[ruthieandjohn]

Well, the postal service Just Delivered the box that should have my AKG K3003is... and I am in the midst of cooking bacon, sausage, and oatmeal.   Open them and try them now while food burns, or finish the food first - decisions, decisions!
 
Whoops... smoke alarm just went off... gotta GO!

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Decisions, decisions...
 
Should I open them as soon as possible, or wait until I can really sit down and enjoy them?
 
Should I rip the box open around the (unrippable) tape, or take the time to find some scissors?
 
Most appropriate, given the precision rendering of music that these AKG K3003is give, I feel like a teenager who just received the lusted-after "X-Ray Specs" from years ago (you know, the ones where the ad says "Is that really her body beneath her clothes?")
 

(I know, I know... I should get off of here and go do SOMETHING with them!)

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

I used to have a pair of those X Ray specs... Hope the K3K bowls you ever!

 

[ruthieandjohn]

(to self)...I'm an adult, not a teenager... I am an adult, not a teenager. I will be calm and measured.  I will use scissors to open the box.
 
Remembering the X-ray specs, I want to play something REVEALING as the first piece I hear through my K3003is. I want to see if they are so good that I can hear Mozart's boxer shorts scraping against his pantaloons as a great conductor leads a memorable performance in a top-notch recording of his Requiem. 
 
Using the Requiem as it is the first choral piece I performed, then had the privilege of performing it from memory at an anniversary concert of the 9/11 tragedy. So I know the piece, though I am not satisfied with the London Symphony Orchestra version I have in my library - not exciting.
 
Gotta get the very best recording... head-fi-ers indicate that that would be the version by Harnoncourt recorded in 1984. Got it, listening on speakers... less than a minute in, I can tell that this is indeed a SPECIAL performance... uses white spaces and within-note dynamics to render an exciting performance.
 
 No, this time not in iTunes AAC (even though I can't tell the difference).  Go to HDTracks and get it in AIFF format for best quality, THEN listen!
 
.... boy sure takes a long time to download these HD files!  Then I'll be ready to give the K3003is a first listen!

 

[ruthieandjohn]

OK, folks... last post (if you are lucky) on my receipt of my K3003is.
 
I thank you for being so indulgent.  I feel an affinity here, as I read most of the posts in the 118 pages of this thread, as well as a similar number on each of the Sennheiser IE800 and Shure SE846 as I tried to make up my mind.
 
So I feel I know a number of you from your posts over the past three (3!!) years!
 
I see that an unusually high number of folks on this thread have reached the rank of "Headphoneus Supremus!"  I also see that an unusually high proportion of the most useful posters in the past are BANNED at present (!?)
 
I also know, from my work in analyzing the most recent 2,000 rank orderings of their own headphones (here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/721406/how-we-rank-our-own-headphones-statistics-of-2-000-owner-rankings-compiled#post_10597847 )  , that NONE of the 2,000 rankings included the AKG K3003s.  We K3003 owners are a rare and select bunch!
 
Is the AKG K3003 the "Headphone of the Iconoclast?"
 
Anyway, I have finally gotten the first piece of music I was determined would pass through my K3003is, had a comedy of errors in getting it into a format that was lossless (tried AIFF at 88.2 ksamples/sec, then found my iPod would not play at that rate, scoured around for downsampling software, didn't find any that my PC security would admit onto my machine, got the WAV version and played on my PC at 88.2 kHz, etc., etc).
 
I then found I spent more time on format and not enough on fit.  The 3003s arrived with smaller tips installed than worked for me, and so my first play made me wonder where the bass went. I fixed that quickly by going to larger tips.
 
I then finally listened to a NEW (to me) recording of a very familiar piece, Mozart's Requiem.  I alarmed and embarrassed my wife by loudly singing the bass part along with the chorus and orchestra that only I could hear through my K3003s. I heard new arpeggios in the orchestra where I thought there were only chords, based on my numerous experiences as performing it as a chorister (and not in the best place to hear the orchestra!)  I puzzled over why Nicholas Harnoncourt had the chorus pronounce it "Ex-sell-sees" instead of "Ex-Chell-sees."
 
But in short, I knew that these were the IEMs for me.  I could tell without side-by-side comparison that they outshone my Shure SE535, my T-PEOS H200s, and maybe even my full-sized HiFiMAN HE-500s!  They are so durable that they seem to be an appliance, to be used all the time.  Their leather case, and its fine aroma, invite me to properly replace my earphones when I am done, but the earphones' durability reminds me that I need not baby them.
 
More later, in terms of impressions and comparisons, but everyone here knows more about the beauty of these than I do, so that perhaps may be as carrying coals to Newcastle.

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Their leather case, and its fine aroma, invite me to properly replace my earphones when I am done, but the earphones' durability reminds me that I need not baby them.

Enough about the sonics, and please further wax poetic about the musk of the case and how the sexy allure of the jewelry like K3003s will score you all the honeys while you're out galavanting on the riviera. Also, I regret to inform you that the fine signature you're hearing indubitably means that you've scored a black market K3K. Everyone knows that the K3K is the king of incoherence.

Spoiler

okay I'm done channeling Muzak now

 

[gnarlsagan]

Enough about the sonics, and please further wax poetic about the musk of the case and how the sexy allure of the jewelry like K3003s will score you all the honeys while you're out galavanting on the riviera. Also, I regret to inform you that the fine signature you're hearing indubitably means that you've scored a black market K3K. Everyone knows that the K3K is the king of incoherence.

Spoiler

okay I'm done channeling Muzak now

Thought I saw a ghost.

