Jack C
Previously known as Jack-Micca
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Old School Trio: AKG K701, Beyerdynamic DT880, Sennheiser HD650
- Thread starter Katun
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Previously known as Jack-Micca
dcpoor
Headphoneus Supremus
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p a t r i c k
500+ Head-Fier
I've read the first handful of posts in this thread only.
I have had my AKG K702/s for 2.5 months. I think that these really are quite superb headphones.
I'm building up to writing a review at some point.
I haven't heard either the Beyerdynamic DT880 or Sennheiser HD650, so I cannot engage in a comparison.
The common complaints I see about the AKG K702's don't make a great deal of sense to me.
They do have bass, actually, I think the bass is really rather superb in its quality. It is not fattened or coloured but wonderfully expressive.
They treble can misbehave if they are not used with good amplification. I think that used with good amps the AKG K702's will produce really excellent treble.
Overall the K702's are, I think, extremely transparent and neutral.
I've also seen people describe them as "analytical" but I don't understand that. There is nothing "analytical" about them.
Listening to, for example, to Béla Bartók's Miraculous Madarin (Budapest Festival Orchestra conducted by Iván Fischer), as I am now, it is just fabulous how the AKG K702's will give all the expression of the instruments in the piece. Barók uses complicated combinations of texture and tone which the AKG K702's will reproduce faithfully.
I think that the AKG K702's are very great hi fi components in that they are transparent and will reveal what is in the recording with tremendous accuracy.
They do not seem to add colorations.
I have had my AKG K702/s for 2.5 months. I think that these really are quite superb headphones.
I'm building up to writing a review at some point.
I haven't heard either the Beyerdynamic DT880 or Sennheiser HD650, so I cannot engage in a comparison.
The common complaints I see about the AKG K702's don't make a great deal of sense to me.
They do have bass, actually, I think the bass is really rather superb in its quality. It is not fattened or coloured but wonderfully expressive.
They treble can misbehave if they are not used with good amplification. I think that used with good amps the AKG K702's will produce really excellent treble.
Overall the K702's are, I think, extremely transparent and neutral.
I've also seen people describe them as "analytical" but I don't understand that. There is nothing "analytical" about them.
Listening to, for example, to Béla Bartók's Miraculous Madarin (Budapest Festival Orchestra conducted by Iván Fischer), as I am now, it is just fabulous how the AKG K702's will give all the expression of the instruments in the piece. Barók uses complicated combinations of texture and tone which the AKG K702's will reproduce faithfully.
I think that the AKG K702's are very great hi fi components in that they are transparent and will reveal what is in the recording with tremendous accuracy.
They do not seem to add colorations.
lejaz
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It's not exactly adding or subtracting colorations, but a different emphasis on different tones in the spectrum....or a de-emphasis. I can't comment on classical, but if you listen to John Lennon's vocals with the k702 and then compare with the dt48 for example, you'll hear a different singer. Not to a great degree, by any means, but there's subtle differences for sure. Even some female singers sound noticeably different when switching back and forth. I won't say which is more like the 'real thing' since I've never heard any of them live....but they ARE different...and I know which I prefer. Maybe I'm overly picky, but I find something lacking in the 702 mids....and I'm a musician for over 40 years. I wouldn't call them 'plasticy' but I'd definitely call them pale and a little thin.
bhanja_trinanjan
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Quote:
Patrick... I largely love the K702s. But I just like the midrange - treble balance of my Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers a bit more. Out of my T1 and K702, I agree that the K702 is more neutral.
Ever heard a pair of old Wharfedales? Another speaker I auditioned and liked was Monitor Audio GS10. Less detailed than headphones but very vivid.
bhanja_trinanjan
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Quote:
Quote:It's funny. There are lots of headphones I dislike. I've taken aim at the Denon models, haven't heard an Ultrasone I like, take a dim view of the PS-1000, and quail in horror at the Darth Beyer. I was also a critic of the HD-800... until I heard one. The crow was delicious. Yet criticizing the K-701/2 always sets off a firestorm.On the other side of the coin, I'm a fan of the MDR-SA5000 and DT48, though they draw some heavy criticism.As for Acix, I like the guy. Acix has been a good contributor here for some time, helps people out and never causes any trouble. I own and really enjoy "Rabbit Dreams," too. We don't agree on the K-701/2, but I don't know anyone I agree with 100%. Acix is a good guy and I look forward to meeting him one of these days.
