[Glod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fewtch Apparently you've never had the classic DT880 experience where the headphones vanish off your head and the music sounds live. This is "perfect" integration, in that the illusion of live music is complete! I guess a lot of people don't experience this, but check out other threads... a lot of people do as well. I don't know about HD650, but this never even remotely happened to me with HD580/600, in the three years I owned them. They were pleasant to listen to, but never pulled off the "miracles" I've heard from DT880. It's sort of depressing to realize that a lot of people never truly 'get' the DT880, perhaps due to focusing on some trivial aspect like the lead singer being slightly further back on stage, or whatever. IMO it's failing to see the forest for the trees... all too common around here. Not that you necessarily fall into this category... I have no way of really knowing, of course -- only you do.

I simply wrote about my impressions of a head-phone during a meet. I also carefully mentioned the circumstances and other gear used, to make it easier for the reader to relate to my impressions. BTW, I do like the DT880, I wrote that several times.

 

[Ferbose]

I am late in chiming in, but this is a very well written review indeed.

 

[brat]

I wonder what is your amp. The sound of a certain headphone depends much on the amp. Most people do not mention their amps but give explicit opinions.

 

[txa]

Hi again head-fiers!

I'm on the road again and settled in tonight for some extended listening. I packed all three phones in my suitcase along with a total Bithead and iPod. I focused on jazz (apple lossless) and trios tonight - Diana Krall in particular.

I have about 80 hours or so on the K701s - more than half of that from Stereophile CD3 - burn in. It's a bit more convenient to burn in phones than speakers.

Anyhow - for those of you who want the quickest of reviews, I'm going to borrow some vocabulary from Bill Ward (not his sentiments - at least none I've read): The DT880 and HD650 both INVITE attention while the K701 DEMANDS it (still).

As balanced as the K701 is, I believe it to have more volume in the upper midrange and presence region. The issue continues to be a sharpness of sound. It's an amazingly detailed and engaing sound, but it is a tad fatiguing to listen to, especially given it's integration with the bass. Let me make some comparisons in light of Krall's "My Love Is" track on her Love Scenes album:

HD650: The sound is very warm, intimate, and full sounding. Not fatiguing in the least. Her voice has nice body and texture, up-front and center, and is quite appealing. However, as the volume goes up, I am all too aware that the bass has more fullness than it should... and it's encroaching on the rest of the music. Krall's voice is still up front and center, detailed, engaging... the Senn's are great here... but there isn't quite the separation from the bass to give it a magical feel, and the finger snaps and upper octaves aren't nearly as present. Good, listenable sound... but not magical. I can't seem to find a volume level that balances things out. Too low, and her voice disappears behind the bass. To loud, and her voice is great, but the bass rattles my brain.

DT880: Extremely balanced and inviting. The acoustic bass is so well done on the 880s - it just feels right - most appealing of the three to me on this recording and hardware. And the integration from bass, mid-bass, to midrange - spot on for me. Her voice is up-front and center, but not larger than life, and quite textured. As the volume is turned up, things only get better, but I am aware that the upper octaves are elevated. Although the ambiance is exaggerated, the sound is not fatiguing. This is the phone I keep wanting to just listen to and forget about the reivew altogether. I have to work tomorrow and it would be nice just to enjoy the music...

K701: Frequency-wise, again, seems the most balanced of the three. Upper-midrange to upper octaves is outstanding... very real - best of the three and most natural sounding to me. There is no extra sheen - just balanced, engaging details. At lower volumes, Krall's voice is fantastic - good size, and I can hear every detail. However, the bass is a little light, so to get things moving, I turn it up. Once turned up, I like the bass more than HD650 (it doesn't encroach on the rest of the music), but not quite as much as DT880 (not as natural-sounding, too tight perhaps?). It's leaner and more articulate than 880, which might do well for electric bass, but acoustic really shines on 880. Ok - once I get the bass where I want it, I enjoy the inimacy of Krall's voice, but am all to aware that it is larger than life and taking dominant position. It is demanding my attention more than the rest of the music - which I expect from trio-style music. But this seems a little over-the-top and it's fatiguing. Must...turn...down...the...volume. Great... but now, where's the toe-tapping bass? Like the HD650, I had a hard time finding a volume that provided a magical set of attributes that kept me engaged. I either didn't have enough toe-tapping bass or too intense of a midrange.

