[senns&nonsense]

My 501s have been recabled with the Fitz Black Clover and I am a firm believer in the 601 pad-mad over the 701 pad-mod. The 601s get you just enough added body and do not muddy up the sound the way the 701 pads do. Tubes are also perfect for the 501s and my choice (even over MUCH more expensive amps) is the LunchBox II. It can be occasionally found around $200 and really makes the 501s sing.

 

[1Time]

Quote:

Originally Posted by senns&nonsense /img/forum/go_quote.gif My 501s have been recabled with the Fitz Black Clover and I am a firm believer in the 601 pad-mad over the 701 pad-mod. The 601s get you just enough added body and do not muddy up the sound the way the 701 pads do. Tubes are also perfect for the 501s and my choice (even over MUCH more expensive amps) is the LunchBox II. It can be occasionally found around $200 and really makes the 501s sing.

Oh now you're really making me want this: K501 + K601 pads + LunchBox II.

 

[QQQ]

Lunchbox is a bad choice for AKG's, very bad in fact. Works best with high-impedance, high sensevity phones.


To improve 501 bass: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/k60...00-etc-374455/

 

[Shoewreck]

Currently I'm sewing an angled pleather earpad for my K501. That's gonna be a monster...
There's also a simple mod do K701 - you may remove the foam ring sitting below the earpads to decrease some bass and improve clarity.

 

[arteom]

The 600 is nice and all, but it just lacks the clarity and detail that I get with the 701. Where it comes handy is the strictly dance oriented electronic music which just doesn't work with the 701. The 600 is veiled, compared to the 701 atleast, and there is allot of electronic music that does work with the 701, downtempo, dub, some idm, ambient, modern classical... Allot of the time I will be listening to something with the 600 and wonder how it will sound with the 701 and end up keeping the 701 on my head. I did just buy some 2003 Beyer DT 880's [this is what got me to think of selling] to see how those will work, had the 2005 600ohm model, didn't like it. In my mind I will either sell the sennheiser or the Beyer... Do enjoy the warm presentation of the Senn's though.

My wallet is hiding somewhere, so no more spending money for now... Have a bit on reserve to get a decent DAC anyway.

The amp I'm using is the X-can v8, which I think works great (though haven't compared it much anything else at its level), its a hybrid ss with tube output stage, have some NOS sylvania tubes in there which are pretty clear/detail oriented. I've had some tubes that have some nice lows, but they messed with the midrange/high's, making them harsher/less pleasant.

As for the 701, that phone is something else. It's less clear, but it's just so good, its presents the sound in a much more controlled manner than the 501, sounding a tad bit veiled but really grabbing ahold of the music. The 501 sounds "raw" compared to it (don't mean that with a positive or negative connotation).

 

[kugino]

i recabled my 501 using a grado rs1 cable...and balanced it as well. i run it off of a couple of cheap 6 watt monos and i find the bass to be more than adequate. the only problem is the hiss at low volume levels...need to check the tubes again.

but i think your intuition is right...as is the consensus in this thread...that keeping the 501 is a good move.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by arteom /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 600 is nice and all, but it just lacks the clarity and detail that I get with the 701. Where it comes handy is the strictly dance oriented electronic music which just doesn't work with the 701. The 600 is veiled, compared to the 701 atleast, and there is allot of electronic music that does work with the 701, downtempo, dub, some idm, ambient, modern classical... Allot of the time I will be listening to something with the 600 and wonder how it will sound with the 701 and end up keeping the 701 on my head.

Have you thought about the Sony MDR-SA5000? It doesn't have the sweet mids of the K-501, but you will get the low end extension you're missing and plenty of detail.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by senns&nonsense /img/forum/go_quote.gif My 501s have been recabled with the Fitz Black Clover and I am a firm believer in the 601 pad-mad over the 701 pad-mod. The 601s get you just enough added body and do not muddy up the sound the way the 701 pads do. Tubes are also perfect for the 501s and my choice (even over MUCH more expensive amps) is the LunchBox II. It can be occasionally found around $200 and really makes the 501s sing.

