[kman1211]

  I use WASAPI through Foobar.  Thing is, none of my other headphones (MA900, X1, T1) exhibit this harshness with my setup.  So, that rules out any sort of software issue IMO.

I get a odd harshness in the upper midrange and lower treble out of my MA900 on my system, I have to switch tubes to fix the problem with the MA900 while my K612 is a bit harsh on the tubes the MA900 likes. I guess it shows how greatly different systems can affect headphones. It's likely the K612 not having good synergy with your setup. AKGs have always been a bit of a pain to find the right synergy for in my experience.

 

[viralcow]

Just got my hands on a 5 year old K601 for cheap.
 
Sounds great. Sometimes sublime. I think they're the best I've heard for $150. A pity that they never got much attention.

 

[dragonfly50]

Just got a set of K601 from Adorama at $149. Made in China S/N 1095! New old stock?
 
Listening to the HDTracks Sampler. Right away I love them. Just what I was looking for - neutral, open, musical. This is with my HP tower and stock IDT High Definition Audio soundcard, and, not sure how much difference it makes, Beats Audio Experience. Actually seems able to add body and bass without a downside.
 
At work I'll try a custom DAC on the tower PC there, but the former soundcard has more power - really seems like plenty for the K601. Usually at 50-70%.
 
Pretty damn pleased! My impression is that it's at least as nice as my old HD580, which I don't have at hand. Not sure I really need a new  and more powerful amp, but the Schiit Vali is tempting.

 

[ballard3]

Hello, after a long time I am using my old 601 again. After a little burn in the sound is thinner than I remembered.
I noticed that the only protection for the driver is the thin black veil included in the earpad. . But I (seem to) remember also the presence of a circular cover interposed between the driver and the earpad.
Could please help me to clarify my doubt?

 

[dragonfly50]

My K601s have a sort of thin black foam doughnut just under the fabric screen. The hole is about 3/4".  Is that what you're missing?

 

[sinnottj]

Yeah, this is standard on the K601 - my pair had the foam rings too. There were several posts a few years ago suggesting that they be removed, to increase clarity. I tried this and found the sound a little thinner too (and harsher, I didn't like it, so put them back.)
 
Maybe you tried this mod and misplaced the foam rings?

 

[ballard3]

No mod, I may have removed the earpads to wash them and lost the foam rings. It's been a long time.
That explains the thinner sound, different from what I liked so muc'h.
So the missing piece is a ring, not a full circular cover. I'll get the spare parts.
Thanks

 

[veldt]

I've owned a Sennheiser 600 for a while now, and now I have a AKG K612 for comparison. The Sennheiser has a wider stage and a little bit more resolution. But there's also something that didn't satisfy me and this is confirmed by the AKG K612. While the Sennheiser is tiring and making me indifferent about everything I hear, the AKG makes me listen up and actually enjoy listening to things. While the Sennheiser has a very fine resolution (apart from the slightly swallowed highs, one should say) it lacks separation and imaging (or texture). And while it can sometimes a evoke a sense of grandeur superior to the AKG (think of low choirs), everything seems to come from a horizontal plane, as opposed to a more differentiated and circumnavigating space of the AKG. To be honest, I'm not satisfied with any of them, and so far whichever I would choose would be very close and I will probably change my mind some time afterwards. I just don't have any money...

 

[Brooko]

Wow - interesting comments - I'd disagree with them (particularly "HD600 ...... it lacks separation and imaging (or texture)" - but it's good to have some debate and always nice to hear other's opinions.
 
Personally I think that one of the greatest things about the HD600 (for it's price) is the ability to convey texture, timbre, and actual instrument accuracy.  Try listening to a live concert or acoustic performance - then the HD600.  For me - it does this much better than the AKG (612 or 702 etc).  I have to admit though - I appreciated the K612 staging and imagery because it wasn't overblown like the K701/2.  But I'd still rank the HD600 ahead in both believable sound stage + also imaging ability.
 
The one area the AKGs are superior in was their speed.  For faster music - the HD600 can get a little congested.
 
What genres do you mainly listen to Veldt - and what is your actual audio chain? 

 

[dragonfly50]

I always felt my HD580 was a little unexciting. As though the refinement took something out of it. Easy to put down after several minutes. But the K601 keeps me involved, listening for hours, like the SR80 in that regard. Hard to argue with that.
 
I like how easy it is to dissect the arrangements without an overly-sterile presentation. And yes, there is a sense of more speed than the Senns, which, like the PX100II, are qualitatively hard to fault but a little polite.
 
The staging seems just right - never too big unless the recording warrants it. Big, spacious recordings can be quite an experience with these. Very satisfying.
 
And as for driving them, I think they're not very different from the HD580, but I don't have them at hand now.

 

[kman1211]

  I always felt my HD580 was a little unexciting. As though the refinement took something out of it. Easy to put down after several minutes. But the K601 keeps me involved, listening for hours, like the SR80 in that regard. Hard to argue with that.
 
I like how easy it is to dissect the arrangements without an overly-sterile presentation. And yes, there is a sense of more speed than the Senns, which, like the PX100II, are qualitatively hard to fault but a little polite.
 
The staging seems just right - never too big unless the recording warrants it. Big, spacious recordings can be quite an experience with these. Very satisfying.
 
And as for driving them, I think they're not very different from the HD580, but I don't have them at hand now.

It's not the refinement that took something out, I've heard more refined headphones that are far more engaging than the HD 580/600/650 so the problem of not being engaged lies somewhere else. Most Senns have the problem of lacking euphony/musicality which prevent you from being engaged. It's think it's how Senns are polite and polished sounding. While AKGs have always been musical and euphonic sounding even the bright bassless ones or the cheap crappy ones.

 

[ballard3]

Further comparisons between 601 and 612 ? 

 

[doraymon]

I just ordered my K612 Pro pair of cans!
I am particularly curious to see how the headphone output of my Audiolab 8200DQ will be able to drive them...
 
I hope I will find here some suggestions on how to test them and understand if everything works properly. I am a newbie of the headphones world!

 

[doraymon]

Very first comments: I have to set the volume around -5 or even 0 dB in order to hear the music at the level I like.
Is this normal?

 

[doraymon]

  Very first comments: I have to set the volume around -5 or even 0 dB in order to hear the music at the level I like.
Is this normal?

guys, help!
I need to understand if:
A) my headphones are faulty
B) there is a problem of impedance between headphone amp and headphones themselves 
C9 how can I solve this?
Thanks