Review: Koss Pro4AA Titanium vs. AKG K 701
May 27, 2006 at 12:16 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 48

TempestX

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I was not going to post this review until next week, but changed my mind. As with all things in life, this is only an impression from one mans point of view, with everyone else ears being different. This is my first official review here at Head-fi; it may not be my last nor the best review ever published. All depending on how much of my wallet I want to hold on to. (Currently have a built-in mouse trap attached) LOL

These Koss are my reference phones which I judge all other headphones. The Koss has excellent mid-range, true accurate bass like an Acoustic suspension speaker, and the treble presentation is very nice, crisp, and not bright or laid back/recessed. The Pro4AA T is the only phone to date that I can close my eyes listen and relax and find myself waking up two hours later, because they are so neutral and natural sounding. Making me go, “Oops they did it again”.
smily_headphones1.gif


My statements in this post: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=178230

Two statements posted for convenience on my thoughts of the Koss and why I am trying the K 701’s.

[size=xx-small]Post 1:
These are the best set of closed cans I have used to date sonically. If you can deal with the weight and the clamping force (about as much as the Sennheiser HD 600) on the head until they loosen up or stretch, you will love them. The weight of the cans are not an issue for me. As for the rubber ear cushions, they can get hot, but they are easy to wipe with a soft cloth if you sweat a little.

I faintly remember the sound of the older Koss Pro4AA, but the Titaniums sound better, with solid accurate bass, nice mids, and excellent high frequency. Instruments especially drums sound like drums, flutes like flutes (David Maracle [Spirit Flutes or Speaking Winds], guitars like guitars (Michael Angelo Batio [angelo.com]), and female vocals are awesome (Pink Martini, Anita Baker etc.)

As you can see, I love my Koss Pro4AA Titaniums, but they isolate so well that I can't hear my wife nor my teenage daughter when they are speaking, and when they are away from home I can't hear the phone when ringing at max volume. About the only thing I can hear well, but sort of faint is my medium size dog (Cocker Spaniel size) bark.

To no longer upset my wife because I can't hear her, I just ordered the K 701's and have a 2-4 week wait before I get them from HeadRoom. So I am hoping these open cans will give me sound similar/equal to/or better than the Koss. From the impressions of everyone on these boards they should. The open cans I have sound inferior (like toys) to my Koss.

Allow 140-175 hours of burn-in. While breaking them in I periodically listened and you can hear the sound change (open up).

25 hours-became more closed
75 hours-became a little bright
100 hours-began to come in their own
140 hours-opened up more
175 hours-sound changed, became more spacious, thought something happened to my equipment, but then understood they finally exhibited air, and have been happy ever since.

Hope this helps.

Post 2:
Closed Cans
AKG 271
Beyerdynamic DT250-250 ohm
Beyerdynamic DT770-250 ohm
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
Audio Technica ATH A500
Audio Technica ATH A700

Sorry rodbac, I don’t post much on message boards, and this thread got buried very quickly. Find it more fun and interesting to read what others say, see the arguments and making up on these boards like a marriage. (ha ha ha)

I have auditioned several closed cans, nothing in the upper echelon though. Each time I continue to use my Koss as they sound better to my ears. Maybe because they are so smooth, full, and accurate sounding to me. They have rich mids, tight bass, smooth treble, not laid back and not forward.

Maybe this could be attributed to the titanium drivers. I don’t know. They remind me of a very tight, accurate, three way acoustic suspension speaker. (Former speaker guy here) The rubber surrounds I think add to the suspension analogy, by adding that suction cup tight seal.

Part of the reason I need better open cans is so I can hear my family speak as noted above. Plus I want the smooth sound similar to the Koss Pro4AA Titanium (acoustic suspension sound). With such good compliments of the K 701, I thought I would give them a shot. Plus my wife doesn’t mind right now since I can hear her when need be. ; )

I have open cans, Sennheiser HD497, RadioShack version of the Koss UR40, and Koss KSC-75 but come back to my Koss Pro4AA Titanium’s. Have also heard the HD600, HD595, but still like my Koss. Maybe I need to hear the upper echelon, but will not spend the money on them. Better to spend money on my son in college, and daughter after graduating high school next year, her college, and the new home I will be in a month from now.

If any of you are in the Dallas, TX area and have some higher end closed cans for me to hear, shoot me a PM.

