[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brat /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's funny to spit on k701 in a HD800 appreciacion thread -

Don't think anyone is really "spitting" on the K-701. They are a good headphone, in the range of things like the K501, HD600, K340, DT-990 etc. and are representative in that group regarding price. but:


Quote:

Originally Posted by brat /img/forum/go_quote.gif maybe k701 are the closest sounding headphone to HD800

Well, it doesn't seem like that is the consensus of the Head-fi community. It also doesn't happen to be my view (FWTW).

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpelg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I see Qualia 010's, Sennheiser HE90's (Orpheus), and Sony R10's on his head. This underscores k3's post, and puts some qualifications around Wes' review of the HD800, for better or for worse, depending on where you put the K701 in the grande scheme of headphonedom.

To be fair, Wes' attendence at these meets may have happened after the K-701 review was published (not sure). And I suspect that if you asked Wes about the phones depicted now, he would say something like "I really only heard them for a few minutes at a show once".

Professional reviewers commonly attend shows and listen to stuff, but any good reviewer is careful not to draw much of a conclusion from what they hear under those circumstances. And they certainly wouldn't use those short impressions to critique a product under formal review.

 

[Jeff Wong]

Of course a few minutes at a meet are not sufficient to fully assess a set of cans. I don't think Wes would suggest anything of the sort. But, my point is that one can't assume somebody has or has not heard particular cans. Personally, I found the R10s painfully bright after just a few minutes and I doubt they'd be something I could live with in the long term. I might add that Wes' 701s are presently not stock, as mentioned in the 800 review.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Give them time. They change a lot with breakin, and the main change vector is softening of the highs, which could definitely affect sibilance. There may be an amp issue, yes, others have reported a remarkable degree of amp variation with these cans, but give them plenty of time. I'm probably around 110 hours, and they're still softening a bit every 10 hours or so. The high end is much rounder and sweeter and more appealing than when they were new.

I sure hope that is true (and I *definitely* believe burn-in is necessary), for I am finding the treble in the HD800 too hot, and emphasizing sibiliance on recordings that it should not be.

The midrange is terrific, and the soundstaging is amazing. But the treble...ummmm...well, I am worried. And I am using a tube amp.

There are about 50 hours (approx) on the pair I have now, so I won't panic for another 100 hours or so...what are people finding is the point where the break-in benefits tail off?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3oxkjo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't think anyone is really "spitting" on the K-701. They are a good headphone, in the range of things like the K501, HD600, K340, DT-990 etc. and are representative in that group regarding price.

Have you been through the K-701 love/hate threads? It gets some sharply negative reactions. Personally, I find unnatural and incorrect sounds in the upper mids. They might be perfectly adequate in every other respect, but if vocals are consistently off, they're pretty much unlistenable. Some disagree, but I'l point out that the Triports and iBuds I've listenend to have consistent vocals, despite their other shortcomings. For a "flagship" headphone to get the upper mids wrong is unacceptable, even moreso when AKG used to have damn near perfect vocals. Go figure.

As for the comparison, the HD-800 sounds nothing like the K-701. Which is why I bought one and sold the other.

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Wong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Of course a few minutes at a meet are not sufficient to fully assess a set of cans. I don't think Wes would suggest anything of the sort. But, my point is that one can't assume somebody has or has not heard particular cans. Personally, I found the R10s painfully bright after just a few minutes and I doubt they'd be something I could live with in the long term. I might add that Wes' 701s are presently not stock, as mentioned in the 800 review.

BTW Jeff, I clicked on your link, I really admire your art (wish I had talent

).

I never assumed that he "had not heard" anything. I said; "...he is not familiar with most of these to a sufficient degree to include them in his evaluation."

As far as R-10 go, I have had fairly extensive experience with these over the years (50+hours) and never found them bright, I generally don't like overly bright cans. Again, FWIW.

I know Wes mentioned that he replaced the cable on his 701's, but I am not aware from his mention in his review of any other mods.

