[XENOPHOS]

Hi, I was wondering if I expected too much from my k701's. They are good the way they are now but I was expecting that the sound wouldn't be that congested and kind of dry. I'm using a Heed canamp but my source is just a soundblaster for the gateway. They are also not all the way burned in either (maybe 10 hours or so). How much of an improvement should I see from a better source like a dac in the $250-300 range and 300+ hours of burn in. If they don't change much, I might sell them =(

 

[XENOPHOS]

one more question, what genres or artist/songs really 'wow' you with the k701?

 

[dw6928]

I thought I was clear about the burn in. At 10 hours you are in no man's land. They sounded thin and lacked any melodic quality (even with the Heed). Please be patient and don't panic. As I told you, I thought the first few days that it was the worst purchase I had ever made. I have them on right now many, many months later (Heed included). Hang in there. You will be rewarded.

 

[pataburd]

Between what I think is an unworthy source, coupled with the fact that the K701 reportedly need several hundred hours of break-in (I have about 200 on mine and they are still changing), you are expecting too much from these headphones at this point.

I'm not sure, though, how the CanAmp fares with the K701, which can be difficult to drive. They seem to be doing very well for me, driven with the DarkVoice 336i and the right tube compliment (right now it's the Mullard 6080 and Sylvania 6SN7GTA).

That said, however, I don't feel the K701--and I may stand corrected--are dynamically textured headphones; that is, I think it is too much for me ever to expect bass slam from the K701 on par with, say, a good closed can.

If you are going to do these headphones justice, or if you want them to do you justice, rather, mate them with a better source (my modest, $99 Panasonic S47 pairs very well with the K701) and give the 'phones another 300 or so hours to come into their own.

 

[Hoppergrass]

ditto the first response. my first thought upon listening to my k701s out of the box was, "uh oh. i just wasted a lot of money." but now i'm at the point where i think i'll never get rid of them. and the heed is superb for it's little price tag. i know i'll never get rid of it.

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XENOPHOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif one more question, what genres or artist/songs really 'wow' you with the k701?

Early music, e.g. Monteverdi, Gabrielli; Baroque chamber orchestra, e.g. Trevor Pinnock and the English Chamber; acoustic/folk and other "unplugged" venues, e.g. Cat Stevens; jazz, e.g. The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Bill Evans; etc.

But I've enjoyed rock, pop, country and R&B with the K701, too.

 

[dw6928]

just another note: the Heed/701 combination is very well documented in the huge Heed thread if you feel like a good
research project while you are burning them in. Don't forget 25% pink noise!

 

[brokensound]

With the k701, you get what you put in. Hence crap in (sound blaster) gives you crap out. Therefore, your source needs an upgrade. I use the oritek zhaolu and there's not a single hint of congestion. Every note and every word never skips a beat and can be clearly distinguished at all times; and the sound stage is huge.
As for the dry sound, that might be due to the fact you're using a SS amp. When I used to use my reciever as the amp from the omz, it sounded dry and harsh. Switching up to a tube amp helped make the sound more fluid.

As for music, try Allison Krauss, Des'ree, or Tracy Chapman. Female voices sound angelic on the k701.

 

[daltonlanny]

After 600 hours burn-in, and various amps and sources including the Music Hall CD25.2 Cd player, Onkyo DX-7555 Cd player, Harman Kardon CDR-30 Cd player, Creek OBH-11 SE amp, Heed CanAmp, and Headroom Max, I still have not completely warmed to the sound of my AKG K701's, and I am rather disappointed.
They still sound, to my ears, sort of analytical, dry, thin, sterile, a tad peaky in the upper mids/lower treble, and they lack any real bass slam.
To my ears and tastes, the Sennheiser HD600/650's, used with the Equinox replacement cables, are superior to the 701's when it comes to bass power, midrange and treble smoothness, lack of any sibilance or dryness, and overall balance. I also feel that when using the Equinox cables, and Headroom Max, the soundstaging on the Senns. is at least equal to the AKG's.
The only area on the 701's that I feel may be very slightly superior to the 600/650 is in overall treble detail and sparkle, and female vocals sound slightly better, but I don't miss it due to the lack of any dryness or harshness in the Senn. sound.
The Senns. are also much easier to drive [despite the 250-300 ohm impedance rating] than the AKG's or Beyers, on every headphone jack that I have tried them on, including Cd players.
Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing the 701's. They are reference quality cans, very detailed, open, and sound superior to the 600/650 to many ears, but just not to mine.
Guess I just discovered the best of the Sennheiser sound, and I like it alittle better overall than the AKG, Beyer, and Grado sound.
Just my 2 cents...and again, to each his own.

 

[sghound]

one last attempt? 701 thru any HK AVR equipped with Dolby Headphones out. will make an amazing Harman corporation pairing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by daltonlanny /img/forum/go_quote.gif After 600 hours burn-in, and various amps and sources including the Music Hall CD25.2 Cd player, Onkyo DX-7555 Cd player, Harman Kardon CDR-30 Cd player, Creek OBH-11 SE amp, Heed CanAmp, and Headroom Max, I still have not completely warmed to the sound of my AKG K701's, and I am rather disappointed. They still sound, to my ears, sort of analytical, dry, thin, sterile, a tad peaky in the upper mids/lower treble, and they lack any real bass slam. To my ears and tastes, the Sennheiser HD600/650's, used with the Equinox replacement cables, are superior to the 701's when it comes to bass power, midrange and treble smoothness, lack of any sibilance or dryness, and overall balance. I also feel that when using the Equinox cables, and Headroom Max, the soundstaging on the Senns. is at least equal to the AKG's. The only area on the 701's that I feel may be very slightly superior to the 600/650 is in overall treble detail and sparkle, and female vocals sound slightly better, but I don't miss it due to the lack of any dryness or harshness in the Senn. sound. The Senns. are also much easier to drive [despite the 250-300 ohm impedance rating] than the AKG's or Beyers, on every headphone jack that I have tried them on, including Cd players. Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing the 701's. They are reference quality cans, very detailed, open, and sound superior to the 600/650 to many ears, but just not to mine. Guess I just discovered the best of the Sennheiser sound, and I like it alittle better overall than the AKG, Beyer, and Grado sound. Just my 2 cents...and again, to each his own.

 

[daltonlanny]

Unfortunately, my Harman Kardon HK3480 receiver does not include Dolby Headphone Out.
I have discovered recently, through hearing tests conducted at my place of employment, that my ears are very sensitive to upper midrange and treble frequencies. I am also very sensitive to brighter sounding loudspeakers, and metal dome tweeters. This may partly explain why I like the Sennheisers better?

 

[silverrain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daltonlanny /img/forum/go_quote.gif Unfortunately, my Harman Kardon HK3480 receiver does not include Dolby Headphone Out. I have discovered recently, through hearing tests conducted at my place of employment, that my ears are very sensitive to upper midrange and treble frequencies. I am also very sensitive to brighter sounding loudspeakers, and metal dome tweeters. This may partly explain why I like the Sennheisers better?

That is a safe bet!

 

[JSTpt1022]

My k701s wow me with everything but in your face, overly compressed pop, or badly recorded rock. These are my favorite cans. The Senns hardly see any head time. They will definitely benefit from a better source. This should be your next upgrade IMO.

 

[daltonlanny]

A better source?
Such as....?

 

[JSTpt1022]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daltonlanny /img/forum/go_quote.gif A better source? Such as....?

My reply was in response to the OP using the soundblaster, for which there are many superior alternatives to help live up to the potential of the Heed and AKGs. I'm sure your Music Hall cdp is doing a great job in this regard.