P.S. If you ever want to block out the wife or girlfriend (he he he) these work very well.[/size]

So now without further ado, on to the review. Hey that was a great rhyme.
wink.gif


Koss Pro4AA Titanium specs: (Koss high-end low cost reference phone only outdone by their electrostatic phone)
Transducer: Dynamic
Type: Circumaural, Closed
Frequency Response: 10 - 25,000 Hz
Impedance: 250.0 Ω
SPL: 95.0 dB
In Production: Yes
Weight: 595 g
Cable Length: 2.40 m
Connector: 1/8"
Year Released: 2003
My cost new: $64.00

AKG K 701 specs:
Transducer: Dynamic
Type: Circumaural, Open
Frequency Response: 10 - 39,800 Hz
Impedance: 62.0 Ω
SPL: 93.0 dB
In Production: Yes
Weight: 235 g
Cable Length: 3.00 m
Connector: 1/4"
Year Released: 2005
My cost new: $299.00

Associated equipment:
Create XFI Music into line in of M-Audio Revolution 5.1
Revolution 5.1 specs are the same as the Juli@ and Audiophile 192

Soundcard Spec comparison:
Revolution 5.1:
DAC - AK4358
ADC - AK5365
Opamps - JRC4580

Audiophile 192:
DAC - AK4358
ADC - AK538

ESI Juli@:
DAC - AK4358
Opamps - JRC4580

I had the RSA Raptor and a PA2V2, and the ROLLS sounded better and more neutral to me, was cheap, and drives my Koss at 250 ohms. Here are the specs of the ROLLS with 4 headphone outs. Some don't like it just like many don't like the Koss, but hey, to each his/her own.

AMP:
ROLLS HA43

AMP Specs:
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20 kHz
UnbalancedInput Impedance: 100K ohm
Max Input Level: +14 dBV
Input Connectors: Stereo 1/4" TRS phone
Outputs: (4) 1/4" Stereo 1/4" TRS phone
each output Output Impedance: 51 ohm
Max Gain: 20 dB/Channel
S/N Ratio: >90 dB
THD: <.008%
IMD (SMPTE) <.008%
Power: 12 VDC adapter
Weight: 1 lbs (.45Kg)
Size: 3" x 4" x 1.25" (8 x 10 x 3.2 cm)

Music I Listened to:
Rock/Metal
Michael Angelo Batio – Albums; Planet Gemini, No Boundaries, Hands Without Shadows, Lucid Intervals and Moments of Clarity, Pt. 2, and him in the band C4 (Call to Arms)
Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Albums; Rising Force, Trilogy
Pink Floyd – Album; The Dark Side of the Moon
Pink Martini – Album; Hang on Little Tomato
The Smashing Pumpkins – Album; Greatest Hits

Ambiance
David R. Maracle – Album; Spirit Flutes or Speaking Winds

World
Tomas Walker – Album; Spirit Dreams

R&B
Erykah Badu – Album; Mama’s Gun
Ray J. – Album; Raydiation
Ciara – Album; Goodies

Rap and Hip Hop
Ice Cube – Album; War & Peace, Vol. 1 (The War Disc)
Ludacris – Album; The Red Light District
Snoop Dogg – Album; R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta)

Jazz/Blues
Kenny G. – Album; Paradise
Barry White – Album; Put Me In Your Mix
Anita Baker – Album; Compositions

Classical
Bach – various songs
Beethoven – various songs
Chopin – various songs
Haydn – various songs
Mozart – various songs
Strauss – various songs
Vivaldi – various songs
Wagner – various songs
Tchaikovsky – various songs
Schubert – various songs

Note: All of the above Classical music was performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and other artists.

Break-in:
K 701 – 168 hours (I have notice no significant changes since about 108 hours other than the soundstage opening up a little more)
Pro4AA T – about 1104 hours

Some may think the Koss Pro4AA T sounds veiled. If you think the Koss sounds veiled, then the K 701 is more veiled, which would make the HD 600/650 series sound like they are covered in quilts. However everyone hears things differently.

Sound of both cans
Neutral:
K 701 – A very neutral phone. I did not notice a hump in the bass, mid-range, or in the treble to my ears.
Pro4AA T – Neutral. I would have to say that the Pro4AA T’s are the most neutral phone I have heard. I have not heard any of the upper echelon, like the R10’s, Orpheus etc. They don’t display a bass hump, mid hump, nor are they considered bright in the treble. They would not be considered too mellow, display a veiled sound, or laid back sounds like most describe the Sennheiser’s. I know for sure that the Koss have a very flat sound, and are Studio type phone with the sweetest of sweetest mid-range.

Explanation of Neutral: Both phones play what the source and AMP are feeding them without being altered or altering the sound. What you hear is what you get. If music is recorded dry, it is heard or sounds dry, if music mastered fun, you get fun sound etc.