Thanks for the compliments Erik! I highly appreciate...and of course our disagreement is not personal, but honestly I don't quite understand your obsessive attack on the K-70X. I do agree with you that on some tube amps the K-702 can sound a little weird (bass and the upper mids), but is not always the case. Since you own my album, and if you'll have a chance to be around some SPL amp + K-702 recable you'll be able to A/B to the HD-800. After a few minutes listened to my album take a deep breath and turn up the volume knob to 0 db with the 800's and +2 db with the K702 hold this position for minute or two and start to lower the volume. After this experience I hope our path will clear up.
BTW, my K-702 sound great with the Headfive too, just not the same level as the SPL amps.
0dB on the Phonitor volume knob! Acix, isn't that too LOUD? (It looks 2 o' clock and I cannot stand either my Headroom or Burson beyond 12 o clock.)
Acix
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:It's funny. There are lots of headphones I dislike. I've taken aim at the Denon models, haven't heard an Ultrasone I like, take a dim view of the PS-1000, and quail in horror at the Darth Beyer. I was also a critic of the HD-800... until I heard one. The crow was delicious. Yet criticizing the K-701/2 always sets off a firestorm.
Thanks for the compliments Erik! I highly appreciate...and of course our disagreement is not personal, but honestly I don't quite understand your obsessive attack on the K-70X. I do agree with you that on some tube amps the K-702 can sound a little weird (bass and the upper mids), but is not always the case. Since you own my album, and if you'll have a chance to be around some SPL amp + K-702 recable you'll be able to A/B to the HD-800. After a few minutes listened to my album take a deep breath and turn up the volume knob to 0 db with the 800's and +2 db with the K702 hold this position for minute or two and start to lower the volume. After this experience I hope our path will clear up.
BTW, my K-702 sound great with the Headfive too, just not the same level as the SPL amps.
0dB on the Phonitor volume knob! Acix, isn't that too LOUD? (It looks 2 o' clock and I cannot stand either my Headroom or Burson beyond 12 o clock.)
It's a little bit loud, but on this volume you can tell who is who...and what the they want to represent. The 800's start to show some coloration vs the sounds balanced of the K-702. As well on this level the 800's the dynamic at 300 ohm start to crush, especially on the extensions (the sub bass and the treble), and of course I don't buying into the "those hps sounds good, or better on lower level".
bhanja_trinanjan
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Quote:
Quote:Quote:
Quote:It's funny. There are lots of headphones I dislike. I've taken aim at the Denon models, haven't heard an Ultrasone I like, take a dim view of the PS-1000, and quail in horror at the Darth Beyer. I was also a critic of the HD-800... until I heard one. The crow was delicious. Yet criticizing the K-701/2 always sets off a firestorm.
Thanks for the compliments Erik! I highly appreciate...and of course our disagreement is not personal, but honestly I don't quite understand your obsessive attack on the K-70X. I do agree with you that on some tube amps the K-702 can sound a little weird (bass and the upper mids), but is not always the case. Since you own my album, and if you'll have a chance to be around some SPL amp + K-702 recable you'll be able to A/B to the HD-800. After a few minutes listened to my album take a deep breath and turn up the volume knob to 0 db with the 800's and +2 db with the K702 hold this position for minute or two and start to lower the volume. After this experience I hope our path will clear up.
BTW, my K-702 sound great with the Headfive too, just not the same level as the SPL amps.
0dB on the Phonitor volume knob! Acix, isn't that too LOUD? (It looks 2 o' clock and I cannot stand either my Headroom or Burson beyond 12 o clock.)