Tonight's session of jazz, showcasing Ms. Krall... is best served by the DT880 to my ears.

I'll post more as the weeks unfold. The K701 IS getting better over time and I'm hopeful that the signature softens, but it is not yet where I'd like it.

Also - I've tried to indicate my opinions and not structure my sentences as fact. So please be easy on me.

 

[pageman99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa Hello fellow enthusiasts! <snip> -------------------------------------- The 701 is a happy marriage frequency-wise. It is the most neutral phone I have heard. Frequency-wise, IMO, it seems very much like an HD595, but with MUCH better articulation and space-between the notes. If you liked the 595 but listen to 650 due to articulation, you will be pleased with the 701

I originally thought after reading this: Aw!!! Now you've done it. This is exactly the sound I've often thought I wanted as I listened to my current phones. And my wallet aches.

Thanks for the update, maybe I'm safe after all!

 

[JahJahBinks]

My 701 was finally shipped last week. Woot.

 

[txa]

Another promising listening session, but not much time to write:

Lou Rawls - "You'll Never Fid Another Love Like Mine"
Without question, the HD650 shows it's strengths here. The recording is not that great, and the bass is light. With 701, bass is almost non-existent and sounds overly-damped. 880 feels much the same way. HD650 showcases Lou's deep voice and brings some life to the bass.

Joyce Cooling - pretty much all songs from "Third Wish".
What a great female guitarist. With her humming along with her solos, sort of reminds me of a modern, female George Benson. The nature of the recordings really brings out the strenghts of the 650 and 701. 880 is definitely 3rd place here. What I like about the 650's is the bass slam. Surprisingly, this is a bassy recording, yet the 650's don't sound bassy. In fact, the bass slam integrates surprisingly well with the mids - giving the music a very solid and fun feel. Very nice. The 701s on the other hand, 'envelop' me with sound. Since the recording is smooth bassy, the 701s really shine with an aura of rich mids and airy highs with ample bass. The bass doesn't have the slam of the 650s', but is just as enjoyable in it's own right. Depending on my mood - I'd prefer one or the other, so let's call it a tie.

That was it for music tonight. Let me say a few things about imaging and soundstaing.

The 880s have a large stage, both width and depth, and medium-sized, or natural-sized instruments. The instruments seem spaced quite a part, yet are integrated into a cohesive whole. This is one of the most appealing aspects of the 880 to me - such a nice soundstage to listen to.

The 701s on the other hand, have both a large stage, width and depth, and have larger-sized instruments. Depending on your taste, this can lead to a better sense of integration, or a lack of spacing between the instruments. I find that depending on the recording, I'll prefer either the 701 or the 880. The 880s more delicate nature (from mids on down), can really enhance the trios - as I mentioned the other nite. You really get the impression your in a jazz club, some distance from Krall (for example), yet close enough to be intimate with the music.

650's have a medium-sized stage with medium-to-big sized instruments. Again, depending on your preference, this will translate to the most integrated of presentations, or perhaps the most compressed. With rythmic bass that is not over the top, the 650s provide a concentrated slam with intimate mids. This combination, as in the case of Joyce Coolings recordings, is very appealing.

One final note - this on comfort. I have to revise my rankings, from

1. 701
2. 880
3. 650

to

1. 880
2. 701
3. 650

Through these extended listening session, I'm sensing just how comfy the 880 really is. The 701 is more easily adjusted and very light-feeling on the head (due to mechanism), but the pads are harder and the headband is more present after a while. The 880 seems to get even more comfortable with use.

