[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by steviebee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, but Uncle Erik has K701. He never rated it, positively disliked it. Go figure: we all hear different, thankfully.

I didn't say everything is bad about it.

It's more like a nicely made chair, where you love almost everything about it. Except there's a spring that uncomfortably pokes you in the back and there's no way to get rid of it.

If it didn't have an unnatural weirdness in the vocals, it would be an excellent headphone. Also, I'm very disappointed in AKG, considering their older models.

Contrast that with a Triport, which is crap throughout. And I'm not particularly disappointed in Bose - my expectations are awfully low.

 

[donunus]

Thats how I feel about AKG and BOSE too

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thats how I feel about AKG and BOSE too

I would like to see what some of the other AKG models are capable of, but I still think I can get easier-to-live-with phones from A-T and Grado, almost certainly cheaper than their AKG equivalents (at least here in Oz). We pay the same price for the AD900 that the local AKG guy is asking for a pair of K240 Studio phones.

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's the lack of texture for me, and the "eggshell" soundstage. Eggshell soundstage: Reasonably sized around you, but quite thin when you poke at it or try to explore a particular section of it.

They don't lack texture at all. They don't do the fullest justice to string texture, but to say that they lack texture is a blatant misconception.

And they are masters of resolution, so I don't understand what you mean by poking a section of the soundstage. They are grossly transparent and revealing. If something is bad in the recording, it will be stripped naked and paraded in front of you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by some1x /img/forum/go_quote.gif Love the K1000, don't like the K701 (even with classical - this is practically the only genre I listen to), really annoyed by K701 evangelists. I'd rate the K701 above only the MS1, SA5000, and W5000 (only because its cheaper) among the full size headphones I've owned.

What classical CDs do you listen to? Clarinet/Woodwind ensembles, quintets, piano and chamber music sound best with them. For larger orchestras, they do a good job too, but leave you wanting for more at times.

Quality of recording and source matter heavily, play a SACD/ DDD CD mastered in the late 80s or post 1990 and you will be rewarded. But play some analog re-masters from the early 60s and 70s and you will

 

[some1x]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhanja_trinanjan /img/forum/go_quote.gif What classical CDs do you listen to? Clarinet/Woodwind ensembles, quintets, piano and chamber music sound best with them. For larger orchestras, they do a good job too, but leave you wanting for more at times. Quality of recording and source matter heavily, play a SACD/ DDD CD mastered in the late 80s or post 1990 and you will be rewarded. But play some analog re-masters from the early 60s and 70s and you will

Mostly string quartets and symphonies. Some piano. Some of the recordings aren't of high quality, but many are. I don't think the source or the recording is the reason why I don't enjoy K701 - since I prefer K1000 and HP-2 using the same source and recordings

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by some1x /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mostly string quartets and symphonies. Some piano. Some of the recordings aren't of high quality, but many are. I don't think the source or the recording is the reason why I don't enjoy K701 - since I prefer K1000 and HP-2 using the same source and recordings

What differences do you note between the K1000 and K701?

Could you elaborate? Tonality grossly different?

 

[qipengchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by some1x /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mostly string quartets and symphonies. Some piano. Some of the recordings aren't of high quality, but many are. I don't think the source or the recording is the reason why I don't enjoy K701 - since I prefer K1000 and HP-2 using the same source and recordings

Absolutely agree...it is just a nightmare to listen to violin with 701...rediculous

 

[lescanard]

I've been thinking about the K701s to compliment my 325is' which I just love. They seem to take some heat on Head-fi as well but since it's a personal choice and I know I really love the sound of the 325s I'm ok with it. That being said - I listen mostly through my Macbook via optical to a d10 - and have a Little Dot mkIII on order and almost here so I will have a tube amp to enjoy. Any opinions as to how the K701s will sound with my gear and as a change up to the 325is'? I listen to a lot of Indie/Roots rock - am particularly fond of acoustic rock etc. Thx.

 

[some1x]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhanja_trinanjan /img/forum/go_quote.gif What differences do you note between the K1000 and K701? Could you elaborate? Tonality grossly different?

K1000 advantages: bigger soundstage, more dynamic - more "alive", more bass impact, fuller sound (more body to the instruments). These differences are quite big.

Treble can be emphasized - but the sound is not thin.

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qipengchen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Absolutely agree...it is just a nightmare to listen to violin with 701...rediculous

No, it isn't. Just check your source and amp. Violins sound good on my K701 out of Cambridge 640C V2 and Headroom Ultra Micro. But, the K701 does have a slight tonal flaw with violins on some recordings... But UN-LISTENABLE? NO WAY!

Quote:

Originally Posted by some1x /img/forum/go_quote.gif K1000 advantages: bigger soundstage, more dynamic - more "alive", more bass impact, fuller sound (more body to the instruments). These differences are quite big. Treble can be emphasized - but the sound is not thin.

What source and amp did you use with the K701? It needs a LOT of power, when I use High gain on my ultra micro, these cans come alive and burn-in greatly alleviates that thin sound.

 

[doping panda]

The K1000 is even more power hungry than the K701. It's a pair of damn speakers with a piece of wire connecting them. In all likelihood, the ECSS he has right now is probably underpowering his K1000 moreso than any amp would have with the K701.

Some people just don't like the K701. As annoying as the endless K701 bashing is, the K701 zealots are equally annoying. Everyone hears differently and everyone has different sonic preferences.

 

[some1x]

ECSS can't power the K1000 at all, unfortunately. I used several speaker amps- for example, a Gainclone, a 20W Class A amp based on Nelson Pass design, and the RKV for the most part. My current amp experiment (6BX7 amp) is being serviced.

 

[doping panda]

Well, a nice speaker amp would certainly do a much better job of it than the ECSS. The K1000 is a monster with regards to power requirement in comparison to most other headphones and earspeakers.

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doping panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif The K1000 is even more power hungry than the K701. It's a pair of damn speakers with a piece of wire connecting them. In all likelihood, the ECSS he has right now is probably underpowering his K1000 moreso than any amp would have with the K701. Some people just don't like the K701. As annoying as the endless K701 bashing is, the K701 zealots are equally annoying. Everyone hears differently and everyone has different sonic preferences.

It's not a matter of annoyance or flame wars. Sound is subjective and beauty here truly lies in the eyes of the beholder.

These endless discussions are fun and that's what keeps us coming back to head-fi!

And hey! What's an ECSS?

 

[rogue]

I've always found the K701 to be the Toyota Camry/Honda Accord of headphones - nothing terribly wrong with it, but at the same time completely devoid of any life and passion. Maybe it's great for studio monitoring (although I doubt it, due to the wonky midrange), but I also figure it would be good for falling asleep

Anyhow, these threads are pointless. Obviously the K701 haters aren't going to change the opinions of those who enjoy them, and vice-versa.