[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrooLism /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea - been listening for about 5 hous now. Not very comfortable for long periods. Any fix to this? Side note: Straight out of DAC1 is very good for them. Crystal clear music.

I hated the sound of the 701s with the DAC1.. Thin, cold, sterile.. They were very clear & analytical, but for music & movie was a downer.. Now the BADA12 & the 701's are a great combo.. Very musical & lively..

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Right now, I'm a/b-ing the RAL/K701 and the (stock) K501. In all fairness, the K501 should have the equivalent re-cable, but I don't have the expendable income at the moment. Wish I had a stock set of K701 for a "stock-to-stock" a/b. : )

Have you posted a thread of your comparisons? I've had both, and am always interested in what people think of the two and which they prefer and why.

 

[KrooLism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hated the sound of the 701s with the DAC1.. Thin, cold, sterile.. They were very clear & analytical, but for music & movie was a downer.. Now the BADA12 & the 701's are a great combo.. Very musical & lively..

Yea - but it's new for me.

I could always go back to my Sennheiser Veil.

 

[MarkyMark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hated the sound of the 701s with the DAC1.. Thin, cold, sterile.. They were very clear & analytical, but for music & movie was a downer.. Now the BADA12 & the 701's are a great combo.. Very musical & lively..

Did the headphone outs on the DAC1 have many hours under them? Given the extended burn-in periods that are touted for a lot of components on here, seems reasonable to assume the DAC1 headphone outs would benefit.

 

[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1sixerfan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you posted a thread of your comparisons? I've had both, and am always interested in what people think of the two and which they prefer and why.

701 - and by a lot. for me, it pretty much bested the 501 in every conceivable area with maybe the exception of sound stage. but even that is one of the 701's strengths.

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif 701 - and by a lot. for me, it pretty much bested the 501 in every conceivable area with maybe the exception of sound stage. but even that is one of the 701's strengths.

Invariably, when putting the K701 back on after listening to any other headphone, I tend to prefer them [the K701].

That said, I find the K501 more midrange-forward and therefore in some respects clearer and more detailed in the midrange (i.e., picking up midrange nuances in vocals, strings, brass, etc.), precisely because these frequencies are purposely showcased, with no corresponding "competition" from the very highs or the lows. The RAL re-cable greatly enlarged the sound stage of the K701, but the stock K501 are not far behind, if not on-par with, the RAL/K701 in that respect.

In overall terms: frequency balance/integration, harmonics, dynamics, tonality and flexibility with all genres of music, the K701 is the clear winner--definitely a plausible "all-rounder," where the K501, with their decided roll off in the bass, make them "specialty" headphones for chamber, acoustic jazz, folk and the like. In their "specialty" musical element, however, I think the K501 might be preferrable. With vocals in particular (e.g., George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Nancy Griffith, Bob Marley, Gordon Lightfoot, etc.), I thought the K501's midrange was arguably more open, smooth, vibrant and clean, whereas the K701 can exhibit just a trace of "smeariness" in the lower treble/upper midrange. (But relative to the many, many other things they do so very well, this is a negligible "trade-off" with respect to the K701's stellar, overall performance.)

But these are preliminary comments gleaned from a casual audition with tubes perhaps not optimal for the K501, either (1x Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB and 2x Sylvania 6SN7GTB--a fairly "flat" and "neutral" combination). And with only a few hours on the (virtually brand new) K501. (. . . and remember that the K701 are re-cabled and the K501 are stock.)

Next week, God willing, I want to try the 1x Mullard ECC33 (just in!), coupled with 2x Raytheon 6SN7GT, for further comparisons. : )

 

[philodox]

Jack of all trades, master of none... pretty much.

 

[wizia]

Are they good for gaming?

 

[NiceCans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif 701 - and by a lot. for me, it pretty much bested the 501 in every conceivable area with maybe the exception of sound stage. but even that is one of the 701's strengths.

I agree that the k701 bested the k501, but to me the area where the k501 was better was in the mids rather than the soundstage. Unfortunately, there is much more to music than mids, and since I listen to more than acoustic and rock the k701 won out as my can-of-choice.
Putting the k701 earpads on the k501 did help increase emphasis on the lower freq's, but in addition to changing their balance this still did not compare to the k701.

Since the k701's bass matches my personal preference for tight & tonal vs big & boomy I have been very happy with them as my main (all-around) cans.

Next week however they will face a new challenge . . . . the RS1!
It will be interesting to see how they fare, and which is left on my head when the dust settles.

 

[troymadison]

I think the D2000s are significantly better allrounders compared to the K701. :/

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jack of all trades, master of none... pretty much.

I'd describe the K701, perhaps more accurately, as the "Renaissance Man" of mid-fi headphones, doing most--if not all--things at an exemplary level.

 

[dw6928]

Quote:

Originally Posted by troymadison /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the D2000s are significantly better allrounders compared to the K701. :/

I have both D2000 and K701s and I am not sure I can agree with your assessment of the superiority of the Denons. Certain musical genres are best suited to the D2000 and I love its warmth and full bottom, but if I were stranded on an island w/just one hp, it would probably be the 701. Please bear in mind that both of my hps have been recabled which changed their sound signature to a fairly salient degree (and improved the 701s flaws tremendously).

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd describe the K701, perhaps more accurately, as the "Renaissance Man" of mid-fi headphones, doing most--if not all--things at an exemplary level.

We are each entitled to our own opinions.

 

[dw6928]

I see you have a modded k340. I had a pair on loan from a fellow Headfier some weeks ago. How do you compare them to the 701? I must admit, I came away somewhat underwhelmed by the 340.

 

[troymadison]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dw6928 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have both D2000 and K701s and I am not sure I can agree with your assessment of the superiority of the Denons. Certain musical genres are best suited to the D2000 and I love its warmth and full bottom, but if I were stranded on an island w/just one hp, it would probably be the 701. Please bear in mind that both of my hps have been recabled which changed their sound signature to a fairly salient degree (and improved the 701s flaws tremendously).

I guess I like to keep things simple. Instead of finding the perfect cable/amplifier/source for a specific headphone, I try to find neutral equipment and use stock cables on the headphones. From there, I decide what's right for me by going through different pairs of headphones. This worked well for me though, I'd say that the K501 and D2000s are the most musical I've ever heard. I'd say both of them are great all-rounders. The D2000s have plenty of warmth and body like you said with a very pleasing high midrange/treble sparkle. But it is hard to describe why I like the K501 so much, there's just something about it that makes it great in its own way compared to the D2000s. However, for movies and gaming, the D2000s are incredible here and beats my K501 and DT770 easily.