Edition 8 and AKG 701/2 owners anywhere?

Jan 10, 2010 at 12:50 PM Post #31 of 63
Quote:

Originally Posted by sokolov91 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
...
I hope that makes some sense to you.

as always, theres my very long two cents :P.

PS, when can we expect impressions?



Yes. You made a lot of sense. The congestion you refer to may well be aggravated by some of the frequency humps that HP's can possess in their frequency response. Not only is the SR325is forward in the upper mids to highs, but there are humps there as well. With the right synergy, you may play music with a particular frequency featuring a lot and this is within one of the humps. Metallica's 'One' is a great example. When that rhythm guitar plays, it's awful with the 325is. Overexpression of one instrument drowns out the audibility of the others leading to congestion. Where there is good synergy with the music and the SR325is, I can't say I've heard better and this is why I haven't sold it but instead chose to mod it to see if I could get it even better.

I'm an International customer. It takes forever for me to get a can when I've ordered it. Hopefully, by Tuesday/Wednesday I'll have the AKG's. They had some burn-in done already so I'll be able to give some early impressions right away.
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 12:09 AM Post #32 of 63
I am guessing they haven't arrived yet... boo! Waiting for things in the mail are like mini Christmases! They have a knack for taking forever to arrive! Customs people sure like to take their sweet time checking my headphones tough. They probably hook them for a listen with the amount of time they spend in that limbo!

Or I suppose you have, you know, a life or something :P...
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 2:44 AM Post #33 of 63
Imo, and from reading a lot here, the 900 truly has some remarkable traits.. I'd put them in the top 3 for closed, still in production, dynamic headphones in terms of speed and resolve. The other two would be the DT48 and W5000.
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 3:54 AM Post #34 of 63
Quote:

Originally Posted by sokolov91 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I am guessing they haven't arrived yet... boo! Waiting for things in the mail are like mini Christmases! They have a knack for taking forever to arrive! Customs people sure like to take their sweet time checking my headphones tough. They probably hook them for a listen with the amount of time they spend in that limbo!

Or I suppose you have, you know, a life or something :P...



They did arrive!
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I've been very impressed with them since getting them. Very good mids to highs. The bass is also very adequate for my tastes. At least that concern has been laid to rest. It doesn't have the fullness in bass of the Ed8's, but it's still very good. It doesn't at all sound thin either.

Goes to show how you need to make up your mind for yourself. They aren't perfect and I'll have to listen to them a lot more to fully characterise its weaknesses, but they're making themselves out to be keepers and also nice complimentary cans to the Ed8's. All in all, a steal, considering the performance you're getting at the current price. It's just that you need a good amp to make them fully express themselves... and what an expression!!
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Jan 14, 2010 at 6:20 AM Post #35 of 63
Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Imo, and from reading a lot here, the 900 truly has some remarkable traits.. I'd put them in the top 3 for closed, still in production, dynamic headphones in terms of speed and resolve. The other two would be the DT48 and W5000.


Great first impressions aimlink! I am glad you are enjoying them. They are very nice and airy indeed and the bass is not going to dissapoint, but like you have already seen, its no ultrasone... which of course has its place!


Kool Bubba Ica, I am still considering the ATHW5000 and the pro900.

Not that your cherished DT48 don't interest me, they do very much, but it was the sheer amount of detail and speed of the SA5K that ended up fatiguing me and led me to start that other thread. So I think its safer to go with something else.

The SA5K I will never be able to sell though. Not only are they my fav cans but, I saw those headphones when I was 10 or so. When they first first came out and fell in love. Sony was all I knew and they were the best headphone I knew of, or could imagine. I remember trying to talk my mother into buying me a pair of HD 555 or something similar at the time ahaha. That didn't work out so well.. I ended up with a nice 100$ pair of Panasonics though... set the bar high enough and I guess you'll end up with something decent :P. I remember another day when the SA5K went on sale for 50% off... they seemed so close and yet so far away.

