[cheechoz]

I don't know what AKG uses under the velour pads, but I like the fact that they don't soften up when you put the cans over your head. This gives you a very nice, consistent bass response. I beleive that AKG thought this pad choice out, long and hard, before coming to conclusions!

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nik The most importat improovment I can notice respect to the HD 650 is the BASS, finally so clean and not confused as sometime I heard with the Sennheiser... bass is not boom, boom... but more present respect to the DT 880 (for example). Just my two cents... Best! Nicola

Never heard anything like "boom, boom" coming from my HD650. Perhaps you have a faulty pair...

 

[Andrea]

So, Mastergill and JaZZ,

how are you liking your sparkling new K701's as the mandatory burn-in time is slowly but inexorably consumed... ?

 

[Mastergill]

I'll be busy the next few days, so i'll have no more time to do some comparison, but i'll put some hours on the phone to try to reach 150 hours by the end of the week and give some last impression with 'fresh' ears next saturday...I hope that will be enough for the burn'in experts around...

Voilà, you know everything.

 

[Nik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mastergill I'll be busy the next few days, so i'll have no more time to do some comparison, but i'll put some hours on the phone to try to reach 150 hours by the end of the week and give some last impression with 'fresh' ears next saturday...I hope that will be enough for the burn'in experts around... Voilà, you know everything.

I cannot imagine how good would be the K 701 with Manley 300 B preamp... let the HD 650 out for a time... let your ears to leran the new cans and then you will able to declare you own free opinion...

Best!
Nicola

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrea So, Mastergill and JaZZ, how are you liking your sparkling new K701's as the mandatory burn-in time is slowly but inexorably consumed... ?

Mandatory burn-in time (300 hours) by far isn't reached yet.

But there's quite some development to be reported after 75 hours. Low bass is spectacularly present and controlled. I was a bit worried about missing refinement and smoothness in the midrange (and midrange level itself) up to one hour ago, but now the issue seems about to solve itself. There's an enjoyable smoothness throughout the frequency range, although the treble could use some more brilliance. The sonic balance is very even now, no brightness anymore. The HD 650 still has the finer grain, the higher refinement and the fuller midrange, at the expense of slightly less naturalness and detail, while the K 701 now has higher resolution. It sounds very lively and fast, more so than the HD 650, although I have no complaints with the latter in this respect. Luckily the quickness is not the SA5000's spectacular high-tech kind, but organic and natural.

I like it, and the number of recordings with which I prefer it to the HD 650 is growing.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Mastergill I'll be busy the next few days, so i'll have no more time to do some comparison, but i'll put some hours on the phone to try to reach 150 hours by the end of the week and give some last impression with 'fresh' ears next saturday...I hope that will be enough for the burn'in experts around...

You obviously have the cash... (but Orpheus & Co. weren't good enough...) ...so why the rush? You know, 150 hours is NOTHING!

C'est dans le calme et la confiance que sera votre force!

.

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ Mandatory burn-in time (300 hours) by far isn't reached yet. But there's quite some development to be reported after 75 hours. Low bass is spectacularly present and controlled. I was a bit worried about missing refinement and smoothness in the midrange (and midrange level itself) up to one hour ago, but now the issue seems about to solve itself. There's an enjoyable smoothness throughout the frequency range, although the treble could use some more brilliance. The sonic balance is very even now, no brightness anymore. The HD 650 still has the finer grain, the higher refinement and the fuller midrange, at the expense of slightly less naturalness and detail, while the K 701 now has higher resolution. It sounds very lively and fast, more so than the HD 650, although I have no complaints with the latter in this respect. Luckily the quickness is not the SA5000's spectacular high-tech kind, but organic and natural. I like it, and the number of recordings with which I prefer it to the HD 650 is growing. You obviously have the cash... (but Orpheus & Co. weren't good enough...) ...so why the rush? You know, 150 hours is NOTHING! C'est dans le calme et la confiance que sera votre force! .

You obviously have the equipment to do so, why don't you do the world a favor and start recording the same song played over through your headphones in a static position regarding the microphone once an hour? Give some proof that burn-in is real.

