[dleblanc343]

And so, after these months with the dt880's, which one's would you consider a favourite?
 
Quote:

Thread resurrection here...
 
I did end up selling my AKG K701 by "accident": thought I had sold my amp, then didn't, but had already sold my AKG.  Ugh!
 
So I bought another can, and, thought I'd give the Beyer DT880 - 600 a spin.  Having fun so far!  But they really are totally different from each other.
 
(Amps back up for sale - I love it! But I'm moving overseas this year, need only what I can pack on my back).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/544255/glow-audio-one-tube-amplifier-perfect-condition-450-s-h

 

 

[Kouzelna]

 
 
Hi dleblanc343 
 
I'm psyched you resurrected the thread, because actually I found my perfect headphone: the K702.  Here's some info I posted in another thread about my impressions of the differences between the K702 and the K701 (and DT880/600) a few months back.  It's a little long, but hopefully, enjoy.
 
 
Another member asked me to be specific about the sound of the K701, and the specific differences between it and the K702.  Based on my fanatical love for the cans and my extensive listening with many amps, here are my opinions:
 
We all know that the K701 specializes in super-wide soundstage.  That's the bottom line.  That's what they're famous for, and for good reason.  Right out of the box, (if you power them with a good quality amp), you'll be rewarded with huge soundstage, and really awesome instrument separation, in comparison to most other headphones.  Some think it unnatural, but I really love it, and it sounds the way music is supposed to sound, to my ears.  A long break-in period helps them to relax and soften up, eliminating the "plasticky" sound they have fresh out of the box, and making them sound warmer and softer, and less analytical, which is a common complaint about the headphones.  Again, this goes away after several hundred hours of break in.
 
I listen mainly to Vocal Trance when I listen to headphones.  It is extremely complex music, with many individual layers all dumped on top of each other.  With any other headphone, even the DT880/600, the many layers and effects can get plastered together when things get complex, resulting in a muddy sound in some passages/frequencies.  When this occurs, you lose a lot of the special effects present in this type of music.
 
This never happens with the K701.  It has an airy, spacious sound, with an ultra-broad soundfield and perfect balance.  The highs are also wonderful.  It is a bit on the treble side which I like, but without being sibilant or shrill in any way in my opinion, and I'm pretty sensitive to that kind of stuff.  (For example, I can't even listen to a DT880/32 even with a high quality amp, because of it's shrillness).
 
Where the K701 lacks, to most people, is that the bass is not very punchy at all.  It does go very deep!  You will hear very low lows produced very well, better than a DT880/600 for example but without its punch.  But similar to the ER-4, the bass simply has little impact or "pow" effect.  It's blended well into the rest of the frequencies, but lacks excitement.  This is perfect for me, because as you know Trance has tons of bass and I get sick of it, plus I have hearing damage which starts my ears ringing when the bass is too strong.  
 
The other area, which really does matter to me, is the vocals.  Contrary to what you've heard, I don't think the K701 emphasizes vocals, and in fact they are a little recessed.  Another member suggested that they are simply blended well into the music, and that may be.  However, when you listen to a DT880, M50, AD2000 or HD650, for example, you'll notice that the vocals are very close to your ears, and very intimate.  I really like that, especially with Vocal Trance as it focuses on female vocalists who are all extremely talented.  The big drawback of the K701 for me, was that it loses the intimacy of the vocals.  The vocals are all produced very well, but are too far away for my tastes.  A small but important thing as well, is that the pads of the K701 to me are very uncomfortable.  And my pair, at least, had very weak clamp so that I had to tie it on my head with a headband every time I laid down with it.  Annoying.
 
Now, the K702 improves on those two main things, the bass and the vocals, not a lot but definitely enough to make all the difference.  The bass has more impact, and the vocals are more intimate.  Again, not enough to really change the nature of the AKG K70x sound, but enough to be a definite improvement which makes all the difference for me.  I no longer miss those things now that I'm listening to the K702, like I did when I owned the K701.  The compromise of a headphone sound signature that I love, with all the special qualities I adore (soundstage, separation), and a little less impact on bass and little less intimacy on vocals that I'd really rather have, works for me with the K702.  
 
While I went looking for a better headphone with the K701, I'm happy and domesticated with the K702.  In addition, the pads are firmer and more comfortable, which I think is why the sound is different.  ( I tried my K701 cans with a K601 pads, and they sounded terrible, so I learned a lot about how pads can change the sound).  And, the clamp is far better.  It holds on my head, while remaining very comfortable.  
 
Make sense?  If ultimate soundstage, separation and clarity are what you value, and you're OK with a more airy and treble sounding headphone without huge bass impact, then the AKG K702 is your headphone, hands down.  I've found nothing at all in the sub-$600 range that compares to it.  
 
