It's easy to see that I haven't been around the Fi for too long, but among my small arsenal of audiophile-grade equipment are two sets of phones: SR225 and K701. Most nights I listen to jazz with a little Grateful Dead and Phish sprinkled throughout. When I am listening I am studying, the music that is. I am intently listening to each individual instrument, only since becoming a Head-Fier have I started using terms like "soundstage" or "coloration", as well as many other words that in the past I would only have used to describe an idividual's personality.
Having said that, I love the K701's, as much as the SR225's. My opinion is an amateur one, but I believe a valid one as well. I have read people's review of both phones and I find that in the end it really is all about what you (I)(We)(They) enjoy the most. Personally, here are my amateur impressions:
AKG K701: Since the soundstage of these phones is a little furthur back than the Grado's, I find them better(?) for more dynamic jazz, stuff that is less melody-oriented, like free, fusion, funk, like Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, the Impulse and Atlantic years of John Coltrane, Billy Cobham, Tony Williams, electric Miles, etc..
Grado SR225: with a more upfront soundstage I find I am going to these phones for the older recordings, like anything before 1960; Clifford Brown & Max Roach, early Art Blakey, J.J. Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, Ike Quebec, Monk's Riverside years, Bird, Dizzy, etc..The decade of the 60's is split 50/50 between the two phones, since bop couldn't figure out which way to go I give them equal distribution. The same goes for female vocalists, Nina and Astrud go to K701's, Lady Day and Ella to the Grado's.
BUT if the older recordings are from non-profesional sources or sources that are really degraded I then swith back to the K701's. With the soundstage being less upfront the more harsh recordings become a little softer allowing the listener to "hear through" the sonic imperfections.
As far as "burning in", I'm not touching that one with a ten foot IC.
Give me cans, lot's of cans and and a dedicated source
then plug me in!
