[SP Wild]

Quote:

that's just matter of taste, tube will help "less focus" midrange in K701 to sound better for vocal.
 
I like touch of lush midrange from tube for K701.

Agreed.
 
I didn't use my K701s as often after I sold the Ming Da MC84 (2X5 watts into 8 ohms, transformer coupled - good power to engage the K1000s with).  This amp was just perfect for the K701, I liked it better than the dearer Cayin HA-1A transformer coupled tube amp and my solid state Lehmann BCL (very likely leaner than the Matrix clone).  It was the improvements to the K701 imaging and layering that other amps could not accomplish, also an organic and full bodied boost to the midrange was a nice bonus.
 
However I have since soldered a balanced connector onto my K701s and have been enjoying them immensely out of the Audio GD Phoenix amplifier.  Once again, it's the improvements in imaging and layering that makes the K701s sound so enjoyable after going balanced with the SS Phoenix...which also seem to have an unbelievably organic and pleasant midrange...that happens to be better than my tube amps, with all the advantages of solid state, don't ask me how.
 
I particularly like how the K701s can sound so "open" and "clear" without being bright in the treble.

 

[VALIENTE]

Quote:

Not 5x better if that's what you are after. 

 
Really? I am expecting 6 times goodness when I switch from E9 $100 to the $600 Burson Audio HA160.
 

 

[Yuceka]

I am now listening to Vital Tech Tones by Scott  Henderson, Steve Smith and Victor Wooten with my K701s and there's one thing I want to say : I am NOT missing my HD 650s AT ALL 

 

[ArmAndHammer]

Well...here's the deal...I had all but completely written the 701's off and made the decision to sell them as I did not want to fork over $250-300 for a new amp. So I opted to buy some new cans that would work with my current amp and ordered some Fischer FA-002w's which I don't regret...yet...I haven't received them yet. I needed a set of closed headphones anyways. Well...I may have made my decision too quickly...actually I procrastinated. Just a few minutes ago I sat here bored and wondering (usually a dangerous combo) and decided to bust open my Little Dot and set the gain to high and try the 701's just for shytes and giggles. So that's what I did...pulled the jumpers and set the gain from 3.5 to 7. Put it back together, powered it up and plugged in my Grados. WOW...big improvement. More detail, better deeper bass, I am impressed. So I dig out the 701's which I had already boxed up ready to sell and plugged them in. While I haven't given them a thorough run through my music collection...I think these things are now keepers. The veil is gone, the bass is dare I say nice and deep...not impactful...but plenty deep. Vocals are luscious, mids nice and smooth...it's like I just got a new pair of headphones in the mail today. Best part...I don't have to get a new amp...for anyone wondering...it might not be the best match up but the Little Dot 1+ I think has the power to push the 701's if the gain is set to high rather than low. Just wanted to update since early I expressed my dissatisfaction with these headphones.

 

[Jibbie]

I found the K701 lacking in bass impact, but I agree that they extend deeeeeeeeeeeep 
 
Quote:

Well...here's the deal...I had all but completely written the 701's off and made the decision to sell them as I did not want to fork over $250-300 for a new amp. So I opted to buy some new cans that would work with my current amp and ordered some Fischer FA-002w's which I don't regret...yet...I haven't received them yet. I needed a set of closed headphones anyways. Well...I may have made my decision too quickly...actually I procrastinated. Just a few minutes ago I sat here bored and wondering (usually a dangerous combo) and decided to bust open my Little Dot and set the gain to high and try the 701's just for shytes and giggles. So that's what I did...pulled the jumpers and set the gain from 3.5 to 7. Put it back together, powered it up and plugged in my Grados. WOW...big improvement. More detail, better deeper bass, I am impressed. So I dig out the 701's which I had already boxed up ready to sell and plugged them in. While I haven't given them a thorough run through my music collection...I think these things are now keepers. The veil is gone, the bass is dare I say nice and deep...not impactful...but plenty deep. Vocals are luscious, mids nice and smooth...it's like I just got a new pair of headphones in the mail today. Best part...I don't have to get a new amp...for anyone wondering...it might not be the best match up but the Little Dot 1+ I think has the power to push the 701's if the gain is set to high rather than low. Just wanted to update since early I expressed my dissatisfaction with these headphones.

