[salla45]

   
You articulated it so well ... AKG K3003 ... they do reveal more of everything given the chance.
On reflection (as a long term AKG owner of the AKG 701), my thoughts is that the AKG K3003 scales up even more than AKG 701 when both are provided 
quality source/dac/amp.
 
RE how the K3003 stacks up against the Audeze LCD-X ... have been thinking about that today quite a lot.
Spent about 5 hours on the AKG K3003 today, and then switched to the Audeze LCD-X for the last hour, so better get my thoughts down before I forget.
 
What is similar :
1) both can sound very good just from an iDevice (iPhone or iPad) or laptop, unlike HP's like HD800 or LCD-3.
2) still,  both the K3003 and LCD-X can scale up significantly when fed with a quality source/dac/amp and then sound ... superb.
    As mentioned previously in another post, my first surprise was how good the K3003 sounds out of an iDevice, my 2nd surprise which nearly caused me to    
    fall out of my chair was when I plugged the K3003 into my desktop headphone rig. This goes back to my previous thoughts, that while the AKG 701 scales  
    up,  I think the K3003 scales up to a greater degree , even further when provided with quality source/dac/amp.
 
K3003 has the advantage :
1) treble extends further
2) a heck of a lot lighter (LCD-X weighs about 650gm vs 10gm for the K3003)
3) bit more clarity in the midrange
4) I consider the K3003 more neutral
 
LCD-X has the advantage :
1) bass ... the LCD-X extends further down
2) more forgiving (maybe because of a darker sound signature, though it is pretty neutral for an Audeze).
3) imaging/soundstaging
 
I am very chuffed with both the K3003 and the LCD-X ... both are keepers.
 
The LCD-X is the end game headphone for me (after owning AKG 701, B&W P5, Ultrasone ED8, Sennheiser HD800, Audeze LCD-2, LCD-3F). 
My experience with IEMs is rather limited (mainly buying Shure 535 for my GF, and Shure 530 for a good friend years ago) ... so the AKG K3003 
is the first expensive IEM that I have owned ... though rather than try other IEMs I will just focus my efforts (and wallet) on getting a better portable source
... in the meantime, they sound wonderful out of my desktop heaphone rig.
 
Anyway, that is just my thoughts, IMO (and all the other disclaimers) while I have been listening to music at the same time as typing, hopefully it is somewhat coherent.

thanks for sharing your thoughs! 
 
it sounds like the K3003's are really TOTL. I was thinking about a quality pair of over ears, as I mentioned, but I think i'll continue refining my source and amp side. I am enjoying the K3003 so much.
 
Did you try the Complys? 
 
Let's keep in touch ref sources... I really would like to find a better sounding DAP now that Ive heard the IDSD Nano; so noticeably better than the Fiio X3ii. Opened my eyes (ears!) to the possibilities.

 

[Duke40]

@ salla45 ... RE Comply's T500, I will need to order them ... I am very tall & have a big head (hit a doorway while walking thru it on Friday, much to co-workers amusement) so will need to get the Large Comply T500's.  GF did not have any spare medium T500's left anyway for me to keep ... I did not notice that much difference between included stock medium size and the medium size Comply's ... but the real reason I think I am not hearing much difference, is that I really need the large version  (I notice that I need to use the Large stocks tips, else I get some bass roll-off ... I need to use Large tips to get the correct seal).
 
Short version : I need the large tips to get a proper seal, so will need to order some Large Comply T500 tips.
My GF has always had a strong preference for the medium sized Comply T500 with her SE535.
 
Short side story RE Comply Tips :
The Comply tips arrived at the same time as the Shure SE535 ... though we could not remove the stock tips from the SE535.   I remember reading the HeadFi thread for SE535 and a few other also had experienced similar issues with removing stock tips ... but the solution was to put the SE535 in the freezer for half an hour.   Anyway, we tried the freezer trick and it worked !  We could get the stock tips off and the T500 tips went on no problem !
 
 
Refining the source & amp side for the K3003 sounds a wise thing to do ... just "focus" on one area and get it right.
I did that with my speaker rig , then my desktop headphone rig ... an IEM rig is really my ... final frontier.
 
Have been thinking again today on what I should I do ... today I am leaning towards getting a Chord Hugo (so it can also be a backup for my desktop headphone rig) ,  then I see the Sony ZX2 and think that's a nice DAP I would love to own (and it does Tidal which is very important to me), then have a look at the iFi iDSD Nano and remember the exceptionally high quality , yet reasonable price for iFi gear (had  some iFi USB cables and was seriously impressed ... would have kept them if I still needed them, actually would buy a iFi Gemini or iFi Mercury usb cable again if I need them).
 
Ahh,  the paradox of choice !
 
I move like a tortoise, quite slow and planned with my purchases.
Think I will try to pick up a 2nd hand Chord Hugo in Q1 2016, maybe around January , my "fun" budget will have reset by then.

