[TSi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaska /img/forum/go_quote.gif How is the price not justified if the sound is right? They're always priced cheaper than the K701, and to me, they sound better. If I thought the K701 sounded even marginally better, I would have had no issues at all spending the extra ~$50 for them. I don't see the K601 as a poor man's K701, which is what you seem to be suggesting. It's a different, and different sounding, headphone altogether.

Did i say K601 was the poor man's K701? Its basically the same class of phones, but then the sound is a bit different.

Also... consider this: The highest end (right now) is 250$ and its K701... why wouldn't u drop 50$ more to get it rather than K601, aside from the "marginally better" sound.

I mean, okay, its all personal opinion... but If I'm gonna pull 200$ out for a pair of higher end headphones, why wouldnt i take out 50$ for the current highest end of AKG. Especially if I don't really want to do any more upgrading, and that I will be satisfied with it. If you look at it "bargin" wise... I would say its better bargin.

but of course, tats just me, if ur satisfied with ur K601 or Kw/e... then go ahead, get that instead.

 

[Jaska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did i say K601 was the poor man's K701?

Well, that's pretty much how I understood it.

Quote:

The highest end (right now) is 250$ and its K701... why wouldn't u drop 50$ more to get it rather than K601, aside from the "marginally better" sound.

I answered this in my previous post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaska /img/forum/go_quote.gif to me, they [the K601] sound better.

 

[TSi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaska /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, that's pretty much how I understood it. I answered this in my previous post:

thats why this is a forum? thats why i said personal opinions? I mean... we are allowed to express our opinion now right? I didnt say the K601 was garbage, infact, I would get it too... but then I personally (for the price) would not justify paying a very similar cost to the K701 that I bought.

 

[TSi]

To the readers and Jaska,

If for any reason, you feel that my own opinions were wrong and are not satisfied, I am very very sorry for making you feel this way.

I intended to say: I personally feel that the K601 are not justified for their price against the K701.
I did not intend to make you think that the K601 are crappier / lower end / worse pair of headphones than the K701.

If you still have any problems regarding my own opinion, please feel free to PM me

 

[flame]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSi /img/forum/go_quote.gif To the readers and Jaska, If for any reason, you feel that my own opinions were wrong and are not satisfied, I am very very sorry for making you feel this way. I intended to say: I personally feel that the K601 are not justified for their price against the K701. I did not intend to make you think that the K601 are crappier / lower end / worse pair of headphones than the K701. If you still have any problems regarding my own opinion, please feel free to PM me

I think i gotcha, probably mean the newer model k701 is out, technicly the price of k601 should drop more, but it doesn't seem to react that way, so people will probably go for the newer model for the extra $50.

But i think others aren't going against your opinion, they probably mean price isn't the main factor to them, as long as they like the sound, that is all it matters. They like the sound of k601, so they don't mind paying the price, regardless the price on k701 is close enough to k601.

I think both of these suggestions are relevant to new buyers, like me

 

[Jaska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flame /img/forum/go_quote.gif But i think others aren't going against your opinion, they probably mean price isn't the main factor to them, as long as they like the sound, that is all it matters. They like the sound of k601, so they don't mind paying the price, regardless the price on k701 is close enough to k601. I think both of these suggestions are relevant to new buyers, like me

Yes, I think you've managed to see the key points. Nicely summarized.

 

[verbaan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSi /img/forum/go_quote.gif 169 euro is still 200$+ USD

My point was that the difference in price here in the Netherlands is not so small: 100 euro is about 160$. In dollars the K701 here is 425$. It may be that the K701 is much more expensive here than elsewhere. If the extra is worth it, that's a personal matter. I really can't tell.

 

[vvanrij]

I was actually going to buy the K701 because of all the praise it got here and it is the 'top of the line', but listening from a good source/amp I preferred the K601. Sure there are people that pay 50$ extra for the number 7 instead of a 6, but you might ask yourself where your priorities lie. Offcourse there are alot of people who prefer the K701, and bought it for the right reasons. My point is like mentioned here before, the K601 is a different headphone, and not a 'almost k701'. I also bought it for classical/orchestra music.

