[Baldeagle58]

Being a relative newcomer to the world of headphones (and this site) I am looking for some sage advice respects my system.
The issue at hand is that the AKG 701s that I bought sound too bright hooked up to a Channel Islands VP1. Source is Cambridge Azur 640.
Can anyone advise if there is a lack of synergy between this amp and these phones. I left them playing for at least 10 days before listening so hopefully burn in is complete. I'm just not happy with the sound.
Thanks guys.

 

[mmayer167]

take a look here

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/akg...id-amp-458364/

if you can afford one of these hybrids to pair with your cambridge it might help your brightness... what can were you listening to before? the transition to the akg/701 might be a tough one to get used to coming from a say dt770... just give your brain some burn in time with these cans, they have really grown on me! and i used to be a basshead... i cant really comment on synergy because i have not heard my 702 with enough amps. But the indeed is great at the moment. hope this may help baldeagle

 

[sxr71]

I would have to say that the K701s were one of my more disappointing purchases. Not because they are not great. There are many here that love them and I cannot argue with that. It's just that you kind of need to buy it with an amp that suits it. Your existing amp may not cut it.

In fact I think anyone recommending the K701 must state their amp pairing. I pretty much went shopping around for an amp after I got them. I ended up with the Dared HP-5 or whatever it was. I was not all that enthused. I suppose the Heed Canamp is one good choice. I never got around to buying one but I bet it would have helped these phones. So I look at these phones as their cost + $300-400 to properly use them. I'm surprised your amp isn't cutting it. But remember these phones need some long break in also. I hate the concept of break in and I think it is misapplied a lot but they kind of did seem to need it.

 

[MD1032]

That's a very good amp, but I'm not surprised the sound's a little bright because when I tested my HF-1's with it, they did sound a tad brighter with it. The K701's are very amp-dependent, and personally, I just don't like them, so you might be in the same situation I would have been had I started with AKG instead of Grado. Changing your amp and source are only going to make so much of a difference...you're probably better off getting a different pair of headphones to supplement the AKG's like the HD600's, AD2000's (which are similar to the K701's, but better in every way IMO), or even SR-225i's.

 

[Baldeagle58]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmayer167 /img/forum/go_quote.gif take a look here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/akg...id-amp-458364/ if you can afford one of these hybrids to pair with your cambridge it might help your brightness... what can were you listening to before? the transition to the akg/701 might be a tough one to get used to coming from a say dt770... just give your brain some burn in time with these cans, they have really grown on me! and i used to be a basshead... i cant really comment on synergy because i have not heard my 702 with enough amps. But the indeed is great at the moment. hope this may help baldeagle

I have not done very much serious headphone listening at all but do have a pair of Grado SR60s which are of course entry level (but good for the price).
The CIAVP1 is the first headphone amp that I have ever had.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[MacedonianHero]

I love my K701s. They work great with my MAD Ear+HD and even Total Bithead.

To tame the highs and brightness, honestly, these things need 300+ hours of burn in. They are one of my all time favs for sure!