[cotdt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had a pair of HD600 and HD701 sitting out next to each other. Each connected to the same source (different amps), with the volume adjusted so that on my head they sounded at the identical level, and I'd say the K701 were leaking 2-3 times as much sound as the HD600 (as measured by putting them around a pillow and turning one amp off at a time). THAT'S my measure of openness, and the K701 were much more open than the HD600. They were even more open than my RS-1, which shocked me.

true... on the other hand, you can use the K701s as speakers =)

 

[bimmer116]

well, I just got my new k701 and MAN do they sound good!! The soundstage is just as wide as the beyer 990 05s but alot more room vertically. The mid is of course the wonderful AKG mid, no harsh high at all, well the bass is very very controlled but light. It has only been through 2 hrs of pinknoise burn in so far I think, so hopefully the bass will come into its own and the soundstage perhaps open a little more. Overall, great headphone, and boy does it love tube!

Mike

 

[clc220]

when it comes to akg, just listen 2 fitz. His got more experience with akg then he has with chicks.

 

[Balisarda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clc220 /img/forum/go_quote.gif when it comes to akg, just listen 2 fitz. His got more experience with akg then he has with chicks.

Have you noticed that the K701 is one AKG headphone that Fitz doesn't own and doesn't care for?

I think Don Juan had less experience with women than Fitz has with AKG headphones!

 

[Balisarda]

Jazz, your thread describing your test with loudspeaker drivers and their resonating frequencies has convinced me that driver break in is a real phenomenon. Recall that I admitted hearing some soundstage congestion disappear from the K701 within the first few hours of break in.

However, your loudspeaker drivers settled into their mature resonating frequency within 15 hours. (Nor does that mean they needed all 15 hours to mature.) Loudspeaker drivers, being much larger, thicker, and heavier than headphone drivers, should take longer to break in than headphone drivers. Take your own leather-shoe example: thicker, heavier leather shoes (like old-school hiking boots) take much longer to break in than thinner, lighter dress shoes. Therefore, why should it take 2000% longer to break-in the K701’s tiny drivers?

I don't deny the validity of break-in for speakers. I'm only skeptical about the 300-hour figure that everyone (yes, even AKG USA) throws around, and especially so because I haven't heard any substantial change in tonality in the last ~90 hours.

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balisarda /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jazz, your thread describing your test with loudspeaker drivers and their resonating frequencies has convinced me that driver break in is a real phenomenon. Recall that I admitted hearing some soundstage congestion disappear from the K701 within the first few hours of break in. However, your loudspeaker drivers settled into their mature resonating frequency within 15 hours. (Nor does that mean they needed all 15 hours to mature.) Loudspeaker drivers, being much larger, thicker, and heavier than headphone drivers, should take longer to break in than headphone drivers. Take your own leather-shoe example: thicker, heavier leather shoes (like old-school hiking boots) take much longer to break in than thinner, lighter dress shoes. Therefore, why should it take 2000% longer to break-in the K701’s tiny drivers?

Remember that break-in by far wasn't completed after 15 hours. So the 2000% don't apply anyway. Moreover the break-in method applied was downright brutal compared to normal break-in, simply to accelerate the process. -- Headphone drivers are smaller than speaker drivers, but what does this tell about the break-in period needed? Exactly nothing. But if you insist in size making a difference (which scenario I can't reproduce, since it's about the suspension and/or the membrane reaching the ideal -- and uniform -- elasticity, and this may take any time), also consider the smaller excursions.

Quote:

I don't deny the validity of break-in for speakers. I'm only skeptical about the 300-hour figure that everyone (yes, even AKG USA) throws around, and especially so because I haven't heard any substantial change in tonality in the last ~90 hours.

This number has arisen from listening experiences, not speculations. In my case it has turned out to be passably valid. But to give you some support: After about 100 hours I didn't notice much improvement anymore. There was another substantial improvement after ~180 hours, though.
.

 

[Balisarda]

Thank you very much for your responses, Jazz! As for the K701, I can only wait and see.

 

[EternalShadow]

Frankly, I don't care if the phenomena of break in is physical or psyhological (me). All I know is that my 701s sound cleaner and more detailed than they did last year amp or no amp.

 

[cotdt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balisarda /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't deny the validity of break-in for speakers. I'm only skeptical about the 300-hour figure that everyone (yes, even AKG USA) throws around, and especially so because I haven't heard any substantial change in tonality in the last ~90 hours.

Ahhh...the problem is that you're listening for changes in tonality, but after 100 hours, the changes are in the "unheard" aspects of sound such as soundstage and imaging. The changes are more subtle than tonality and change the way music is experienced rather than heard.