[dgshtav]

So far:

The K701 is the one that I am hearing the two extremes on. It appears that people either love it or hate it.

I am beginning to develop an inclination for approach one which would allow me to:
* Evaluate multiple well received products
* Possibly own multiple phones, each with a purpose and complementing the other
* Gain more experience without committing higher $$ to the setup

The K701 is very much in the running, coz. people who recommend it do so without any hint of hesitation. It's also been spoken in the same breath as the Grados in terms of of it tonal balance, soundstage ,etc. (which when taken with an analysis of the FR of the K701 makes it even more tempting). It's also the cheapest of all the options. Looks good in a balanced setup.

My only concern is that it might be too dry for my taste!

Anyone got graphs on the K5xx?

I am still looking for a complement to the the AKGs and at this point, I am torn between the D5000 and the HD650. But I haven't "processed" the last few posts completely yet. So going over those closely might help.

I am extremely grateful for all the guidance. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to do so and bearing with me. I hope I can stand next to you guys one day in terms of experience and help pass it on.

And yes....keep it coming

 

[cswann1]

It's true that the K701 is very polar these days. I for one believe it to be a fantastic value at it's current selling price and that it does compare favorably with headphones that cost much more.

In a previous post I recommended not letting any one Head-Fi members enthusiasm create unrealistic expectations of a product (including my own

). I also recommend taking the other side of that coin too. Don't let any one Head-Fi members dissatisfaction steer you away from a product you are interested in.

One other thing to mention about the K701, is that you will read the recommended break-in time is around 300 hours. That's a long honking time, I know, but I truly believe that these phones really do mature into their final sound, which is better imo, after that much time.

 

[AmanGeorge]

I've personally cycled through a lot of headphones in the last 6 months or so before finally settling down with the AKG and Denon (although I still have my eye on listening to an RS-1 at some point). If you're willing to bear the expenses, by all means go for it - nothing is more effective at figuring out your personal tastes. Although I don't know that I would commit yourself to buying 2 complementary 'phones right off the bat... I didn't intend to do that when I started, but eventually realized that there were a couple of types of music that I really enjoy listening to often that my AKGs couldn't do well enough for me, which is how I ended up with two. You may find that 1 pair does all the genres you like reasonably well and decide to stick with it.

In terms of complements to the K701, I think either the D5000 or the HD650 would work nicely. Both are much warmer and more relaxed than the AKGs (the Denons are probably the warmer of the two, and the Senns the more relaxed... also, re: what CoolTorpedo said, I don't think many people would call either of them neutral, especially compared to the AKGs). I sold the HD650s because they felt a little slow and to my ears and in my system driven by a Little Dot MKV, and I found the veil aggravating. I've never heard them re-cabled so I can't say how much of a difference that would make to the sound.

My system right now at home while I wait for a new tube amp to be built for me is the AKGs and the Denons driven from a Head-Direct EF1 which does an excellent job driving both cans (source is PC -> Monica3 USB).

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

Hi Aman, the neutrality I appreciate in the HD600 is mainly frequency wise. When you don't have any enhancements in the frequency spectrum, sound can be, well, flat, and that can be taken for slow, insipid or lacking something. Looking at the impulse response of the HD600 against other dynamic cans, they're not significantly slower, but they can dissipate energy faster than others. K701's impulse response is quite good too, but they don't have the same flat frequency response, however their slight deviations in the treble make them sound faster, more resolving and perhaps more interesting. Again it all depends on your comparison terms, previous experience and above all, personal preference.

I've never aimed to bash the K701. For their price, they're good headphones that offer a different sound and musical perspective from the D5000 or the HD6xx. They have more space, more "air", they sound very detailed and have a nice sense of speed. However their timbre IMO isn't as spot on as HD600's, but remember I listen to a lot of classical and acoustic jazz, so I'm finicky when it comes to it, and of course I admit I may have my own biases about what's right and what's not. Not pretending that I'm right and everyone else not sharing my opinion is wrong.

What I find quite true is that the K701 are quite difficult to amp right, and also need extensive burn-in. Never tried them balanced or with aftermarket cables, so I ignore how much better they can get from what I own.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgshtav /img/forum/go_quote.gif So far: The K701 is the one that I am hearing the two extremes on. It appears that people either love it or hate it. I am beginning to develop an inclination for approach one which would allow me to: * Evaluate multiple well received products * Possibly own multiple phones, each with a purpose and complementing the other * Gain more experience without committing higher $$ to the setup The K701 is very much in the running, coz. people who recommend it do so without any hint of hesitation.

That is the wrong reason to consider the K-701.

The only reason the K-701 is popular is because it is the least expensive "flagship" headphone. New Head-Fi'ers often buy it because it is the "best" offering from a well respected manufacturer. Often, the K-701 is the only top end headphone they've owned.

There was a time when I thought MGD was a great beer. Then I moved to Oregon and started drinking the micros on tap there. Now, I can't even finish a MGD.

You'd do better to consider the opinions of those who own the K-701 alon with other headphones. I had the K-501 and K-1000 for well over a year before buying the K-701. I found it very disappointing in light of AKG's previous headphones, not to mention various Sennheisers, Grados and Beyerdynamics.

