I think there might be an upcoming Schiit that fits the bill. That said, if you like it out of the nuforce, you'll love it out of a better amp. If you don't, you won't, period. The nuforce is at least good enough to form an educated opinion on its performance.
Well that is a relief. I know the nuforce aren't anywhere as good as a great headphone amp, but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to form an accurate opinion using them. From what I gather, all headphones need a burning in period. But you can still get a general sense of how they will sound upon first listen.
So I'm glad I can at least do that with the nuforce. I'm both excited and terrified about getting these tomorrow. But I mean...even if I don't really like them, I can take them back and get Grados. Either way, (even if I do love them and keep them) - I plan on getting an amp + Grados sr 225 in a couple weeks.
Based on some of the stuff you listed as your favorite music I think you will probably like the SR225 better unless you value a large soundstage which the SR225 lacks completely. In know way am I trying to sway you but having owned both they will probably fit you better. The 225 have much punchier and heavy bass but for some reason I always listened to the K701s more even with rock and metal music and ended up selling my grados. Your mileage will vary for sure though.
Well, personally I don't think the 225s are great value for money, so perhaps that is it. Different strokes for different folks after all, even those who listen to the same music. I'm strange in that I love classical on Grados. Just my personal taste.
They have good reviews because a lot of people love them. They have bad reviews because a lot of people don't.
Don't feel any regret until you've spent a week listening to them, keep the box pristine while you do and make sure your hair is always clean, they get no where near perfume or pets or smoke or hair products and be very careful with them.
At the end of that, if you don't like them you should be able to sell them LNIB or trade them for something else on the classifieds here and consider the loss as a "rental fee".
My own two cents? I love them, but tend to reach for them for certain genres. Electronica, or any electronic music, classical, complex rock and jazz - absolutely amazing.
In the age of internet purchasing you rely on the opinions of others before you pull the trigger on a big purchase. In my brief time with this hobby, I have learned that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks about a piece of gear because everyone hears differently. The only true universal language in audio is price. If you want top shelf headphones you pay a top shelf price. There is no denying you bought a nice set of cans, the only question is... will they sound good to you. I hope you really like them! Either way, let us know what you think when you can spend some time with them.
Why are you shy about the Beats, I LOVE the Beats.
Anyway you're getting the K702s, just give them a listen. If you don't like them after a week, ship them back for a refund and get the SR225.
Don't be fooled by overwhelming praise or disdain from this forum for any set of equipment. We are not you. Only you can decide what is good for you.
Personally I think the SR225 is an overpriced pile of you-know-what. With stock bowls they are way too bright and shrill. They cost more than twice the price of the SR80, which out of the box IMO sounds better and is more convenient to boot because of the 3.5mm plug.
On the other hand I felt the K701 is a steal for what it goes nowadays (about $250) and it has qualities that are not outdone by anything cheaper like its incredible soundstage (some hate that though!). The K702 is a little more expensive but still a great value IMO.
So be sure to give them a good listen -- and by a good listen I mean listen to them for at least a week -- and decide for yourself if you want to keep them or not. I also suggest listening to them without an amp, straight from your DAP or PC or CD Player in addition to amping them. Don't be fooled into thinking you need an amp. Listen to them naked and natural, you will discover more insights about their sound this way.
Why are you shy about the Beats, I LOVE the Beats.
Anyway you're getting the K702s, just give them a listen. If you don't like them after a week, ship them back for a refund and get the SR225.
Don't be fooled by overwhelming praise or disdain from this forum for any set of equipment. We are not you. Only you can decide what is good for you.
To be honest, I've always been a bit..fearful of going on these kind of forums. Audiophiles can be a bit intimidating. So I guess that is why I come across as shy. Generally speaking, I've heard a lot of people dislike the beats. Hence the comment. Not that it makes it right, as you pointed out, it's all relative to the listener. I personally did not LOVE the Beats, because I. the price II. i thought the bass was a bit too harsh on my ears. But keep in mind I wasn't amping them properly at the time (or maybe the sound just wasn't for me).
