[Nietzsche]

I first connected my K1000 to an ARCAM A65+ SS amp.
The sound was not bad (even better than Slee Solo/GS 1000) but colours could be bolder. I had higher expectations.
Now I use this setup:
Arcam FMJ CD 23 > Oehlbach XXL 100 IC > Musical Fidelity X10-D tube buffer > AVM IC > AVM V3 pre amp (SS) > XLR KIMBER KS ???? > 2 mono blocks AVM M4 (class A, mosfet, 4OW at 8 Ohm) > K1000 (stock cable) and this set sounds very impressive (fast, detailed, warm, slam). Acoustic Jazz sound nearly perfect to me.
Sting quartets can still be improved, I think. Is the Stephan AudioArt tailpiece a good idea?
Is a tube amp like a Eastern Electric Minimax (2 x 9W) an option?
Or should I stick with my AVM's (I could live with that).

AVM is a very small German company (Audio Video Messtechnik). I think it's only ditributed in Germany, Holland, Austria and Swiss. So maybe it's difficult for people in other countries to evaluate this rig and my questions ...

Jan

 

[tmarshl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nietzsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif I first connected my K1000 to an ARCAM A65+ SS amp. The sound was not bad (even better than Slee Solo/GS 1000) but colours could be bolder. I had higher expectations. Now I use this setup: Arcam FMJ CD 23 > Oehlbach XXL 100 IC > Musical Fidelity X10-D tube buffer > AVM IC > AVM V3 pre amp (SS) > XLR KIMBER KS ???? > 2 mono blocks AVM M4 (class A, mosfet, 4OW at 8 Ohm) > K1000 (stock cable) and this set sounds very impressive (fast, detailed, warm, slam). Acoustic Jazz sound nearly perfect to me. Sting quartets can still be improved, I think. Is the Stephan AudioArt tailpiece a good idea? Is a tube amp like a Eastern Electric Minimax (2 x 9W) an option? Or should I stick with my AVM's (I could live with that). AVM is a very small German company (Audio Video Messtechnik). I think it's only ditributed in Germany, Holland, Austria and Swiss. So maybe it's difficult for people in other countries to evaluate this rig and my questions ... Jan

If you are thinking of a Stefan Audio Arts upgrade, I would highly recommend that you go for the complete hardwire upgrade. In my opinion, it is far better than just upgrading the tail piece.

 

[Nietzsche]

But I'm a bit afraid to damage the drivers.

Jan

 

[KrooLism]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nietzsche /img/forum/go_quote.gif But I'm a bit afraid to damage the drivers. Jan

You have to be very careful. They are pretty delicate and you should get someone that knows what they are doing.

As to my $0.02 on the original topic, I think that K-1000's now have an antique, exclusive, unique, "pride of ownership", and sentimental value as opposed to just their sound. I mean, they are the most unique and distinguishable headphones ever made. If you we're looking into a crowded mall and there was a guy wearing ear speakers with dual red bands, you'd instantly recognise the make of the phones.

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrooLism /img/forum/go_quote.gif You have to be very careful. They are pretty delicate and you should get someone that knows what they are doing. As to my $0.02 on the original topic, I think that K-1000's now have an antique, exclusive, unique, "pride of ownership", and sentimental value as opposed to just their sound. I mean, they are the most unique and distinguishable headphones ever made. If you we're looking into a crowded mall and there was a guy wearing ear speakers with dual red bands, you'd instantly recognise the make of the phones.

I wouldn't associate the looks with "pride" at all. They make you look like a geek, so for me its only about the sound.

<--- uugly

 

[003]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessica_fae /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please excuse this ultra geek side of me. I'm a big fan of Single-Ended tube amps. Yeah 300B is a tube type and Cary and Air Tight are amp manufacturers who use 300B tubes in their designs. The 300B is an old 1938 tube design in a 'triode' configuration. This is the simplest possible configuration: imagine an incandescent light bulb with a mesh grid wrapped around the filament and then a metal plate wrapped around that mesh. The filament emits electrons, the grid controls the flow of electrons and the plate receives the electrons closing the circuit and amplifying the signal. It is because of the simplicity that gives it great sound, but low power handling (about 15watts max). The 300B has taken on ultra highend status with single replacement 300B tubes selling for $200-$900 depending on the manufacturer. If you want stereo you need two . The most common amplifier circuit being the Single-Ended Triode (SET) configuration. Basically the circuit is wiring up a buffered line-in voltage to the grid and a transformer to the plate output. But because of the ultra-exotic nature of SET amps, there are manufacturers out there making amps like this. I forget the name of this one, but it is rather pretty I use a humble $450 used ($1000 when new) GoldenTube SE40 which sounds great. It uses 6 parallel 6L6 tubes wired as single-ended-triodes. Not a 'true' SET, but I know owners of this amp who 'graduated' to expensive SET amps and then sold them and returned to the SE40. Jessica

Wow thanks! I wasn't expecting a reply like that, it cleared everything up. Thanks again!

