myinitialsaredac
1000+ Head-Fier
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- Sep 14, 2008
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Quote:
I havent heard many of the phones you are tossing around but I do own the 701s so maybe I can help you out with some SQ questions.
The midrange is liquid smooth with the 701s, the highs are detailed, sparkly, and airy, and they have an abundance of decay to them, something some people like and others dislike, to each their own. The bass is always said to be "lacking" but IME the bass is very extended, detailed, and controlled. I recently switched from a headroom micro amp to a custom built millett max and wow, I have no complaints in the bass department, there is punch, depth, and texture to it. As for soundstage, wow, the 701 has a huge soundstage, in depth, width, and height.
Some will comment that the 701 sounds analytical and I would say that it is very detailed and at least with the Headroom micro it was a bit dry, with the millett max (which is a tube solid state hybrid) it sounds quite full and musical.
As for genres, I listen to a bit of rap/hip-hop like ice cube, dre, and jay-z, some long beach ska fusion like sublime and slightly stoopid, some reggae, i.e. all the marleys, a lot of jazz such as krall and cole, a lot of metal like all that remains and b4mv, and a bit of alternative/rock type stuff like nickelback and offspring. Let me say it handles them all quite well. I would say it excels on very well recorded rap, jazz, and reggae. Stuff like metal sounds good, the kick has punch and the cymbals are very realistic, guitars are very textured and vocals are emotional and have a lot of range but the sound is not very forward, making them a bit less engaging for stuff like metal and rock. If you are a basshead I would not recommend the 701s, but if you enjoy detailed, well extended, punchy bass, I would highly recommend giving the 701s a listen.
The 701s definitely need a dedicated amp. Small amps like the headroom micro dont cut it; at all. The switch from my little amp to the millett is night and day, the sound benefited all around, especially the bass.
Also, you may want to think about DACs, IME changing from the headroom micro dac to the headroom ultra micro dac with the astrodyne power supply offered quite a difference also, particularly in texture and making the sound more organic and full. With these cans, I would say do the amp first then the dac. Also keep in mind, they need a lot of burn in to really settle in and start sounding golden.
Good Luck,
Dave
| Originally Posted by SoliloCey /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah I know about the amps, its no good buying a ferrari and then sticking a V6 to drive it when it needs a V12. I was thinking of getting the Corda Cantate to drive the amplified ones. Im a young adolescent, so I listen to Underground Hip-Hop, Jazz, Soul, funk, Indie and classical respectively. I've heard good things about the AKG but I heard the bass is lacking, is it? how is it like? I don't like the phones to be overly bassy like the D770's. I actually did ask whether the AKG K702,or HD600's with an amp invested would really be worth my time or not, in comparison o unamped phones. for the $$. thanks. |
I havent heard many of the phones you are tossing around but I do own the 701s so maybe I can help you out with some SQ questions.
The midrange is liquid smooth with the 701s, the highs are detailed, sparkly, and airy, and they have an abundance of decay to them, something some people like and others dislike, to each their own. The bass is always said to be "lacking" but IME the bass is very extended, detailed, and controlled. I recently switched from a headroom micro amp to a custom built millett max and wow, I have no complaints in the bass department, there is punch, depth, and texture to it. As for soundstage, wow, the 701 has a huge soundstage, in depth, width, and height.
Some will comment that the 701 sounds analytical and I would say that it is very detailed and at least with the Headroom micro it was a bit dry, with the millett max (which is a tube solid state hybrid) it sounds quite full and musical.
As for genres, I listen to a bit of rap/hip-hop like ice cube, dre, and jay-z, some long beach ska fusion like sublime and slightly stoopid, some reggae, i.e. all the marleys, a lot of jazz such as krall and cole, a lot of metal like all that remains and b4mv, and a bit of alternative/rock type stuff like nickelback and offspring. Let me say it handles them all quite well. I would say it excels on very well recorded rap, jazz, and reggae. Stuff like metal sounds good, the kick has punch and the cymbals are very realistic, guitars are very textured and vocals are emotional and have a lot of range but the sound is not very forward, making them a bit less engaging for stuff like metal and rock. If you are a basshead I would not recommend the 701s, but if you enjoy detailed, well extended, punchy bass, I would highly recommend giving the 701s a listen.
The 701s definitely need a dedicated amp. Small amps like the headroom micro dont cut it; at all. The switch from my little amp to the millett is night and day, the sound benefited all around, especially the bass.
Also, you may want to think about DACs, IME changing from the headroom micro dac to the headroom ultra micro dac with the astrodyne power supply offered quite a difference also, particularly in texture and making the sound more organic and full. With these cans, I would say do the amp first then the dac. Also keep in mind, they need a lot of burn in to really settle in and start sounding golden.
Good Luck,
Dave