I completely agree. The best way to boost the bass of the k501 without muddying the mids is by using k601 pads. And I might add by using an amp that will bring out the bass. I use the k501 in my office and hooked it up to a Little Dot I+ hybrid (which btw is ridicously cheap). As a result, I don't have to use the k601 pads anymore. There is plenty of bass now. Like you, I listen to many different genres of music, and although for some genres I have oher headphones I prefer, the k501 can handle them all.

One thing I should add and which hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet, is that although the k501 is a superb telephone, its stock pads are just downright terrible. Even replacing them with the stock k500 pads is a good idea. K601 pads are the best, but they're not always easily available, depending on where you are. I am using k500 pads now on my k501. With k601 or k701 pads there's a bit too much bass.... I kid you not.

 

[arteom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you thought about the Sony MDR-SA5000? It doesn't have the sweet mids of the K-501, but you will get the low end extension you're missing and plenty of detail.

Yes I have, what turned me away from those is how cold they are supposedly, I remember someone making the remark that they are a touch colder than the Beyer DT-880, which I sold because I found them to be way too cold. What I really liked about them was the complete top to bottom presentation but it was just so cold, hopefully this 2003 model I'm getting lacks that characteristic. The can I'm interested to hear for electronic music is the AD2000, but a bit out of my price range atm.

Might try some different pads, although from what I read its a bit of a pain to take off the pads and put em back on. Also I will say one thing I like about the k501 pads is that they are pretty comfortable, stay cooler for longer. But do start to feel stiff after an hour or two, a simple re-adjustment usually does the trick though.

 

[shamu144]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif i recabled my 501 using a grado rs1 cable...and balanced it as well. i run it off of a couple of cheap 6 watt monos and i find the bass to be more than adequate. the only problem is the hiss at low volume levels...need to check the tubes again.

Wow, Kugino... I am actually going the same road and will have in a few days my K501 recabled for balanced operations... I am definitely looking for a significant improvement in bass extension and impact, as well as a better definition of the soundstage and retrieval of details. I simply love my K501 and wanted to get the best out of them.

According to your own experience, do you think my expectations could be fulfilled

By the way, I second opinions regarding negative side effect of the K701 pad mod... After reading your comments, I might try though the K601 pad mod

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had my K701 re-cabled by Alex of APureSound w/ his V3 cable. Then after burning them in for about 120 hours I compared the re-cabled K501 w/ an stock unit owned by vorlon1. No doubt about it, not only was the K501 more transparent and clear but the bass was tighter and more of it. Of course doing a V3 re-cable is not cheap but the K501 are just so good.

I, too, have enjoyed deep, tight, well-articulated bass from my K501. Joined with the Bada PH-12, classic rock--like Santana's Abraxas (Legacy Re-master)--sounds superb: gritty, gutty, pulsing, detailed and expressive! : )

 

[Shoewreck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by arteom /img/forum/go_quote.gif Might try some different pads, although from what I read its a bit of a pain to take off the pads and put em back on.

I've done that many many times. Pad reinstallation is safe and easy when done properly.

 

[Kevin Sinnott]

I've tried k701 pads and found them too much. The k501s just sound perfect that way they are with some of my collection.

I'd go for a Heed Canamp or one of the other suggestions.

I wouldn't sell them. I've read too many tales of seller's remorse.

 

[Kevin Sinnott]

BTW, has anyone who owns version 1, the one where there are four small holes that supposedly leak bass tried covering those holes with duct tape in order to increase the bass?

 

[Shoewreck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Sinnott /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW, has anyone who owns version 1, the one where there are four small holes that supposedly leak bass tried covering those holes with duct tape in order to increase the bass?

I have covered the holes with aluminum tape. It probably helped a bit, but I still feel that bass response needs much reshaping.
IMO the weakest part of K501 is unsolid cushion-to head contact, that leaks too much low-frequency energy.
It may sound odd, but I always found K501 midbass-heavy yet lacking true deep bass extension. Probably after finishing new cushions (shame on me, I haven't done anything this evening) I'll try opening more big holes (my v.1 have only 3 of 6 opened) - I hope it would tame mid-bass response a bit.