[EddieE]

Quote:

Eddie,
Until you reach a +/- 3dB difference most people cannot hear a difference. With the K702s you can hear a difference between 30 Hz and 60 Hz. But they do produce very good bass at 30 Hz within 2 dB . That covers almost all music other than some pipe organ or some bass drum resonances.
Low Bass
20 Hz -5dB
30 Hz -2dB
40 Hz 0dB
50 Hz +1dB
60 Hz +2dB
70 Hz +1dB
80 Hz +2dB
My active monitors are rated to 52 Hz +/-2 dB and the AKGs have much more bass. The K702s perform handsomely down to 30 Hz and they audibly attenuate below that.
 
Bob

 
Fair enough, I can't argue with that. Personally loved the K702's bass response when I owned them, I think they are a great set of headphones. I gave them to my brother when I moved on to Stax and still have a nostalgic listen to them every now and then when I see him. I mostly listen to acoustic music anyway so that last 10hz never mattered to me. I think its only the odd bits and pieces of electronica I have where you really notice sub bass attenuation, for most music its a non  issue.

 

[Glow Fish]

K550 are in my view "not bass heavy" rather than "bass light."  That said, they require a bit of positioning with the cups on your head to get a good seal.  If you don't do that, they are in fact very bass light. 
 
I have had a pair for a couple of months. I love them on jazz, but not so much on rock or electronic. They are definitely a bright headphone, and very revealing on crap recordings. I also think that they are not a departure from the K 70x line, nor really an upgrade.
 
I tend to agree with the comments re jumping to such an expensive headphone.  For a more modest upgrade and different sound, I would consider the HD 600 or HD 650.  I have HD 650s and find them to be a smooth, forgiving headphone with good bass and soundstage that I can listen to for hours.  Or you could try a Denon D2000/5000.  I found them too weak in the midrange for my tastes, but lots of folks love them.  Or a Beyer DT880 or 990.
 
And then there's Grado.  I had a pair of RS1's and just never enjoyed them, even with a Woo 6.  Now I have SR325's that I love for rock.  Lesson learned is that going up the food chain does not necessarily mean you will like a top model more than the mid model.

 

[iim7V7IM7]

Here a few "pros" and "cons" musings regarding these 4 headphones. 

Audez'e LCD-2 - $995 : my main attraction is the flat frequency response and the planar dynamic speed. my main concerns revolve around wearing comfort and past variability/quality issues

+ flat from 20-1000 Hz
+ efficient and m903 should work well
+ high quality build (made in USA)
- heavy headphone and can be hot to wear
- attenuated high frequency 3-4 kHz and > 8 kHz
- past driver, housing quality issues (small company)

Beyerdynamic T1 -$1,399: my main attraction is the resolving detail and imaging of these cans. My concerns have more to do with concerns of listening fatigue

+ light weight and comfortable
+ high quality construction (made in Germany)
+ precise imaging sound stage
- boosted , 100 -300 Hz, spiked high frequency @ 8k, attenuated HF > 12 kHz
- non-detachable cable
- high impedance may be difficult for m903 to drive

HiFiMAN HE-500 - $699: my main attraction like the Audeze's is the flat frequency response and planar dynamic speed. My main concerns are around wearing comfort (heavy), non-stellar imaging and build quality

+ fairly flat 30 Hz - 1000 Hz
+ efficient and m903 should work well
+ detachable cable
- heavy headphone (comfort concern)
- build quality appears to be a notch below peers (made in China)
- somewhat attenuated 2-3 kHz, 5-6kHz, spiked @ 8k and roll off @ 15k

Sennheiser HD800 - $1499: my main attraction is the speaker like imaging and magnifying resolution of these headphones. My main concerns surround complaints about harsh high frequency and listening fatigue

+ light weight and comfortable
+ high quality construction (made in Germany)
+ widest/deepest imaging sound stage
- boosted 100 -300 Hz, attenuated 2-3 kHz, 12 kHz & 18 kHz
- some owners complain about high frequency fatigue
- some say instrument placement within image in non-resolving

Comments welcome

 

[Neosk]

I can offer some input since I have both and HD800 and Akg Q701(Should be very similar to the K702).
 
The one thing I really have to say about the HD800s are that they are stupidly comfortable to wear. The pads are ridiculously soft and they just melt away from your ears. I would say they are a lot more comfortable than my Q701s, in which, I had some problems with the headband and a little issue with the clamping force. My ears also never get hot and it's just a treat to wear.
 
