[Germancub]

So my K601 is "out for delivery" according to ups.com and should be here any hour now, I hate the anticipation of waiting. This is so anxiety-inducing it's not even funny LOL. Anyway, K601 first impressions to come whenever I get them and a full review/comparison to K501, HD650, HD600, SR325, RS-1 and SR225 to follow shortly after full burn-in! I'm really excited after all I've read and heard about these.

 

[paulb09]

Considering how long people reckon they take to burn in, that could be a while

Seriously though, hope you enjoy them.

 

[Miths]

I've just been listening to mine again tonight. Despite my love for the warm, weighty and relaxed sound of the HD650, I don't think I'm quite done with my K601 after all

.
Yes, compared to the HD650 their highs can be a bit too sharp for my ears now and then (I'm pretty sensitive in that area) and I have some albums where the female vocals (and I virtually only listen to female vocals, good old Springsteen is damn near the only exception these days) sound distinctly sibilant with the K601 and not at all with the HD650.
But then I pick a different artist or a different album and the K601 just sound more exciting and much more forward than the HD650 and with none of the aforementioned missteps.

I've been listening to Bat for Lashes' first album tonight, and a few things I were definitely reminded of after using the Sennheisers 90% of the time since I bought them three or four weeks ago, are that the K601 tends to put you right on the stage rather than a few rows back, and that it's not bass shy at all when given the chance, like on "Trophy" from the mentioned album, where it arguably goes just or almost as deep as the HD650, albeit still lacking a bit behind on weight and punch.

I believe the K601 has a reputation for being a good allrounder? Although with my sensitivity to sharp highs and sibilant vocals, I think the HD650 will be the allrounder in my setup (it hasn't failed yet in that regard), and the K601 brought out for music I feel they fit very well.

Regarding burn-in I don't really recall feeling any of my headphones changed much, but then I can also say with certainty that I definitely don't have the sharp hearing that many here at Head-Fi appear to be equipped with. I just tried my HD650 straight out of my iPod for the first time today, and frankly at the volume level the iPod could manage with them - which was admittedly a fair bit lower than my usual listening volume - I was hard pressed to hear much difference from when I've got the headphones plugged into my main system with DAC and amp

.

 

[Donald North]

Do note that sibilance does exist in real life - I know some people who pronounce strong S-es when they talk. Whether or not you care to hear it is your choice.

 

[Germancub]

Good to know Miths! Have you ever tried your K601 out of your iPod directly??? Man the stupid UPS guy is still not here... he always puts our section of the city at the end of his route.

 

[mike1127]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donald North /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do note that sibilance does exist in real life - I know some people who pronounce strong S-es when they talk. Whether or not you care to hear it is your choice.

You are right. But systems can easily distort the presentation of sibilance so it is harsh. A violin puts out a crapload of sibilant energy, but (1) it contributes to the beauty and (2) there is so much expression in the way it is modulated.

A system that can portray a high violin note as something 3D and ever-changing will, in my experience, do a good job accurately portraying sibilant sounds and avoid the annoyance-factor.

My Naim CD5X is strong in that regard, and I think your Sonett is very strong in that regard.

Mike

 

[freakydrew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germancub /img/forum/go_quote.gif So my K601 is "out for delivery" according to ups.com and should be here any hour now, I hate the anticipation of waiting. This is so anxiety-inducing it's not even funny LOL. Anyway, K601 first impressions to come whenever I get them and a full review/comparison to K501, HD650, HD600, SR325, RS-1 and SR225 to follow shortly after full burn-in! I'm really excited after all I've read and heard about these.

What made you go with the K601's over the 701 oe 702's?

 

[Zombie_X]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germancub /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good to know Miths! Have you ever tried your K601 out of your iPod directly??? Man the stupid UPS guy is still not here... he always puts our section of the city at the end of his route.

I know the feeling with waiting. When I was waiting for my K701 to come I was frantic. All day I waited (since UPS said "out for delivery") and nothing. Then later I checked online and it said it was rescheduled since nobody was home! BS! I was home all day and they never even came. So I called them up and they apologized, then they said they would talk to the guy who was supposed to deliver them. They even said I could come in and pick them up. So I did... and I haven't looked back since.

Sorry about changing the subject..

 

[Miths]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germancub /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good to know Miths! Have you ever tried your K601 out of your iPod directly??? Man the stupid UPS guy is still not here... he always puts our section of the city at the end of his route.

Yep, once, but the iPod doesn't have nearly enough power to drive the K601 even close to my usual listening volume (as mentioned it wasn't even possible with the HD650, and it's slightly less power hungry than the K601) - and I don't really feel that level is unusually high.

 

[Zombie_X]

I think the K701 gets a little Louder on my Zune than my K601, but K701 can get to decent volumes. You'll just be missing out on some stuff that amping would bring out.

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germancub /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyway, K601 first impressions to come whenever I get them and a full review/comparison to K501, HD650, HD600, SR325, RS-1 and SR225 to follow shortly after full burn-in! I'm really excited after all I've read and heard about these.

I have had most of the headphones you mentioned except 225 and I can say that K601 hold their own place among those. I really thought they were better than K501 and K701 (of course to my ears).

And yes, all K501/601/701 needs lots of power I believe (I don't even know if my amp is sufficient).

 

[Germancub]

Well I just got them... I am completely floored with the build quality and look of these headphones. These even beat out the HD650 in build quality. Hooked up to my OBH-11/iPod nano combo the sound is open, airy, natural, with such a large soundstage, wow I'm impressed. This is 100% the sound I was looking for. The bass is not as prominent as on the HD650's but it's still there and a darnshot better than the K501, it has plenty of weight and presence (and I'm told this improves over time). I can already tell these might just be able to become my new favourite headphones. They feel/sound more like speakers than any headphone I've ever heard. These are already the most musical cans I've ever heard. Switching back to my HD650, to my ears, even unbroken-in there is no comparison. I guess I just love the AKG sound and I have been fooling myself ever since I lost my K501's. I'm so happy thank you all for helping me make this decision!

 

[hifidk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germancub /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well I just got them... I am completely floored with the build quality and look of these headphones. These even beat out the HD650 in build quality. Hooked up to my OBH-11/iPod nano combo the sound is open, airy, natural, with such a large soundstage, wow I'm impressed. This is 100% the sound I was looking for. The bass is not as prominent as on the HD650's but it's still there and a darnshot better than the K501, it has plenty of weight and presence (and I'm told this improves over time). I can already tell these might just be able to become my new favourite headphones. They feel/sound more like speakers than any headphone I've ever heard. These are already the most musical cans I've ever heard. Switching back to my HD650, to my ears, even unbroken-in there is no comparison. I guess I just love the AKG sound and I have been fooling myself ever since I lost my K501's. I'm so happy thank you all for helping me make this decision!

Great! So you like them better than HD600?

 

[tenzip]

Don't forget to change your sig.

Congratulations on the new 'phones!

How do they compare to the -225?

 

[Miths]

Great to hear you're enjoying them

.