[mysticaldodo]

OMG, this thread is on time here

I fell in love with the AKG 501 since last week after deciding to give it a chance again after nearly 4 months of no usage. I didn't like it before due to its harsh highs, little bass and thin sound even after burning in for 200 hours. This was before I made several upgrades and changes to my system.

More on this later. Have to rush now

But one thing, AKG 501 can do orchrestral soundtracks with a full scale orchrestra (most of it) better then stock HD 650 (My Zu Mobius is coming

) in terms of texture, separation and soundstage.

 

[oscar437]

Some say that the AKG501 best suits classcal musics, especially for symphony, due to its ""distant" back-of-the-hall and out-of-head presentation". I'm wondering how the AKG501 do well compare with senn600(w/Cardas cable)?

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack That's OK, fewtch. With my recent purchase of the HD580, which I find to complement the SR225 over my music collection and in my rig far better (to my tastes and ear) than the K501, as an adjunct to my lifetime membership in Team Grado, I've joined Team Sennheiser. So, the balance of the Head-Fi force is preserved.

Quote:

It is interesting to me that, after listening to the K501 (along with the DT880) that you post that it's "too jarring" to go back to the "sonic signature" of the HD580 + the comfort issue of clamping force. Folks tend to describe the sound of the HD580/600 as "laid back", and as so "other" from the Grado sound. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to know to the best of your ability to analyze and describe it, what is it about the HD580 sound that you would describe as "jarring", in comparisson to the DT880 and K501?

I'll have to do some switching back and forth, and see if I can figure it out... will post further on this. For one thing, my opinion is that the DT880 is a significantly more capable headphone than the HD580, although this alone is not much of an explanation. I believe it also has something to do with soundstage/headstage -- when I put on the HD580 after DT880/K501 I feel like my ears have been sonically compressed into a tube. It's just a much different and narrower soundstage presentation. Anyway, I'll post more later. Thanks again for loaning me the K501, I will probably buy them from you

.

 

[fewtch]

K501 update... somewhere between then and now, I burned them in using an accelerated process with a 20Hz-100Hz sinewave sweep - full driver shakeout. I believe it improved the bass, to the point it's sufficient for me with everything but music that's overtly bass-shy. Or my ears adjusted to the sonic signature, or a combination of both. Like the DT880, these cans love to be fed well with good sources and recordings.

One thing about these cans, they are airy to a fault (never thought I'd say that, air is one of my favorite qualities)... it's like listening to music being played up on a cumulus cloud! Well, not really a fault. IMO they are the ideal headphones for new-age and world music in particular (chimes, ethnic instruments, airy synths, etc). The coherence of the headphones is another thing I really love... how can a headphone that's supposed to be weak in bass sound so coherent, each part of the spectrum blending perfectly into the rest, absolutely nothing calling attention to itself.

I did write to sbulack, and it's official... I'm keeping the K501 (and selling my former beloved HD580s, hope they go to a fellow music lover who will use them well). Believe it or not, after K501/DT880, the HD580s sound compressed, honky and overly dark in mid-treble... I can't deal with the bass either, which is uneven to say the least. No longer my cup of tea.

 

[Tachikoma]

What back-end are you using with the K501s?

 

[Arnoldhasmail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch K501 update... somewhere between then and now, I burned them in using an accelerated process with a 20Hz-100Hz sinewave sweep - full driver shakeout. I believe it improved the bass, to the point it's sufficient for me with everything but music that's overtly bass-shy. Or my ears adjusted to the sonic signature, or a combination of both. Like the DT880, these cans love to be fed well with good sources and recordings. One thing about these cans, they are airy to a fault (never thought I'd say that, air is one of my favorite qualities)... it's like listening to music being played up on a cumulus cloud! Well, not really a fault. IMO they are the ideal headphones for new-age and world music in particular (chimes, ethnic instruments, airy synths, etc). The coherence of the headphones is another thing I really love... how can a headphone that's supposed to be weak in bass sound so coherent, each part of the spectrum blending perfectly into the rest, absolutely nothing calling attention to itself. I did write to sbulack, and it's official... I'm keeping the K501 (and selling my former beloved HD580s, hope they go to a fellow music lover who will use them well). Believe it or not, after K501/DT880, the HD580s sound compressed, honky and overly dark in mid-treble... I can't deal with the bass either, which is uneven to say the least. No longer my cup of tea.

If you love the 501/880's I bet you'll be crazy about the 701's too. I use open baffle speakers in my home rig and the only headphone that creates that kind of space was the 501's. They slowly worked there way out of my rotation though...now I'm a 701 fan...but time will tell. And I still love my hd600's...they just have different strengths.

 

[VR6ofpain]

How do you compare the K501 to the K701? Which has more bass? Is the K501 less harsh/more laid back in the high frequecies? Is one more spacious than the other?

I am trying to convince myself that I will regret returning my K601 and buying the K501...it is ONLY $130 now!

 

[Arnoldhasmail]

I enjoyed the 501's but mine were modded with a braided cat5 cryo cable. In the end I lost interest because of the lack of bass. The 501's do have an incredible mid range and high end. The most open, transparent can I ever owned. OPEN... The 701's are darker, slightly recessed mids, great bass...less then a hd600 but tight with good extension. They have a larger more open stage then the hd600 but are not as open as the 501's. The 701 is my staple and the 600's are in the mix. And both of these cans keep getting better with any improvements i make in my system...I never seem to find their limits.

 

[Ferbose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arnoldhasmail If you love the 501/880's I bet you'll be crazy about the 701's too.

That's exactly what happened tpo me.

 

[dhp]

I'm loving my K501s... their soundstage is something to die for, at least in terms of width. THere are such nice mids and dynamics with classical music especially, and the seemingly bass deficiency doesn't bother me all that much. Mids>Bass

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieInAFire I'm loving my K501s... their soundstage is something to die for, at least in terms of width. THere are such nice mids and dynamics with classical music especially, and the seemingly bass deficiency doesn't bother me all that much. Mids>Bass

Doesn't bother me *at all* after some burn-in (both physical and psychological). I don't use them for listening to hip-hop though

.

 

[Arnoldhasmail]

I understand...they ARE great...

 

[RnB180]

fewtch keep the senns,
its good to have variety. One day you'll put on the 580s and think, "hey! these sound pretty good!" and use them for a long time and do the same thing with the beyers.

the 580s are high enough on the fidelity chart to not stray away from the critical side of you.

I have a pair of akg 240s and sr80s that I havent touched in months, only because they are incapable to recreating a fidelity I desire (IMO of course)
the sennheisers get the usual rotation, right now Im in the 650 mood, occasionally Id want a wider sound stage and less bass presence so I switch to the 600s. The 580's are not used much in my set up as they dont sound as good as the other two. But I use the 580s outside of the house since they isolate better for me then the others. my 600s are still my choice for critical listening. Hopefully that may change when I get to try out the akgs.

 

[VR6ofpain]

So do the K501's have bass or not? People are posting that 'newer' K501's with a different 'ring' inside the pad have more bass (some even say 'a lot' of bass). So what is the deal?

 

[spike33]

rest assured your k601 should have slightly more bass, but mine are cheaper so I win!