[Naga]

the K1000 is responsible for my loss of sleep since useing mulveling's at the headfi meet in july - now that its out of production, its bound to become too rare and expensive before i can produce the funds to buy one

which leaves AKG's current top-of-the-line can in question: how does the K701 stack up against the infamous K1000?

 

[Akathriel]

Don't mean to put you down but in my opinion... not at all K701s lack in bass and theyre soundstage while good is nothing compared to the K1K they are significantly more muffled as well and the only I can think of that I could give them is less silibance? Granted my listening impressions were brief but the K1000s blew me out of the sky and the K701 were not horrible but outdone in everyway by other cans.

 

[lmilhan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naga the K1000 is responsible for my loss of sleep since useing mulveling's at the headfi meet in july - now that its out of production, its bound to become too rare and expensive before i can produce the funds to buy one which leaves AKG's current top-of-the-line can in question: how does the K701 stack up against the infamous K1000?

Honestly, they are two completely different animals IMO. The K701s couldn't even hold a candle to the thrill that the K1000s give me. Assuming you already have a beefy amp capable of driving the K1000s - beg, borrow, steal, sell other gear, whatever it takes to get the funds to score a pair of K1000s. Do it as soon as possible, because the price of these Gems are going to skyrocket as their availability and supply dwindles.

 

[Naga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmilhan Honestly, they are two completely different animals IMO. The K701s couldn't even hold a candle to the thrill that the K1000s give me. Assuming you already have a beefy amp capable of driving the K1000s - beg, borrow, steal, sell other gear, whatever it takes to get the funds to score a pair of K1000s. Do it as soon as possible, because the price of these Gems are going to skyrocket as their availability and supply dwindles.

definately not what i wanted to hear

 

[PeeeMeS]

No headphones have sent chills up my spine other than the AKG K1000s. I've listened to the top offerings of many companys: Senn HD650s(not the O), AKG K701s+K1000, Top Beyers, Top Super-Fis, Top Shures, Top Etys, Top Ultimate Ears Customs, Top Grados, Top Bose Headphones, Top Audio-Technica, Top Sonys
No Stax, or Baby O/O though =(

While I can see how someone might not like the K1000s, I feel they are the perfect headphone for me. They're very limited, some songs are unlistenable on the K1000s(a lot of low bass rap songs)
To me, they *look beautiful*
Nothing excites me more than walking around University campus in bliss with my K1000s on.
You can change the soundstage so easily, and if you're partly deaf in one ear you have a perfect solution!

The drivers get dirty easily, if you live in a dusty room... don't get them
Or put socks/some filter cover over the drivers(which muffle the sound)
Some people think they're uncomfortable... now the K1000s don't have the best comfort, but you don't have to worry about sweaty ears and unless you have a really wide head the grip isn't death. The weight is a tiny tiny tiny bit on the heavy side
You can't play sports with the K1000s on like you can do with some other headphones


Some people like having the sound in the center of their heads
If you are one of those people, you do not want the K1000s
If you can't stand no-soundstage headphones... go K1000

Amp requirements are somewhat weird. Make sure you have an amp that can drive the K1000s well. The price on these amps can range from 30$ +
There arn't that many cheap amps that pair well with the K1000s though

*The* reason I could never be team source, team isolation, team amp... is cause no matter how much I concentrate on those areas, I could never have the enjoyment of the K1000s
Id rather go with K1000s with $300 to spend on source/amp than 5 trillion on source/amp and $300 headphones

 

[spacemanspliff]

lol K1000 do have low end bass when recabled and amped properly. at any rate I like the k1000 over anything else right now and until something new comes along that can compete with them they are my fav. BUT the 701s don't suck by any means so don't get too upset about it.

 

[PeeeMeS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacemanspliff lol K1000 do have low end bass when recabled and amped properly. at any rate I like the k1000 over anything else right now and until something new comes along that can compete with them they are my fav. BUT the 701s don't suck by any means so don't get too upset about it.

If he barely has the $ for the K1000s, he's definitely not going to be able to get it recabled + bass thumpin' amp

 

[Naga]

i thouroughly love my HD 580s but i really cant get the K1000 out of my head

 

[PeeeMeS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naga i thouroughly love my HD 580s but i really cant get the K1000 out of my head

My upgrading method is very different than most people.
Even if my stuff can't drive a HD650 properly, I would purchase the HD650 and suffer a hit in sound quality rather than buying an easier to drive model(which have a lower ceiling)

I always go with the headphones that have the highest ceilings

*on the other side though
The AKG K701s *are* those kinds of phones
They have no limitations, they will never be the "weak" link of your system
I'm tempted to say the AKG 701s do overall sound quality better than K1000s, much better choice for the average listener. I let my special love of the K1000s get ahead of me. K1000s have untouchables, K701s is a jack of all trades.

