headphones for comparisons, I began to notice the skewed upper frequencies and sibilance. The K701's have good prat and they certainly are clear sounding, but I can't derive much musical enjoyment from them. They're also very rolled off in the lowest and highest frequencies. It was hard reading all the comments about these exact issues on Head-Fi after spending much money on them. In the end, I can't but agree with those comments after finally trying something else.

Proper amping doesn't make as big a difference as many make it out to be, either.

If they still don't sound good after spending all that money for an amp, I think the poor buyer might 'go over the edge'!   I'm pretty skeptical that the Auditor or Phonitor can perform miracles.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishski13 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayz 

Just wanted to point it- soon I'm gonna try, finally, the K701 by the SPL Auditor.

I'll tell ya' about it's outcome.

please give a positive review because i fear you could push Acix over the edge and he wouldn't be around to cut another album.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayz 

HD800 vs K701? you can't compare a Chevrolet Cabariolett to lamborghini. those cost up to 1000$.
But I think, and it's such a big hunch, that the K701 by the SPL Auditor vs H800 by this same amp will bring a very close outcomes, if not the same. maybe even better sometimes.

I'm going to find out.

P.s, speaking of Acix's album, hhis is a really great album with too much details that I can't even hear yet. :)

Acix's album is indeed great... if only most modern recordings were produce with this level of skill and TLC.

If you like the K70X it is indeed a huge bang for buck... but to these ears, the HD 800 reach deeper, are still "bright" overall like the K70X, have a larger soundstage, and image better...

Really if you like the K70X you would probably LOVE the HD 800.

Sure the prices are way different and it is not a fair comparison (they are 1400$ btw not 1000$)... but the second you upgrade from "mid-fi" this is what happens: The price tag gets exponentially bigger, and the gear sounds marginally better. Sad but true.

The HD 800 from an amp well suited for in, compared to a K70X with an amp well suited for it... I would guess AT LEAST 9/10 people would take the HD 800 if money was not an issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayz 

But I think, and it's such a big hunch, that the K701 by the SPL Auditor vs H800 by this same amp will bring a very close outcomes, if not the same. maybe even better sometimes.

That's a very precise hunch

Going to try again. Damping them really helps. http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/411268/the-akg-k701-friend-or-foe-mods-that-may-help-others/105

Running a new pair of 702's from a AVA Insight + Preamp which is fed from a modded Oppo BD83SE with Sabre ESS dacs.

The cans have about 7 hours time on them.

The Insight+ preamp headphone section has NO problmes driving these low impedance cans to ear shattering levels.

The sound is marvelous. Tonality is very accurate, strings, guitars of all types ound like the instruments they are.

Vocals like Alison Krauss are melt in your mouth nice.

I can hear what the recording rooms, and various venues sound like. Uncanny.

Coming from a set of audio technia ATH50's which are nice, BUT BOOMY as all get out...the bass on the 702s is accurate and not boomy at all...

Fanfare for Modern Man, the tympani is AWESOME real.

From Satriani, Nil Lofgren, Eagles, Dido, Regina Spektor, Diana Krall, Nora Jones etc all wondeful sounding.

Running these from a PC sooudcard is terrible...most sound card you have to crank up the volum to MAX and then the volume is still low...no wonder why people think

these have poor bass..get them on a real high quality amp and for the $250 cmpared to the $1399 HD 800s they are the bargin of the planet in 'can world'...

If these really do get better over time then thats just icing on the cake!!

All the best

Alex

Thanks guys, I appreciate it!! I very glad the members on head-fi like my music.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by sokolov91 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayz 

Speaking of Acix's album, hhis is a really great album with too much details that I can't even hear yet. :)

Acix's album is indeed great... if only most modern recordings were produce with this level of skill and TLC.

 

To really see what the 701/702's can do in the bass dept play Donald Fagans "Morph the Cat' cd. The first cut is called 'Morph the Cat'. If your setup doesnt shine here then your setup is less than stellar. Running the 702's from my AVA Preamp headphone section, the bass in this cut and on this cd, is absolutely FANTASTIC. Its accurate, FULL, NOT BOOMY, and will blow your mind. The ability to discern the sound quality between cd recordings is astounding. I have an external ASGARD on the way to compare between the preamp head section and a Full Class A amp.....will be interesting.

Alex