[doping panda]

I just scored a K500 from ebay. How good is it, especially for classical(piano in particular) and jazz? Also, how does it compare to the HD580 or the K501? I noticed that some of the K500 owners prefer it to the K501 which is supposed to be very good for classical, jazz and female vocals. I've been looking for a K501 for a while, but this popped up on ebay so I decided to spring for it. Thanks to head-fi, my wallet is lighter again.

 

[dcpoor]

grats, i was watching the auction and was hoping they would end a bit lower.

like the k501's they need major amping.

 

[Tiemen]

Ask headfi-er REB. He prefers the K500 to the K501.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiemen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ask headfi-er REB. He prefers the K500 to the K501.

Did I spot the bat sign on that building over there? Here I am

.

Yes, i do prefer the k500 over the k501 (but ever so slightly). It needs a good amp and k601 pads and there you're set. it's particularly good with classical (soundstage is big) and jazz (good separation, great but lean bass). I amp mine at home with a powerful graham slee solo, but at work with a little dot I+ hybrid tube amp which works surprisingly well. It's my favorite dynamic can which is not the ad2000

. Seriously, the k500 for me is a keeper. it is versatile, fairly neutral and musical. It is at its best with acoustic music.

 

[Ishcabible]

Why is it that every listing I want, someone else on Head-fi ends up getting it? First (I think, but there aren't very many DT48Ss and I know of a particular member that has them) DT48Ss, then and other pair of DT48Es, then a pair of Lambdas with energizer (for about $158), and now this!
Have fun with them!

 

[moodyrn]

I actually bidded on those. Congrats on winning these. I also read where a few like these better than the 701s.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moodyrn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I actually bidded on those. Congrats on winning these. I also read where a few like these better than the 701s.

I definitely like it better than the k701 (both my pairs

).

 

[ericj]

I just reconstructed a K500 from a a pile of parts and i have to say it's pretty good. The pads are old and tired so i may buy some K601 pads (do i have to buy them from Frank?) but i like them.

I guess i could also try them with the K401 pads i have.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just reconstructed a K500 from a a pile of parts

That's impressive

. Did you recable them? I still want my pairs to be recabled, but I'd probably have to sent them to the States to have that done, since I can't do it myself.

Quote:

I guess i could also try them with the K401 pads i have.

I never tried the k401 pads on the k500. I didn't really like the k501 stock pads on them (or on the k501 for that matter). K701 pads are also a possibility, although the mids and high lose a bit of their attraction.

Headroom sells k601 pads. Since I am in Europe, I bought my pairs used from several Head-Fi'ers here. Shipping to Europe is as expensive as the pads themselves.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REB /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's impressive . Did you recable them?

Hi. I'm ericj. I don't think we've met.

Quote:

Originally Posted by REB /img/forum/go_quote.gif I never tried the k401 pads on the k500. I didn't really like the k501 stock pads on them (or on the k501 for that matter). K701 pads are also a possibility, although the mids and high lose a bit of their attraction.

I forget if the K401 pads are substantially similar to the K501. And I've never had a K501.

I can say that my K500 pads are much softer and the fabric more worn than the K401 pads i have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by REB /img/forum/go_quote.gif Headroom sells k601 pads. Since I am in Europe, I bought my pairs used from several Head-Fi'ers here. Shipping to Europe is as expensive as the pads themselves.

That's odd, you'd think that AKG would have a business entity in the EU that would sell them to you. Seeing as they're in austria. I guess they might not, though.

As problematic as Harman Pro North America is, at least we've got it.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi. I'm ericj. I don't think we've met.

I'm Remco. We haven't met, but I have enjoyed reading other posts by you.


Quote:

I forget if the K401 pads are substantially similar to the K501. And I've never had a K501.

I think the k401 pads are quite different from the k501's but I am not really sure anymore. I just gave my pair of k401s to my brother.

Quote:

That's odd, you'd think that AKG would have a business entity in the EU that would sell them to you. Seeing as they're in austria. I guess they might not, though.

That's what I thought but ordering directly from the AKG dealer in the Netherlands turned out to be more expensive than ordering from Headroom in the states. I never figured out how the economy works anyway

.

I'd like to hear more about your experiences with the k500 down the road. At the moment I am having a severe fling with the ad2000s, but the k500s are a wonderful pair of headphones and very well suited to the music I play most (jazz, classical, female vocals, acoustic).

 

[Tiemen]

Remco,
Do I understand correctly that you have two K500's?
If so, do they sound exactly the same?
I'm asking this out of curiosity, because I heard different K400's with a slightly different sound. So I'm wondering if some K500's also differ from each other.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REB /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm Remco. We haven't met, but I have enjoyed reading other posts by you.

Technically I'm Eric J. but whatever. Just don't try to pronounce it as a single word like the good herr dr. Konig.

Yeah, I've probably had more variety of headphones completely disassembled and reassembled than anyone here except fitz.

In this case i combined some K500 drivers i bought on ebay almost four years ago with a K500 frame that Fitz possibly assembled from multiple pairs of headphones and then sold to Duggeh, who then decided not to use it, and sold it to me.

And i'm not a cable guy. Sometimes i recable for convenience. I don't really believe in magic wire.

Quote:

Originally Posted by REB /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's what I thought but ordering directly from the AKG dealer in the Netherlands turned out to be more expensive than ordering from Headroom in the states. I never figured out how the economy works anyway .

It looks like Headroom no longer carries K601 pads (just K701 and K271-S), so i guess maybe I'll post a WTB and consider whether i want to call up Frank.

 

[REB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiemen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Remco, Do I understand correctly that you have two K500's? If so, do they sound exactly the same? I'm asking this out of curiosity, because I heard different K400's with a slightly different sound. So I'm wondering if some K500's also differ from each other.

I do. I just bought another pair for the office and sold the k501s I used until now. I seem to have two pairs from the same batch. They sound the same to me. They also both have the k601 pads. I know there are three different k501 versions, but I don't remember if there are also different k500 versions. Since it is AKG we're talking about, I assume there would be.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I forget if the K401 pads are substantially similar to the K501. And I've never had a K501.

Well, they're nearly the same, but not quite. The K400/K500/K401 pads are essentially the same with some cosmetic differences (and K401 having a foam or pleather strip on the back of the earpad to make it seal better to the earcup). The K501 pads are a bit thicker, and use a coarser, stiffer foam than the previous ones, and from what I remember didn't sound as good when I tried them on the K400. This is based off comparing my NOS pairs of K400, K401, and K501 pads, and not just the various used sets that have come and gone, so I think it's a fairly accurate assessment.