The KRK KNS-8400: you can have it all. - Page 27

Just a quick (and maybe dumb) question about KRK KNS8400/6400: is it possible to use your own cable, and not the one supplied by KRK with the locking mechanism?  I read somewhere that the headphones don't sound right when the cable isn't locked, which is just hard for me to believe.  I'm interested in getting a pair of 8400, but would really like to use my own cable -- mainly because the one supplied is too long for my purposes.

BTW, long time lurker, first post.  Take it easy on me! 

EDIT: NVM found my answer! I'll remember to use the 'Search' function next time!

After listening to the 8400's for about a month,

I can definitely say I like them.

They have a unique sound that gives me

a different perspective on my music.

The high end and upper midrange are very enjoyable.

The clarity is unusually good for inexpensive headphones.

Bass is good enough in terms of presence;

in terms of articulation it's very good.

Soundstage is about average for closed headphones.

They are very comfortable; and they don't make any

stray microphonic noises.

I paid $113; and I think they're easily worth that.

However, if I was recommending headphones to someone,

or if, for some reason, I could have only one set of headphones

in and around that price, I would not choose the 8400's.

Instead, I'd lean towards the Audio Technica ATH-M50's

which IMO have an overall more accurate, complete,

and sonorous presentation as well as similar build quality

and comfort.

Inadvertent double post.

These remind me a lot of the SRH840s. The bass and treble both have massive extension and they sound scooped when you first put them on but then you realize the vocal range/mid range is fairly forward.

In essence they sound "weird", no doubt about it, they're different from most headphones, but I'm pretty astonished at their ability to pick up flaws in tracks. I just listened to a couple hours of Toto over some brut champagne (what a great day) and I was hearing slight clipping and out of key singing I have never heard before, not even on the midrange monster/3D sounstage K 702s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnthonyMcEwen 


Did a quick search but cannot find answer what was it, please say you can use any cable.

2.5mm jack with a sheath diameter of 5mm is guaranteed to fit. 7mm if you use a needle file or something to remove the plastic locking tabs. Here are a couple photos of my pair.

Well, I just did a review on these. I'm a beginner with headphones though so the soundstage and closedness was a hurdle my brain needed to adapt to but maybe somebody can still use my experience anyways. I have also confirmed that I can't wear these with glasses. When I do so, the entire sound changes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not Yet 

Well, I just did a review on these. I'm a beginner with headphones though so the soundstage and closedness was a hurdle my brain needed to adapt to but maybe somebody can still use my experience anyways. I have also confirmed that I can't wear these with glasses. When I do so, the entire sound changes.

How thick are your glasses? I have a pair of designer frames, but relatively with or without glasses, I don't find any differences in bass. The reason for that being the memory pads, which contour very nicely around my ears. With regards to comfort, they get much better after a while when the headband breaks in and eases up, same thing goes for the pads. The difference between my ears and the driver is pretty much the same if I am wearing glasses or not due to the memory pads....Are your ears fitting inside the cups properly or not? 

I don't have any problems with glasses and these KRKs neither - ok, the frame of my glasses is really thin (basically a 1 mm wire).

and comfort is more than fine with these - but that is more a question of the form of my head...

I am planning to make a review on these, too - though I need some more time. Couple of mixing sessions, so I can go through it's sound from frequency range to frequency range step by step. In my view this is what matters most. 

These are the only headphones from it's price range that I've kept. It is somehow the favourite little underdog amongst the K701a and HD650s and - possibly DT880s in the near future -  that I mostly use (and my HD25s with my mobile rig). 

Burn In was really needed. These headphones brought me the proof that there really is such a thing as burn-in. The sound was almost complitly different before and after and I have not been listening to them while burning in so it was really a before and after experience. I don't know how much burn in they really need... I gave them 2 days, though maybe less is enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sigmundklaus 

I am planning to make a review on these, too - though I need some more time. Couple of mixing sessions, so I can go through it's sound from frequency range to frequency range step by step. In my view this is what matters most. 

 

These are the only headphones from it's price range that I've kept. It is somehow the favourite little underdog amongst the K701a and HD650s and - possibly DT880s in the near future -  that I mostly use (and my HD25s with my mobile rig). 

 

Burn In was really needed. These headphones brought me the proof that there really is such a thing as burn-in. The sound was almost complitly different before and after and I have not been listening to them while burning in so it was really a before and after experience. I don't know how much burn in they really need... I gave them 2 days, though maybe less is enough.

Same here - the only HP's from their price range I've kept. 

And as for how much burn in they need, I can tell you that it's only after three months that the bass is beginning to bloom very nicely,

though it was certainly articulate and present enough out of the box.

Recently heard the Q701 and my impression is that they sound quite different from the KRK. When properly amped, the Q701 has better, fuller tone and bass. The Q701 has much bigger soundstage but the placement and definition of instruments within that sound stage is a little diffuse. That said, it is easier to get better sound from the KRK because of its efficiency. The Q701 do need an amp no doubt. KRK is an easier recommendation because of this. 

I can understand why some have described the sound of KRK as "strange",  it has a distinctive sound signature which may appeal to many but ultimately you have to hear it and judge for yourself.

