[tdogzthmn]

I went from the HD800 to a K1000 but have since sold both.  My K240DF and K400 are still favorites of mine.  The K240DF for its clean and super detailed sound was similar to that of the HD800, and the K400 just makes music sound beautiful.

 

[Quimi]

I have another time the K701. I sold the HD800.
Also I have the HD650.

 

[Diseree]

I have both K701 and HD800. I also have T1, D7000 and HD650. All of them are my favorite.
My main cans is K701, with approx. 50% of headphone listening time.
 
K701 : 50%, connected to ORB JADE-2 Limited
HD650 : 25%, connected to Nmode X-HA1 with SAEC balanced cable
T1 : 15%, connected to Nmode X-HA1
AH-D7000 : <5%, connected to Luxman P-700u
HD800 : <5%, connected to Luxman P-700u with SAEC balanced cable
HD598 : <1%, connected to FOSTEX HP-A8
MDR-MA900 : <1%, connected to DacMagic Plus
beats pro : <1%, connected to Walkman, Smartphone

 

[blownsi]

You can add me to this list.  I like the HD800 but only on perfect source material, for most of my redbook recordings the 701 just gets it right and the extra 5% that the HD800 reveals is just not worth the cost.  To be honest if the HD800 and the 701 were the same cost I"m not sure which I'd choose but with the HD800 at 5x the cost it's a no-brainer.

 

[banquier]

Listen to female voice: k701
everything else: hd800

 

[banquier]

Which is harder to rig its full potential, K701 or HD800?

 

[Ilja77]

Hello.
 
I have Lynx Hilo and AKG K702. Thinking to buy HD800..
 
Reading of this topic i thinking how it can be to compare two real different categories of sound.. akg k702 (250 EUR) and HD 800 (1500 EUR).
 
HD800 must be better in all. But when I read topic - it is not..
 
After reading topic, i made a conclusion that first strong problem is a too high treble of HD800..
 
Is interesting, is somewhere real frequency response graph of HD800.. ?

 

[poikkeus]

Unamped, the HD800 is the winner, hands down. Not that you'll be listening to music this way, but the volume is just fine, and there's plenty of detail. 
 
Amped. both phones reach their potential. The K701 has lots of detail in the treble - which I love - but there's only adequate bass, even at its best. The HD800 isn't exactly a bass monster, but overall, it's a great phone. Not the best for metal or reggae, but it handles most everything else well. And the soundstage is exceptional.
 
Maybe my ears are blown, but I don't have any problem with either phones.

 

[Ilja77]

 
Unamped, the HD800 is the winner, hands down. Not that you'll be listening to music this way, but the volume is just fine, and there's plenty of detail. 
 
Amped. both phones reach their potential. The K701 has lots of detail in the treble - which I love - but there's only adequate bass, even at its best. The HD800 isn't exactly a bass monster, but overall, it's a great phone. Not the best for metal or reggae, but it handles most everything else well. And the soundstage is exceptional.
 
Maybe my ears are blown, but I don't have any problem with either phones.

 
So, you think if I will bought HD800, I do not need to sell K702 cause some music will be preferable only in K702 ?
PS
I have Lynx Hilo dac + headphones amp in it. 

 

[poikkeus]

   
So, you think if I will bought HD800, I do not need to sell K702 cause some music will be preferable only in K702 ?
PS
I have Lynx Hilo dac + headphones amp in it. 

I think you have it right - or at least, that's how it worked out for me.
 
The K701 is a fine headphone, but best suited for more "refined" music that's lighter on bass. The HD800 is notably more accurate and better suited for a variety of music - though metal, reggae, and hip-hop is better suited for phones with more of a bass-y presence. I purchased my HD800 when it came out, and haven't found anything to unseat it. (I haven't tried any of the Audeze line, however.)

 

[Ilja77]

 
I think you have it right - or at least, that's how it worked out for me.
 
The K701 is a fine headphone, but best suited for more "refined" music that's lighter on bass. The HD800 is notably more accurate and better suited for a variety of music - though metal, reggae, and hip-hop is better suited for phones with more of a bass-y presence. I purchased my HD800 when it came out, and haven't found anything to unseat it. (I haven't tried any of the Audeze line, however.)

 
And what about treble (high frequencys) on HD800 ? vs K701 ? People says that treble on HD800 is very high, and need some equalization to listen it. 

 

[Dexon]

I'm 90% into classical and I really appreciate all the goodies from HD800 but something definitely ain't right with that ring radiator and how it handles attack / leading edge on notes. For a couple years I've used only HD800 and recently took K702 for a moment.  Wow, how gorgeous are those contours around a firm Steinway sounds. Something that so missing on HD800, no matter what drives them. K70x bass is perhaps very best I've heard in audio ever. So tight and precise. HD800 bass probably has some more texture in it but next to K70x it sounds flabby. Same goes for attack generally throughout a spectrum.  Nowadays I more often choose AKG when there's modern piano in the recording.

 

[Ilja77]

  I'm 90% into classical and I really appreciate all the goodies from HD800 but something definitely ain't right with that ring radiator and how it handles attack / leading edge on notes. For a couple years I've used only HD800 and recently took K702 for a moment.  Wow, how gorgeous are those contours around a firm Steinway sounds. Something that so missing on HD800, no matter what drives them. K70x bass is perhaps very best I've heard in audio ever. So tight and precise. HD800 bass probably has some more texture in it but next to K70x it sounds flabby. Same goes for attack generally throughout a spectrum.  Nowadays I more often choose AKG when there's modern piano in the recording.

 
Very interesting, thank you.
 
So, the best way to know is buy and listing by my self  

 

[pcourtney]

Dexon has it right, modern piano on the K702 is sumptuous, the more complex the piece the better, try to audition the K702 cans with a good amp ( I have the Lehmann BC) and a top quality SACD player, it is a true benchmark for what can be heard, I'm not saying it's utopia, but for not much money you can set the bar pretty high, and then try to beat it ( or match it ) over the next ten years or so -  it's a good a start as any in the mad head fi world  
 
I have heard the HD800 and HD600 a lot over the years, and I always feel cheated, not in a bad way, just that I want it to sound perfect, no cans ever will of course, but when I compare my AKG-340's with the Sennheiser's, to my ears I prefer the 340's - AKG really got something pretty good there, as good as the K-1000's IMHO  ( but different ) 
 
I would also say, that the AKG-601's are highly underrated on this forum, and many of my friends who have heard my AKG headphones really love the 601's (after the 340's) 

 

[csmx123]

I went back from HD800 to AKG Q701, simply because 701's bass is faster than HD800, and mid is very forwarded. I'd say 701s are better phones for rock than HD800. Just my personal preference.
 
Best decision ever XD.
 
Edit:
Plust, 701s have no spikes like HD800. However, the downsides are transparency and imaging. I've ordered some HE-6s, hopefully it will replace my HD800 and Q701
 
Edit 2:
As I was about to sell my HD800, I thought about, hey, what will happen if I remove the french mod. Turns out, it is the french mod that has been messing up my HD800. After removing the french mod, my HD800 had more impact, and no spikes after 10khz. Then I removed my HD800 dust cover, they sound great for rock now. However, I think Q701 still has an edge on the bass speed. Therefore I'm keeping both now . Still waiting on that HE-6!