In terms of build quality, both are very solid. The HD800s have more fragile parts, but the thing is a beauty to look at and hold.
 
Now when we are talking about sound quality, IMO the HD800s and Q701 are pretty similar. Both headphones excel at soundstage and imaging, and they both offer a very clear, albeit a clinical interpretation of music. I also find them to be equally fatiguing, and had to mod them both by adding a little more dampening. The main discernible difference is that the Q701s have a bump in their upper mids, resulting in a more forward vocal presentation in some songs. Other than that, you can view the HD800s as a slightly more refined, more neutral(does not have upper mid bump), and more comfortable version of the Q701/K702.

 

[olegausany]

Quote:

Well,
 
IMHO i think the K550's are a closed back K701/2 and honestly have a touch more bass. The HE-400 have a better response to bass than the DT 990 pros which I believe are up there with the bass god Denons. The guy above me is right though, your setup might not be able to power the Tesla or the HD800. I think your best choices would be the HE-500/HE-400 or maybe even the HD6XX.
 
Good luck sir,

I heard K550 driven by Burson 160D which should be enough to drive almost any headphones and they were lacking the sub-bass. I trust my ears not graphs and numbers

 

[olegausany]

 
 
 
 
Quote:

Here a few "pros" and "cons" musings regarding these 4 headphones. 
Audez'e LCD-2 - $995 : my main attraction is the flat frequency response and the planar dynamic speed. my main concerns revolve around wearing comfort and past variability/quality issues
+ flat from 20-1000 Hz
+ efficient and m903 should work well
+ high quality build (made in USA)
- heavy headphone and can be hot to wear
- attenuated high frequency 3-4 kHz and > 8 kHz
- past driver, housing quality issues (small company)
Beyerdynamic T1 -$1,399: my main attraction is the resolving detail and imaging of these cans. My concerns have more to do with concerns of listening fatigue
+ light weight and comfortable
+ high quality construction (made in Germany)
+ precise imaging sound stage
- boosted , 100 -300 Hz, spiked high frequency @ 8k, attenuated HF > 12 kHz
- non-detachable cable
- high impedance may be difficult for m903 to drive
HiFiMAN HE-500 - $699: my main attraction like the Audeze's is the flat frequency response and planar dynamic speed. My main concerns are around wearing comfort (heavy), non-stellar imaging and build quality
+ fairly flat 30 Hz - 1000 Hz
+ efficient and m903 should work well
+ detachable cable
- heavy headphone (comfort concern)
- build quality appears to be a notch below peers (made in China)
- somewhat attenuated 2-3 kHz, 5-6kHz, spiked @ 8k and roll off @ 15k
Sennheiser HD800 - $1499: my main attraction is the speaker like imaging and magnifying resolution of these headphones. My main concerns surround complaints about harsh high frequency and listening fatigue
+ light weight and comfortable
+ high quality construction (made in Germany)
+ widest/deepest imaging sound stage
- boosted 100 -300 Hz, attenuated 2-3 kHz, 12 kHz & 18 kHz
- some owners complain about high frequency fatigue
- some say instrument placement within image in non-resolving
Comments welcome

At the recent NYC meet I heard T1, HD800 and my D7000 driven by expensive 2pcs Woo Audio amp and prefer T1 over HD800. Yes some people prefer T1 and other prefer HD800. Also T1 sound better for me than D7000, their sub-bass goes deeper for me but I don't think that it worth twice  the money. I also heard HE-500 first driven by EF-6 amp and they had overpowering bass but when driven by Woo Audio amp above the bass wasn't overpowering anymore but they had not enough sub-bass for me. Also comfort issue will depend on the size and shape of your head. I have small and narrow head and it affects me but I read a lot of people adjust to it after a week of use
 

 

[iim7V7IM7]

I can offer some input since I have both and HD800 and Akg Q701(Should be very similar to the K702).

The one thing I really have to say about the HD800s are that they are stupidly comfortable to wear. The pads are ridiculously soft and they just melt away from your ears. I would say they are a lot more comfortable than my Q701s, in which, I had some problems with the headband and a little issue with the clamping force. My ears also never get hot and it's just a treat to wear.

In terms of build quality, both are very solid. The HD800s have more fragile parts, but the thing is a beauty to look at and hold.

