Beyer 880 vs AKG K501 Shoot out

[Gigabomber]

Pick which one you'd buy from the headphone fairy if you were stranded on a desert island and...
forget the scenario

I've just read several threads between the two and they seem to slide towards one or the other seemingly at random (though the chaos theory would probably help in such cases though common sense might help me too).
So pick one and be accountable!

No, I am not offering a third option cause you'd all pick it, and besides, the headphone fairy is biased (go ask her).
You may help yourself out by transporting all of your non-headphone gear to the island and get all sorts of battiers and junk that you need. Heck, even a satellite internet connection. Yet all of the headphone sites are down! (conspiracy

besides, you don't know the address)

Oh and don't forget: all votes since the beginning have been between a giant turd and a ... well you remember the southpark episode

 

[philodox]

I would ask the headphone fairy which one she likes. I would then take the other pair and invite her to listen with me for a while. You never know, the fey can get really friendly some times.... and there are more important things than headphones if you are stranded on an island.

 

[Gigabomber]

pretty sure where your loyalties lie! head-fi heretic!

 

[atx]

I have both. The K501 is definitely the winner by a pretty big margin IMO.

 

[Aman]

The midrange on the 501s is REALLY sweet and just fantastic - but everything else about them suffers for it. The DT880s may be a more balanced headphone, but much more dynamic as well. If I had to choose one, it'd be the DT880s for me because they are the "jack of all trades" that you really don't get with much audio gear now-a-days.

 

[Gigabomber]

well not really mayhem but...
also, does anyone know a retail place that sells the beyers cheaper than BH photo at $ 225.95? (no one seems to have a pair to sell me for cheaper)

Was going to go for the 501s at 145 or whatever it was, but - lest you forget - fairys don't quibble on price (at least not the fairy i'm talking about).

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman The midrange on the 501s is REALLY sweet and just fantastic - but everything else about them suffers for it.

Well not exactly. Their highs are probably the best I've heard in their price range. Their bass extension is lacking, but the bass is very tight and controlled. But yes their lack of bass can be annoying at times.

I haven't heard the beyer t880's and I hope to hear them one day. Until then, the k501 would be plenty.

 

[Gigabomber]

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1sixerfan Well not exactly. Their highs are probably the best I've heard in their price range. Their bass extension is lacking, but the bass is very tight and controlled. But yes their lack of bass can be annoying at times. I haven't heard the beyer t880's and I hope to hear them one day. Until then, the k501 would be plenty.

(I notice number1 has AKG K1000s as well...)
So sixer, How do you think the 1000s sound signature compares to the general character of the 501s? (I am still considering selling house and going electrostatic to decide for myself)

 

[number1sixerfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gigabomber (I notice number1 has AKG K1000s as well...) So sixer, How do you think the 1000s sound signature compares to the general character of the 501s? (I am still considering selling house and going electrostatic to decide for myself)

The signature of the k501s and the k1000s are very similar. Vocals are great on both, both have great soundstaging(k1000s have a much wider and deeper ss though), both very transparent(once again the k1000s winning in this department), both great at imaging(imaging noticeably better on k1000s, best aspect of them imo) and both are dynamic and lively.

The k1000 is a tad bright on some songs while the k501 remains to be nuetral. Overall I prefer the k1000, but the k501 does have a few advantages. Vocals in my opinion sound better with the k501 because they are pushed foward. The k1000s vocals aren't recessed, but they aren't as foward as the k501. Also the k501 is less open, so it is sometimes easier to enjoy them. The k1000s need silence since you can hear ALL outside noise.

 

[atx]

Quote:

The midrange on the 501s is REALLY sweet and just fantastic - but everything else about them suffers for it. The DT880s may be a more balanced headphone, but much more dynamic as well.

That's the key point. After an hour of listening with the 501s, I found the 880s to be severely recessed in the midrange. Vocals sound distant, and live performances is just plain unlistenable compared to the 501s.


Quote:

If I had to choose one, it'd be the DT880s for me because they are the "jack of all trades" that you really don't get with much audio gear now-a-days

Between just the 880s and the 501s, I would probably agree. But I would much prefer the Senn HD580/600 over the Beyer 880 for a "jack of all trades" and balanced headphone.

 

[SDA]

After an hour of listening to the K501, EVERYTHING seems to have a recessed midrange

If I had to pick a single headphone, I'd pick something else. If I had to pick from these two and these two only, though, I'd probably go K501. I know the DT880 is generally said to be more balanced and a better all-rounder, but my ears say that they like the K501 more than the DT880 for most stuff, so it's what I'd pick.

 

[Borat]

If you already had a Sennheiser HD580/600 and you wanted a second headphone, between the K501 and the DT880, which would give you more of a different flavor?

I'm going back and forth between them too so thanks for starting this thread Gigabomber. I'm also looking at the Grado 325i. I think I'm having a hard time making decisions on what cans to buy because I can't tell whether my setup is dark or bright.

Can someone tell me if the Chaintech AV710 and Toshiba 3950 are dark or bright sources?

 

[Gigabomber]

Quote:

Originally Posted by atx That's the key point. After an hour of listening with the 501s, I found the 880s to be severely recessed in the midrange. Vocals sound distant, and live performances is just plain unlistenable compared to the 501s.

I feel a bit like this with my senn 595s when compared to the ms-2is that I sold: the whole sound just isn't as engaging. Along with this, the 595 soundstage feels distant and flat. I am hoping this changes with more burn-in, though they are used - but it doesn't look like i'm going to wait.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Borat I think I'm having a hard time making decisions on what cans to buy because I can't tell whether my setup is dark or bright. Can someone tell me if the Chaintech AV710 and Toshiba 3950 are dark or bright sources?

You should probably start a thread for this by first discussing what you think of the cans you can remember that you have tried with your setup. This sounds like a good way to get down to how you hear, and would probably be better than having a bunch of folks super-impose their own signature preference

 

[sacundim]

My opinion here is completely unoriginal-- the AKG has one glaring, obvious flaw (awful bass extension), and one really brilliant aspect (the midrange). The flaw, as far as I'm concerned, makes most of my music unlistenable on the AKG. The midrange, on the other hand, means that the minority of albums that don't suffer because of the lack of bass sound that much better on the AKG.

The DT880, having no glaring flaws in comparison, sounds pretty good with all of my music, even if the AKG outperforms in a minority of albums.

The result, of course, is that for me, the AKG will always be a "second" headphone.

 

[Gigabomber]

started another thread for this