Upgrading from a K271 MK II to a K601??
Jul 19, 2011 at 1:01 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 13
comma

comma

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I have had my K271 MK II's for about 6 months and I have been overall pleased with them. however, I really wanted an open back over the ear headphone, and at the time of purchase, I could not find a K240 series for the same price. I was thinking the K601's would be a good upgrade.
I enjoy the AKG sound profile because I dont listen to one or 3 types of genre's. I listen to basically everything (well, minus a lot of the new popular tunes) so The AKG's suit me well. Yeah of course I would love a little more bass from the K271 mk II's but the soundstage is great. before the 271's I had a sennheiser PX 100.
I really enjoyed that until the pads wore down to nothing and it started to hurt like hell wearing. I wanted something over the ear instead.
Again, I am looking into the K601 because it is more of a studio headphone, it has larger drivers (I think) and works well with amps.
I have heard that the K701's and 702's work better with solid state amps rather than tube amps, and I was planning on trying to build a tube amp somewhere down the line.
 
any adivce would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 5:45 PM Post #2 of 13
I don't know that much about the K271, but from what I've read the K601 may sound a bit warmer over-all. I'm not sure if it will have much more of a mid-bass punch over the K271, but I suspect it will have better deep-bass response at least. It'll probably be a bit more detailed and clearer as well. You may well like it as an all-round headphone if you like the AKG sound in general.
 
Also what other equipment do you have? The K601 benefits from a fairly powerful, decent performance amp. Some prefer it with tubes, some without; I've never tried it on a tube amp, but I'm happy with the way it sounds on my solid-state anyhow.
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 5:59 PM Post #3 of 13
The K 601's sounded kind of funny out of my hybrid amp, but quite good out of the M-stage. I think a SS amp suits them better. I also think that they barely benefit form an amp at all, but others seem to disagree. 
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 6:06 PM Post #4 of 13


Quote:
satellite_6 said:
The K 601's sounded kind of funny out of my hybrid amp, but quite good out of the M-stage. I think a SS amp suits them better. I also think that they barely benefit form an amp at all, but others seem to disagree. 
Click to expand...



They sound funny out of your Hybrid amp, but they sound good out of an M-stage, but in your opinion they don't benefit from an amp?
 
 
Jul 19, 2011 at 10:39 PM Post #6 of 13


Quote:
comma said:
I have had my K271 MK II's for about 6 months and I have been overall pleased with them. however, I really wanted an open back over the ear headphone, and at the time of purchase, I could not find a K240 series for the same price. I was thinking the K601's would be a good upgrade.
I enjoy the AKG sound profile because I dont listen to one or 3 types of genre's. I listen to basically everything (well, minus a lot of the new popular tunes) so The AKG's suit me well. Yeah of course I would love a little more bass from the K271 mk II's but the soundstage is great. before the 271's I had a sennheiser PX 100.
I really enjoyed that until the pads wore down to nothing and it started to hurt like hell wearing. I wanted something over the ear instead.
Again, I am looking into the K601 because it is more of a studio headphone, it has larger drivers (I think) and works well with amps.
I have heard that the K701's and 702's work better with solid state amps rather than tube amps, and I was planning on trying to build a tube amp somewhere down the line.
 
any adivce would be appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...



i rate the K271 highly.  sure, the K601 and K70x are better in some "hi-fi" respects, and i would recommend you live with both for a period.  that being said, the K601 is a better 'all-rounder".  if you like the soundstage of the K271, you will love the K601 or K70x.  while i don't give a toss about soundstage, the K601 is the probably the best i've heard.  both have a little more bass depth and detail, but not necessarily impact.  i like the slightly warm mid-bass of the K271, but the others dig deeper. 
 
if i could have only one HP, the K601 would be at or near the top of my list.
 
Jul 20, 2011 at 12:22 AM Post #7 of 13
Thanks Guys! I was thinking of Gettng a K601 and recabling it though. I am not a fan that it is natively 6.25mm. I'd rather have 3.5mm jack and then step up when needed. Any suggestions? Should I look any specific place for cable? I know how to rewire headphones, as I have fixed dozens of harmon kardon speakers in the past and I am very fluent with a soldering Iron. Should I buy a heaver gauge cable? I am planning to amp them up one day :D.
 
Jul 20, 2011 at 9:18 AM Post #9 of 13
I'd stick with the larger jack to be honest. It's there because it's meant to be used with amplifiers / hi-fi equipment, and anything but a very small portable amp will have a jack that size, and probably as default, so you'd just have to convert up every time instead. But if you really must, I don't know what cables people choose for the K601. You'll probably want something that keeps a clear sound rather than warming things up (you can probably do that to a greater extent with amp or source equipment).
 
And personally, from what I have read, no amp would bring the K701/2 to the sound of a K601. The closest the K701 can come from the impressions I have seen is balanced with a warm amp.
 
Jul 20, 2011 at 10:51 AM Post #10 of 13
I love the K601 with tubes, Mapletree amp in my case (which btw can be had in kit form).  Just a superb headphone for the price.  I've heard the Kx01's can be tricky to recable due to the finickiness of the cups.  Maybe you could use a Grado adaptor for when you need a miniplug?
 
http://www.headphone.com/accessories/grado-quarter-to-eighth-inch-plug-adapter.php
 
Jul 20, 2011 at 4:23 PM Post #12 of 13
The K 601's. . . 
 
Pros: quite detailed, wide soundstage, very tight bass.
Cons: little soundstage depth, almost too flat, not the most pleasant sound-signature.
 
They are somewhat dull and not bright at all. Well suited to electronic. 
 
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