[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Curious, but how do they sound off the Peachtree Nova? Still planning to get a Cary to drive them like the one at the meet?

Honestly, they're so/so off the Peachtree directly. It drives my speakers wonderfully, but I think it's overpowered and unhappy with the impedance of the K1K.

The DAC and preamp of the Nova are wonderful, and the amp drives my speaker rig to my immense satisfaction, but something's wonky with the K1K. I haven't put them on in a week.

The Cary might be in the future, or some other 300b SET in its stead, but at the moment I'm trying to exhaust my solid state options. My custom F1 comes this Saturday, if FedEx is to be believed, and then we'll see what's up

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif All this tube amplifier talk makes my wallet cry! he he I have yet to hear the K1000 when driven by one, and am wondering what I am "missing out of". The general consensus are that the Signature 30.2 is quite warm and tube sounding though, so hopefully I am on track.

Tell your wallet to relax. The Sig 30.2 is a match made in heaven. Tubes do the same thing to the K-1000 as they do with speakers - layering and transparency.

The sky is the limit on how far the K-1000s can scale as was proven by foo_me's amp which retailed for $14K+.

 

[sachu]

The EHHA is an hybrid..but I am not listening to the AKG through my EHHA which actually sounds better than the one I am currently listening to.

ALso there is another amp that will soon be replacing the EHHA

and should be a further improvement in the amplification. Waiting for that to be ready before i make final decisions on the AKG.

 

[Sherwood]

Gary, that amp is gorgeous.

I'm surprised you prefer UL mode, though. In my head, Triode should be the better choice, as the K1Ks don't need the extra power. I must hear more, sir. I must.

 

[Sherwood]

Double Post (to get the ol' post count up).

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gary, that amp is gorgeous. I'm surprised you prefer UL mode, though. In my head, Triode should be the better choice, as the K1Ks don't need the extra power. I must hear more, sir. I must.

First of all, I wanna thank you for finding me the K1000 and for the kind words! I really appreciate your effort.

The triode mode gives out a warmer and more mellow sound but it sounds a little fuzzy while the UL mode gives me more dynamics and punch and most importantly - transparency.

The two modes don't differ a lot in terms of volume, I listen at 9 o'clock with triode and 8 on UL mode.

 

[Sherwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonboy403 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The triode mode gives out a warmer and more mellow sound but it sounds a little fuzzy while the UL mode gives me more dynamics and punch and most importantly - transparency.

Ooh, interesting! That seems like it could be an awfully useful switch, depending on your mood. Of course, once you join team K1000, you're only ever in the mood for moar detail.

I eagerly look forward to further impressions.

 

[mrarroyo]

Those of you w/ a K1000 and an HD800 please advise which one you prefer. I would be helpful to find out what amp you use with each of the two cans. Thanks.

 

[seacard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Those of you w/ a K1000 and an HD800 please advise which one you prefer. I would be helpful to find out what amp you use with each of the two cans. Thanks.

They are too different to compare. I've used the HD800 with the Phoenix, and the K1000 with both the Phoenix and the Audio Zone Amp 1. If I had to pick one of the two setups, I would probably go with the HD800/Phoenix. But the K1000 is a very unique presentation for a headphone, and matches extremely well with the Audio Zone.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Those of you w/ a K1000 and an HD800 please advise which one you prefer. I would be helpful to find out what amp you use with each of the two cans. Thanks.

I don't own the HD800, but I have auditioned it very extensively at Canjam and spent the whole day with it at the LA meet pairing it with different amps such as the Phoenix, Zana Deux, and B22. Having said that, I greatly prefer my K1000/ECD1/Manley Stingray combo to the HD800. They're similar in terms of technical capabilities but I don't get much emotional involvement nor a natural speaker-like soundstage with the HD800 like I do with the K1000.

 

[GuyDebord]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Those of you w/ a K1000 and an HD800 please advise which one you prefer. I would be helpful to find out what amp you use with each of the two cans. Thanks.

