[gaijin]

The K701 is nice but sound very flat, whereas the HD650 give you a sound in 3D, you are immersed in the music. The HD650 may sound a bit dark ("veiled" ?) without proper amplification.

 

[tomjtx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by beemer /img/forum/go_quote.gif They were both cabled by Headroom with the OEM cable. I don't really believe in burn in, but I did let them sit for a couple of days, they probably have 20 hours of burn in on them. I tell you what though, the burn in would have to do some serious improvement to get me to like the 701.

I understand skepticism re burn in with electronics.
But with speakers and headphones there is a rational basis for burn in . we are talking about moving parts which flex and change with movement.

This is a given with intruments. I am a classical guitarist and we know that a guitar takes years to achieve it's potential.
Spruce top guitars require more time to break in than cedar tops because spruce is a denser wood.

It is logical to assume that the different materials used in the drivers by different headphones might require different break in times.
I now have 400+hrs on my AKG701's and they have changed dramatically from the 1st 50 to 100 hrs.

The bass is MUCH better, more presence and impact. The highs are much sweeter.
The AKG01 reminds me more of a Spruce guitar: takes a LONG time to know how good it is, has great clarity and separation of voices and is very refined and elegant sounding. Perfectly suited for BAch.
This would be my description of both a great Spruce guitar and the 701.

A great cedar guitar is darker and more romantic sounding than spruce.
It is the perfect instrument for Spanish and romantic music.
A cedar guitar is more ready to go just out of the box and breaks in sooner.
cedar= 1 year spruce 2-3 years.

I own and play both cedar and spruce guitars.
My next purchase is the HD650 so that I can have both a spruce and cedar headphone

BTW my favorite guitar I have is a double , sandwich top. The inside top is cedar sandwiched with an outer spruce top.

Anyone up for a double top headphone? Senn/AKG?

 

[beemer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomjtx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I understand skepticism re burn in with electronics. But with speakers and headphones there is a rational basis for burn in . we are talking about moving parts which flex and change with movement. This is a given with intruments. I am a classical guitarist and we know that a guitar takes years to achieve it's potential. Spruce top guitars require more time to break in than cedar tops because spruce is a denser wood. It is logical to assume that the different materials used in the drivers by different headphones might require different break in times. I now have 400+hrs on my AKG701's and they have changed dramatically from the 1st 50 to 100 hrs. The bass is MUCH better, more presence and impact. The highs are much sweeter. The AKG01 reminds me more of a Spruce guitar: takes a LONG time to know how good it is, has great clarity and separation of voices and is very refined and elegant sounding. Perfectly suited for BAch. This would be my description of both a great Spruce guitar and the 701. A great cedar guitar is darker and more romantic sounding than spruce. It is the perfect instrument for Spanish and romantic music. A cedar guitar is more ready to go just out of the box and breaks in sooner. cedar= 1 year spruce 2-3 years. I own and play both cedar and spruce guitars. My next purchase is the HD650 so that I can have both a spruce and cedar headphone BTW my favorite guitar I have is a double , sandwich top. The inside top is cedar sandwiched with an outer spruce top. Anyone up for a double top headphone? Senn/AKG?

I understand the concept, and I agree that things can get broken in. But the margin is so small it shouldn't make a huge difference.

 

[beemer]

I would also like to add, if breaking in your headphone did have such a huge improvement, the manufacturer would include that in the manual, or on a ReadMe pamphlet in the box. I have yet to see that.

 

[pataburd]

Extended break-in time for the K701 is well documented on the Head-Fi forums. From my own experience, my K701 really started to show their stuff after 400-450 hours. During that time, I was on the verge of selling or trading them twice. Boy am I glad I didn't!

Again, while there is arguably more bass from the 650, IMHO, that bass is of an inferior qulaity compared to the bass from the K701. With respect to the mids, I don't think there's any comparison: the K701 handily/easily better the 650. Highs, while arguably "sweeter" w/the 650, are not as clear or accurate, IMHO, compared to the K701.

Again, this thread only serves to reinforce the inherent differences in listening tastes that cleanly divide 650 and K701 proponents. I've done four rounds w/the 650 (owned them four on occasions, two times with re-cables: the Cardas and the RAL), but they ultimately just didn't "do it" for me. (Between the 650 and the 600, I strongly prefer the 600, BTW.)

In all honesty, it's my second turn with the K701; but this time around they even bettered--IMHO--my longtime favorite, the Proline 750 w/RAL re-cable, and believe you me that was no small feat! At this point I am very happy with the K701 as my one-and-only set of headphones. If I were ever tempted to try any other pair of 'phones that might possibly unseat the AKG, we're talking about the Ultrasone Edition 9. But I think that's a long way off, if it's a possibility at all. : )

 

[nick20]

Pataburd, how do the K701's compare to the SA5000's, and AT900's?


The SA's are a little out of my range, but I own the little, little brother SA1000's. Our music styles aren't exactly the same, but I love female vocals, smooth jazz, reggae, and older hip-hop. (some "bassy", some not, hip-hop/reggae).


And I too, will be using "1" pair of headphones. I'm selling the SA's, to move up to the K701's or AT900's.

 

[Kataklystik]

I think that burn-in makes a difference. I burned my K701 in for 500 hours and I only listened to it every once in a while to the same songs (I burned them in with pink noise/music) and there was a difference. I don't know how or why and I think it could also be imagination or placebo or something like that but for ME there was a difference. If I would not have heard a difference I would have stopped burning them in 24/7.

 

[pfloding]

I think the K701 just keep sounding better and better!
I'm not sure if it's due to me getting used to them, or they actually getting better. But even when I haven't listened to them for a whole day (!), they sound great from the start. (OK, I need to take several days off to know if I simply got used to them.)

Don't listen much to speakers now, since I just hear the room coloration and transient smearing.

 

[pataburd]

I've settled on the K701, too, after a lengthy search. On tap is John Klemmer's "Touch," w/1x Mullard 6080 & 1x GE 6SN7GTA in the Darkvoice THA336i and the EVS-modded Oppo 970HD fired up and ready to go. : )

 

[nigeljames]

Properly amped and with a source thats dynamic and fast the K701`s are very good rock/metal phones as well.

 

[nigeljames]

I had to recable my HD650 with the superb Silver Dragon v2 cable to make them as good as the K701`s

 

[nigeljames]

Who prefers tubes with the K701`s

 

[cswann1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigeljames /img/forum/go_quote.gif Who prefers tubes with the K701`s

I do. Running my K701's on my MKIVse brings some warmth to these phones that I like.

Also, I'm a believer of break-in for these phones.

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cswann1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do. Running my K701's on my MKIVse brings some warmth to these phones that I like. Also, I'm a believer of break-in for these phones.

I am running mine with GS Solo. I would not say its a warm sound (although it can be if the recording is that way) but it is full bodied and dynamic with masses of detail.

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cswann1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do. Running my K701's on my MKIVse brings some warmth to these phones that I like. Also, I'm a believer of break-in for these phones.

How do you rate your LD MkIV?
I am thinking of getting a MkIII as an alternative to the Solo but as I listen to rock and metal I have doubts whether a tube amp would be worthwhile. What do you think?