[Aldo_Lopez]

How is the bass on K340? What else do they sound like?

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldo_Lopez How is the bass on K340? What else do they sound like?

Not to rain on the K340 parade but you need to be aware of a few things.

These headphones are AGES old now. Many of them need replacement parts, and I keep hearing mixed stories about AKG not replacing or repairing.

They vary wildly from phone to phone. Some pairs sound great, and some don't.

Yeah, it's a cool headphone, but people really need to exercise more caution when they're considering it. If you get a good pair in great shape, hey, that's awesome, but there's just about an equal chance that you'll get a pair that isn't so hot.

If soundstage was my priority and I had to pick a current can around that price, I'd go with the DT880. The DT770 isn't bad either in that respect, but isn't as smooth or musical as the DT880.

 

[Aldo_Lopez]

Spinali posted this message:

Quote:

Soundstage With the DT880, you have the feeling of spaciousness I’ve never heard equaled by another headphone. The AD2000, however, has very little of this space. The instruments seem closer together, more compressed than with, say, with the Grado SR225 or K701. Overall, this makes long-term listening a bit less appealing. On the other hand, if you increase the amount of foam in the pads, there's a notable increase in "space" as the sound relaxes. This has become my standard way of listening with the AD2000.

I am confused now. DT880 has bigger soundstage, more air, more space, and more 3D than AD2000? Should I get DT880 or K340 for now, or wait few months and get AD2000?

 

[003]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldo_Lopez I found AD2000 for $508 shipped on Price Japan so if I decide on AD2000 I will order there. What do you have to do get K340 right?

I totally forgot about PriceJapan. They probably have the best price. The K340 would require expensive amping, and most likely fixing up. The bass it has is very lean from what I have read, similar to the K501 or K1000. The AD2000 will have much more bass and it is still very tight and controlled. The M3 is a good amp.

analog'd:
I listened to my friends pair of K701s on my Woo3 with stock drive tubes, a Cetron 7236 power tube and expensive PEEK dampers on the drive tubes. His pair was extermley well burned in, more than 1000 hours. I also listened to it on his Gilmore Lite (the new one). Oh, and yes I am LOVING the K1000. The only thing that sometimes can get annoying is the death grip, but mostly I dont notice it. I will be posting a longer review of it when I recieve my DAC and preamp.

EDIT:
Although I never have actually heard the DT880 or the AD2000, I would beg to differ about the DT880 having a better soundstage from the reviews and comments I have read of the people that have been getting the AD2000, although I could be totally wrong.

EDIT2:
I just saw that recently posted review of the AD2000, if you didn't notice, he was listening to them using an iPod and an iMac as source. Far from ideal, no let me rephrase, far from decent. Notice how he also says they hardly benefit from amping, simply because they go really loud without it. That does not mean they are being amped properly.

The review contradicts all the other reviews I have read about it, and I would not be surprised if it had something to do with the lack of amplification and the poor sources.

Also, I may be wrong here agian, but the DT880 seems to be known by it's sound is right between sennheiser and grado, with a high frequency sparkle, not an amazing soundstage.

 

[Aldo_Lopez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Not to rain on the K340 parade but you need to be aware of a few things. These headphones are AGES old now. Many of them need replacement parts, and I keep hearing mixed stories about AKG not replacing or repairing. They vary wildly from phone to phone. Some pairs sound great, and some don't. Yeah, it's a cool headphone, but people really need to exercise more caution when they're considering it. If you get a good pair in great shape, hey, that's awesome, but there's just about an equal chance that you'll get a pair that isn't so hot. If soundstage was my priority and I had to pick a current can around that price, I'd go with the DT880. The DT770 isn't bad either in that respect, but isn't as smooth or musical as the DT880.

Should I ask the seller (Samgotit I think) if his AKG K340 is a good pair in great shape and sounds great?

 

[003]

Go for it.

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldo_Lopez Should I ask the seller (Samgotit I think) if his AKG K340 is a good pair in great shape and sounds great?

The K 340 demands a lot of current out of an amplifier. I would make sure that your amp is capable of producing the requisite current. Otherwise, the sound won't be as full or tight, and most importantly for you, soundstaging will collapse with loss of imaging.

Best regards,

-Jason

 

[jjcha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyamaiata This is true if you are using the stock headphone amp but remember there's also a discrete headphone amp upgrade that really improves things. Maybe not even this discrete module will power the HD 650 to its full potential but it powers the K 701 nicely. Soundstage is very wide in this setup, also.

Unlikely. In my experience it takes something the level of a balanced Dynamight or custom amp (tjkurita's $8000 noise duality SET amp) or a balanced Singlepower in order to get the level of soundstaging/imaging I'd want out of a HD650. Maybe I'm just picky, but my Grace m902, RSA Stealth, Gilmore Light, etc., just don't do it. Confronted with these options, if I want imaging, and weren't picky on width of soundstage, I'd rather go with an A900LTD or my W10VTG.

Best,

-Jason

 

[manchau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldo_Lopez Should I ask the seller (Samgotit I think) if his AKG K340 is a good pair in great shape and sounds great?

There is two signature comes in K340s. One is bass heavy while another is light. People here prefers bass light version though.

Also IMO if you mod them and manage to power them well then they can compete K1000. IME oundstage is widest in K340.

 

[Aldo_Lopez]

What should I do:

Get nothing and wait few months and get AD2000
Get DT880 and maybe sell in few months to help get AD2000
Get AKG K340 (and maybe sell in few months to help get AD2000)

Is my friend's amplifier no good for AKG K340?

 

[manchau]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aldo_Lopez What should I do: Get nothing and wait few months and get AD2000 Get DT880 and maybe sell in few months to help get AD2000 Get AKG K340 (and maybe sell in few months to help get AD2000) Is my friend's amplifier no good for AKG K340?

If your friends amplifier does the job with K340's then ? Are you planning to buy his amplifier ? BTW. You must let us know about that amp.

If you dare to mod your K340's yourself then go for it. And buy a little dot II amp. in $95 from ebay which can drive those cans decently IMO.

 

[Aldo_Lopez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by manchau If your friends amplifier does the job with K340's then ? Are you planning to buy his amplifier ? BTW. You must let us know about that amp. If you dare to mod your K340's yourself then go for it. And buy a little dot II amp. in $95 from ebay which can drive those cans decently IMO.

I am not sure about the amplifier, but I think I could work something out with him or something. He lives very nearby and I can walkn to his house in less than 5 minutes. What do you need to know about the amp (I posted it's website link in a message before)?

How do I have to mod the K340s? What do I have to do?

 

[barkas]

You do not have to mod the K340 in any way at all. Well, possibly excepting changing the earpads, there are velour ones that are a lot more comfortable than the standard leather earpads.

Apart from that, it sounds just fine stock. IMO it's not very hard to amp either. You may get better sound with an expensive amp, but I run it in part from my audigy 2 zs pp headphone out and it does not sound too bad either. BTW a good alternative to an expensive headphone amp is a real amp with a decent headphone out.

It's just that there is a very vocal "mod the K340" crowd on this forum.

 

[Aldo_Lopez]

So how big is DT880 soundstage compared to K340 soundstage? How is DT880 bass comapred to K340 bass with my friend's amplififer?

 

[manchau]

Sorry

I didn't see your amps link.

And I think M3 should work better with K340's.