[pataburd]

Three years later and the K501 continue to please.  The K701 are a distant memory.  And the "Quincy Jones" Q701 didn't make me bat an eye!  : )

 

[brat]

Quote:

...The K701 has the best bass of the three,..

...and that's the place I've stopped to read.

 

[dcpoor]

Of the 3 headphones reviewed, I would agree that the k701 has the best bass. When paired with a good source and good amp, the k701's bass is near spot on for my tastes. Good extension, good quality/detail, but a bit light on impact.

 

[caol ila]

I'm sorry, but tdocweiler just showed a response chart from HeadRoom that clearly shows the K601 has the best bass, at least the most extended. I have a bass guitar and a bass guitar preamp with headphone output, and the K601 is fairly flat to the lowest note of a 4-string electric bass, and that is what the chart shows. Only a basshead with a need for unnatural and excessive bass would call the K601 bass deficient, but the K701 is slightly rolled off at low E note as the chart shows.
 
I remember studying this chart back in 2007, and it's probably the main reason I chose the K601 over the K701. I paid $210 at HeadRoom, and the K701 was much higher priced. The build quality of the K601 is JUST AS GOOD, and the only difference is the voicing. The K601 is now higher priced from many online sources, or at least equal to the K701. The Q701 and K702 have taken sales from the K701, but I suspect some are choosing the darker character of the K601, not to mention the more forward midrange that the chart doesn't really show.
 
Most rock and pop oriented listeners should choose the K601 over the K701/702/701Q.

 

[Gwarmi]

Just a small note on the K601 - I feel that price and perception are factors here
 
Many see the incremental model number from K601 to K701 along with the reasonable price difference and figure that the K701
must be superior on all counts, of course this thread proves that many like myself enjoy the K601's versatile, fun sounding
character over it's flagship brethren.
 
Some have noted seeing the K601 selling for record bargain prices like $190USD, this creates a dilemma all of it's own,
many new head-fiers may be attracted to such a headphone without the ancillaries like a decent amp to back them up.
Furthermore, they may be unwilling to fork out the same amount to do justice to the K601 in the first place, it's dilemma
for any newcomer - why should the driving ancillaries like the DAC/soundcard & amplifier cost as much as the headphone
in the first place? It's an understandable conundrum for anyone new. This made all the worse by the K701/702 being easier
to drive.
 
Strange as it sounds - I think AKG may have sold a few more of these if they were within a few dollars of the K701/K702.

 

[caol ila]

The high impedance of the K601 was to help it integrate into a pro studio environment that had historically seen high impedance headphones. I remember that some of the early Sennheiser headphones were 2000 ohms impedance.
 
The K601 was obviously the fully open AKG design for the pro market, and if some audiophiles wanted them, then fine.

 

[Tiemen]

Quote:

The high impedance of the K601 was to help it integrate into a pro studio environment that had historically seen high impedance headphones. I remember that some of the early Sennheiser headphones were 2000 ohms impedance.
 
The K601 was obviously the fully open AKG design for the pro market, and if some audiophiles wanted them, then fine.

The 120 ohm of the K601 is hardly to be called high.
And as far as I know, AKG was aiming for the home market with the K601, and not the pro market.