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you been through the K-701 love/hate threads? It gets some sharply negative reactions. Personally, I find unnatural and incorrect sounds in the upper mids. They might be perfectly adequate in every other respect, but if vocals are consistently off, they're pretty much unlistenable. Some disagree, but I'l point out that the Triports and iBuds I've listenend to have consistent vocals, despite their other shortcomings. For a "flagship" headphone to get the upper mids wrong is unacceptable, even moreso when AKG used to have damn near perfect vocals. Go figure. As for the comparison, the HD-800 sounds nothing like the K-701. Which is why I bought one and sold the other.

Yeah, I am aware of the K-701 saga. But I was refering to this thread where the point was that very few consider the K-701 a top tier phone, comperable with the "heavy hitters". When I auditioned the K-701, I didn't react quite as negatively as you, but didn't personally rate it at the top of the phones in it's class. But there is some personal preference there, for some folks the bass of the DT-48 disqualifies it from consideration while I think DT-48 is mostly wonderful.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaZZ /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know another substance that has an even more euphonizing/euphorizing effect, but it would be politically incorrect to mention it in this forum. It begins with a «c» and ends with an «s». I stopped consuming it long ago – because without it the music sounds like «so what». I wouldn't recommed alcohol as well; it reduces bit depth. .

Just so you know, what you are referring to reduces your ability to perceive the mid-band. Not advisable for listening to music if you want to hear it accurately.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean /img/forum/go_quote.gif I had a another session with my balanced HD800 and Beta 22. They are such a departure from the HD650’s there really are no similarities. It took a couple of listens to get to grip with transparency of the HD800. I’m discovering all my music again, like a child in a lollie shop. One track really shone out of tonight’s session, U2’s Joshua Tree "Running to Stand Still". I’m loving the HD800’s big time.

That's funny. While I thought that album sounded kind of compressed and "old,", the soundstage was absolutely remarkable through the HD800.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Wong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Below are some pics of Wes from two different Head-Fi meets--one shouldn't presume to know what people have or have not heard.

The only pic he's smiling in is the one where he's wearing the K701. Interesting stuff.

Edit: Ah, someone else mentioned the same thing.

 

[Jeff Wong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3oxkjo /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW Jeff, I clicked on your link, I really admire your art (wish I had talent ). I never assumed that he "had not heard" anything. I said; "...he is not familiar with most of these to a sufficient degree to include them in his evaluation." As far as R-10 go, I have had fairly extensive experience with these over the years (50+hours) and never found them bright, I generally don't like overly bright cans. Again, FWIW. I know Wes mentioned that he replaced the cable on his 701's, but I am not aware from his mention in his review of any other mods.

Thanks for taking the time to look and for the compliment. Yes, you made a distinction, fair enough; there is still an assumption regarding his familiarity. Maybe specific cans weren't named because you're right, maybe there wasn't space for a shoot out... I posted the pictures to show Wes is aware of what's out there. But, only he knows what headphones he's intimately familiar with.

It's been pointed out earlier, he's got longer exposure to gear most could only dream about and knows good sound when he hears it. Certainly, that context is something to base an evaluation on.

I would hope people here would appreciate that headphones have a supporter in Wes and that he's covering this segment of audio (and has been for years).

 

[k3oxkjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif The only pic he's smiling in is the one where he's wearing the K701. Interesting stuff.

Maybe he listened to the k-701 first and, as he proceded to listen through the rest, got progressively more depressed.

 

[Jeff Wong]

Actually, looking over the review, Wes, even qualifies his statement in terms of what he's not heard or doesn't have interest in and stresses to each his own.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif I sure hope that is true (and I *definitely* believe burn-in is necessary), for I am finding the treble in the HD800 too hot, and emphasizing sibiliance on recordings that it should not be. The midrange is terrific, and the soundstaging is amazing. But the treble...ummmm...well, I am worried. And I am using a tube amp. There are about 50 hours (approx) on the pair I have now, so I won't panic for another 100 hours or so...what are people finding is the point where the break-in benefits tail off?

If you don't like it now, then I don't think you're going to like it at some future point in time.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you don't like it now, then I don't think you're going to like it at some future point in time.

It isn't that I don't like them - but if the treble performance doesn't change with burn-in, then it is problematic for a $1,400 headphone, IMO. But I am not even close to being ready to say anything definitive yet at all - need more break in, and more listening.