 

[Ikarios]

Personally I think the K701s are very very impact light, but when you turn up the volume it's quite apparent that they deliver lots of punch. It's enough that you can get used to it after a few minutes of listening. The K701s are also the most comfortable headphones for long-length listening I've encountered, aside from the T1 and the HD800.
Quote:

I found the K701 lacking in bass impact, but I agree that they extend deeeeeeeeeeeep 
 
Quote:

Well...here's the deal...I had all but completely written the 701's off and made the decision to sell them as I did not want to fork over $250-300 for a new amp. So I opted to buy some new cans that would work with my current amp and ordered some Fischer FA-002w's which I don't regret...yet...I haven't received them yet. I needed a set of closed headphones anyways. Well...I may have made my decision too quickly...actually I procrastinated. Just a few minutes ago I sat here bored and wondering (usually a dangerous combo) and decided to bust open my Little Dot and set the gain to high and try the 701's just for shytes and giggles. So that's what I did...pulled the jumpers and set the gain from 3.5 to 7. Put it back together, powered it up and plugged in my Grados. WOW...big improvement. More detail, better deeper bass, I am impressed. So I dig out the 701's which I had already boxed up ready to sell and plugged them in. While I haven't given them a thorough run through my music collection...I think these things are now keepers. The veil is gone, the bass is dare I say nice and deep...not impactful...but plenty deep. Vocals are luscious, mids nice and smooth...it's like I just got a new pair of headphones in the mail today. Best part...I don't have to get a new amp...for anyone wondering...it might not be the best match up but the Little Dot 1+ I think has the power to push the 701's if the gain is set to high rather than low. Just wanted to update since early I expressed my dissatisfaction with these headphones.

 

 

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I personally don't have much issue with the 701's bass. I know that is a major point for some and what deters them from these cans...but for me the bass is good. Yeah...a little more impact would be nice...but it certainly isn't a deal breaker.

 

[Yuceka]

I'ts nice to read your experience ArmandHammer. Before I bought my pair, I read up most of the threads about K701 and how people hated its lack of bass so much. It is true, compared to other ones, (HD650, T1, D7000 or other flagship models) they don't have that bass impact but I think they are very recording dependent. If the song is poorly recorded and the rest of the rig is just OK, K701 will sound like plastic and have no bass. I've experienced that many times but as I was listening to different songs in my library, I've found some songs that are awesome with K701, not too much and not too light bass, just the right amount to enjoy the entirety of the instruments. I am using Matrix M-Stage and I am pretty sure they have some room to improve with a better amp. 

 

[Shinnbone]

K701s have enough bass for me. But I do think they are better for songs that are not very busy and dense. Although hard rock and hard fusion sound great through them, I enjoy those genres through my PortaPros almost as much (emphasis on "almost") in spite of the sound-quality difference, because of the PortaPros' more in-your-face nature.
 
For movies, I fond K701s to be outstanding. The stereo field is great, and the clarity in the mids make even the most muffled talkers and whispered conversations much easier to understand than my (admittedly inexpensive) home theater speakers.

 

[apatN]

The K701 don't have much bass, but it's enough. Sounds just very good. The only thing I could not live with are the peaky upper mids/highs. I filtered this with some fabric.

 

[xoubi]

Hello, I´ve bought this HP 3 weeks ago. I want to amp them, in the range of 200/400 € , which is the better?
I readed on forums that good one is the MF X Can v8, but the schiit's Valhalla and Asgard look pretty nice for their price.
Thank´s a lot and sorry for my bad english.

 

[apatN]

My advice is to keep a close eye on the F/S forums here on head-fi. If you find something you like, read up on that amp here, too. There is tons of info!

Do not worry about your English. Could be worse.

 

[Ikarios]

Quote:

Hello, I´ve bought this HP 3 weeks ago. I want to amp them, in the range of 200/400 € , which is the better?
I readed on forums that good one is the MF X Can v8, but the schiit's Valhalla and Asgard look pretty nice for their price.
Thank´s a lot and sorry for my bad english.

If there's one amp I've read has synergy with the K701, it's the Matrix M-Stage. I don't know about other options, though.

 

[LarsHP]

Quote:

Hello, I´ve bought this HP 3 weeks ago. I want to amp them, in the range of 200/400 € , which is the better?
I readed on forums that good one is the MF X Can v8, but the schiit's Valhalla and Asgard look pretty nice for their price.
Thank´s a lot and sorry for my bad english.

I also got the K-701 just a couple of months ago. After a lot of research here on Head-Fi - including checking the ones you mention - I ended up getting the M-Stage.

 

[macbob713]

I'm running the K702 on a Burson HA-160 amp, fed by a NAD 565BEE CD Player. The 702's sound superb with this combo. The Burson adds a little umph to the bass and flushes out the mid-range. The treble remains clear but not bright or fatiguing. For slightly half the cost of the Burson, the Schiit Vahalla does a great job amping these babies. Back to back listening gives the nod firmly to the Burson to my ears. Someone mentioned how source dependent the 702's were, and I agree however all phones and loudspeakers are only going to sound as good as what goes in to them. These really shine on jazz and classical as well as any well recorded rock cd. Movies and video games really excel due to the big soundstage and crystal clear dialog. Overall the 701/02 is a true audiophile lovers bargain entry into high quality headphone enjoyment.