Now when we are talking about sound quality, IMO the HD800s and Q701 are pretty similar. Both headphones excel at soundstage and imaging, and they both offer a very clear, albeit a clinical interpretation of music. I also find them to be equally fatiguing, and had to mod them both by adding a little more dampening. The main discernible difference is that the Q701s have a bump in their upper mids, resulting in a more forward vocal presentation in some songs. Other than that, you can view the HD800s as a slightly more refined, more neutral(does not have upper mid bump), and more comfortable version of the Q701/K702.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience with both sets of headphones.

 

[iim7V7IM7]

 


 


 


 




At the recent NYC meet I heard T1, HD800 and my D7000 driven by expensive 2pcs Woo Audio amp and prefer T1 over HD800. Yes some people prefer T1 and other prefer HD800. Also T1 sound better for me than D7000, their sub-bass goes deeper for me but I don't think that it worth twice  the money. I also heard HE-500 first driven by EF-6 amp and they had overpowering bass but when driven by Woo Audio amp above the bass wasn't overpowering anymore but they had not enough sub-bass for me. Also comfort issue will depend on the size and shape of your head. I have small and narrow head and it affects me but I read a lot of people adjust to it after a week of use
 

Thanks. Was it just the bass extension or did other aspects come to play in your preference? What type music were you listening to? I haven't seen any comments on HE-500 bass being overwhelming.

 

[iim7V7IM7]

I have arranged to audition loaner LCD-2, HD800, T1 and HE-500s over the next month or so.  I will take careful notes and share comparisons vs. AKGs as I go. This way, it will be my music, my source, my amp etc.
 

 
Bob

 

[Acix]

Quote:

I have arranged to audition loaner LCD-2, HD800, T1 and HE-500s over the next month or so.  I will take careful notes and share comparisons vs. AKGs as I go. This way, it will be my music, my source, my amp etc.
 

 
Bob

 
 
This will be a good experience, I not sure who good the 903 will drive the HE-500s...even for the Auditor this was a difficult task.

 

 

[iim7V7IM7]

This will be a good experience, I not sure who good the 903 will drive the HE-500s...even for the Auditor this was a difficult task.

 

Since the amplifier has a digital display from 0 to100 in 0.5 increments. I can compare perceived relative listening volume on my amp. I listen to my active monitors between 75-80 dB. I will record the relative volume setting required.

I think the m903 should be adequate. The HE-500s are 38 ohms and 89 dB. The amp has a low output impedance (1.2 ohm) and shouldn't interact. At 50 ohms, it outputs 1.2 W.

I think that I will get the Sennheisers and the Audeze's first to audition.

 

[madbull]

If I were you, I'd go for a totally different sound signature, which excludes the hd800, cause they sound neutral and flat as the k702.
 
I'd choose denon d7000 (haven't heard the new one yet) or the lcd-2.  the he-500 is a bit more harder to drive IMO.

 

[iim7V7IM7]

If I were you, I'd go for a totally different sound signature, which excludes the hd800, cause they sound neutral and flat as the k702.

I'd choose denon d7000 (haven't heard the new one yet) or the lcd-2.  the he-500 is a bit more harder to drive IMO.

Definitely a logic to your proposal...

This was my reason to try the 4 that I chose...2 are different and two are from the same school.

 

[vinyl addict]

I currently have the K 702 and the LCD-2 Rev.2  There is absolutely no comparison between these two cans. 
 
LCD-2 smooths out the highs with extremely delicious low frequency extension, tight and more revealing.
 
Considering the price difference, I truly believe that the LCD-2 is well worth the $$$.
 

 

[LugBug1]

Just another vote for the HE500's. I upgraded from the K702's and 650's and have never looked back. Jazz is amazing on these, piano music is stunning aswell. Smooth, balanced, airy and very detailed. Tried quite a few amps on these and imo they aren't as hard to drive as some would have you believe. It's not so much watt ouput, more like synergy. My most powerful amp that gives out 3.5 watts into 32 ohms, adds a little more soundstage but that is it, sound isn't anymore full or faster than another amp that gives out just over 1 watt. Yes they do need power, but if your amp drives the hungry K702's efficiantly then it won't have any problem driving the 500's.
 
They do need at least 100+ hours break in otherwise you may feel they need more power to open up, when in fact they just need time.  This is always a problem when you are auditioning new headphones and have to decide in a hurry. Good luck!