If I were you, I'd go with the K701s since they're on sale currently

 

[Ferbose]

K701 is a class below K1000, technically and sonically.
K701 can be thought of an improved K501, with bass issues fixed, bu that does not elevate it to K1000 level.
The detail, soundstage, resolving power, openess and spatiality of K1000 still beats K701. K1000 also has a bit more bass impact, but K701 probably extends a bit lower.
At a recent meet, several people including myself compared them side by side, and none of us thought K1000 was dethroned by K701.
K701 finds its match in K340.

 

[applebook]

It's finally nice to read some more reasonable comments about the K701.

 

[Naga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeeMeS My upgrading method is very different than most people. Even if my stuff can't drive a HD650 properly, I would purchase the HD650 and suffer a hit in sound quality rather than buying an easier to drive model(which have a lower ceiling) I always go with the headphones that have the highest ceilings *on the other side though The AKG K701s *are* those kinds of phones They have no limitations, they will never be the "weak" link of your system I'm tempted to say the AKG 701s do overall sound quality better than K1000s, much better choice for the average listener. I let my special love of the K1000s get ahead of me. K1000s have untouchables, K701s is a jack of all trades. If I were you, I'd go with the K701s since they're on sale currently

actually, I am saving up for a Presonus Central Station - thats what I would like to plug my 580s into ( thanks Ferbose ) because putting a better source behind my 580 seems more practical

i do have a T-amp for the K1000 just in case - i drive some bookshelfs w/ them

 

[smeggy]

Man, if I had the cash I would jump on a set of K1k's. I've never heard them but I'm intrigued by all the gushing praise they garner. It's hard to get a good impression of what a set of cans would sound like from peoples descriptions but I get the feeling I would like them very much indeed. Oddly I have absolutely no desire to get the 701's though.

 

[NeilPeart]

At the risk of being lynched I must admit that I prefer the K701 to the K1000 on an absolute scale (I may be the only poor soul on the planet that feels this way). The K1000 certainly is a special, one-of-a-kind headphone experience, but no matter what I tried that niggling sibilance crept its abrasive head out during certain female vocal passages (these was with the RKV MkII, modded T-amp and even Sleestack’s mighty EAR V20) - I know at least 2 other Head-Fiers that agree with me in this regard. There certainly is a lot of love for the K1000 recently and I'll never deny their capability nor their unique perspective, but IMO the K701 is an overall superior headphone for one with eclectic tastes - the K1000 only work for me with certain recordings that highlight its strengths and obscure its weaknesses while the K701 is universally applicable with any material I’ve tried. I know I'm a tone-deaf, Sennheiser-addicted, veil-loving fool but if I still had my K1000 I would sell it and buy a balanced M-cube for my K701!

 

[Ferbose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPeart At the risk of being lynched I must admit that I prefer the K701 to the K1000 on an absolute scale (I may be the only poor soul on the planet that feels this way). The K1000 certainly is a special, one-of-a-kind headphone experience, but no matter what I tried that niggling sibilance crept its abrasive head out during certain female vocal passages (these was with the RKV MkII, modded T-amp and even Sleestack’s mighty EAR V20) - I know at least 2 other Head-Fiers that agree with me in this regard. There certainly is a lot of love for the K1000 recently and I'll never deny their capability nor their unique perspective, but IMO the K701 is an overall superior headphone for one with eclectic tastes - the K1000 only work for me with certain recordings that highlight its strengths and obscure its weaknesses while the K701 is universally applicable with any material I’ve tried. I know I'm a tone-deaf, Sennheiser-addicted, veil-loving fool but if I still had my K1000 I would sell it and buy a balanced M-cube for my K701!

I see why you prefer K701 over K1000.
Afterall, I want to get K701, too, after just one encounter.
IMHO, I don't agree that K701 is "overall superior."
In terms of clarity, details, resolving power, openess, airiness, soundstage size and three-dimensionality, I think K1000 is still ahead.
You may prefer K701's overall tonal balance or dislike K1000's sibilance in a frequency range, based on what your hearing/taste, but do you actually consider K701 as technically superior to K1000?
Here is an anology, I like K501's sound more than SA5K. Because SA5K sounds too bright to my ears: I can't relax. But objectively I still acknowlege SA5K as overall technically superior to K501, especially in areas like details, dynamics, speed and bass impact.
What I am trying to say is that the technical ability of a headphone is something more (but not totally) objective, and the enjoyment of a headphone is something more (but not totally) subjective.
No doubt some folks will enjoy K701 more than K1000, and for others the other way around. But in terms of techincal ability from a semi-objective viewpoint, I still believe K1000 is in a higher tier.