I've also had opportunity to compare the K-701 to the speakers in my sig - comparison against my reference Quad ESL-63 speakers further confirms my opinions. The K-701 has a plasticky sheen and tends to sound unnatural. I can use them for a bit, but the tonal colorations make them hard to listen to in the long term. Much unlike the K-501, K-1000 and K-240DF, unfortunately.

While the K-701 might seem like a bargain, it is my opinion that you're better off spending a little more for something else. Or spend less for a used K-501.

That's not the opinion of someone who is new to the game. When I pit the K-701 against Quads, air motion transformers and ribbons (be sure to Google those if you're not familiar with them or want to read some reviews), the K-701 sounds unnatural. I think others making the comparison would hear things the same way.

 

[SleepyOne]

Aganist Quads I think quite a few headphones would fall too lol....

 

[Artmon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've also had opportunity to compare the K-701 to the speakers in my sig - comparison against my reference Quad ESL-63 speakers further confirms my opinions.

I wanted the sound signature of my speaker-setup (Sonus Faber) in my headphones. The W5000 did it,
but the ATH-A2000X betters it!

 

[dgshtav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif That is the wrong reason to consider the K-701. The only reason the K-701 is popular is because it is the least expensive "flagship" headphone. New Head-Fi'ers often buy it because it is the "best" offering from a well respected manufacturer. Often, the K-701 is the only top end headphone they've owned.

Given the way I worded that post quoted by you, I can see how the pricing could have come across as a decision factor.

Believe me, the pricing of K701 is NOT a factor in it getting shortlisted. The only area the pricing impacts is whether a certain headphone would fit within a budget or not. That's it.

The K701 was shortlisted solely based on the recommendations and what appear to be it's merits.

The reference to it's price was a mere observation that it gives me more room to try another headphone as well and not lose significant money if I were to sell the AKG later.

I also appreciate your feedback on the K701. Thanks.

 

[Mercuttio]

I don't really like the K701, but I don't think that the price is the only reason it is frequently purchased.

I think the K701 is sort of... really close to a headphone I'd like, but misses the mark in a few categories. I think that it is in many ways a jack of all trades and a master of none. For many that's worth a purchase... including my own to be sure it wasn't what I needed.

 

[Brighten]

Keep the hate rollin'...

 

[mbd2884]

Always thought for reference setup would be...

Since I'm a computer source fan:
Media Monkey (ASIO FLAC) > Audio-gd DAC-3 DV > Zana Deux > HD600/HD650

But that's my opinion right?

 

[limpidglitch]

Artmon, care to chime in on a couple of K701 comparisons?
I know you've got quite a few headphones to do it with.

My personal advice to dghstav is to acquire a mid priced headphone, ideally used, that is well known on this forum. Get to know the 'phone during a couple of weeks and sort your impressions. Find out what you like and what you dislike, where things can be, in your ears, improved… 'n' sh't.
So that by using this headphone the immensely knowledgeable people on this forum have a sort of reference point from where they can guide you.
For this use I think a SR60, K501, D5000, HD580 or whatever is equally qualified.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SleepyOne /img/forum/go_quote.gif Aganist Quads I think quite a few headphones would fall too lol....

Not necessarily. I don't have the experience to compare electrostatic headphones, but among dynamics, I think the K-501, K-1000, HD-600, HP-2, and DT48 really get it right with tonality and much else. The Quads aren't perfect - I still like the ribbons for mids and highs. When you're in the sweet spot, the ribbons are about the same as being there. Problem is they roll off hard below 350Hz, while the Quads go to 40Hz.

mbd2884 - the Zana with the HD600 is a very good reference. I hadn't planned to buy a pair until I heard Craig's on my Zana when I picked it up. Had to go find a pair after that!

 

[cswann1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't really like the K701, but I don't think that the price is the only reason it is frequently purchased. I think the K701 is sort of... really close to a headphone I'd like, but misses the mark in a few categories. I think that it is in many ways a jack of all trades and a master of none. For many that's worth a purchase... including my own to be sure it wasn't what I needed.

That's interesting and also the first time I think I've ever read such a statement about the K701. I disagree with you though.

I think it's a fairly specialized headphone that really shines for acoustic and vocal music, which makes up the majority of my headphone listening. For rock/pop/club music, I go to my Beyers. But their tendency toward sibilance is making me think their days at my house may be numbered, in favor of a Denon AH-D2000.

 

[Brighten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not necessarily. I don't have the experience to compare electrostatic headphones, but among dynamics, I think the K-501, K-1000, HD-600, HP-2, and DT48 really get it right with tonality and much else. The Quads aren't perfect - I still like the ribbons for mids and highs. When you're in the sweet spot, the ribbons are about the same as being there. Problem is they roll off hard below 350Hz, while the Quads go to 40Hz. mbd2884 - the Zana with the HD600 is a very good reference. I hadn't planned to buy a pair until I heard Craig's on my Zana when I picked it up. Had to go find a pair after that!

I know you're a busy man, but I'd love to read a review on the DT48 sometime. It's the next headphone on my list (or so it seems).