[jdpark]

I've just figured out that these cans actually sound best with zero gain on my BCL Linear, but the knob turned up to 3 o'clock or so. For a long time I thought they needed high gain and low volume to sound best, but then realized that I was getting a bit of harshness and also a weird tingle in my right ear. I think this is a much better option. 
 
I don't fully understand the whole gain issue, but I have found that weirdly these cans don't need a lot of gain, but they do need power (which is also volume). Someone better at this stuff can help me out here, but this is actually probably an explanation for why I think the original Schitt magni was also fine (even if not ideal) with these cans--a lot of power with no gain. 
 
So, in case anyone is looking: if you can actually find a pair of these, and get a high-powered cheap tube amp or Schiit magni/equivalent amp, you can have an amazing for acoustic classical, jazz and rock music, as well as female vocals, set up for under three hundred Euros.
 
I think the next step up from there would be an entry-level Stax set-up.   

 

[ginetto61]

Hi !  just a thought on the volume setting issue. 
I still think that the main problem in volume setting is the quality of the pot.  
Also I understand that some good brand pots are fake ?
However I have a personal experience with a stepped series attenuator made with Holco resistors.
Even a very low settings, with the signal having to travel through all the resistors, its transparency compared to a traditional pot was literally shocking at the point that now I think that a stepped attenuator is a must for a very high quality unit.  
There was simply no comparison at all.  
Moreover even a normal line preamp solid state was sounding astonishing.  
On this basis my long term project is to start from a decent sounding headphone amp around 100USD (yes they exist), take out its guts, put them in a new nice box, adding a stepped attenuator and listen.
I am sure the sound will be very very nice indeed.
Kind regards,
gino

 

[Quinto]

Finally replaces the (still original) elastics on my K501..Should have done this long ago, so much better.. Even soundwise  lol

 

[Muinarc]

  Finally replaces the (still original) elastics on my K501..Should have done this long ago, so much better.. Even soundwise  lol

 
I need to do that, got a source for parts?

 

[Quinto]

   
I need to do that, got a source for parts?

nah..some old lady nit story around the corner where I live
 
this was useful

 

[Muinarc]

Awesome thanks.

 

[Hunki Chunki]

After all these years of service (bought them new in the early 2000s), I finally brought them in to be "restored" at the local AKG distributor.
 
Unfortunately he was all out of the correct replacment parts, so he bagged the broken headbands and parts and handed them over to me.
 
A week later.. they have become this.
 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLvVTdil9ey/
 
 
Have to say the 712/65th earpads are a vast improvement to the tired old earpads from the original 501s

 

[Muinarc]

  After all these years of service (bought them new in the early 2000s), I finally brought them in to be "restored" at the local AKG distributor.
 
Unfortunately he was all out of the correct replacment parts, so he bagged the broken headbands and parts and handed them over to me.
 
A week later.. they have become this.
 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLvVTdil9ey/
 
 
Have to say the 712/65th earpads are a vast improvement to the tired old earpads from the original 501s

 
That's awesome! Making me want to speed up the timeline to get me bungies replaced and also get some new pads.

 

[SHAMuuu]

  After all these years of service (bought them new in the early 2000s), I finally brought them in to be "restored" at the local AKG distributor.
 
Unfortunately he was all out of the correct replacment parts, so he bagged the broken headbands and parts and handed them over to me.
 
A week later.. they have become this.
 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLvVTdil9ey/
 
 
Have to say the 712/65th earpads are a vast improvement to the tired old earpads from the original 501s

Thats very clean looking. Happy Ending

 

[Muinarc]

I was just looking at my k501 and wondered what serial # they are since I bought them new in 2001. There is no number that I see. Has anyone that has torn these down seen if it's inside or did they just not put it on them or did I lose a sticker?

 

[Hunki Chunki]

  I was just looking at my k501 and wondered what serial # they are since I bought them new in 2001. There is no number that I see. Has anyone that has torn these down seen if it's inside or did they just not put it on them or did I lose a sticker?

The serial number is on the inside of the headband unfortunately (above the earcups)
 
Mine is all gone.. probably rubbed off after years of use by my head hahaha

 

[Muinarc]

  The serial number is on the inside of the headband unfortunately (above the earcups)
 
Mine is all gone.. probably rubbed off after years of use by my head hahaha

​Ok thanks, yeah I have absolutely nothing anywhere on the visible parts I thought maybe there'd be something inside the cups. I can barely read the CE and genuine leather stamps on the top of the headband anymore.

 

[nickdino]

Hi, i need to replace the cable of my k501. Looking for a cable that is cheap, easily acquired for someone in holland, and hopefully a sonic upgrade to the stock cable.
While i'm at it i'd like to apply other cheap tweaks like earpads that add more bass which i've read about in the forums. Can anybody help me with that?

 

[JimJames]

How would the k501 pair with the r2r or nfb 11?

 

[Quinto]

Hi, i need to replace the cable of my k501. Looking for a cable that is cheap, easily acquired for someone in holland, and hopefully a sonic upgrade to the stock cable.
While i'm at it i'd like to apply other cheap tweaks like earpads that add more bass which i've read about in the forums. Can anybody help me with that?

I bought Apuresound cable for mine, which costed a lot, years ago, great upgrade quality built wise, sonic improvements not, or hardly audible to my ears.. IMO if you want bass, the K601 pads helped a bit.
I love my K501 but the K712 is much much better..more modern as you will.. good luck groetjes.