[ph0rk]

...out of the box, anyway.

So, I've let them reach room temp and played around with them a bit, and I'm not really sure what to say - I knew they weren't basshead phones, but I never expected them to make portishead so sharp and cold (and lifeless). They even manage to flatten the bass on Radiohead's Karma Police, though it doesn't sound exactly bad.

I got them for a reasonable price, so it can't hurt me to let them sit for awhile - though I am not a burn in believer.

Current setup is:
PowerMac toslink/usb -> emu 0404 -> k701's
-or-
Mac headphone out -> Mini3 -> k701's


They sure are comfy, though

[size=xx-small]....okay, flame on[/size]

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph0rk /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...out of the box, anyway. So, I've let them reach room temp and played around with them a bit, and I'm not really sure what to say - I knew they weren't basshead phones, but I never expected them to make portishead so sharp and cold (and lifeless). They even manage to flatten the bass on Radiohead's Karma Police, though it doesn't sound exactly bad. I got them for a reasonable price, so it can't hurt me to let them sit for awhile - though I am not a burn in believer. Current setup is: PowerMac toslink/usb -> emu 0404 -> k701's -or- Mac headphone out -> Mini3 -> k701's They sure are comfy, though [size=xx-small]....okay, flame on[/size]

So, after you find burn in to be real, will you try cables?

 

[khbaur330162]

Since you're able to sit on them for a while, I think you should let them burn in a heckuvalot more, even if you don't necessarily believe in it. My K701's tamed down a bunch within the first hundred hours.

 

[ph0rk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper /img/forum/go_quote.gif So, after you find burn in to be real, will you try cables?

Heh. I doubt it, but: I'm still burning them in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by khbaur330162 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Since you're able to sit on them for a while, I think you should let them burn in a heckuvalot more, even if you don't necessarily believe in it. My K701's tamed down a bunch within the first hundred hours.

Of course, I do everything on my machine, and the headphones are always plugged in whether or not I'm listening, so they'd get burned in one way or the other.

 

[jgonino]

theres also the fact that they need some more juice then an 0404 can provide IMO.

 

[dmcs414]

I can tell you that from my experience, the amp in the 0404 is absolutely pitiful driving my Denon D2000s. I can't even fathom how bad it would be driving the K701s, a headphone that is known to be harder to drive than mine. For gods sake man, get a real amp for those. I've heard the Heed CanAmp does well with the K701s. Best of luck!

 

[ferraro25]

You'll soon notice that the K701s make voices (and instruments) lighter than they should be. For instance, a somewhat high voice will sound cartoonishly high-pitched, with no body at all. The K701 is not a hi-fi headphone.

 

[unbiased]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmcs414 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can tell you that from my experience, the amp in the 0404 is absolutely pitiful driving my Denon D2000s. I can't even fathom how bad it would be driving the K701s, a headphone that is known to be harder to drive than mine. For gods sake man, get a real amp for those. I've heard the Heed CanAmp does well with the K701s. Best of luck!

I have two new DAC/Headphone amps that I am glad to say work well with the AKG-701's. They are the Zhaolu D2.5C with the discreet headphone amp upgrade and the other one is the ZERO 24/192 DAC/amp. I am listening to these DAC/amps in their stock form right now (no op amps changed yet) and they drive the AKG-701 phones the best I have heard them so far. I too felt that the AKG-701 was a bit weak in the bass and it always had a peaky region in the highs that kept sounding splashy bright to me. These DAC/amps that I mention above seem to synergize with the K701 and balance out its splash. They also have enough drive to power these phones.

As for burn-in, believe it. It took over 400 hours for my set to loose most of its peaky highs splash. The bass however, is not there.

The Zhaolu D2.5C with upgrade discrete amp module that I have makes the K701's sound the best and I am really enjoying the K701's through this DAC/amp. I am happy to say that. (now where't the smiley face for K701's?)

 

[Hoppergrass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph0rk /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...though I am not a burn in believer.

the k701s are the cans that made me a firm believer in break-in, which is different than burn-in. give them lots of running time before you give up.

 

[ph0rk]

Given how low I have to keep the gain to avoid pain, I doubt amp headroom is the issue. Seriously, more than 1/4 gain on the 0404 is far more juice than I desire.


Quote:

Originally Posted by ferraro25 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You'll soon notice that the K701s make voices (and instruments) lighter than they should be. For instance, a somewhat high voice will sound cartoonishly high-pitched, with no body at all. The K701 is not a hi-fi headphone.

Them sound like 'fightin words

 

[monolith]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ph0rk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Given how low I have to keep the gain to avoid pain, I doubt amp headroom is the issue. Seriously, more than 1/4 gain on the 0404 is far more juice than I desire.

Good amplification is more than just a matter of volume.

 

[ph0rk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by monolith /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good amplification is more than just a matter of volume.

I am aware of that, but I can't imagine blowing another several hundred will "fix" the k701's to any appreciable degree.

At least, not like blowing several hundred on a different pair of headphones.


The K701's aren't inefficient, just boring.

 

[cclragnarok]

Before I bought the K701, I thought that the worst thing that a pair of brand new headphones can do is sound bad (or maybe not even that at all if you don't believe in burn-in).

I literally felt PAIN in my ears when I tried to listen to the K701 out of the box. If I remember correctly, it took a couple of minutes before I started feeling the pain. I'm not sure what caused it (too shrill maybe?), but it really did hurt.

 

[classic_rock_69]

I thought they sucked out of the box.......I was very disappointed actually.

400hours later, they are far better than my sr225's. Very acurate and enjoyable sound, with good base impact and detail.

 

[d-cee]

K701s will make you a believer of burn in

K701s will also sound bad without proper amplification

edit: also being an owner of the 0404 USB and K701s, the 0404 make K701s sound pleasing but dull.

Nothing obviously wrong, but nothing excels either.