[Goh]

Hi all,

So I've become addicted to the site over the past month, and have been enticed to buy a new set of phones to add to my collection of PX100 and HD280. I've spoken with several members via PM. I've even gone ahead and ordered a pair of HD595s after much deliberation (they haven't arrived yet). Funny thing with head-fi, though....after some more browsing I'm suddenly experiencing some intense buyer's remorse. So my dilemma is: HD595 or K601, people? I can sell off the HD595s if needed.

I'm specifically seeking those members who happen to have both a cmoy (or something similar) and a set of K601s. How does this combination sound? Is there enough volume? I don't listen very loudly to music, but some DVDs, because of their comparatively softer sound mixes, prompt to me to turn my cmoy to approx. the halfway point with my HD280s. I know the K601 are pretty power-hungry, inefficient headphones, so I'm concerned in that regard. But I also know, from various threads, that the few people who've owned both the HD595 and K601 much prefer the sound of the K601. The K601 also seem to be better built and more durable.

I'm really hoping to be happy with these next cans for the long haul. I'm not a detail freak, I'm not a basshead, and I listen to a wide variety of genres. E.g. right now I'm listening to stuff by Feist, Bjork, Arcade Fire, Cat Power, Diana Krall, Radiohead, etc.

I think both of these are really the sweet spot for hi/mid - fi cans, and they seem to be a good stopping point in upgrading headphones for me. The only thing I foresee in the future is maybe a good, reasonably priced amp like the Original Electronics Master. So it all boils down to this: which sounds better? HD595 with cmoy or K601 with cmoy? Maybe I should calm down and just be happy with my forthcoming 595s?

This is an itch that just won't go away.... Please help!

 

[mirumu]

Since you've bought the HD595s anyway you might as well wait and see what you think of them. No one can tell you which will sound better to your ears, I think you should just see how satisfied you are with the HD595s. You'd regret it later if you just on sold them too quickly without giving them a proper try. If you don't like them there's always the K601 to try.

 

[donunus]

or buy both, compare, then return the loser

 

[souperman]

i would bet that the 595's sound better out of a cmoy. IMO akg's sound bad without proper amplification. but that's me. i'm more of a senn fan than akg fan and i believe k701s really need good amplification to sound good.

 

[Audio Jester]

Get both if you can. This is a business of personal tastes, so worst case senario is you have to send one back.

 

[Yen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by souperman /img/forum/go_quote.gif i would bet that the 595's sound better out of a cmoy. IMO akg's sound bad without proper amplification. but that's me. i'm more of a senn fan than akg fan and i believe k701s really need good amplification to sound good.

Everything sounds better as amplification improves. However, I think it is matter of personal preferences (again), but I would say K601s kicks 595s butt anytime anyway. I just have a brief experience with 595s (in a shop with a AV-reciever), so YMMV. I run my pair of K601s with a SOHA, but I am sure cmoy is pretty decent... Actually, it is a great little amp that is often underestimated.

 

[cgdef]

i would keep the senns. AKG especially 601 needs a lot of power. 701 is actually easier to power than 601 and 601 is not that great anyway. Plus it does cost more than senn 595. I wouldn't personally never buy the 601 and the build quality is not really that good. If you see 701 next to 601 you would never even think of getting 601.
As far as senn 595 goes ... i love them. Great price and they sound great. They work great with the amp build in my echo indigo and that's really perfect for me. The only problem that I have with 595 is the amount of plastic that they used on them. They do seem kinda flimsy but that's only an illusion.

If I were you I'd wait and see how much I like 595. Who cares if there are some other cans out there that might be better than 595 if you really like 595?

 

[blessingx]

Well the cmoy is a bang for buck amp, and at the current prices of the HD595 it very much is too. At least for me to spend what is required to build a system around the K601, I'd spend the extra on the K701 or one of the upper Senns.

Also a small group of people preferring one over the other is difficult to use and synergy is so important and others have talked about the cmoy. You could start an argument where the HD580 is very very close on most budget systems to the HD650, that the HD650 is comparable to the K701, that the K701 is very often preferable to the K601, therefor you should get the HD580, which can be found for cheaper than the K601 (and sometimes the HD595). It gets confusing.

 

[Nattydraddy]

I like my K-701 with my cheap headphone amplifier (15 Volt NEC 5332 op-amp). My K-701 sounds better with my good amp, but even with the cheap amp it will be better than a HD 595 and a good amp.

 

[Yen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgdef /img/forum/go_quote.gif i would keep the senns. AKG especially 601 needs a lot of power. 701 is actually easier to power than 601 and 601 is not that great anyway. Plus it does cost more than senn 595. I wouldn't personally never buy the 601 and the build quality is not really that good. If you see 701 next to 601 you would never even think of getting 601.

Oh, I had K601, K701 and 240S at the same time and I would definately choose K601, especially for the price here K601 (175euros), K701 (275euros) I would easily choose K601s... But that's just me...

 

[Tyler J]

I have owned both, and to me the 601s sound better in every way. Well worth the $50 IMO. They sound better than the 595s through both my Bithead and my Denon receiver.

 

[Goh]

Hi all. Thanks for the comments. It's all very much appreciated.

I received my HD595s today and first impressions are pretty much on par with what everyone else has said about them. Compared to my HD280s, they have a warmer, smoother sound. I actually think the bass is quite strong.

My biggest surprise is that they weren't THAT much better than my HD280s. No aural orgasm here, unfortunately. I could hear the increased bass response and smoother mids of the 595s when I was switching between the two, but the improvement is slight. Bear in mind, however, that my HD280s are three years old and EQ'ed for better bass and less harsh treble. Maybe it's a matter of switching from a sound one has become accustomed to, but I actually prefer the closed isolation and leaner, crispier sound of the 280s at the moment. These are all first impressions, after about 2 hours of listening to various songs. I'll give the 595s a good pink noise burn-in and see how they improve.

All your comments have reigned in my anxiety a bit, and I'll hold off on buying a pair of K601s until I've spent a good amount of time with the 595s. I'm a college student and buying both a K601 and a good amp seems extravagant and unnecessary now. Reading all this stuff about good audio equipment can cause momentary lapses in sanity, I suppose. Thanks for your help, people!