[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh yes but, what about bass quantity? full potential doen't mean more bass after 300hours.

You may find in the final analysis that your amplifier is not a good match for the 701. Wait until you've got more hours on them and if the bass is still lacking, I would suspect you need an amp that can supply more current.

 

[slwiser]

I heard this headphone at the MD/DC/VA meet. I think if I was ever in the market for an open headphone this would be the one, the K701. It has the best of the DT880 and the HD650 much like the open Audio-Technica phones. Oh! yea, that's right, I am a AT guy, now maybe if ever it in the market it would be those AD2Ks...you never know do ya!

 

[Blasyrkh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth You may find in the final analysis that your amplifier is not a good match for the 701. Wait until you've got more hours on them and if the bass is still lacking, I would suspect you need a amp that can supply more current.

it is what i was thinking at the begininng, but it's quite strange that i can't get enough current from one among the mg head, cd player, sound card or receiver...

but the problem is not that it's totally absent, it's that it's shy, like the dt880

 

[Filburt]

Argh, these 880 vs 701 threads are just killing me. I can't decide between the two. I've only heard the older 880 model, and really liked it a lot. I tend to like a bit of emphasis in the upper registers, so maybe that had something to do with it. However, people keep saying the 701 is just the bees knees, and so I'm wondering if maybe it'll retain what I liked about the 880 while improving even further.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh it is what i was thinking at the begininng, but it's quite strange that i can't get enough current from one among the mg head, cd player, sound card or receiver... but the problem is not that it's totally absent, it's that it's shy, like the dt880

I understand what you're saying, but the 701s that I have are not the least bit thin in the bass department being driven from the HR MAX or the Corda Aria. When I drive them with the SR-71, they aren't bass shy either, but they don't have the punch and aliveness that they do with the Max or Aria.

I wonder if there are unit to unit variations with the 701s? You almost sound like you're describing the 501s.

 

[Blasyrkh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth I understand what you're saying, but the 701s that I have are not the least bit thin in the bass department being driven from the HR MAX or the Corda Aria. When I drive them with the SR-71, they aren't bass shy either, but they don't have the punch and aliveness that they do with the Max or Aria. I wonder if there are unit to unit variations with the 701s? You almost sound like you're describing the 501s.

well, it's quite punchy and alive, but it lacks quantity in some recording, above all rock/metal ones...maybe they do really need burnin

did you ever listened to the dt880?

 

[kwkarth]

BTW, TXA, excellent review. Very descriptive!

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh well, it's quite punchy and alive, but it lacks quantity in some recording, above all rock/metal ones...maybe they do really need burnin did you ever listened to the dt880?

Nope. I was almost ready to by a pair of 880s when the 701 showed up on the scene and I went for them instead. You know, my 701s were never bass shy even fresh out of the box. Too bad we can't compare 701s to see if it is a difference in the cans.

 

[Blasyrkh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwkarth Too bad we can't compare 701s to see if it is a difference in the cans.

right

 

[acs236]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa However, the 701 mid-range is not 650 mid-range. For Kef and B&W listeners, the K701 is more classic Kef, the HD650, more classic B&W.

Nice!

My experience with speakers is a bit limited in terms of overall brands, but I own Kefs for my home theater. Recently, at a mid to high end shop, I was listening to some fancy systems that I could never afford. One of them had B&W speakers. I always heard very positive things about them, but I didn't like them that much. It was kind of driving the salesperson crazy -- "How could you like these!? They're almost perfect!" At the time, it never occurred to me that I was really a Kef guy.

It's all starting to make sense.

 

[Afrikane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh well, it's quite punchy and alive, but it lacks quantity in some recording, above all rock/metal ones...maybe they do really need burnin did you ever listened to the dt880?

I have the 2006 DT880 with 80+ hours on them and compared to the K701 also with 80+ hours the DT880 has far greater bass than the K701 using the MG Head to drive them. To get good bass going on the K701 I find I have to dial the volume up to 12'o clock before it begins to rock. Excuse my noobness but does this point to the K701 needing more current than the MG Head can provide as pointed out by kwkarth?

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh i have a k701 with about 30 hours of break in...and i think bass is still too shy if compared to the other frequencies which is your experience with the bass of the k701? it improves with more burn in?

Yes, it does, and not just a bit. Finally the low bass is even stronger than that of the HD 650, whereas mid- and upper bass are still a bit leaner. But by all means there's enough bass to remove all the initial thinness; with most recordings I would even call the K 701 slightly full and warm.

It's not just the drivers breaking in, but also the earpads getting softer, which brings the drivers closer to your ears and makes for a fuller, bassier sound. So letting it play in the drawer doesn't develop the whole potential -- the pads need wear-in as well. All in all 300 hours is just the point where the changing curve becomes flatter, not the end of the break-in process.

 

[txa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blasyrkh well, it's quite punchy and alive, but it lacks quantity in some recording, above all rock/metal ones...maybe they do really need burnin did you ever listened to the dt880?

Hi Basyrkh,

It may be that the 880 and 701 are balanced in a way that is new for you. I believe these two to have a very neutral and linear bass response. There is no 'right' way to look at things, but matching is important. A lot of rock music can sound thin through these cans because it is the music that is shy on bass - and usually, deeper bass.

The 880 and 701 have no accentuated bass and will make bass-shy rock sound, well, bass-shy. Put in some bass-heavy rock, rap, or some jazz with good bass rhythm and let me know if these still seem bass-shy to you. I'm curious because it might be that you just like more bass than is there in the recording, or your recordings are bass shy.

 

[txa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa Hi Basyrkh, It may be that the 880 and 701 are balanced in a way that is new for you. I believe these two to have a very neutral and linear bass response. There is no 'right' way to look at things, but matching is important. A lot of rock music can sound thin through these cans because it is the music that is shy on bass - and usually, deeper bass. The 880 and 701 have no accentuated bass and will make bass-shy rock sound, well, bass-shy. Put in some bass-heavy rock, rap, or some jazz with good bass rhythm and let me know if these still seem bass-shy to you. I'm curious because it might be that you just like more bass than is there in the recording, or your recordings are bass shy.

Also - yes, I have found the 701 to become more full in the bass department around the 110-130 hour mark. It was noticeable enough for me to think that perhaps I had done something with my gear. As you wear the phones, the pads will break-in, brining your ears ever-so-slightly closer to the drivers which adds to the effect.

 

[J-Pak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa Tanks J-Pak! I mentioned the Kef and B&W speakers not for an absolute comparison, but a relative one between their respective midrange delivery and that of the HD650 vs. K701. Though both B&W and Kef are excellent speakers, and both usually described as neutral-type monitors, they do have a sonic signature. And I have found throughout the past couple of decades that B&W kevlar-based midrange driver delivers on the ever-so- thick side of neutral, while the Kef is a little lighter and brighter. This is what I wanted to convey about the 650 and 701, respectively. Bass, high frequencies, and the entire delivery are a bit different when comparing phones to speakerss. I still haven't heard that 800 diamond tweeter, but it's got some great press and I'm very enthused to give them an audition!

I definetly agree with you on that

I'm also eager to hear the 800 series diamond tweeter

I'm now even more tempted to order a K701 even though the wait is so long