 

[Audiofiler]

If you we're looking into a crowded mall and there was a guy wearing ear speakers with dual red bands, you'd instantly recognise the make of the phones.QUOTE]

..and the fact that the person wearing them around a mall has less than a clue, I would go up and offer that person $50 for them or some nice mall panda food from the food court..he/she may just take you up on this if he/she would wear them in public and all

Just having some fun, but I would do that if ever in the mall, and someone was scoped wearing a K1K..

These cans bring back memories..

 

[progo]

Bouncing the somewhat excellent thread up. I'm interested at the commonalities between the K701 and the K1000. Actually I was hoping to find a complete comparative review of the two, but interestingly I didn't find anything. Does someone has enough spare time to do something little for me?

I think nobody has ever described the K701 as the baby-K1000 so they must not be similar in signature?

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by progo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Bouncing the somewhat excellent thread up. I'm interested at the commonalities between the K701 and the K1000. Actually I was hoping to find a complete comparative review of the two, but interestingly I didn't find anything. Does someone has enough spare time to do something little for me? I think nobody has ever described the K701 as the baby-K1000 so they must not be similar in signature?

The K701 and K1000 are nothing like each other.

The K501 sort of has one thing in common with the K1000, their mids. The K1000's mids is like K501 but only better.

 

[charliex]

Well - now that I am even more convinced that I should be saving up for a K-1000, and hearing that a good amp is definitely required to bring out their best...would my current owned Little Dot MK III amp be suitable (I really could,'t afford to upgrade both cans and amp at same time).

 

[progo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliex /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well - now that I am even more convinced that I should be saving up for a K-1000, and hearing that a good amp is definitely required to bring out their best...would my current owned Little Dot MK III amp be suitable (I really could,'t afford to upgrade both cans and amp at same time).

Some vintage receiver will make the K1000s output enough so you can buy the K1000s and a cheap poweramp in the $100 area. So don't use headamps for K1000 and you're done with it

 

[bhanja_trinanjan]

My guess is that both the K701 and K1000 scale with amplification.

K1000 yells out of the box that it is a power hog. It officially requires the use of regular speaker amplifiers.

The K701 is much more sensitive, but it too requires a LOT OF POWER... IT IS A DECEPTIVE POWER HOG.

Fact of the matter is that as the days progress, we are seeing the K701s scale more and more with better amplification.

A classic case is the newly launched Musical Fidelity XCANV8.
This amp, with its manufacturer claiming its ability to drive even a K1000, is a real monster.

And 90% of people have been pairing the K701 with weaker amps till now, amps that are more than enough to drive DT880s and HD600s but NOT ENOUGH FOR THE K1000.

You plugin the K701 one fine morning to a XCANV8 and you discover the beast the K701 really is!

That thinness of tone, lack of mid-bass and lack of body goes away and the K701 transforms itself to an awe-inspiring set of phones ... Point is that one rarely gives as much power as attainable on a XCANV8 to the K701... and when one does, the true colours of the K701 blossom.

This has been noted earlier also, some people have ventured to drive the K1000 and K701 with similar levels of power and have come back rewarded.

Just my guess... based on what I have read here.

 

[Pyriel0]

I'll have my K701 back in a few days (been out on loan for awhile) and I will compare the two driven by the F1. At least in this setup there is no possibility of either headphone not being driven to the fullest potential.

 

[progo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyriel0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll have my K701 back in a few days (been out on loan for awhile) and I will compare the two driven by the F1. At least in this setup there is no possibly of either headphone not being driven to the fullest potential.

Excellent. Thanks in advance!

 

[krmathis]

I say a clear -> Yes
The K1000 are a totally different "beast" than the K701, especially when it comes to sound quality. I do not like the K701 at all, but simple love the K1000. So I do not see the problem with paying 2-3 times the price for one...