Natural: This is where these two phones begin to separate.
K 701 – The K 701 has all of the right sounds and does things right per say. It just does not have the weight in the instruments especially the drums. Left to right separation is nice and sound right. Plenty of Head-fi folk mention drums on most headphones just don’t sound like drums. That is where my Koss comes in. They sound thinner than my Koss.
Pro4AA T – This phone brings out the best in instruments with nice left to right separation. Drums sound like drums with weight/sustenance/texture. All aspects of the drums sound like drums (snares, all cymbals, kick/bass drum sounds like a drum). Chimes sound like chimes, bells sound like bells, , piano has weight like a piano should and sustains the sound as a piano should (holds the note).

I guess the best way to describe it is to say, you hear a live instrument in person and feel it. The Koss has that same sound but not the feeling/vibration you have in person, but it makes you imagine it and melt.

Bass:
K 701 – Bass extends very deep and is pretty accurate. Now as some have said they think it lacks bass, this is not true. I would however say that it lacks for better words, weight/impact/authority type sound some are looking for, but the bass is all there for me even at low volumes.
Pro4AA T – Bass extends very deep and sounds accurate like an Acoustic suspension speaker. It has weight/substance/impact/authority. It does not give you too much or too little bass, but as much bass as the song provides in its recording.

Mid-range:
K 701 – Has a nice mid-range but still not as sweet as the Koss. This phone only lacks a little again in the weight and texture of all instruments, as well as the sweetness of texture of what is the human voice in both male and female, but just a little.
Pro4AA T – Koss seems to bring out more of the weight and texture of all instruments, as well as the sweetness of texture of what is the human voice both male and female.

Treble:
K 701 – Liquid clear and clean with no notice of sibilance or peaks in brightness in my equipment after break-in.

Note: The K 701 sound was worse out of the box than my Koss were out of the box. One thing I can say is that there was something in the treble at first I did not like before at least 10 hours of break-in with the 701’s. It was something in the treble that actually caused ear pain. Like some sharp weird sound. I love them now.

Pro4AA T – Same as above.

Movies/Games:
Both cans are great for movies and games.

Conclusion:
The Koss Pro4AA T’s are still my reference phone by which I judge every other phone. They have sound which is more than their price suggests, are the top dynamic phone for Koss minus the Electrostatic phone (they were, see links at the bottom), and just does everything right to my ears. They are heavier than most phones in production, can have a clamping force on the head (they will loosen up), and most would not like the rubber ear cushions (can get hot, but are easy to clean with soft cloth vs. removing cushions and washing). The moral of the story here, is don’t judge a phone by their price point.

The AKG K 701 is an excellent reference headphone and complements my Koss well. I would not hesitate to mention this phone to anyone as a great neutral/natural sounding reference phone. However, this phone does not have the weight feeling of instruments as the Koss does. I will be keeping this phone for the reasons I needed to get an open good sounding phone in the first place. Other than not being able to hear my family because the Koss isolate so well, I did not want to sacrifice much in the way of sound that the Koss give me.

Each phone will reveal flaws in music recordings, even if the flaw is on CD itself. For those of you, who are interested in how they sound with Rock, well they both sound good with it, with the Koss getting the nod due to the weight and realistic sound of the instruments.

Many will read into this review thinking “What”? Is this guy for real? In the end as in the beginning of this review, “As with all things in life, this is only an impression from one mans point of view, with everyone else ears being different.”

P.S. PeeeMeS, I think the Koss can handle your bass but still will not sound like a car sub-woofer. Sound will have harder hitting bass, but with accuracy. I leave everything I hear flat.
wink.gif


As of this writing Koss has introduced two new phones as possibly their top dynamics, but jury is still out on them.

May 23, 2006 new Koss Pro4AAA Titanium – Open
http://koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p?o...pc^fs^PRO4AAAT

New MV1 – Closed
http://koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p?openform&pc^fs^MV1

Hope you all enjoyed the review.

[Edited--corrections in red, corrected Tomas Walker Album and the spelling of PeeeMeS]
 
May 27, 2006 at 12:46 AM Post #4 of 48
Koss is perhaps the audio manufacturer I respect the most. No nonsense, good prices and that warrenty is ... unheard of...

Their most expensive dynamic:
http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p?openform&pc^fs^MV1
2nd: http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p?openform&pc^fs^PRO4AAAT

Their only current electrostat:
http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/p?openform&pc^es^ESP950
 
May 28, 2006 at 4:05 PM Post #6 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by spinali
Thanks for the informative and detailed review. I'm an open headphone guy, but your review makes for a valuable counterpoint.