Now, here's the good news. Recently got the new Ultimate Ears UE6000, which Innerfidelity described as "suprisingly good".  My preliminary impression is that it seem to have all the strength of the KRK without the drawbacks.

I guess the reason KRK works quite well with certain genre is because of its speed and agility, and over longer term listening my impression is that they may be slightly accentuated in those aspects, leaning slightly on the aggressive side but certainly not Grado aggressive. The UE6000 are equally agile and fun...OK may be just a bit slower than KRK, but more bouncy and adding to that a fuller, more textured bass, plus more refined and fuller tone.

The KRK has this "screen" to its tonality which I found pleasing. The UE6000 do not have this, but instead retain a fuller spectrum of tonal colors. Ultimately the UE6000 is more accurate.

The bass of the KRK is on the lean side, the UE6000 also is on the lean side but less so. Neither cans will satisfy bassheads, but I found the bass of the UE6000 just sufficient, unless the recording is already on the lean side.

I mentioned in these forums that the Sony MDR CD900 ST (/w DT250 pads) has better tone and retained more tonal colors than the KRK. It was as if the sonic picture protraited by the former was painted with a finer pigment. Same here. the UE6000 may not be up to the Sony, but also not lacking far behind. The KRK is coarser in comparsion to both.

Build quality wise, the UE6000 is much superior. The KRK is more flimsy in comparison.

The drawbacks: the soundstage of UE6000 is still narrow, certainly compared to the Q701, but KRK is not better. Neither UE6000 nor KRK is ideal for classical.

Also, the noise- cancelling function of UE6000 has to be activated for optimal performance. The difference is not subtle. You will have to change batteries from time to time.

The price of the UE6000 is more expensive, at around $200. Sure it has to be dared better. My impression is that indeed it is, but some may found the differences not warrant the premium. Well, let us hope the price of the UE6000 will come down after a while...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoom25 

 

How thick are your glasses? I have a pair of designer frames, but relatively with or without glasses, I don't find any differences in bass. The reason for that being the memory pads, which contour very nicely around my ears. With regards to comfort, they get much better after a while when the headband breaks in and eases up, same thing goes for the pads. The difference between my ears and the driver is pretty much the same if I am wearing glasses or not due to the memory pads....Are your ears fitting inside the cups properly or not? 

Sorry for a super late reply. I don't come here often, but better late than never.

I believe the length along the whole side is the standard 145mm. The temple piece at the end of my glasses are 6mm by 4mm by 3mm. The temples have 23mm of straightness from the frame piece then have a bend/curve that is about 46mm. However that is irrelevant because breaking the seal created by the headphones regardless removes ALL of the subbass. Seriously, just barely inserting them - and I mean barely, as in the frames are head in place only held in place by the memory foam, they don't even go the full way in - causes the effect like an off/on lightswitch. Full seal, subbass. Broken seal (even 1%), gone. Simply breaking the seal AT ALL destroys the sound for me. I think my ears are ok too. I mean it feels like they cover all of it and that they are not fitting incorrectly or uncomfortably.

I've come to the conclusion that this single problem makes them a complete waste of money (at least for me). If I don't wear glasses with them, I need to be basically 1 foot away from my monitor to see text (yeah, that's not going to work with a 23" monitor), since I'm nearsighted. Another thing is the headphones sound best if I put them on, push them in for a sec, and then let go and let them "equalize". It creates a more sealed seal. You'd think that pushing the drivers closer would ruin the sound but everything becomes easier to discern and LOT more musical. In my review, I mentioned an unfocused, fatiguing sound I encountered with the 8400s... and simply pushing them in to create a better seal eliminates some to all of that. It even makes them slightly more comfortable. So wearing glasses at all is intrinsically against all of that since it has to break the seals.

I really just cannot fathom how some of you don't notice this. Would having a proper amp correct it? I only use a USB soundcard, but the bass removal is beyond subtle. I was just listening to some new music, "Superliminal" by deadmau5 and compared to my crap speakers, was hearing a TON more detail than ever before. Seriously, whole new instruments and fine detail that I never picked up on before were front and center. I then tried them with my glasses. I don't know if you use Foobar2000, but I spent like 10 minutes recreating the EQ different that I hear with glasses on while using the 8400s, going back and forth between on/off with EQ and glasses. You can use this as a guide (even moreso when you use exact song Superliminal, like how MP3 was designed with the song "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega in mind, hence that song produces the best result with mp3s).

Thanks for the info Not Yet. This is quite strange to hear, as I know first hand that with 8400, a better seal results in more bass. Although not to the extent you seem to be describing. Since you're  getting sub-bass without glasses, atleast the drivers are working. Perhaps this is a pad issue with your model. Maybe trying a new set of pads could fix it? 

Also an amp does help the 8400 for sure. My favourite equipment with the 8400 being the E10, I love the +3db bass boost switch. It matches quite nicely with the 8400's FR.

I have posted initial impressions in a three-way review of the KRKs, Shure SRH440s, and my IEMs, the RE0. I'll be updating with further impressions after different points of burn-in and office and video game use.