[Agent Kang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Burn baby burn.... when I got my 701's I listened to them and then sent them on a burn cycle every night and listened to them during the day. They really went through a change during the 300 hours of burn-in. Now, running them off the Heed Can-amp, I have found that the laid back sound has matured into a very engaging, full spectrum, clean sound presentation that doesn't favor one sound frequency over the other. I have been listening to the cans at lower volume as they mature, and I could'nt be more pleased with the results. I am listening to wide range of jazz, vocals, New Age, Pop and occasionally some rock (U2 etc.) Check out the thread on pink noise as burn-in sound.... really did the trick for me, mixed with some nice bass heavy U2 to get the lower frequencies loosened up... Granted, the 701's have a sound all their own, but that sound happens to be exactly what I want in headphones.... Sure they look funky, but they also grow on you... and they are very comfortable for my head shape and size. happy listening... and enjoy the 701's.

I got a brand new K701 a few days ago. Immediately went over to my friends house to compare it with his "burned in" k701s. I found absolutely no difference in sound between his 2yr old K701s and mie k701s that had maybe 7 hours of use in them. After about a CD worth of critical listening my friend also agreed that there was no difference. I find this "burn-in" theory to be a mere conjecture.

DK

 

[audiomagnate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agent Kang /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got a brand new K701 a few days ago. Immediately went over to my friends house to compare it with his "burned in" k701s. I found absolutely no difference in sound between his 2yr old K701s and mie k701s that had maybe 7 hours of use in them. After about a CD worth of critical listening my friend also agreed that there was no difference. I find this "burn-in" theory to be a mere conjecture. DK

I agree with you, but the "burn-in" believers are in the majority around here. It would be interesting so see Headroom graphs for the same headphone before and after "burn-in". I find posts like the one you quoted down right hilarious. BTW, I liked mine right out of the box as well, but I like your little informal experiment.

 

[kool bubba ice]

I question burn in too.. But believe it is still possible..

 

[nalth]

A quick question, are the K701 a great alternative for low-volume listening or do they require more volume to do justice?

Thanks.

 

[db597]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiomagnate /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with you, but the "burn-in" believers are in the majority around here. It would be interesting so see Headroom graphs for the same headphone before and after "burn-in". I find posts like the one you quoted down right hilarious. BTW, I liked mine right out of the box as well, but I like your little informal experiment.

The burn in may well be psychological - it takes time to learn what to listen out for. On the other hand, I don't think Headroom graphs will ever enable you to tell the difference - they are just a frequency response chart. The loudness may not change, but other things might (e.g. the speed at which it reacts to changes in input frequency, the amount of distortion etc).

 

[db597]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nalth /img/forum/go_quote.gif A quick question, are the K701 a great alternative for low-volume listening or do they require more volume to do justice? Thanks.

I didn't find listening at low volumes to be very good on the K701. For one, they are open headphones, so you can hear things like your computer fan etc. So I tend to turn it up to around medium volume.

 

[NiceCans]

I think the K701 does pretty well at low volume in that I do not find it to lose resolution or detail. I have found that it does however bloom more with higher volumes increasing the fullness of the sound in the lower end.

 

[nalth]

Nice to hear.

And now for the final question:
Do I buy a "Cute Beyond" or a LD2++ to go with my K701 and Fubar II?

(or something completely different in the same sub-200 price range)

 

[hassan14a]

Mine is being repaired, its now 3½ weeks and im left with icemat siberia ;((

 

[Morph201]

I guess it's safe to say that I am now a AKG convert! I have seen the light! The Sennheiser veil has been lifted from my EYES! Can I get an AAAMEN!!!

From an initial listening I can honestly say that I'm happy.. let the burn in begin!

Wow! I actually have something to list in my signature!

 

[oxymoron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I question burn in too.. But believe it is still possible..

I was very skeptical, but after 48 hours of loud pink noise, they did indeed have a different presentation. Day & night difference? More like dawn vs mid-morning. But enough to make 'em enjoyable. If it was just in my head (d'oh!), I'll have to find a more fruitful way of channelling my powers of self-delusion.

 

[Welly Wu]

Burn in is a lie. Ask Mike Scarpitti. For you old timers anyway.

 

[dw6928]

How do you make such a flat, definitive statement like that?
Even AKG recommends a break in period as do companies
such as Ultrasone.

 

[Welly Wu]

it's an inside joke man.

 

[Roam]

I just put my K701 in the mailbox a couple weeks ago and hopefully the new owner likes it more than I did, suffice to say, it failed to grow on me after months of ownership and I never looked forward to listening with it. Rather, it was more of a chore akin to washing dishes or mowing the lawn, I had the headphone in my home and having it gather dust grated on me so I was "obliged" to put it on every now and then.

My briefly summarized thoughts, it combines the worst of the Grado HP-1000 and Senn 600 and mixes in a dollop of bad solidstate giving an overly dry, sterile, veiled, and lifeless sound. Outer details are fine, soundstage is big, the frequency reponse is flat & neutral, and that's about all the good I can say about it. Low level details, dynamics, tone, body, weight, smoothness & continuousness, all are lacking to an unacceptable degree, especially given that it is the flagship headphone. Music is reduced to a boring unemotional sameness, which to me is completely unacceptable. Give me the old AKG sound with the K501 & K1000, for all their shortcomings they can still make music.