Thanks for the compliment on the review spinali. Currently I was an open can guy as well since these are the only close ones in my arsenal, then went on a closed can investigation but with the budget I was willing to spend. What got me though was the instruments and how they sound. I use to be in a band many years ago playing an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, some bass guitar, and heard drums live, and the Koss had that right sound.

As far as other instruments, my son plays a saxophone, acoustic/electric guitar, and keyboards, and has done so for about 7 years and has won competitions and recieved awards. (son now grown and lives on his own now 19 years old) My daughter plays the Clarinet (17 years old). So they help me determine how the instruments should sound. (i.e. son go get your guitar, play this or that on your guitar as an example)
 
May 28, 2006 at 4:33 PM Post #7 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by TempestX
Thanks for the compliment on the review spinali. Currently I was an open can guy as well since these are the only close ones in my arsenal, then went on a closed can investigation but with the budget I was willing to spend. What got me though was the instruments and how they sound. I use to be in a band many years ago playing an accoustic guitar, electric guitar, some bass guitar, and heard drums live, and the Koss had that right sound.

As far as other instruments, my son plays a saxophone, accoustic/electric guitar, and keyboards, and has done so for about 7 years and has won competitions and recieved awards. (son now grown and lives on his own now 19 years old) My daughter plays the Clarinet (17 years old). So they help me determine how the instruments should sound. (i.e. son go get your guitar, play this or that on your guitar as an example)



If only others had a good reference when reviewing headphones.....bless you.
 
May 28, 2006 at 4:52 PM Post #8 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by ]|[ GorE
If only others had a good reference when reviewing headphones.....bless you.


Thank you. I understand that everyone does not have a good reference and has to go by the words of others. That is what makes Head-Fi so special. It has cost me a pretty penny just their instruments alone, so I might as well use them and the instruments to my advantage.

I am still a speaker guy at heart but just can't listening to them all the time at all hours. Headphones fill that gap and void.
 
Jun 1, 2006 at 11:11 PM Post #9 of 48
TempestX:
Since I was thinking of picking these up, I was wondering since they are fairly high resistance phones, how good they sound unamped off of of your source?
 
Jun 1, 2006 at 11:43 PM Post #10 of 48
This is as good a place as any to say this: The new MV1 sucks!

Colorations of serious subtraction, with some horrible boxy resonances - everything sounds nasal and congested. The only thing they have going for them at $179 is a very comfortable ear pad layout, and excellent isolation.
 
Jun 1, 2006 at 11:51 PM Post #11 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by spinali
Thanks for the informative and detailed review. I'm an open headphone guy, but your review makes for a valuable counterpoint.



For the open phone guy maybe the reviewer could evaluate ther new Koss
PROAAAT titianium open phones.
 
Jun 1, 2006 at 11:57 PM Post #12 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by appophylite
TempestX:
Since I was thinking of picking these up, I was wondering since they are fairly high resistance phones, how good they sound unamped off of of your source?



They don't sound too bad, but bass is not as tight as amp driven. If you are using a portable, they will drain the battery faster than usual because you have to raise the volume quite a bit and the power they pull. If from a PC they sound pretty good from a soundcard line out (depending on the card) or speaker headphone out, but you would still have to turn up the volume a bit with bass not being as tight.

From a home stereo they sound great, sometimes I hook them up if watching a movie and I don't want to sit in front of the PC. They will still sound great and tie you over until you decide to get an amp in the future.

Hope this helps.
 
Jun 1, 2006 at 11:59 PM Post #13 of 48
Definitely Helps, thanks. I was planning on building or buying a portable amp soon but wanted to make sure that I could still use the headphones decently if the phones reach me before the components I order
 
Jun 1, 2006 at 11:59 PM Post #14 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSloth
This is as good a place as any to say this: The new MV1 sucks!

Colorations of serious subtraction, with some horrible boxy resonances - everything sounds nasal and congested. The only thing they have going for them at $179 is a very comfortable ear pad layout, and excellent isolation.



TheSloth, thanks for your review. Guess I will continue to enjoy the Pro4AA T's and my K 701's.
 
Jun 2, 2006 at 12:37 AM Post #15 of 48
Quote:

Originally Posted by TempestX
TheSloth, thanks for your review. Guess I will continue to enjoy the Pro4AA T's and my K 701's.


Well I would have written a proper 'review' if the cans merited it, but they just aren't good enough to bother! Considering that the 4AAAT is basically an open MV1, I don't have very high hopes for that, unless everything that is wrong with the MV1 is the closed back.
 

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