I bought the SA5K last summer because it was something that just had to be done. A controversial headphone that had eluded me for ages (respective to current age, 19) and I couldn't have been happier.

Headphone addiction runs deep in my lifes history :P.

Not really sure which direction I want to go in. I'm tempted to get the E8 or HD800 but thats kind of line abruptly ending a great adventure :P. Not to mention conflicting opinions about the pro900 which is 1/3 the price...

Can't find the pro 900 on sale for a decent price anywhere. At least the ATHW5000 can be had for less than 1/2 its msrp at this point in time, which atleast gives the impression you are getting more for your money :P.
 
Jan 14, 2010 at 1:35 PM Post #36 of 63
sokolov the Pro 900 is mentioned to if not be as fast be almost as fast as the Sa5K. It´s extremely detailed too. Maybe more then the DT 48 since it doesn´t skimp on the dynamics either? They are very alive or energetic I wouldn´t say they are laid back if you are looking for something softer and polite. Then you better shell out for the ED 8 if you still want to go Ultrasone
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Pro 900 and ED 8 complement eachother but as mentioned Pro 900 is the aggressive PRaTy one and Ed 8 is the laid back one for just relaxing and going for 8h stints
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Jan 17, 2010 at 5:01 AM Post #37 of 63
Quote:

Originally Posted by oqvist /img/forum/go_quote.gif
sokolov the Pro 900 is mentioned to if not be as fast be almost as fast as the Sa5K. It´s extremely detailed too. Maybe more then the DT 48 since it doesn´t skimp on the dynamics either? They are very alive or energetic I wouldn´t say they are laid back if you are looking for something softer and polite. Then you better shell out for the ED 8 if you still want to go Ultrasone
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.

Pro 900 and ED 8 complement eachother but as mentioned Pro 900 is the aggressive PRaTy one and Ed 8 is the laid back one for just relaxing and going for 8h stints
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Can't say.. I know the DT48 lacks some treble extension and has some rolled off highs.. I still find them greatly detailed with amazing resolve. Erik feels their detail betters the HP1000 and is on par with the HD800 detail. Another HD800/DT48 owner thinks the HD800 is more detailed.. But later said.. He admires the DT48 much more after the DT48/HD800 comparison.. Knees feels the 900 is more detailed then the modern DT48e. His modded DT48e looks beautiful by the way. The vintage DT48a/NAGRA DT48S are even more detailed. On a side note. There is no listener fatigue with the DT48. They are not bright, nor is there any treble emphasis. You can also listen as loud as you want without your ears ringing.
 
Jan 17, 2010 at 5:50 AM Post #38 of 63
Aimlink,

Give us some detailed info on the akgs when you get a chance! When are you expecting the magnums btw?

Cheers
 
Jan 17, 2010 at 1:46 PM Post #39 of 63
I should finally have the Magnums on Monday or Tuesday.

I've been able to spend some decent time with these ALO K702's. I've also been doing some burn-in with benefits already quite apparent. My comments will be pretty general rather than too detailed since I'm beginning to appreciate how personal these listening experiences are.

I find the K702's to be comfortable since they're light and do not clamp with excessive force. I'm not at all bald and this may be of some benefit in protecting my scalp from those bumps in the head band.
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I find the headband adjustment mechanism to be overly complicated and with those plastic strips and bits of cord to help with the headband adjustment, I see potential breakage on the horizon. Be that as it may, I've noted that AKG has been using this mechanism with a lot of its production cans, so it's either that it's a reliable mechanism despite its apparent frailty, or AKG wants to maintain its business by encouraging the purchasing of new phones when the previous ones break. I'd like to think it's the former.
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My ears are completely engulfed by the large cups. I'm pretty sure that this adds to the general airiness of the listening experience. They aren't that great for listening while lying in bed since, when using a pillow, the bulkiness of the cups get in the way. However, they're just fine on my high-backed chair with my legs up.
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The music that I listen to varies in recording quality. I listened to mp3's that I haven't yet gotten around to re-ripping to lossless, lossless ripped red book cds, and my growing collection of 96|88Khz/24bit music in apple lossless format (all obtained via HDTracks.com). With my UltraDesktop amp and optical output from my iMac, I can listen to these latter recordings in their full glory.

