VanCitySound
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2011
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I have been changing my gear up a bit and decided to compare the (1) AKG k702; (2) Beyerdynamic DT880 (600); and the Shure SHR840 on a set-up that consists of: PC - Udac2 - Burson HA-160. In respect of burn in all the gear has at least a couple hundred (or more) hours on it. I have doing intensive back to back listening in multiple music genres using lossless rips and some 96/24 files. I note that the cable (I think) on the K702s seems to be having some intermittent issues which may color my impressions
(I) Shure SHR840
Compared to the AKGs and the Beyers, the Shures hold up quite well. I thought that they would be trounced by the others but that it not so. Overall I would consider them the least technically capable of the three but not by much. In electronic music, hip-hop and a lot of pop music they are quite enjoyable. They appear to have boosted mid-bass and mid-range (possibly contributed to by the udac2) that can work favourably in many instances. However, the mid-bass can be intrusive in many instances and can muddy certain passages. They do have great warmth in the female vocal range which is, shockingly, probably the best of the three. They are by far the easiest to drive and I may actually enjoy them more straight out of the udac2 than out of the Burson. The Burson seems to slow them down a bit and reduces their warmth, go figure.
Pros: Value for the money and warmth in female vocals
Cons: Muddy mid bass and smallish soundstage
(II) Beyerdynamic DT880(600)
I find that the Beyers fit between the Shures and the AKGs in some respects such as bass response, warmth and soundstage. I find them difficult to drive, the Burson will drive them loudly enough but not to a very high level, which is something I find surprising. They also appear to suffer from some slightly fatiguing treble and even some mild sibilance at times. They have better soundstage and separation than the Shures but much less than the AKGs. They have the best bass response of the three (but it is not perfect). The bass is not muddy and seems to have good extension and containment but may be a bit artificial and intrusive to some in some situations. The Beyers seem to be a good jack of all trades but they don’t truly wow me in any one area. They are, well, kind of boring to me.
Pros: Decent bass and “good” at most things
Cons: Hard to drive and some sibilance.
(III) AKG K702
I was somewhat surprised by these in a positive way but they do lack low end impact in many situations. The bass is clearly there but it seems to be overshadowed by the soundstage, like the bass has been pushed “under” the rest of the sound presentation (which some may argue is where it should be). However, in many genres of music the low end adds power and impact and without it the piece can come off seeming anemic . They also suffer from a bit of a clinical sounding midrange and as a result, to my ears, warmth suffers a bit. The treble representation is accurate in my opinion. If the bass were to be slightly more present and there was a dash of extra warmth then I think I could learn to like them quite a bit. Nevertheless the clarity and soundstage can be breathtaking with the right music. Simply put the soundstage of the AKGs utterly destroys the other two. The issues with this HP may be solved by messing with the dac, amp and cables… but then again it may not. I understand that for solid state the Burson is supposed to have some synergy with these HPs, so who knows…
Pros: Soundstage, clarity, and separation.
Cons: Lack of bass presence and warmth.
Conclusion:
If I had to choose just one of these to do everything then it would probably be the Beyers, but only with a good amp. In the following scenarios I would choose one of the others:
- portable use, no or small amp = Shures
- interested in analytical listening or classical music = AKGs
Surprisingly the Shures with only the uDac2 are very good and will likely satisfy most people, most of the time for very little money. I feel that there is some general superiority with the Beyers and technical superiority with the AKGS but you will need to triple your money over the Shures to realize this.