I just sold my HD800's IMO they simply were not at the level of the K1000 and O2's. I tried the HD800's with a graham slee solo srg, lehmann bcl, spl phonitor, 2 costume tube amps and the Leben CS300x, none of this combinations made me feel excited about the HD800's. They are very good HP's, no question, they certainly leave the hd6xx's in the dust, but they have calculative, clinical and sterile soul which I have never related to music. HD800 defenders, please dont give me the "neutrality" defense, laboratory measured neutrality is very different than neutrality in a real musical performance... I care for the later.

The K1000's on the other hand impressed me from the very first time I put them on, first with my Halcro, then with a Manley Stingray and now I have them with the Leben CS300x, I cant wait to try them with a minimal SET amp... With all these amps the k1000's have sounded great! until now I like the Leben best, but I could perfectly live with the stingray... However, I plan to keep just one set of open cans, and at the moment im preferring the 007A/GES Maxxed over the K1000 system, lets see with a SET,

 

[West726]

I bought my HD800s and my K1000s about the same time, and expected to keep only one pair because that's all I could afford/justify. I ran both of them out of my Zana Deux. I have a RW Signature on the way, and I was trying to resist running the K1000s through the ZD until it got here so that I could hear them at their best, but I had the headphone jack adapter so I thought WTH I'll give them both a try.

The HD800s sounded great on first listen. Very clean from high to low, a little light in the bass, but still a great sound. Then I put on the K1000s -- again, driven by an amp not strong enough to drive them -- and it was WOW from the beginning. The imaging was just amazing. The bass wasn't quite there, and they lacked detail, but (a) they're not amped properly and (b) even amped improperly, I preferred them to the HD800s. I agree with GuyDebord -- the HD800s "have calculative, clinical, and sterile soul." They're the SQ equivalent of a metronome -- on the beat every single time, unfortunately.

I know lots of people want the neutrality, but I prefer musicality, so I'm sticking with my K1000s (can't wait for the amp!) and, for fun, the DX1000s and SR200s. You still can't go wrong with the HD800s, but they're just not for me in this competition.

 

[progo]

I think I've "compared" the K1000+Technics receiver and the Stax 2020 combos more than twice now, but I feel compelled to do so yet again.

Last time I listened to these last month and meanwhile the K1000s every day so I get exposed to the bright side a lot. Now, after one song, I feel the Staxes sound (when compared against the K1000) muffled, round, the bass is bloat, the highs very recessed. The sound is staying inside my head (although people still play in their positions). The guitars sound underpowered. I hate to say this, but the Staxes sound colored against the K1000.

Well, as anyone who has had more than one pair of headphones knows, after a few songs the Stax sound gets familiar and especially the highs wake alive. The bass is getting nice. A little bloat compared to the lack of K1000s works for me.

Yet these immediate findings prove that the K1000 has such potential and the music is so alive, the guitars are properly powered, the bass is tight and realistic, everything is crystal clear and sound. The staxes are principally euphonic compared to the K1000 but when one is after the realistic sound reproduction, the K1000 is the choice. (Or alternatively some Stax headphone other than the most basic one!)

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tell your wallet to relax. The Sig 30.2 is a match made in heaven. Tubes do the same thing to the K-1000 as they do with speakers - layering and transparency.

Exactly what I, and my wallet, did like to hear!

The Signature 30.2 and K1000 combo do sound fantastic imo. But since I have limited experience with other amplifiers it is nice to hear that it can keep up with a tube driven one quite well.

This is just magic!

 

[mrarroyo]

Thanks for the answers, I have been in conversations w/ a friend that owns a low number K1000 who would sell it. I have also been in conversations w/ Vinnie to buy a Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2. This combo would be driven by an Isabellina HPA. Based on the above it sounds like I am on the right track. If any one has any additional input please chime in. Thanks again.