That's it for tonight. The 701s are coming along - better and better each day. I need to get back to active break-in to speed it up. But things are looking more promising and I'm hopeful that they will settle into just a tad softer presentation that will be most appealing.

Stay tuned! And thanks for reading these extensive ramblings. I hope this journal-style prose is helpful in some manner...

 

[fewtch]

It's nice to see the DT880s holding up to K701s in most respects... makes me feel better that I can't afford a pair of K701 at the moment.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa HD650: The sound is very warm, intimate, and full sounding.

You say "very" ?

For me the HD650 sounds just slightly warm (often I wish it was more so, and I'm not one who fancies colorations!), fairly intimate (sometimes I'd wish for more!), and just as full as my ears need to feel the vocals and instruments well grounded (less= too little).


You see, someone might not find the K701 so well balanced.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa One final note - this on comfort. I have to revise my rankings, from 1. 701 2. 880 3. 650 to 1. 880 2. 701 3. 650

Even this looks quite relative. Take me - I can't think of something more confortable than my Senns. Maybe just my bed's pillow

 

[xand1x]

I don't mean to threadjack or anything..but haven't a few other users stated that the k701's bass gets better after the 300hr burn in mark? (I wouldn't know as my pair will be arriving in the next few weeks)

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrea Even this looks quite relative. Take me - I can't think of something more confortable than my Senns. Maybe just my bed's pillow

It's probably relative, because it's hard to think of a more UNcomfortable headphone (to me) than HD580 and HD600... and by extension HD650. It's that infamous vice grip, which I guess doesn't affect some people.

But if it affects you, it will really affect... I managed to overlook it when the HD580 and HD600 were my only cans, but more than anything else it will now prevent me from getting a pair of Senns again. After using DT880 awhile, it really felt like the blood was draining out of my head!

This was after three years of use, and the headband already had time to stretch... still very unpleasant to me.

 

[TheMooN]

Nooooooo !!! I'm So Confused , Grateful however for the continued reports txa

Taking into account the Slightly 'Warm' , Slightly Relaxed Dynamics of the Nu-Vista M3 system, My Logic thus far :~ .

DT880's ~ pretty safe bet all-round tho perhaps not sending me into another sound dimension.

HD650's ~ Excellent at covering most of the bases however might necessitate the additional expense of Cardas or similar cables in order to really get the best out of the M3

K701 ~ Jury still out ~ However as Burn-In times continue to clock up they have the potential to mature into a superb set of headphones that might well prove to be the best all round foil for the Nu-Vista .


Please feel free to comment on my ramblings or recommend a change of Med's

 

[3lusiv3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMooN DT880's ~ pretty safe bet all-round tho perhaps not sending me into another sound dimension. HD650's ~ Excellent at covering most of the bases however might necessitate the additional expense of Cardas or similar cables in order to really get the best out of the M3 K701 ~ Jury still out ~ However as Burn-In times continue to clock up they have the potential to mature into a superb set of headphones that might well prove to be the best all round foil for the Nu-Vista .

From what I have READ they all lack bass except for the HD 650.

 

[Voodoochile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by txa I have about 80 hours or so on the K701s - more than half of that from Stereophile CD3 - burn in.

Well, if you like them now, you're going to love them later. In my rig, these were borderline nasty sounding in the upper regions until they got something like 280-320 hours on them. I kept thinking: this has to calm down at some point... but it didn't. Finally, they did indeed settle down; and wow, what a great set of cans. The highs are gorgeous now. I still cannot justify offing my 650s, as many of the recordings I enjoy seem to warrant them, but with material that was revealing a preponderance of bass*, the 701s are amazing.

*Note that my 650s have the equinox cable, so are more balanced sounding than they were when stock. Otherwise, most material was overwhelming! In hindsight, if I had bone-stock 650s and 701s to choose from, I'd have probably gone with the 701s. The equinox levels the playing field quite a bit... but at what cost. Hindsight- the root of all evil.