[spinali]

Quote:

The K701s simply metamorphose over burn-in. No audio equipment I've owned has ever changed as much as these phones over burn-in.

After 250 hours of aggressive break-in, the sound had pallid bass, and no amount of EQ could make a band like Stiff LIttle Fingers (uh, that's a punk band) have aggressilve, visceral bass. Thoughts of sale on Head-Fi danced between my ears.

I don't know what happened. After more break-in, the same tracks now have a powerful sound just like the original recordings, which I know like the back of my hand.

It's not psychological; I've spend very little time in heavy-duty listening, but have done sampling from time to time. The change is real.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 .... and yet there are people who will STILL try and convince you that your ears are lying to you. Does anyone think they dont resemble a toilet.

Actually, I've had people describe them as everyting from "expensive looking," "high class," to "space age." Never "toilet."

 

[aerius]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheechoz For the skepticts out there, I would love to let them hear two different pairs of K701's, one new, and one with over 300 hrs on them. This will put any doubts about break in, right out the window!

The skeptics will claim that it's manufacturing tolerances, and demand an ABX DBT, then claim that the results if positive, are still invalid. In other words, nothing short of a sledgehammer to the head will change their minds.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

sledgehammer? psh, go for the Bose treatment!

 

[Meyvn]

Lmao has anyone seen AKG's Wikipedia entry? Some pro-K701er must've edited it recently. Fess up, who was it?

 

[1911]

we will see cause my 701 has no bass......
unlike the hf-1 which rocked me so hard the first time i listened i farted!

 

[spraggih]

Couldn't we put this burn-in question to rest with the following test.

Two AKG headphones (from the same production line on the same day)...

HP1 - burned in for 300+ hours
HP2 - left in the box

Play the same song from the same source and see if there is a difference noted in a blinded test.

Is it that simple? Has anyone done it?

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Man, when I first plugged in my K701s, I almost broke down from the music. No, music is not an appropriate term...noise is more like it. Well, I battled my personality of being impatient, and so far, almost 100 hours on the can, and the sound keeps getting better and better by the hour

 

[hembergler]

I have about 60ish hours of burn-in on mine so far.

When I first got them, the Stax were clearly better. Even at only 60 hours, now it's up for debate which one I like more. The AKGs are a lot more upfront than the Stax

 

[VR6ofpain]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerius I'd say the only thing we can all agree on is that they're white and made by AKG.

Well I would call them off white.

 

[K2Grey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerius The skeptics will claim that it's manufacturing tolerances, and demand an ABX DBT, then claim that the results if positive, are still invalid. In other words, nothing short of a sledgehammer to the head will change their minds.

If the results are positive, then they will surely change their minds. Why wouldn't they?

 

[txa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AtheisticFreedom Man, when I first plugged in my K701s, I almost broke down from the music. No, music is not an appropriate term...noise is more like it. Well, I battled my personality of being impatient, and so far, almost 100 hours on the can, and the sound keeps getting better and better by the hour

I must admit to being a break-in skeptic. Very subtle improvements, perhaps, but nothing like what I've read about on these forums.

But unlike most of the phones I have owned in the past, the K701 has shown a marked and unavoidable improvement through use - especially after 120-140 hours. It's amazing. I've either lost my mind (a reasonable assessment), performed some sort of brainwashing on myself, or grown different ears. But the 701K is much improved since it's first performance. I'd love to hear a virgin 701 side-by-side with mine to see if indeed I have lost it.

 

[Meyvn]

I really don't see what's so astonishing about the break-in period being uber-long, given the Varimotion diaphragms. I mean, the K501 is noted for the same thing, and it was the first 'phone to have Varimotion on it.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1911 we will see cause my 701 has no bass...... unlike the hf-1 which rocked me so hard the first time i listened i farted!

Yeah the HF1 really is a bassy mother. Even with bowl pads Its my most bass heavy Grado. More so than my MS1 and RS1.

Garrett

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 Yeah the HF1 really is a bassy mother. Even with bowl pads Its my most bass heavy Grado. More so than my MS1 and RS1. Garrett

when Ray samuels put flats on his HF-1, modded The Stealth for booty shakin', and fired up whatever tribal track that was at the last NYC meet, i swear i thought it was the second coming of the PS-1/Maestrobator combo!

Those cans are definitely capable of some serious bass!