[halcyon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawky thanks for the help guys, last question: having the audigy 2 zs notebook sound card, there is a 7.1 lineout and a headphone out, which one should I use to plug the amp into?

The headphone output probably has a bit more power for the headphone type of load. This is an assumption (I don't have the notebook A2ZS myself). Regardless, I'd try the headphone output first.

 

[sbelyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox I highly recommend sending them to headphile.com for mods, or searching around here for info on how to mod/recable them yourself.

I have to agree here and say that re-cabling them makes a world of difference. I own and have re-cabled the K271s myself. I just used standard jacketless starquad with one wire removed. It made a world of difference compared to the stock cable. I also owned the HD-580 and the K271s sounded better with all of my amps (check my sig). After I recabled the K271 I sold my 580's. I would imagine that it would sound even better with a good quality re-cable from headphile (I'm just lazy and haven't ordered good wire).

In short... Keep them and buy a good re-cable.

If you want to do the job yourself here's the mouser link to the connector that plugs into the headphones:
http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?hand...oductid=316908

and just put a good quality 1/8" or 1/4" on the other end. Somewhere here I have a thread on what I did.

 

[hawky]

I already have a headphile cable for my K271s

 

[philodox]

sbelyo - Glad to hear you are enjoying your K271S.

I myself owned these headphones for quite some time. I discovered them on headwize and they brought me to head-fi... we won't discuss what has happened since then.

While the K271S does noticably improve with a recable and I agree, does smoke the HD580's once you do... it is not the drastic change that a recable on the K340 makes. All of the sets that I've owned came recabled direct from headphile, but I had a chance to hear aerius' pair before a recable and directly after. It was truley astonishing the difference that it made. Before the recable they did not even come close to my K340's and afterwards it was almost there.

 

[sbelyo]

I wouldn't consider the 580 then. They were good but no better than the k271s. I haven't tried anything else but my advice would be to use the money to upgrade your source first. Also I would think you would need to drop $300+ to top the k271s. A nice modded redbook player is hard to top.

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbelyo Also I would think you would need to drop $300+ to top the k271s. A nice modded redbook player is hard to top.

Good advice that.

 

[sbelyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox While the K271S does noticably improve with a recable and I agree, does smoke the HD580's once you do... it is not the drastic change that a recable on the K340 makes. All of the sets that I've owned came recabled direct from headphile, but I had a chance to hear aerius' pair before a recable and directly after. It was truley astonishing the difference that it made. Before the recable they did not even come close to my K340's and afterwards it was almost there.

I saw the thread on your new k340's. Made me friggin drool...

I meant to recable my k271s's with silver but I never got around to it. I think my next purchase (not a bad suggestion for hawky) is a pair of darth beyers from headphile.

When headphile says DT770/880 for $169.99 w/woody's and recable, is that either or? or just the 770's? Because I think I want the 880's

 

[master83]

I also have the AKG K271S. I love them after they have warmed properly up.

I think they sound absolutely fantastic when playing bits of music that have a good defined bass-line and some ( but not much ) ambience/guitars etc.

BUT, when I throw a nice portion of heavy bass, guitars, drums etc onto them it suffers.. the lovely bass suffers and soundstage, presence of the instruments goes into this "mess". Cant put words onto it. but I guess I want some headphones that not only shines at mild level music, but also on heavy rock songs.

Would a cable upgrade help me out or should I go and buy some non-closed headphones?

I have EMU 0404 - high end cables - Corda HA1 MKII - standard cable - AKG K271S

 

[sbelyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by master83 BUT, when I throw a nice portion of heavy bass, guitars, drums etc onto them it suffers.. the lovely bass suffers and soundstage, presence of the instruments goes into this "mess". Cant put words onto it. but I guess I want some headphones that not only shines at mild level music, but also on heavy rock songs.

That stuff disappears with a good source. I modded my dvd963sa and any flaws that the headphone had disappeared.

Also the k271s shines with the dynalo. It's the best combo I've heard so far

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbelyo I saw the thread on your new k340's. Made me friggin drool...

Thanks man, as a bonus they sound pretty good too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbelyo When headphile says DT770/880 for $169.99 w/woody's and recable, is that either or? or just the 770's? Because I think I want the 880's

Not sure, you'd have to ask Larry. I would also ask him his recommendation on what cable to use. On my old pair of K340's I used BlackSilver and I was thinking about using BlackMax due to all the hype it had for a while there, but Larry steered me towards BlackGold as he thought it would have sonic properties that would compliment the K340's and allow them to retain the sound I love. It doesn't hurt that it is also the top cable he offers.

EDIT: Just to avoid confusion... the BlackGold does not actually use a gold or gold alloy cable... its just as name.

 

[master83]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbelyo That stuff disappears with a good source. I modded my dvd963sa and any flaws that the headphone had disappeared. Also the k271s shines with the dynalo. It's the best combo I've heard so far

emu 0404 is the highest I can go on my budget source wise.. Is it really that bad a source?

 

[philodox]

Actually, the EMU is pretty good... I would be more worried about the amp if you do decide to go with the K340 or K501. I've got a HA-1 in my closet right now [someone left it at a meet and I can't seem to get in touch with him], and you need more amp for these two demanding headphones. Should be fine with the K271S though as my PIMETA performed admirably with them.

Maybe you should just be content and save some money so that when you do upgrade you can hit everything at once?

 

[sbelyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by master83 emu 0404 is the highest I can go on my budget source wise.. Is it really that bad a source?

I couldn't say as I don't have one but most speak pretty high of it. I know it can be modded by replacing the output opamp and ouput caps. Also most make their own cables for it as well. What I do know is that any kind of compression with mp3's and such destroys the soundstage on the k271s's. I would think that if you rip the cd's to wav and listen to them, that might improve things.

I use an ipod (wav's only) and mint and I was happy with the k271s's. I would think the line out on the emu 0404 is far better thant the line out on the ipod.

 

[sbelyo]

double post

 

[philodox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbelyo I use an ipod (wav's only) and mint and I was happy with the k271s's. I would think the line out on the emu 0404 is far better thant the line out on the ipod.

Why not use ALAC if you have an ipod?