 

[PhilS]

I just picked up this thread, as I read about the 701's elsewhere and was really interested in seeing what people thought of them. Then I see this thread is mostly populated with arguments about burn in, and even whether power conditioning etc. has an audible impact. Is every thread on Head-Fi where anybody talks about equipment now going to be populated with the "anti-audiophile, anti-burn in, anti-etc. agenda"? This is getting ridiculous. Can we form a subforum where the idiots like me who listen with our ears can be spared the incessant "it's all placebo," "there's no science behind it," "you need a DBT," etc.? Sheesh. Who really cares who's right on this issue in the context of this thread, which is to talk about these new cans. If you don't think burn in will help, don't do it. If you believe in it, or it think it might help, give it a try.

P.S. Sometimes my friends, wife, secretary, colleagues, etc., say something I don't agree with. As I've gotten older, I oftern smile and nod politely. I don't feel I have to make an issue out everything or show how much I think I know and how little I think they know.

Sorry for the rant, but really now.

 

[Andrea]

Well, the news were interesting no matter it weren't blessed by the mandatory 300 hours burn-in.

JaZZ,

Quote:

The HD 650 still has the finer grain, the higher refinement and the fuller midrange, at the expense of slightly less naturalness and detail, while the K 701 now has higher resolution.

this line has bewildered me.

Yep, those things where the HD650 has an advantage are among my most valued... but what about the naturalness... what is it that grants an advantage to the K701 here? (if you don't mind elaborating briefly)

Yet another thing, which 'phone has the more "intense" sounding vocals (à la HD595) ? Thank you

 

[Bostonears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilS I just picked up this thread, as I read about the 701's elsewhere and was really interested in seeing what people thought of them. Then I see this thread is mostly populated with arguments about burn in, and even whether power conditioning etc. has an audible impact. Is every thread on Head-Fi where anybody talks about equipment now going to be populated with the "anti-audiophile, anti-burn in, anti-etc. agenda"? This is getting ridiculous. Can we form a subforum where the idiots like me who listen with our ears can be spared the incessant "it's all placebo," "there's no science behind it," "you need a DBT," etc.? Sheesh. Who really cares who's right on this issue in the context of this thread, which is to talk about these new cans. If you don't think burn in will help, don't do it. If you believe in it, or it think it might help, give it a try.

That's exactly why some online audio forums declare themselves to be "DBT-free". They ban and/or delete any posts that mention double-blind testing.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ C'est dans le calme et la confiance que sera votre force!

Autrement dit, c'est seulement par le burn-in qu'on arrive à la connaissance.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrea ...what about the naturalness... what is it that grants an advantage to the K701 here?

In first instance the airier, flatter treble.


Quote:

Yet another thing, which 'phone has the more "intense" sounding vocals (à la HD595)?

I think it's the K 701. Actually its midrange has quite some similarity to the HD 595's, although it's smoother. The similarity is in the definition, and that's what I perceive as more captivating and expressive (and sensual) when it comes to vocals; more so than the HD 650's refinement and pristine smoothness.


Quote:

Autrement dit, c'est seulement par le burn-in qu'on arrive à la connaissance.

Non, mais généralement par simple patience.
.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ Non, mais généralement par simple patience.

Cela, je l'avoue sans doute.

Thanks for answering, although more intense to me (I should've stated more clearly) is like more emotive, or a mixture of warm/intimate/sweet/close-up, that sort of thing. Would you say it's the K701 to have an edge, then?

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilS Sorry for the rant, but really now.

Oh, come on. He does have the equipment, and I've been trying to get someone to do it, it seems natural that if anyone could he could and I'd appreciate it if he would. I'm not denouncing him, I'm asking him a damned favor.

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotJeffBuckley Oh, come on. He does have the equipment, and I've been trying to get someone to do it, it seems natural that if anyone could he could and I'd appreciate it if he would. I'm not denouncing him, I'm asking him a damned favor.

Not sure what you're referring to or why you think my comments were directed to your last post (among many others). Whatever.