 

[salla45]

 
@ salla45 ... RE Comply's T500, I will need to order them ... I am very tall & have a big head (hit a doorway while walking thru it on Friday, much to co-workers amusement) so will need to get the Large Comply T500's.  GF did not have any spare medium T500's left anyway for me to keep ... I did not notice that much difference between included stock medium size and the medium size Comply's ... but the real reason I think I am not hearing much difference, is that I really need the large version  (I notice that I need to use the Large stocks tips, else I get some bass roll-off ... I need to use Large tips to get the correct seal).
 
Short version : I need the large tips to get a proper seal, so will need to order some Large Comply T500 tips.
My GF has always had a strong preference for the medium sized Comply T500 with her SE535.
 
Short side story RE Comply Tips :
The Comply tips arrived at the same time as the Shure SE535 ... though we could not remove the stock tips from the SE535.   I remember reading the HeadFi thread for SE535 and a few other also had experienced similar issues with removing stock tips ... but the solution was to put the SE535 in the freezer for half an hour.   Anyway, we tried the freezer trick and it worked !  We could get the stock tips off and the T500 tips went on no problem !
 
 
Refining the source & amp side for the K3003 sounds a wise thing to do ... just "focus" on one area and get it right.
I did that with my speaker rig , then my desktop headphone rig ... an IEM rig is really my ... final frontier.
 
Have been thinking again today on what I should I do ... today I am leaning towards getting a Chord Hugo (so it can also be a backup for my desktop headphone rig) ,  then I see the Sony ZX2 and think that's a nice DAP I would love to own (and it does Tidal which is very important to me), then have a look at the iFi iDSD Nano and remember the exceptionally high quality , yet reasonable price for iFi gear (had  some iFi USB cables and was seriously impressed ... would have kept them if I still needed them, actually would buy a iFi Gemini or iFi Mercury usb cable again if I need them).
 
Ahh,  the paradox of choice !
 
I move like a tortoise, quite slow and planned with my purchases.
Think I will try to pick up a 2nd hand Chord Hugo in Q1 2016, maybe around January , my "fun" budget will have reset by then.

100% understand about the complys. I have the larges, and they're JUST ok! They should do a super-size version
 
Turrican recommended I use the TS500 in fact, because they fit better; designed more like the stock tips in form. Anyhow if you're ordering new, consider those too?
 
Ref the Chord Hugo, I've read good things and also, weirdly, that the NANO IDSD does not give much away to it at all, which is some doing for a product which is just about 1/10th the price!! 
 
I have the IDSD NANO, and can't recommend enough, but it's just not very portable; that printer style USB cable to OTG adapter makes for bulk and I can't see any good options out there for an ultra short arrangement ideally with 90° plugs. And something about a rubber band across the screen of my phone irks me!
 
Hohum.
 
There are a couple of new contenders coming out on the DAP front worthy of consideration...the new Pioneer and the Fiio 7. Both will run on android and hence Tidal etc. I am getting back into Tidal, slowly (thanks to the Nano), but really want to find a more elegant and good sounding portable solution
 
To get back on topic... this is all to maximise the potential of the great AKG K3003's

 

[BRCMRGN]

i have avoided the K3003 for several years because I just didn't believe that it could be as good as everybody says.  When Razordogaudio had the K3003i for under $700, I figured what the heck, I'll give it a try.  
 
I was wrong about the K3003. They are every bit as good as everybody says.  I hate the cable & included tips and that leather case is some kind of a bad joke, but they really, really sound good.
 
The JVC Spiral Dot tips sound good and fit great, but the stem is just a smidge too big and can slip down over the vent, so now I'm trying the Spin Fits tips.
 
Sorry for not believing all of you, but my skepticism did at least save me some money by waiting until now to buy. 

 

[robm321]

Skepticism is good, and it is hard to decipher impressions when something is new and expensive. Let us know how the Spin Fits work. 

 

[salla45]

  i have avoided the K3003 for several years because I just didn't believe that it could be as good as everybody says.  When Razordogaudio had the K3003i for under $700, I figured what the heck, I'll give it a try.  
 
I was wrong about the K3003. They are every bit as good as everybody says.  I hate the cable & included tips and that leather case is some kind of a bad joke, but they really, really sound good.
 
The JVC Spiral Dot tips sound good and fit great, but the stem is just a smidge too big and can slip down over the vent, so now I'm trying the Spin Fits tips.
 
Sorry for not believing all of you, but my skepticism did at least save me some money by waiting until now to buy. 

Glad you like the K3003. I fairly recently bought mine for around 800chf which I thought was great (about 6 weeks ago?)
 
I too find them amazing sounding devices. I did need to get used to the signature, and now enjoy them most with the white "filters", which are actually no filter at all, just the grills, if you look closely, along with Comply tips (much better than the stocks for my ears). 
 
I think the problem was/is with the marketing by AKG, and original silly pricing, vainly pricing it as an exclusive chic product; raising negative eyebrows with the 1000 (insert currency) barrier. Understandably that silliness stuck and overshadowed the fact that this is an excellent and in many ways groundbreaking product. And in many ways they just don't look the part. Highly engineered, yes, but completely understated, barely a logo visible, no colours, etc.
 