(The DT880/600 for example was awesome, had far more bass impact and vocal intimacy, but again got muddy in more complex passages and did not have that amazing spacious soundstage which I love with Vocal Trance.  The ER-4 in comparison has a very similar sound, with a good soundstage and no muddiness, and more intimacy on vocals, but the AKG just takes it all to another level.  It's unparalleled and amazing.  Every listening session is like an experience. Every day I look forward to my listening session that night, and sometimes I literally jump out of my skin with excitement at what I hear.  
 
My amps for the year I've owned the two were a Glow Audio Amp One tube amp, and a BSG CMoy solid state portable.  Today they are the BSG and a little Millet Starving Student tube/hybrid).  In my opinion, the K70x series functions best with a quality tube amp.  I always have problems with hum, so I attach a 75 Ohm resistance cable that came from Etymotic, and it solves the problem with my BSG and Millet.  For my glow, I attached a 235 Ohm cable and that solve the issue there.
 
Hope this was helpful and enjoyable for you, dleblanc343, and everyone.  

 

 

[VanCitySound]

Quote:

 
[...]
 
I listen mainly to Vocal Trance when I listen to headphones.  It is extremely complex music, with many individual layers all dumped on top of each other.  With any other headphone, even the DT880/600, the many layers and effects can get plastered together when things get complex, resulting in a muddy sound in some passages/frequencies.  When this occurs, you lose a lot of the special effects present in this type of music.
 
[...]

[size=medium]I picked the K702 over the DT880(600) for vocal trance as well.  IMHO the K702 needs a bit more warmth in the female vocal range and a moderate amount more bass impact to be great for this genre.  However, the DT880(600) is, IMO, too sibilant and does not have enough sound stage to best the K702 with trance. I am still looking for the “best” HPs for this genre but for now the K702s do the job. [/size]

 

[Acix]

Quote:

[size=medium]I picked the K702 over the DT880(600) for vocal trance as well.  IMHO the K702 needs a bit more warmth in the female vocal range and a moderate amount more bass impact to be great for this genre.  However, the DT880(600) is, IMO, too sibilant and does not have enough sound stage to best the K702 with trance. I am still looking for the “best” HPs for this genre but for now the K702s do the job. [/size]

Maybe you can check out the Violectric V-100 amp, is great combo for the K-702. The other option will be the Ultrasones 650.
 
 

 

[Kouzelna]

Acix, I'll check out that amp.  Is it a tube?  The analytical sound of the K70x loves tubes, they warm 'em up.  (Plus I love tubes!  I love 'em!  Eat 'em with my Cheerios every morning!)
 
VanCitySound:
 
Yeah, agreed.  A little more warmth & bass impact would be awesome, though I don't much miss it anymore with the K702 like I did with the 701.  I'm wondering if the T1 is this perfect headphone, as everything I've read suggests it is.  But for $250 - 1/5th the price and an affordable amount at that - you can't beat the K702, and nothing I've ever heard even comes close to it.  Tube amps do warm the cans up a little and increase its impact a little... and I'm wondering about Black Dragon cables, I've never had the dough to try them, as the guys who make them say they solve both problems.  
 
Question:  did you find a major difference between the 701 and 702 like I did?

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Acix, I'll check out that amp.  Is it a tube?  The analytical sound of the K70x loves tubes, they warm 'em up.  (Plus I love tubes!  I love 'em!  Eat 'em with my Cheerios every morning!)
 
VanCitySound:
 
Yeah, agreed.  A little more warmth & bass impact would be awesome, though I don't much miss it anymore with the K702 like I did with the 701.  I'm wondering if the T1 is this perfect headphone, as everything I've read suggests it is.  But for $250 - 1/5th the price and an affordable amount at that - you can't beat the K702, and nothing I've ever heard even comes close to it.  Tube amps do warm the cans up a little and increase its impact a little... and I'm wondering about Black Dragon cables, I've never had the dough to try them, as the guys who make them say they solve both problems.  
 
Question:  did you find a major difference between the 701 and 702 like I did?

The Violectric V-100 is a solid state amp, a little warm / full body with a good bass impact. Here is more info: http://www.head-fi.org/t/551173/review-violectric-hpa-v200-amp

 

[Kouzelna]

Ack.  Expensive.  I don't like SS enough to pay that for it.  Never found any that I liked, though I really like how my BSG works with my ER-4.  For that money I'd buy a Woo 3.  
 
It looks really nice though!  I'd sure love to try one.

