[umbalito]

Hello all, just looking for some quick opinions on this -

I'm planning on maybe getting a K701 - but am working on a fairly limited budget right now - though I will be planning on getting a decent set-up down the road (say maybe one year from now).

So what do you think would be a good way of starting off - just to tide me over until I get the funds to get a decent set-up:

1. Laptop > Good dedicated amp capable of driving the K701 > K701

or

2. Laptop > V-DAC > Cheapo Amp > K701

I know everyone pretty much says the K701 is very very amp dependent. But I'm not quite sure where to start off here. Would a DAC + cheapo amp be good enough? Or should I instead just get a good amp right now, and save up for a DAC later on?

Unfortunately I can't afford both right now, hehe. I can get one of the portable amp/dac combo's - D3, 3Move, Nuforce Icon etc.. but I guess they're not good enough for the K701.

Currently using an AT A900 - used to have an MS1 and an SR125 (both too bright and forward for me) along with a HotAudio HotUSB DAC which I all sold (due to photography

) - and am really unhappy with the way it treats vocals and highs. Don't really care much for bass, as long as it's there and tight.

LIsten to a bit of everything - U2, Journey, Garth Brooks, Within Temptation, Eva Cassidy, Arcturus, Hayley Westenra - rock, country, metal, melodic rock, classical, jazz...

Though I'm not really looking for the ultimate SQ, since I cant afford it, lol, and I don't really consider myself an audiophile - just looking to improve on my current listening experience.

Cheers, thanks in advance.

 

[umbalito]

Read up some more on amps and stuff -

Taking into account my budget and what's available to me locally as well - I've come up with a short list below -

what would you recommend for a K701 or a K702, or maybe a K501 or K601..

Dared MP5 as amp + Music Fidelity V-DAC

or

Meier Cantate.2

For FLAC running off of a laptop?

Thanks

 

[Acix]

For me...AK1 with http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/k702-studio-393139/

 

[fjrabon]

If you thought that the MS1 and SR125 were too bright, then I'm not sure that the K701 is for you either.

 

[AmanGeorge]

Looking at your musical tastes, you may be better served by a K601, which lacks the utter brilliance of the K701 on classical and some acoustic/jazz tracks, but still sounds very good with those genres while not retaining the harshness of the 701s with rock/metal.

 

[umbalito]

Thanks for the replies. Hmm.. definitely something to think about. If it goes as bright as the Grado's, then I might have to seriously re-think then.

It pains me that I can't afford to keep more than 1 headphone, lol, hehe.

I'll look into the K601 as well, thanks. Also looking into the K271 Mk II as well - looks to be well regarded as well.

The AT A900's are fine for the most part for me - I just have issues with the way it does vocals sometimes - Eva Cassidy, Hayley Westenra sound pretty good to me. Diana Krall is great as well.

But listening to Within Temptation's Mother Earth album for example, and it can't seem to keep up. Everything is just.. meeh. U2's Joshua Tree and Achtung are also not handled very well. It can't bring out detail very well, and the vocals are just.. buried under everything.

Lol, sorry, I just can't describe sound very well.

Cheers, thanks!

 

[cswann1]

Being a Grado and AKG owner I can say from experience that even though the K701 is "bright" compared to some phones, they are not anywhere as fatiguing as the Grado's.

The highs of my K701's are very smooth and never sibilant. I can, and do, listen for hours at a time. That's something I cannot do with the Grado.


As far as your amp question....

One option, if you can swing it, would be to take advantage of the intro price of the Audio-gd Compass. This price likely will only last a few more weeks.

If you can't get the phones and a quality DAC/amp at the same time, I recommend getting the phones and wait until you can get a good DAC/amp. You can listen to the K701's right from your laptop. The sound will be less than ideal, but it'll make you appreciate your DAC/amp much more when you get it.

The Meier Cantate 2 is a good suggestion too imo.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by umbalito /img/forum/go_quote.gif LIsten to a bit of everything - U2, Journey, Garth Brooks, Within Temptation, Eva Cassidy, Arcturus, Hayley Westenra - rock, country, metal, melodic rock, classical, jazz...

