[Scooterboy]

Hi Eveybody,

I need your help I have a set of AKG K701 and K340 cans which I drive with a WOO Audio WA6 with a Sophia Princess 274B rectifier tube. I listen to mostly Classical using both Vinyl and Digital sources.

Which of the these phones whould you recommend as being the better headphone for my purpose and what modification cabling etc. whould you recommend.

Thanks for your advise.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I've got both of those and, honestly, I'm not that crazy about either. I also listen to a bit of classical on SACD and vinyl, and I tend to reach for the AKG K-501 and the Beyerdynamic DT48. The K-501 does a better job with large, symphonic pieces and the DT48 is better for solo and smaller chamber pieces.

On the other hand, a lot of people enjoy the K-340 and K-701. But instead of new cables, etc., I strongly recommend you put down $150 or so on a used K-501. When you hear one, you'll understand. You might also want to keep an eye out for a used DT48 - they turn up from $50-$100 or so on eBay.

 

[philodox]

Not a big fan of the K701. I'd prefer the K340 out of pretty much anything... even if it wasn't properly amped.

The K501 is a great headphone, but in a good rig with enough power the K340 is in another league entirely IMO. It's no walk in the park to get there with the K340 though and takes quite a bit of work. That and the apparent variation in individual headphones makes me leery of recommending them to others.

 

[Acix]

Why to go back to the past?

If you like the AKG sound, just go for K702.
And it's easy to recable...

 

[JadeEast]

What do your own ears tell you about the sound of the two headphones?
Is there one you like more?
Is something missing from the sound you're hearing?

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acix /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why to go back to the past?

In audio, newer does not necessarily mean better. Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeEast /img/forum/go_quote.gif What do your own ears tell you about the sound of the two headphones? Is there one you like more? Is something missing from the sound you're hearing?

Good point. I misread originally and didn't realize he owned both headphones.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif In audio, newer does not necessarily mean better.Good point. I misread originally and didn't realize he owned both headphones.

We are in the digital age, resolution is the name of the game...(Funny, the new AKG line is High-Definition).
The best analog sound that I can think about is SPL Phonitor. and probably the best combination for studio

I know it's a little pretentious, but let your ears tell you about it...LOL.

 

[Zorander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acix /img/forum/go_quote.gif We are in the digital age, resolution is the name of the game...(Funny, the new AKG line is High-Definition). The best analog sound that I can think about is SPL Phonitor. and probably the best combination for studio I know it's a little pretentious, but let your ears tell you about it...LOL.

Have you actually heard the K340s?

 

[jellojoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acix /img/forum/go_quote.gif We are in the digital age, resolution is the name of the game...(Funny, the new AKG line is High-Definition). The best analog sound that I can think about is SPL Phonitor. and probably the best combination for studio I know it's a little pretentious, but let your ears tell you about it...LOL.

 

[jellojoe]

If you want to keep things simple, I'd go with Uncle Erik's suggestion and pick up a pair of K501. Like philodox, I also enjoy the K340 over the K501, but it's taken me a while to get an amp that matches well with the pair of K340 I have. Maybe someone else has heard the Woo with the K340? In any case, the K701 would be my last choice out of the three.

 

[klamP]

I tell you what, you choose and let me know which you prefer.



Oh and Acix..... I hope you're being sarcastic D:


The K701 IS the K702 dressed up by the way. No difference, please don't recommend cans like that D:

 

[donunus]

may I ask where can we buy k501s today?

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you actually heard the K340s?

No, And I feel okay with that. the AKGs that I have experience with are the K140, K141S, K240DF, K300. With the K240/270/271, I lost my passion for AKG. The peak in the low mid is very annoying, it seems like it's pretending to be the bass. I don't know if the K340 is in the same category with the K240/270/271. And if you want to compare this models to some others headphones, you can start with MB Quarts QP 250...and up.

Anyway, the point is that the K702 sounds superior in the studio compared to other new or old AKG models. Maybe one day the doctors at AKG will make a new model like 341, or 342...LOL. But until this day comes, it looks like the new "Dark King" rules.

 

[klamP]

In my opinion, the k701's/2's aren't the best in the line up for studio, i feel they're more for listening to than analysing.

 

[MaloS]

Acix, K340 has a feature that makes it drastically different from pretty much every other item in the AKG line-up. While it does not pretend to be neutral, it is capable of things almost no headphones can keep up with.