[Morph201]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hi-Finthen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aside from what you might imagine different sources may have the k701s present, i'll offer that a bunch (even if you can only point to one example), of CDs are ruined mixed hot with compression which a revealing referance quality headphone will present. Sorry that the presentation isn't pleasent, but garbage in is why there is garbage coming out, and no boubt Senns are tuned to play nice with garbage in better than AKGs, But with better material and its recording I'll take the revealing characteristics of the k701s every time. Out of a CDP headphone jack etc... No doubt the phone is the suck (as our Blackmore would commically call it ) Coming to realize that yes, proper amplification is needed with these headphones is the begining of hearing their potential, and this is why I wouldn't recommend this or many other referance quality headphones to newbies who seem to think they will sound good simply because they themselves are relatively expensive. Again, garbage in / garbage out in this case lack of current and voltage with which the headphone requires to achieve its potential. good luck~

Correction: It's "phone is TEH sux" ...

 

[spiderjoe]

Thanks for the feedback.. guess I have to start rummeging through the headphone amp forums in search for a good match ... anyone has a link to amp comparison tests for the K701s?

 

[music_man]

spinali,

1, no.
2, i only use headphone amps. the passages that distort do so worse with various tube amps. the distortion is evident on ss amps but less prominent. i listen at rather low levels.
3,purchased as "new" from a hifi retailer.
4,it pretty much always sounds good. i will go so far as to say it is my favorite headphone under $1,000usd(ymmv). it distorts on certain passages on certain cd's. it is not continuously distorting. this is on cd's that i have verified do contain distortion. most other headphones do not playback these small amounts of distortion. maybe the problem is the k701 is to accurate? it might simply play whatever exists on the source. if that is the case i am impressed not disapointed!(*this question might be the important tell all)
5, i have demonstrated these passages of distortion on the k701 to many people. they all can hear it.

i have powerd the k701 with numerous quality ss and tube amps. the passages that contain distortion are reproduced to some degree on every amp i have tried. for example, i doubt mark levinson and ear-yoshino are the problem here

thanks,
music_man

 

[OvidiuDanut]

Do you guys think that the 0404USB stands a chance to driver the 701?

 

[spinali]

Musicman - very interesting responses. So, your K701 sounds okay for the most part, and is likely a normally functioning unit.

I tried to replicate the distortion in a number of different ways - including abnormally boosting and dropping levels with my adjustable Xenos 3HA. No luck. From your comments so far, it might very well be a "synergy" thing with your amp - a general comment which I confess isn't too helpful.

I imagine the best way to test the functional quality of your K701 is to sample one of the problematic CDs on a portable CD player and iPod without amping. If you still hear distortion...that would be very noteworthy.

 

[music_man]

i just mentioned in another thread as i have before that i prefer the k701 to the gs1000. i was wondering if that is considered to be odd?

music_man

 

[Euripides]

Would the headphone jack on an Onkyo SR504 have enough power to drive the AKG K701?

Would I really see a big jump in sound quality versus my HD595?

Thanks
Euri

 

[XENOPHOS]

just 2 more days until mine arrives.....gah can't wait.

 

[nalth]

Hooray! Mine arrived today...

... now I just have to wait for my amp *sigh*

In the mean time a pass the time by feeding some pink noise through them from my receiver, can't wait to hear their full potential.

 

[XENOPHOS]

grrr....i still have to wait another 24 hours before i get mine. at least I alread have the amp =P

 

[Agent Kang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiomagnate /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wrong. More hocus pocus headfi BS. They're great, revealing headphones. I've plugged them into just about everything except my mother-in-laws *ss and they sound great. There is so much group think bs floating around here... never mind.

I agree whole-heartedly. It unbelievable how some opinions have this uncanny ability to herd everyone else into thinking that a particular phone is "only good" with this amp and is "terrible" with that amp. Yes, there are particular can/amp combos that may sound good to one's subjective ears, but this combination is not as absolute as some here make it out to be and should not be taken as a scientific fact. My k701s sound good with anything i plug it into, simply because the k701s are just a good set of cans.

And this 300+ hours of burn in theory. Even full size speakers with massive drivers do not require this much burn in time. Yet there are those that claim that the mini-drivers of AKGs require more time than speakers to settle in. Amusing.

 

[*645-k701]

They are so intense i find it hard to listen for more than an hour at a time.

700+ hrs in .

Still the best sounding can i have regardless.. =/

 

[music_man]

i'd still like to know if anyone else likes them better than gs1000's. am i alone on this?

music_man

 

[silverrain]

I just ordered the K701 -- one of the few cans I have never tried yet.
I just found out that my wallet can scream....

 

[sschmeichel]

my wallet started to bleed after ordering mine... but i also found that my ears could smile