Personally I love the "sleeper" aspect of the design and size. No one notices what I'm listening to. That suits me fine! 

 

[Turrican2]

  Skepticism is good, and it is hard to decipher impressions when something is new and expensive. Let us know how the Spin Fits work. 

I liked the spinfits better than any other silicon tip, but I generally dont get on with silicon and the spinfits were no exception.  I'm back to the comply tx-500 this week, love em..

 

[vettahead]

  Got my 'Snugs' for my K3003s.  They are the 'half shell' model as I was advised to get that rather than a full shell for these phones.  Took a bit of faffing to get everything lined up but now that it's all good I'm loving these.  Soundstage increased, bass tighter, all good! really good isolation.  Was worried about the bass port but doesn't seem to have adversely affected things.  Need to give it more eat time, but so far so good. Thinking of ordering the full-shells too since they have my 3d impressions stored on file.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
I really struggle with mine, I find them a really poor fit and cant seem to find a good pair of tips to A: keep them in and B: make them sound not tinny and harsh.    I bought these to replace an old bose set i had and have been bitterly disappointed with them thus far.   I have small ear canals and cant get the things in my ears!!   There currently in a drawer   this looks promising  but i must admit after shelling out 800 quid for a pair im a little bit reluctant to splash out 150 quid on tips without  super hearty recommendations!
 
I know they sound amazing to those who have tried em though so I haven't given up complete hope.

 

[doraymon]

I love many things about my K3003, they are really a great iem, but there's one thing that kills me: sibilance!
It happens quite often with some tracks and I really can't stand it.

Am I the only one to experience this?

Any idea how to reduce it?

Thanks

 

[proedros]

I love many things about my K3003, they are really a great iem, but there's one thing that kills me: sibilance!
It happens quite often with some tracks and I really can't stand it.

Am I the only one to experience this?

Any idea how to reduce it?

Thanks

 
i have zero sibilance but i listen to flac files (16/44) by abums well produced/mastered
 
it's probably the tracks , if they are post-2006 music with too much loudness wars happening since then

get better mastered music
 
also try the grey filters and not the white ones

 

[james444]

I love many things about my K3003, they are really a great iem, but there's one thing that kills me: sibilance!
It happens quite often with some tracks and I really can't stand it.

Am I the only one to experience this?

Any idea how to reduce it?

Thanks

 
As proedros said, if you're using the treble filter, try the reference filter instead.
 
Also, you can try to use smaller tips with deeper insertion.
 
Last not least, you can try this mod: http://www.head-fi.org/t/755301/dunu-dn-2000j-more-than-evolution/735#post_11740871

 

[salla45]

I love many things about my K3003, they are really a great iem, but there's one thing that kills me: sibilance!
It happens quite often with some tracks and I really can't stand it.

Am I the only one to experience this?

Any idea how to reduce it?

Thanks

As other have mentioned, poor masters will highlight sibilance. Good recording are... well... they just sound good
 
The AKG's are, above all, very pure in terms of output, so garbage in garbage out really does apply.
 
I have noticed that each album now has its own signature and may take a few minutes for the brain adjust to when using the AKG's. Hence, persevering with an album in which vocals are sibilant can reward. A couple of tracks in and my attention is taken by the layering, separation, hearing other instruments in the mix, and not so much focussing on any sibilence which was hitherto overwhelming.
 
Also, I have noticed really good results using the comply foam tips T500 models and TX500, you can try these for improved frequency response generally and taming of the top end.
 
Finally, consider EQ'ing the sound. If we are talking non-audiophile recordings, then a tweak of the top end shouldn't be deemed as "cheating"
 
BTW I have become used to exclusively using the AKG's with the white filters (ie not really any filter at all) for ultimate clarity. 

 

[doraymon]

Thanks for all the answers.
 
I also own the Shure SE846 which, playing the same tracks, do not show any sign of sibilance or harsh treble.
However I prefer the K3003 on the go so I mainly use them straight out of an iPhone 6s and only playing Spotify premium.
 
Yes, equalizing would help, unfortunately though I couldn't find anything which works with Spotify...
 
Filters: I use the reference ones, and I also tried the bass boost. But guess what? The bass boost just... boost the bass, they don't soften the treble. And the bass is perfect with the reference filters, punchy but never muddy (even better than the 846 IMO).
 
The last chance will be to play with different tips as suggested. I will give it a go, even though I am a bit sceptical as I have a perfect fit with the stock ones so I'm afraid to fix one thing and screw up another one.

 

[doraymon]

 
Last not least, you can try this mod: http://www.head-fi.org/t/755301/dunu-dn-2000j-more-than-evolution/735#post_11740871

I understand this mod is for the DN-2000J, not for the K3003?!

 

[james444]

  I understand this mod is for the DN-2000J, not for the K3003?!

 
Technology and placement of the drivers are very similar between the DN-2000J and K3003, so I'm pretty confident the mod will work for the K3003 as well.
 
Personally, I only need it for the DN-2000J since they're are more sibilant than the K3003.