Are you sure you want the K-701? I'll use it for jazz and classical, but don't like it much for anything else you mention. For a little less, a used Sennheiser HD-580 or HD-600 will give you what you're looking for.

Further, the HD-580/600 is a much easier headphone to drive. You can find an inexpensive low-end tube amp for them that would leave the AKGs sounding awful.

Don't worry about buying used headphones, either. You rarely see someone who bought used headphones that didn't work. Look through the threads - that rarely happens.

So give the Senns some thought and be sure to read through some threads about them before you buy anything.

 

[umbalito]

Looks like the K701/K702 are almost out of the equation then. Thanks guys

I have been curious about the higher end Senns, from reading all the reviews and stuff. Though I owned a PX100 and have listened to an HD555 (?) briefly - unfortunately, I just don't think the Senn sound is for me. Unfortunately, I'm one of those who think the Senn sound is kind of 'veiled' - which is the word I've seen used around here.

But again, that's basing solely on my old PX100, which some say was an "intro" to the Senn sound, as well as my brief time with the 555.

-----

I've been doing more reading - and am now considering the K271 seriously - general consensus seems to be that it does vocals very well. (for a closed can) And highs fairly well as well.

Though I don't really need a closed can, I do prefer it as it drowns out the noise of the air-conditioning, hehe. Though the K271 will need an amp as well, apparently.

Looks like I may have to do a 2-can set-up though. If I do end up going the K271 way - then I just might get an SR60 for rock.. I don't know yet, lol.

Although honestly, being a noob to everything and all, searching for the right can without really being able to listen and compare is fun, lol.

Thanks again all. If anyone has any other thoughts, kindly sound off please. Cheers!

 

[kelvinz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cswann1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Being a Grado and AKG owner I can say from experience that even though the K701 is "bright" compared to some phones, they are not anywhere as fatiguing as the Grado's. The highs of my K701's are very smooth and never sibilant. I can, and do, listen for hours at a time. That's something I cannot do with the Grado. As far as your amp question.... One option, if you can swing it, would be to take advantage of the intro price of the Audio-gd Compass. This price likely will only last a few more weeks. If you can't get the phones and a quality DAC/amp at the same time, I recommend getting the phones and wait until you can get a good DAC/amp. You can listen to the K701's right from your laptop. The sound will be less than ideal, but it'll make you appreciate your DAC/amp much more when you get it. The Meier Cantate 2 is a good suggestion too imo.

I've had the opposite experience with the K701 they are the only headphone I've owned that I can't listen to for more than 30min to a hour at a time. They have basically dropped off my listening rotation the past year.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you sure you want the K-701? I'll use it for jazz and classical, but don't like it much for anything else you mention. For a little less, a used Sennheiser HD-580 or HD-600 will give you what you're looking for. Further, the HD-580/600 is a much easier headphone to drive. You can find an inexpensive low-end tube amp for them that would leave the AKGs sounding awful. Don't worry about buying used headphones, either. You rarely see someone who bought used headphones that didn't work. Look through the threads - that rarely happens. So give the Senns some thought and be sure to read through some threads about them before you buy anything.

Do you listen to the K701 with a tube amp??

 

[cswann1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelvinz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had the opposite experience with the K701 they are the only headphone I've owned that I can't listen to for more than 30min to a hour at a time. They have basically dropped off my listening rotation the past year.

Strange. For me the really upper regions of the Grado's are not the problem so much as the very forward upper mid-range. It may be that I have the SR60's with the Grado comfies that place the driver closer to the ear than the bowl pads that make them fatiguing to me.

BTW...I was so impressed with Alex's (from APureSound) HD580's (with APS cable) that I bought a pair of 580's last night on the "Bay". I don't intend to replace my K701's but I'd like them to compliment my AKG's for various types of music the K701's are not ideal for. I'd likely have splurged for a pair of D7000's (and probably will someday) but I'm trying to keep my "upgradeitis" under control because I'm trying to buy a house in the next six months.
I don't think I "settled" for the HD580's because I have been thinking about getting a pair ever since I heard Alex's at the last DFW meet. I just happened to come accross a minty pair on eBay last week and snagged em.