[grape ape]

yes all of your comments help. I do genuinely appreciate them.


@p4z: I work as a TA in a ceramics studio and stereos aren't allowed. Since I'm a TA I need to answer questions though out the day and need a pair of open headphones. I have a pair shure se530's but I can't hear anybody when they come up behind me to ask a question. It's pretty quiet in here so ambient noise isn't a problem.

 

[Arctia]

My K701 sounds fantastic. But like many people already stated, you need a really good amp to drive it, otherwise it'll sound thin. People don't think it's worth it to spend $300+ extra just to make a pair of $250 phones sound good. But if money is not an issue, I say go for it.

Ambient noise is not a problem. I'd be more worried about your music leaking out

Literally everyone within your vicinity will be able to hear what you are hearing, one of the main reasons why I don't take my K701 to my office.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinnievidi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've owned both the 701 and 702 (after breaking down and giving the 701 to my brother who kept taking them from me). I really thought that they were great headphones but needed way too much power to sound their best (meaning that they sound thin and lifeless without one). When I originally got the 701 I tried to put off spending a couple hundred bucks on an amp just for them. At first I went commando and ran the 701s straight through my preamp; then I tried EQing them through iTunes; then I threw a Total AirHead into the mix... needless to say the results were disastrous. I would not underestimate the posts that say you will need a powerful amp. Though, I wouldn't worry much about the 300+ hours of burn-in time. The 702s sounded great out of the box with a Headroom Desktop Amp. In trying to scale down the amount of stuff that I have, the amp was the first to go; the 702 was the second. The only other headphones that I liked more were the HD600 (I found that they are driven nicely straight from my Rotel Preamp) and the Grado GS1000, which don't need an amp at all, are my favorite of the three, and the ones that I ended up keeping. If you are interested in the 702, you should really factor in the cost of an amp. Otherwise, I'd look into the HD600 (re-cabled), which you can find used on this site or on Audiogon for a good price. I hope this helps.

The GS1000 will benefit from using any amp, DAC, or sound card. It's not that you buy the GS1000 and you save some money.

 

[vinnievidi]

Oh, I am not suggesting that the GS1000 wouldn't 'benefit' from an amp, they just don't [need] one.

What I was saying (maybe not clearly) is that I didn't find the HD600 or the GS1000 to be as amp dependent as I found the 701 to be--that both pairs were sufficiently driven straight from my preamp. That doesn't suppose that I meant that they wouldn't 'benefit' from another setup, just that I felt that an amp was not needed with such a configuration.


As for saving money, you are right about that, too. The GS1000s are a lot more money than the combined cost of the 701s and a sufficient amp. I never actually suggested that anyone buy the GS1000, let alone as a means to save money.

I was just trying to make the point that if he doesn't want to buy an amp (here I am talking about accumulating additional items, as well as spending more money than just the cost of the 701), he should look at other headphones.

 

[120717]

What about the Audio Technica AD-2000?

 

[Acix]

You right, he should take inconsideration to spent more money on amp, dac, or sound card. Actually with the price of new GS1000 you can buy the RS-1 + K701 and a very nice amp.

 

[baka1969]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinnievidi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've owned both the 701 and 702 (after breaking down and giving the 701 to my brother who kept taking them from me). I really thought that they were great headphones but needed way too much power to sound their best (meaning that they sound thin and lifeless without one). When I originally got the 701 I tried to put off spending a couple hundred bucks on an amp just for them. At first I went commando and ran the 701s straight through my preamp; then I tried EQing them through iTunes; then I threw a Total AirHead into the mix... needless to say the results were disastrous. I would not underestimate the posts that say you will need a powerful amp. Though, I wouldn't worry much about the 300+ hours of burn-in time. The 702s sounded great out of the box with a Headroom Desktop Amp. In trying to scale down the amount of stuff that I have, the amp was the first to go; the 702 was the second. The only other headphones that I liked more were the HD600 (I found that they are driven nicely straight from my Rotel Preamp) and the Grado GS1000, which don't need an amp at all, are my favorite of the three, and the ones that I ended up keeping. If you are interested in the 702, you should really factor in the cost of an amp. Otherwise, I'd look into the HD600 (re-cabled), which you can find used on this site or on Audiogon for a good price. I hope this helps.

I'm also supplying my brother with headphones. And an amp. When the time is right, and I get a pair of 702, I'll give my bro my 701 along with the 125 I gave him. He'll have to get his own amp though as he's getting my Nuforce Icon Mobile when I'm finished with it.

 

[Happy Camper]

This thread will bring the term "sucks". Why did they suck? Define your terms like plasticky. Mention what you heard them on.

I would like to add that using a well built (quality parts) tube amp on the 701s can give you a very balanced sound. Tube rolling gives more options to beef up bass weight without loosing details. Today's ultra detailed DACs need a little tube goodness. (insert tube smiley here) SS amps can be forward with digital sources which makes the 701s too aggressive on the top end. Vinyl would sound better on SS amps.

.2 cents and dwindling


ps

Little brothers get too much "hand me downs" stuff. I go to his house and see pieces throughout my upgrade path.