One thing I've realized tho, this forum is really welcoming and not harsh at all. I like that you guys are encouraging me to try things out for myself, and make up my own mind. I think that is the most important message I'm taking away from this today. That it all depends on the listener. Not everyone hears the same, and we all have our own preferences.
So I have to really say think you guys for being so kind and informative.
Well, I've just joined the ranks of K702 owners today after buying off a forum member. They have been recabled with Moon Audio Black Dragon (I guess there will be varying opinions of how much of a difference this will make), and to my ears they sound beautiful so far. I have some HD650s, and have listened extensively to AD700s in the past. I was worried that the K702's were going to be a bit like the AD700s, which I really didn't like that much. I found them to be a bit thin sounding, and too bright/sibilant. Seems like my worries were not justified at all. No hint of sibilance (apart from the odd recording that the Senns also show up), really neutral sound, wider sounstage than the HD650s. I really like what I'm hearing. It's early days, but at the moment, to my ears the music just sounds "right". I'm currently running these SE from my Jaycar amp, but I will be making a Buffalo DAC soon and running the K702's balanced straight from that - Can't wait to hear what that sounds like.
Strangely, I have to crank my amp volume up a bit more with the K702's than with the HD650s. So perhaps the Senns are a little easier to drive despite being a higher impedance?
Oh, and about the bass - I have no issues with lack of bass. Yes it's less than with the Senns, but I have been feeling the Senns perhaps have a touch too much lately.... I am curently running an Audio-GD Moon HDAM module in my amp, so maybe thats helping with the bass (Earth HDAM in DAC). I feel the bass MAY be a bit better quality from the AKG's over the Senns too, but as I say this is my first proper listen to them. I'm delighted with them overall. Really nice sounding 'phones to my ears.
Oh, and about the bass - I have no issues with lack of bass. Yes it's less than with the Senns, but I have been feeling the Senns perhaps have a touch too much lately....
I think the reason why many people complain about the K70x's lack of bass is because they prefer a "hyped" low range. When I used to have a pair of K701s, I thought it was just the perfect balance.
Strangely, I have to crank my amp volume up a bit more with the K702's than with the HD650s. So perhaps the Senns are a little easier to drive despite being a higher impedance?
I experienced the same thing with the K702s and my HD600s, before I got rid of the K702s. The K702s require more power for sure. They seem to like lots of power.
You may or may not like the K-702. It's not my favorite; the mids are poorly voiced. It's like a taste of vinegar in an otherwise good wine. YMMV, of course. For the wide variety of music you listen to, I think the HD-600 is the best choice. It might not astound you on first listen, but over time you'll come to realize how little it does wrong. All of the best equipment is like that. The other great thing about the HD-600 is that it scales very well. The better the amp, the better it performs.
Ditto on the mids...definite lack of body/weight compared to my other reference phones/speakers...like they need a shot of vitamin B-12 plus iron or something. Others love them though. Only your own ears can tell. It's like eating sushi or Mexican food. Some people love it...others strongly disagree.
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You may or may not like the K-702. It's not my favorite; the mids are poorly voiced. It's like a taste of vinegar in an otherwise good wine. YMMV, of course. For the wide variety of music you listen to, I think the HD-600 is the best choice. It might not astound you on first listen, but over time you'll come to realize how little it does wrong. All of the best equipment is like that. The other great thing about the HD-600 is that it scales very well. The better the amp, the better it performs.
It must be my lucky day because my friend just sold me me his extra pair of HD-600's for $150. Listening to them now...and they sound pretty fantastic! Oh no, I guess I have that bug you guys were talking about.
The headphones were already broken in (so I was told). But wow, my jaw is on the floor. Now I can't wait to get more into this. I don't even have a proper amp yet, and I'm hearing music like I've never have before. Mind you this is just first impressions. Now I'm pretty excited to try out the K702's to do a comparison. Altho it might be unfair, as the 702's will be brand new.
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