I write my listening impressions while reflecting on my experience while listening to Pink Floyd, Mike Oldfield, Metallica, Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Massive Attack, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Paradise Lost. I also listened to classical, jazz and some world music in high definition recorded formats.

The ALO K702's offer a generally easy listening experience. Except for a spike in the upper mids to highs, the sound sort of comes to you, rather than it being in your face and your having to adjust by turning down the volume, doing some eq'ing, avoiding some recordings, or just plain acclimatizing. When the music comes to you, it makes for a non-fatiguing listening experience that I really, really appreciate. There's a clarity to the K702 sound that comes from more than just it's airy sound. There's a transparency to the sound and with that comes added spaciousness to the sound presentation. These two traits combine to make it quite easy to hear details. They aren't really more detailed than other phones I've heard, for example, the Ed8's, HD650's, D5000's. It's just that there's less that gets in the way of the details so they are easily heard. The balance is very much to my liking since I haven't felt the need to EQ the sound in any way.

The ALO K702's really shine with high definition recordings. Real first class sound reproduction across the spectrum. A time comes when you just know in within your listening heart and mind, that things are just grand. You're now having a whale of a time.
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With these high defn jazz and world music recordings, the bass is very well presented in depth and resolution. I effortlessly hear the details and extention. Voice reproduction can be just stunning at times, but NEVER disappointing. The best I've heard really.

With contemporary recordings, my experience has been up and down. The spike in the upper mids to highs is nicely demonstrated with Metallica's album '.And Justice for All'. The rhythm guitar manages to be synergistic with the AKG's frequency spike. This makes the guitaring in 'One', quite strident to listen to. The bass response varies quite markedly across recordings. It's nice with some, and surprisingly flat with others. While some may give the benefit of the doubt to the K702's by ascribing this to the recording's bass reproduction, I'd personally be cautious. I think that there may be a roll-off in bass response within a narrow margin of the frequency response. As a result, recordings with bass that uses that frequency range a lot will sound a tad anaemic. Please note that though this is noted, it isn't a crippling experience at all. It's just that if you have another pair of cans that does better, then you'll find yourself reaching for them.
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While I could use these ALO K702's as an all-rounder, I do prefer my Ed8's for most of the contemporary stuff that I listen to. However, for world, jazz and classical, the ALO K702's either equal of exceed the Ed8's. Yes, IMO, the Ed8's actually do very well with classical and jazz. However, the K702's will likely be my default for those genres.

The ALO K702's are great value for money. I'm very happy I purchased them. Though the ALO cable leads a more effortless and articulate bass extension with a fuller sound overall, this is not by a very big margin and I'd still go for these cans without the cable upgrade. OTOH, for maximum benefit, I'd recommend the recable.... not to mention good amp'ing.
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Jan 22, 2010 at 10:53 PM Post #40 of 63
Great mini review/impressions.

I am glad you like them so much! Funny you mentioned the headband being complicated. I just pop them on my head haha. Never really bothered with it. I assumed due to the strings and stuff it was auto adjusting.

They truly are nice and airy and exceedingly comfortable. They only thing I notice is my hair gets pulled a bit when the headband falls down a tad, and if I don't notice it hurts after a while, but is quickly remedied by putting the band properly on my head. The akgs I simply do not notice whilst wearing. My HD 600, however, are probably the most comfortable I have tried. They just are something a long the lines of a comfy head hug :P.

I decided to lend my K702 to my brother, and have some serious time with my pro 750. That ultrasone soundstage really needs profound getting used to for it to be effective.

After a month or so I will ask for them back (I know, I am cruel) and do some critical listening.