 

[wormsdriver]

  Sorry... didn't ask about all of the parts (should have!).  I'm sure an email with the picture to harman will get you an answer.

yeah, Harman is great! Just incase anybody ever has any questions answered regarding these, NEVER try to contact AKG, you will get nowhere fast! 

 

[Audiowood]

Lol.. These words are so familiar..

 

[Aero Dynamik]

 

Enough about the sonics, and please further wax poetic about the musk of the case and how the sexy allure of the jewelry like K3003s will score you all the honeys while you're out galavanting on the riviera. Also, I regret to inform you that the fine signature you're hearing indubitably means that you've scored a black market K3K. Everyone knows that the K3K is the king of incoherence.

Spoiler

okay I'm done channeling Muzak now

Thought I saw a ghost.

Indeed! That ghost will always haunt this thread (and the moderator's homes)

 

[Aero Dynamik]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

OK, folks... last post (if you are lucky) on my receipt of my K3003is.
 
I thank you for being so indulgent.  I feel an affinity here, as I read most of the posts in the 118 pages of this thread, as well as a similar number on each of the Sennheiser IE800 and Shure SE846 as I tried to make up my mind.
 
So I feel I know a number of you from your posts over the past three (3!!) years!
 
I see that an unusually high number of folks on this thread have reached the rank of "Headphoneus Supremus!"  I also see that an unusually high proportion of the most useful posters in the past are BANNED at present (!?)
 
I also know, from my work in analyzing the most recent 2,000 rank orderings of their own headphones (here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/721406/how-we-rank-our-own-headphones-statistics-of-2-000-owner-rankings-compiled#post_10597847 )  , that NONE of the 2,000 rankings included the AKG K3003s.  We K3003 owners are a rare and select bunch!
 
Is the AKG K3003 the "Headphone of the Iconoclast?"
 
Anyway, I have finally gotten the first piece of music I was determined would pass through my K3003is, had a comedy of errors in getting it into a format that was lossless (tried AIFF at 88.2 ksamples/sec, then found my iPod would not play at that rate, scoured around for downsampling software, didn't find any that my PC security would admit onto my machine, got the WAV version and played on my PC at 88.2 kHz, etc., etc).
 
I then found I spent more time on format and not enough on fit.  The 3003s arrived with smaller tips installed than worked for me, and so my first play made me wonder where the bass went. I fixed that quickly by going to larger tips.
 
I then finally listened to a NEW (to me) recording of a very familiar piece, Mozart's Requiem.  I alarmed and embarrassed my wife by loudly singing the bass part along with the chorus and orchestra that only I could hear through my K3003s. I heard new arpeggios in the orchestra where I thought there were only chords, based on my numerous experiences as performing it as a chorister (and not in the best place to hear the orchestra!)  I puzzled over why Nicholas Harnoncourt had the chorus pronounce it "Ex-sell-sees" instead of "Ex-Chell-sees."
 
But in short, I knew that these were the IEMs for me.  I could tell without side-by-side comparison that they outshone my Shure SE535, my T-PEOS H200s, and maybe even my full-sized HiFiMAN HE-500s!  They are so durable that they seem to be an appliance, to be used all the time.  Their leather case, and its fine aroma, invite me to properly replace my earphones when I am done, but the earphones' durability reminds me that I need not baby them.
 
More later, in terms of impressions and comparisons, but everyone here knows more about the beauty of these than I do, so that perhaps may be as carrying coals to Newcastle.

 

May I suggest you screw on the "High-boost" filters? It appears to me the general consensus is that the reference filters are the best but personally I always felt they subtract some of the "naked and glorious truth".

 

[Turrican2]

  I may. I will check.

Seriously Craig, please let us know if this is possible as a service.  I really hate the remote on these and would consider a re-cable. More info if you can please.
 
All the best

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Still reveling in my AKG-K3003is.  They really are my "go-to" IEMs AND headphones, in that I use them almost exclusively, not even making much use of my rather new HiFiMAN HE-500s!  Hope I use my Sennheiser HD 800 and HDVD 800 DAC/amp (see avatar) when it arrives in about a week!!
 
I bought them a present (yes, a present for my IEMs!).  I got the Sony PHA Portable Headphone Amp, which has the rare ability to actually read the digital file out of the iPod 5 Gen Lightening Connector (as well as from the older 30-pin connector), rather than relying on the Apple DAC embedded in their Lightening Connector used to produce an analog line out.
 
I had tried this, thanks to jude, at the recent ChiUniFi meet and found that the direct digital really did make a difference in sound.  So now I am listening with lossless files to the Harnoncourt performance of Mozart's Requiem with complete delight.

 

[sonicaudio]

It's funny, I've owned in this order: K3003i/SE846/IE800

But my preferences are in the opposite order IE800/SE846/K3003i.

They're all super competitive though. I still think the changeable filters and eartip variety on the Shure and AKG are much more appealing, even if I get a perfect fit with the large stock IE800 tips (may not be the same for everyone).

Basically, if you like a large amount of bass, textured and very musical: SE846

A bit more fun and U-shaped (i.e good bass and sparkly highs) and a very good soundstage nets you the IE800's. Perfect for everyday commute imo.

And as a better reference/analytical earphone, you've got the K3003i. Definitely scales a bit more with the better recordings, but it's more for critical listening.

Hi Leblanc, could you provide more detailed impressions on why you prefer the ie800 over the se846 & k3003? Maybe add the ie800 to your se846 vs k3003 review.

Thank you

 

[Nomax]

I love the K3003




REGARDS NOMAX