Hi, currently i have both of these headphones here with me. What i noticed is that the HD599 offers more detail and especially more precise imaging. I always thought the K701 was supposed to be an analytical headphone but it falls short on detail and has blurry imaging. Now for the moment i run both of these unamped since i just got back into this hobby 2-3 month ago. Will amping the AKG help with its shortcomings? And what am synergises well with the K701? My budget would be around 400-500 Euro.
You are not giving the K701 a fair shake with your current setup. The K701 must be amped in order to find its peak performance. And just to clarify, your budget you list of 400-500 euros would be for that new amp?
Hi, currently i have both of these headphones here with me. What i noticed is that the HD599 offers more detail and especially more precise imaging. I always thought the K701 was supposed to be an analytical headphone but it falls short on detail and has blurry imaging. Now for the moment i run both of these unamped since i just got back into this hobby 2-3 month ago. Will amping the AKG help with its shortcomings? And what am synergises well with the K701? My budget would be around 400-500 Euro.
Most likely it can help with the blurry detail if whatever you have it hooked up to is distorting trying to drive it at the levels you're listening at.
As for imaging, that depends. What's imprecise about it vs the HD599? Because chances are it's the K701 that's more precise but you're too used to what a headphone should sound and think the HD599 is more precise, not to mention the wider and deeper image on the K701. Where exactly do you perceive instruments are in one headphone vs the other?
I ended up buying a Woo 5LE because I wanted to hear what the k701 would do with correct power. So naturally I got on the bandwagon that the headphone is misunderstood due to so many folks under driving it.
It’s actually really hard to drive I feel. Though my Asgard One does a very close to adequate job also. Folks found that more power could add about a dB of bass but what was really changing was the bass detail.
More detail in the bass has the perplexing sound of way more bass. Though in the end I don’t listen to them as much as I used to. I still love that headphone, probably due to it’s unique character and wonderful soundstage. It’s fast too!
As others have mentioned,the K701 isnt a headphone that you simply plug into a laptop or phone and enjoy. They can be a bit demanding when it comes to amping.
I use the Gilmore Lite MK2 for it and my ATH AD2000s and have no complaints.
If you are using both headphones unamped then of course the HD599 will seem just as good if not better, but the point at which the K701 will outperform the HD599 is when you amp it. Then you will rediscover the K701's full potential.
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