 

[paulb09]

One of the things I really like about the K601 is how it has a bit of warmth, but still retains good impact and sharpness. It's definitely what I was looking for after I became un-interested in the sound of my HD497.

On another note, you'll probably want to run it on bright equipment. I paired my Creek OBH-21SE with my dad's old Philips CD400 player once to see the results and found it a bit too warm, whereas it's pretty much fine with my Cambridge Audio 740C (I still sometimes feel I'd like a little more sparkle and brightness, mainly with orchestral music).

 

[QQQ]

K601 to K701 is the same thing as Senn 600 to 650. Not worser, just different.

 

[vvanrij]

exactly! And most people recommend SS amps for the K601, but clean sounding tubes also do the job.

 

[tfarney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSi /img/forum/go_quote.gif To the readers and Jaska, If for any reason, you feel that my own opinions were wrong and are not satisfied, I am very very sorry for making you feel this way. I intended to say: I personally feel that the K601 are not justified for their price against the K701. I did not intend to make you think that the K601 are crappier / lower end / worse pair of headphones than the K701. If you still have any problems regarding my own opinion, please feel free to PM me

II haven't heard the 601 or the 701, so I have absolutely no skin in this game, but it seems to me that the $50, and the position these phones hold relative to each other in AKG's product line seems to be the gist of your point. If that's your criteria, I'm good with that.

But you and some of the others here (Jaska comes to mind) are approaching the choice from completely different points of view. You seem to be asking: Why would you not pay a mere $50 more to get the TOTL phone? Jaska seems to be asking: Why would I pay $50 more to get a phone I like less?

They're both legitimate questions, but in the long run, I personally think it is better to judge with your ears. Price is not always a reliable indicator of value. YMMV.

Tim

 

[greggf]

I'm trying the K601 now. Cold, unbroken-in, I can tell that the K601 is different from the K701. It has the same AKG house sound - plastic, as opposed to Sennheiser's wood and Beyerdynamic's metal - but is much easier to listen to than the K701. Perhaps too much so.

I'd advise anybody interested in the K601 to try them first. Preconceptions do not apply with these phones.

Close pricing makes sense to me now - these are not so much TOTL vs. second bananas, as they are two different things.

The K701 do audiophile tricks; the k601 are top-quality mass-market attempts.

 

[Dobro]

I'd be very interested in your impressions of them after you've had them awhile. How they compare to your HD600s and K702s would be of particular interest. If you feel so inclined.

 

[Jaska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggf /img/forum/go_quote.gif much easier to listen to than the K701. Perhaps too much so.

I think you've called it pretty well. It looks like your amp should be quite well suited to the K601, too, so I'll bet you're getting a clear picture of what their capabilities are.

I believe I'd mentioned earlier that one thing about the K601 is that it lacks some degree of involvement, especially when compared to other headphones like Grados. Sonically, they really do tend to "play it safe." Still, I would not personally choose the K701 over the K601, since the treble is where I think the K601 excels and the K701 tends to offend.

I think I agree with the comment earlier that the K601 might sound better with a bright source. I consider the Apogee Duet to be mildly bright, and I get the feeling that a warmer or darker source would pretty much take all the life out of these headphones.

The K601, for me, also isn't such a strong performer at really low volumes. It's probably the only headphone I've ever owned that's caused me any concern over the volume required for enjoyable listening. For whatever reason, I find myself reaching for the volume control more than I'd like to, and the rotation of the dial is usually clockwise.

greggf, what do you think about the bass? I know you're a long-time DT770 owner, so using that headphone as a point of reference, do you prefer what you're hearing so far from the K601? In open headphones, my own feeling is that the K601 and the SR225 are right up my alley, especially since I put a Gilmore Lite into the picture.