 

[brat]

I had a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 880 250 ohm and loved the sound of them for about a year until a few days ago they unfortunately broke
(The right driver is damaged only, rest of cans in perfect condition. Up in the FS/WTB section - http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f10/fs...amaged-440532/)
With my Beyers now damaged and up for sale, I'm contemplating purchasing a new set of cans. At the time when I purchased my DT880s, The K701s were my next choice. Now, after a year, I'm trying to decide between picking up another set of DT880s (or 770s or 990s) or buying the K701s. I listen to many types of music, but mostly rock. I also use my headphones for playing video games and watching movies, every day. I have read up extensively on the K701s and have discovered that their performance with rock music is supposedly lacking. However, I'm finding it difficult to get a solid answer on how severe this weakness is. I would like to know how much of a difference I would notice and if I should simply buy another pair of DT880s or go ahead and get the K701s. Which pair would suit my needs? (Including music, movies, and games?).

Neither DT880, nor k701 are good for rock. There're far more suitable choises. I'd choose some grado or sennheiser.

 

[Kouzelna]

Zlashed,
 
if you want some really durable, affordable, and super awesome headphones for rock and gaming, and movies, you really can't beat the Audio Technica M50.  Check it out.  Amazon offers a 30-day return on them if you keep them and the box in new condition.  And I've never known anyone whose gotten them and not loved them.  They are a little tinny when you get them but that goes away after about 100 hours or so.  It's like having your own dance club in your head, they are intimate, solid, and good for isolation as well.  The normal model has a curled cord while the M50S has a straight cord which I like better.
 
I think the K702 is good for these things too, but only if you like the weaker, more expansive sound of the 702 like I do.  They are certainly great for effects.  But the M50 is a slamming headphone hands down, and very affordable for using for those purposes.  Generally, when I watch movies or whatever I eat dinner, so I want a headphone that can get a little dirty or slopped around a bit at my computer desk.  The M50 is solid and cheap(er), so it fits the bill better than most cans.
 
Have fun!

 

[dleblanc343]

And have any of you had the chance to try the Shure srh940's? I heard its sound sig is similar to the akg and beyer headphones; how would it compare?

 

[VanCitySound]

 
Quote:

 
Question:  did you find a major difference between the 701 and 702 like I did?

 
I had the chance to A-B-C the K701, K702 and Q701 versions with “I will Be Here – Wolfgang Gartner Remix” at a meet.  The difference was small but I found that the Q version had the most bass.  Soundstage and midrange were very similar.  I couldn’t tell much of a difference between the regular 701 and 702.  This may simply be production variance between the models but if I had to buy a new pair it would be the Q. Jones version based on that comparison.

 
 

 

[VanCitySound]

Quote:

Maybe you can check out the Violectric V-100 amp, is great combo for the K-702. The other option will be the Ultrasones 650.
 
 

 
That amp looks nice.  I use the Burson HA-160 for the K702s and it seems to work well for solid state.  I’d like to try them with some tubes one day.
 
I am considering giving the HD650’s another try out.  I have tried them a few times but it is hard to give up the soundstage on the K702s.  In fact I have back to backed the K702 with the HD800s and the stage on the K702s, IMO, is “better” to my ears for vocal trance. 
 
I have also listened to the Ultrasone Pro 900 and found them quite good but the bass was a bit too much and the stage was “closed”.
 
I have found that the LCD2’s did vocal trance quite well.

 
 

 

[VanCitySound]

 
Quote:

And have any of you had the chance to try the Shure srh940's? I heard its sound sig is similar to the akg and beyer headphones; how would it compare?

 
Yes, I compared them to my SHR840s, my (former) DT880(600)s and the K702s and found them to be quite good.  More stage that the 840s with nice warmth.  To my ears they bested the DT880s, although I seem to have trouble with the DT880s highs which kills the Beyers for me.  The 904s are definitely great cans and seem to do trance quite well.  Definitely HPs to consider!   However, they just don’t have the separation and stage of the K702s IMO.  I would say that to my ears they would be in the top four HPs that I have heard to date for trance (those being the Q/K702/1, LCD2, HD650 and SHR940).

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Neither DT880, nor k701 are good for rock. There're far more suitable choises. I'd choose some grado or sennheiser.

It's really up to the recorded materials.

 

[NA Blur]

If it were me I would go for some Q701's.  The treble is not quite as harsh as the K701 and the bass is just a tad lifted.  After they burn in ( 200+ hours ) they sound even nicer.  In fact, I am ordering a pair now.
 
I needed something that images well and sounds more up front than my D2000's.  The Q701 does the trick.  I tried pair of Grado RS-1's, but the comfort is just horrible and with the comfy pads the sound is not the same.
 
I try to avoid cans that have the spike in the impedence curve.  I just do not like how most amps handle the current draw.