K601 vs DT880
Jun 10, 2014 at 12:54 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 10

LightDarkSonic

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Hi, I'm new to the forums and I'd like some help here in my new pair of headphones, I live in Brazil and here good heaphones are pretty overpriced, in reality I've never seen other Sennheisers, AKGs and Beyerdynamics. My father bought me my real pair of headphones, my HD 201, and from there I sticked to Sennheiser and bought my HD 449, I have the oportunity to get a used DT880 and a new K601. I actually love prefer my 449s but there's something about my 201s that I really like and don't know exactly what it is. I want to buy a better pair of headphones that gives me a different take on music than that of my 449s, but I don't have the oportunity to listen to the headphones before buying, I want something with more sparkle on the treble but I don't know if the 880s would be too much, my sister has a pair of HTF-600s (I wanted to listen to these and was responsible for this buy) and I really enjoy the bass from these cans, so I'd like something with a good bass, especially sub-bass, but I also love the mids from my 449s, but can't help but feel sometimes like there's something missing in them, so maybe I want something (I don't know how to describe that) lighter or more in your face mids, so I want to know if I should go on the safer bet the K601 and how much of a difference they would make or I should risk on the DT 880. In what aspects which one of them are better? What genres they excel at? If I think the treble from the 880s are too much can EQ solve that? Are the mids from the 880s that bad? How is the bass from the K601s? I don't know for how much time I'm going to have the oportunity to buy these cans for this price, so the faster I can know about this the better, I've taken a look at both but I haven't found a comparison between both and my 449s so I can't help but feel a little lost, I can be new to the forums but I've been here reading a lot before deciding on my 449s and even after that. There was a time in which I was a little addicted to reading about headphones and amps here so I already know some of you. Sorry for my English, I don't consider myself fluent but I try to do my best to deal with it ^^
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 4:44 AM Post #2 of 10
Your English is great, although creating a paragraph or two could prevent the 'big wall of text' effect which may scare some readers off.
 
The DT880 is available in 3 types (32, 250 and 600 ohm) so be aware of that. 32 ohms would be a good portable for around the house, 600 ohms for staying at home tethered to an amp, or with a portable amp.
 
I only have a clear impression of the DT880 (not the K601) but I find too much high-freq sound gets fatiguing. If you like the HD201 sound, then you may be similar to me.
 
They are bright-sounding with clear mids and decent lows; I love the sound of them. I'd say they're good for rock and electronic music.
 
For the price they are excellent value.
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 9:37 AM Post #3 of 10
I have the newer K612s, and I prefer them personally over the DT880s. However, they are difficult to drive and need a good headphone amp.

You could find out more about the K601s in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/216596/akg-k601-k612-pro-owners-unite
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 5:16 PM Post #5 of 10
Thanks. I guess I've spent a good amount of time reading stuff in english. I actually like the punchy bass that comes out from my 449. But I see myself wanting something with more impact and maybe what I miss from the 201 are the upper mids that were more upfront by what I could notice comparing both headphones frequency response. So I guess I will go on the DT 880. But will my Denon receiver be enough to power the 250 ohm version fine?
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 5:25 PM Post #6 of 10
Denon receivers generally do well with higher impedance headphones. What they don't do well with is low impedance headphones.
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 5:26 PM Post #7 of 10
Also, it has been a while since I have heard the DT880s, but based on what you just described above, I'm not sure that the DT880s would be a better choice for you.
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 9:15 PM Post #8 of 10
So what would you recommend?
 
Jun 10, 2014 at 9:38 PM Post #9 of 10
AKG Q/K7xx and K6xx open headphone series are known for having good mids, which you mentioned. You mentioned sparkle in the treble. The AKG's can do that. And I find the K612s (which apparently are very similar to the K601s) to have less fatiguing treble than the DT880s. So your assumption that the DT880s will fit you better because of what you said seems incorrect to me. But I'm not saying the AKGs will better for you either. I don't think you have figured it out yet.

What I would recommend is going to the main discussion threads for each of the headphones you are interested in, read some more, and ask some questions. Then decide :)

Go here and here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/216596/akg-k601-k612-pro-owners-unite
http://www.head-fi.org/t/429371/the-beyerdynamic-dt880-appreciation-discussion-thread

BTW: you should look into the K612s. Might be cheaper than the K601s.
 
Jun 11, 2014 at 2:59 AM Post #10 of 10
Thanks. I will take a look and see what is gonna fit me better
 

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