[Snusk-Pelle]

I received my K501 a few days ago. I have used HD600 for a year. HD600 is the best headphones i have so i always compare headphones to HD600. I have a few other headphones, HD570, Philips HP890 and Sony MDR-CD480. None of them comes close to HD600 in sound quality. I decided before i bought K501 that if K501 were not close to HD600 i would stop buying headphones and only use HD600. First thing i noticed when i started to listen to K501 was that they were very detailed. I thought HD600 was detailed but this was even better. Next thing, K501 has less bass than HD600. The bass is not missing,but it is less than HD600. K501 does not sound as natural as HD600. This seems to be the biggest difference between HD600 and other headphones. HD600 is the most natural sounding headphones i have ever heard. A difference between K501 and my other headphones except HD600, is that they sound distorted. Sony MDR-CD480 is horrible, unnatural and distorted sound.

K501 is the second best headphone i have. It is nice to see that AKG can make headphones that can compete with HD600. I nearly had given up on finding headphones that was even close to HD600. I have only used my K501 for ten hours, maybe the sound will change or i will get used to the sound. Then they even could be better than HD600. Or a different amp could change the sound.

Conclusion
HD600 is better than K501. K501 needs more bass. K501 does not sound natural. K501 is amazingly detailed.

Here is what i use to drive my headphones
Musical fidelty X-CANV2
Hoyo DVD player
M-Audio Audiophile soundcard
Pioneer equalizer

 

[Neruda]

what is it about the K501 that you don't find as natural as the HD600? Personally I don't find anything about the HD600 to be truly natural.

 

[RickG]

[size=medium]LOL!!![/size] Oh mama.....here we go again....

 

[AtEase]

Snusk-Pelle seems to be new around here, if only he knew the can of worms he just opened up ....

Let the flame-war begin

 

[DanG]

Thanks for the comparison, Snusk-Pelle, and welcome to Head-Fi!

I do not have much experience with the K501 but I would also be interested in why you think the HD600 is more natural? Is it simply the bass? Or perhaps you find that the instruments are better fleshed-out with the increased bass authority?

Thanks again!

 

[Neruda]

Quote:

Originally posted by RickG [size=medium]LOL!!![/size] Oh mama.....here we go again....

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Quote:

Originally posted by RickG [size=medium]LOL!!![/size] Oh mama.....here we go again....

Quote:

Originally posted by AtEase Snusk-Pelle seems to be new around here, if only he knew the can of worms he just opened up .... Let the flame-war begin

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Quote:

Musical fidelty X-CANV2 Hoyo DVD player M-Audio Audiophile soundcard Pioneer equalizer

So... I take it you listened out of two setups, like... this?

Hoyo DVD player -> Pioneer equalizer -> MF XcanV2
M-Audio -> MF XcanV2

Did you defeat the EQ while comparing the two phones?

 

[vb1]

"Can of worms"

Isn't that the V600?

 

[KR...]

Well, I think that the 501 sound really bad with the X-cans.
I would save up for a headroom amp like the Home if you want to hear what the 501's can really do.
But, even then, I like the 600's a lot better.
It's all a matter of taste.

 

[tangent]

SP,

Your review sounds exactly like what I hear with the HD580s and the K401s. The main difference is that I really don't miss the bass with the K401s. I view bass as nice to have, but not a major loss when it's gone. It's like "detail" in an amp -- my car stereo has no detail, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying music in the car. I definitely appreciate all these nice things when they're there -- tight, fast bass...sweet, crisp highs...minute detail -- but the tune's the thing to me. I don't need to be able to discern the pattern of the grain on the parquet floor from the sound the orchestra's chairs make when someone gets up and bumps their chair back a bit.

I also don't know about "natural" -- I've yet to hear any system that's really natural. Down here with the low-thousand-dollar systems, everything's still just a recording. Good thing that doesn't make the music unenjoyable.

Given a choice between these two phones, I'd definitely pick the HD580s every time. But, given a choice between the K401s and several others in its price class for a second headphone, I seriously doubt I'd pick something else. For $100-120, the K401s are a sweet, entertaining headphone. I don't regret purchasing my set one bit.

Don't mind the flames, SP. You've got a rig you enjoy -- so enjoy it! Some people think there are Absolutes in this very subjective hobby....

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I don't see any flames... *as of now*

 

[gavinbirss]

Hello,

I have heard both and if I had choose between them I would
take them both. Since both are excellent headphones regardless
of the price.

I do however feel that you pay not just for the sonic qualities of HD600 but also the asthetics. The carbon fibre housing, aluminium cover and the ear pads.

Whereas with the K501 you pay for the sound, so a price comparison is not entirely justified.

Maybe a good sacrafice would be to cut them both in half and
listen to the K 501 on the left and the HD600 on the right ear.

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Bloggs I don't see any flames... *as of now*

d00d. S3nnheiser R0X0RS your BOXORS! AKG SUCX0RS.

Notice the obligatory use of letters instead of numbers. I'm quite proud of that.

If anyone's wondering, this is a JOKE.

 

[Snusk-Pelle]

I have been reading this forum for a year. I know about the war between team sennheiser and team AKG. But that is not going to stop me posting my opinions about AKG and sennheiser. I have seen so many flamewars on USENET, i know how they works.


To Neruda
The voices sounds more natural in HD600. K501 have a bit of that telephone sound that many cheap headphones have. I dont think it is the less bass that makes them less natural.

To Joe Bloggs
I always use the equalizer. The equalizer is connected to X-CANs so everything goes through it. I can't stand any headphone without equalizing. To me all headphones are too bright. I am going start another thread about this. K501 is a bit brighter than HD600, so i removed some treble.

To Tangent
We are different. To me details are important. I have stopped listening to music in my car. I rest my ears and wait to i get home and can listen in my HD600. The detailed sound is what makes K501 a good headphone.