What I am finding more and more is that different headphones are like different political views. While you may not agree with one, it does leave you more educated if you try and understand where it is coming from. I feel the Pro 750 have really helped me listen more critically in terms of how a song feels and sounds overall, and my SA5K with how much detail is really there. I want to give the K702 another shot with some time away from it, as I always felt I was missing something, or failing to understand something.

Oh and do you find yourself turning the volume up more on the AKG's than on other headphones? I swear these things just want more and more juice from my LD MK V. All of my other headphones, regardless of impedance, are at a nice level around 9 oclock on my amp. anything more than 9 is too much. With the akgs I get tempted to push it to 10-11-12, but I worry about my hearing being damaged. I do not under stand how at 64 ohms (i think) they sound quieter than my 300 ohm senns...

You mentioned the D5000's. What did you think of them?

Happy listening!
 
Jan 22, 2010 at 11:16 PM Post #41 of 63
Yes the K701 is quite inefficient. I ran it at higher pot levels then the HD 650. It can be quite easy to run it at high SPL levels when you are in the mood for bass so it´s extra good to have a SPL metre available or you may get piercing treble as a result.

The HD 650 is more efficient I suppose.
 
Jan 23, 2010 at 12:40 AM Post #42 of 63
^ I like comparison with political POV's. I tend to agree.
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Though the headband mechanism seems complicated in design, it does work well. I commented on this in another thread. I'm finding it to be better than the more standard adjustment types. I was just wondering how durable the mechanism is, with its strings and plastic elements etc.

The K702's are by far, my least sensitive headphones. As a result, I do turn up the volume more than my other cans. I also tend to listen to them, on average, at a somewhat higher volume than my Ultrasones.

The D5000's are great cans. However, what hits you about them is their heavy bass response. Though the bass is nicely rendered, detailed and very deeply extended, it's still a tad too prominent. This made me end up eventually doing the MarkL mod. I was really enjoying them up to when I got the Ultrasones. With the Ultrasones around, I no longer had reason to keep the D5000's. I found my MarkL modded D5000's to be terrific for heavy metal, especially the classic metal that us in our 40's listen to.
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Jan 26, 2010 at 3:50 AM Post #43 of 63
Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif
^ I like comparison with political POV's. I tend to agree.
k701smile.gif


Though the headband mechanism seems complicated in design, it does work well. I commented on this in another thread. I'm finding it to be better than the more standard adjustment types. I was just wondering how durable the mechanism is, with its strings and plastic elements etc.

The K702's are by far, my least sensitive headphones. As a result, I do turn up the volume more than my other cans. I also tend to listen to them, on average, at a somewhat higher volume than my Ultrasones.

The D5000's are great cans. However, what hits you about them is their heavy bass response. Though the bass is nicely rendered, detailed and very deeply extended, it's still a tad too prominent. This made me end up eventually doing the MarkL mod. I was really enjoying them up to when I got the Ultrasones. With the Ultrasones around, I no longer had reason to keep the D5000's. I found my MarkL modded D5000's to be terrific for heavy metal, especially the classic metal that us in our 40's listen to.
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Who says you have to be 40+ to enjoy classic metal? :P Maiden, Priest, Anthrax, Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth was what I was really into during high school when I drummed more often :P. I graduated High school in 08 haha! Some people have to keep that stuff going!
 
Jan 27, 2010 at 6:52 AM Post #44 of 63
I am also considering purchasing the akg 701s. I want a nice open headphone for home use. Any updates on what you think about these cans? i am torn between beyerdynamics 990 and the 701. Did you condsider the Beyerdynamis at all?
 
Jan 27, 2010 at 9:11 AM Post #45 of 63
If you like the soundstage of your ED 8 try the Pro 900 too. It beats the DT 770 Pro and K701 regarding soundstage. K701 does have a bit more air though but it´s very subtle. Haven´t heard the 990 it should be a bit better then the 770.

900 is closed but have an open signature. One of the reason I love them so much. Isolation plus air and as mentioned very impressive soundstage with my ears.

Nice as portables if you switch the cable too if you are in hostile environments where you don´t want to risk your ED 8s or just happen to preferr the 900
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