It's a little bit loud, but on this volume you can tell who is who...and what the they want to represent. The 800's start to show some coloration vs the sounds balanced of the K-702. As well on this level the 800's the dynamic at 300 ohm start to crush, especially on the extensions (the sub bass and the treble), and of course I don't buying into the "those hps sounds good, or better on lower level".
Cool... what's your usual listening level? I rarely go past 10:30 with most sessions. Sometimes, I do listen at 12 - 12:30, but my ears start to ring when I put my head on a pillow... so I always listen at low levels to protect my ears.. still good upto 16 Khz... can't hear beyond that though!
Acix
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:Quote:
Quote:It's funny. There are lots of headphones I dislike. I've taken aim at the Denon models, haven't heard an Ultrasone I like, take a dim view of the PS-1000, and quail in horror at the Darth Beyer. I was also a critic of the HD-800... until I heard one. The crow was delicious. Yet criticizing the K-701/2 always sets off a firestorm.
Thanks for the compliments Erik! I highly appreciate...and of course our disagreement is not personal, but honestly I don't quite understand your obsessive attack on the K-70X. I do agree with you that on some tube amps the K-702 can sound a little weird (bass and the upper mids), but is not always the case. Since you own my album, and if you'll have a chance to be around some SPL amp + K-702 recable you'll be able to A/B to the HD-800. After a few minutes listened to my album take a deep breath and turn up the volume knob to 0 db with the 800's and +2 db with the K702 hold this position for minute or two and start to lower the volume. After this experience I hope our path will clear up.
BTW, my K-702 sound great with the Headfive too, just not the same level as the SPL amps.
0dB on the Phonitor volume knob! Acix, isn't that too LOUD? (It looks 2 o' clock and I cannot stand either my Headroom or Burson beyond 12 o clock.)
It's a little bit loud, but on this volume you can tell who is who...and what the they want to represent. The 800's start to show some coloration vs the sounds balanced of the K-702. As well on this level the 800's the dynamic at 300 ohm start to crush, especially on the extensions (the sub bass and the treble), and of course I don't buying into the "those hps sounds good, or better on lower level".
Cool... what's your usual listening level? I rarely go past 10:30 with most sessions. Sometimes, I do listen at 12 - 12:30, but my ears start to ring when I put my head on a pillow... so I always listen at low levels to protect my ears.. still good upto 16 Khz... can't hear beyond that though!
Mostly 8-10, at work as a mastering engineer some times I go up to 12 to check out the dynamic of the track, and what sounds stay out and make your ears to ring.
Katun
Headphoneus Supremus
The massive quote keeps on getting bigger and bigger!
bhanja_trinanjan
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Quote:
The massive quote keeps on getting bigger and bigger!
Those are the layers in the headstage....
Katun
Headphoneus Supremus
Quote:
Quote:The massive quote keeps on getting bigger and bigger!
Those are the layers in the headstage....
Yeah, of course. It still looked like one gigantic quote though. (More like many people quoting quotes)
hudamanium
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My post was a little unclear, I meant pricing.
Its difficult to stay competetive with the DT880s when they're like 1/3 ~ 1/4 cheaper. Not that the AKGs are bad headphones, to me they seem fantastic, but they just aren't as good of a purchase anymore.
Also Senns gets more praise than the AKGs so people lean towards those too at the same price point.
Its difficult to stay competetive with the DT880s when they're like 1/3 ~ 1/4 cheaper. Not that the AKGs are bad headphones, to me they seem fantastic, but they just aren't as good of a purchase anymore.
Also Senns gets more praise than the AKGs so people lean towards those too at the same price point.
pp312
Hoping to be taken seriously for once in his life
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Quote:
On the other hand, maybe delusional is a possibility after all.
More seriously, I'm afraid I'm unable to see your point. No one is suggesting that because Uncle Erik inferred from its pricing structure that AKG consider their product inferior to the opposition then it must be a fact. Personally I consider it a dubious supposition at best. Nevertheless it's one possible inference and not beyond the realms of possibility, and Uncle Erik is entitled to make it just as you're entitled to disagree as vigorously as you wish. Where unicorns enter the picture is a mystery to me.
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