[penguindude]

Yea, version 1 here too. I find the sound REALLY improves (both bass and low-mids wise) when they're paired with a good warm amp.

 

[Mrvile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yea, version 1 here too. I find the sound REALLY improves (both bass and low-mids wise) when they're paired with a good warm amp.

I think the very warm Lunchbox tube amp paired really well with the K501. Unfortunately it was kind of a hassle getting the impedance right for the best effect, but when done correctly, they sounded great.

 

[Whitewind]

mine sound good with my Millet Hybrid but a little too dark for my liking with the Dynalo

 

[Fitz]

I took the pic of version 2 (thanks for mirroring it, I think I had that originally uploaded on my personal webspace which has limited bandwidth). I sold them but ended up with version 1 when I rebought them. I'm going to steal a version 2 baffle from a pair of K401s to put on them.

I think the version 2 came out before version 1, because the pads are similar between version 1 and 3, but are a less shiny black and have yellow/orange foam on version 2. Also, I've seen many pairs of version 1 coming in the newer style K501 box. This would probably make more sense of having the "plugged" openings on some versions, as it originally had all open, but they later changed the mold to plug those spots up rather than making an entirely new one. If anyone has any evidence to the contrary, please let me know though, since this is mostly supposition.

 

[Whitewind]

hmmm well the first clue we can get when the baffle swap was implemented..so we should check what the post 501 models have and what the pre 501 models have to see which baffle was on first

 

[Fitz]

I have two K401s, and they have a version 1 and version 2 baffle. The K601/K701 uses the version 3 baffle. I haven't gotten my hands on a K400 or K500 to gut them yet.

 

[Whitewind]

so i think our safest guess from the evidence so far is the version 3 is the latest... now for ver 1 and 2

 

[Fitz]

I maintain my opinion that version 2 is the oldest until I see any evidence otherwise.

 

[Mrvile]

Version 3 is the latest. I bought my K501 about a month before they were discontinued and they were version 3.

 

[Whitewind]

now who's up to the challenge of taking this to AKG?

 

[Fitz]

AKG doesn't seem to want to acknowledge the changes, based on previous efforts to get them to speak up about it.

I also seem to remember in a past discussion about this somebody who bought their K501 during the 90's had the version 2 baffle. The pair I had before which had that baffle were also extremely well worn as if they'd seen a good many years of service.

 

[lini]

6 + 12 openings (= v2) on my K400. 6 + 4 on my K501 from ~ 1997 (= v1).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[hYdrociTy]

Ooohh melikes this thread ('- ')

 

[Fitz]

Interesting. When I get them I'll have to compare my K300/K400/K500 to see what baffles they use. I wonder now if there wasn't just a small batch of K401/K501s made with the V2 baffle & pads to use up the remaining stock, which might explain why they're so hard to find if it was never part of the "normal" production. This definitely shoots down my idea of it originally being V2, and switched to V1 some years later. But it wouldn't be the first time AKG has made a one-off batch, either.

 

[Fitz]

I just looked at the first post again, and I want to add one thing to the version differences: The damping pad in V2 and V3 are made of different materials, even though they're both white. In V2 it is a very thick paper pad, while in V3 it is a very thin and open fabric.