[DavidMahler]

PS Erik.... I revised my K1000 section
 
Hope you're having a great holiday!!!!
 
Also I'm glad I could help you Joe.  Happy holidays to you as well!

 

[SP Wild]

K1000.  Ooops, sorry, the K1000 was never hi-end to start with, so I take that back.  In all fairness...it does still have the best soundstage of all headphones to date.  Everything else is WAAAY overrated IMO. 

 

[Piotr Ryka]

 
I have now at home K1000, DX1000, W5000, Ultrasone E10, HD 600 and HD 650. Three of them (DX1000, E10 and HD 650) are perceive as a bass monsters. E10 is also expect to be a new absolutely top-end headphone, as R10 or Orpheus. Some days ago I had also to comparison Omega II MK2 with SRM-717, SR-507, PS-1000 and T1. And honestly, only Omega is on the same level with K1000, but Omega’s sound is more magic in a magical way, whereas K1000 are definitely more dynamic and realistic.
As about bass. That is truth, that PS-1000, Orpheus, E9, DX1000 and a few others reproduces lower frequencies, but none of them has so powerful sound. Good amped K1000 – really good amped K1000 – is the king. Only R10 are more subtle, only Orpheus is more all-round. But I prefer K1000 even over them, because K1000 are the most natural and the most powerful.

 

[n3rdling]

Bass response of the K1000 is greatly dependent on the angle of the drivers.  With the ear speakers folded in more, bass quantity increases but you lose the soundstaging capabilities that are the K1000's trademark.  With the bass light version I owned, I found the middle position to be the best compromise on most material, but the bass extension was pretty pitiful.

 

[SP Wild]

Regardless of bass quantity, in raw resolution scale...if today's hi-end flagships is like blu-ray resolution, and yesterdays flagships were like standard definition...the K1000s are like VHS quality. 
 
I ranked it with my HD595 in sheer resolution capability.  I think the HD595 was lower resolution than my HD650s and the K1000s successor...the K701s.  If you liked the tonal balance of the K1000s with the ears 1/2 to 3/4 flipped out...then you have no problems with the K701 tonal balance - its almost identical, with the K701 having the advantage of a higher resolution output device.  But of course, nothing can yet beat the K1000 soundstage.  Which for me was quick wow factor novelty that very quickly wore off...leaving behind an entry level can detail retrieval.
 
If the HD650 doesn't belong in hi-end discussions...neither does the K1000...it was originally priced accordingly.

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Regardless of bass quantity, in raw resolution scale...if today's hi-end flagships is like blu-ray resolution, and yesterdays flagships were like standard definition...the K1000s are like VHS quality. 
 
I ranked it with my HD595 in sheer resolution capability.  I think the HD595 was lower resolution than my HD650s and the K1000s successor...the K701s.  If you liked the tonal balance of the K1000s with the ears 1/2 to 3/4 flipped out...then you have no problems with the K701 tonal balance - its almost identical, with the K701 having the advantage of a higher resolution output device.  But of course, nothing can yet beat the K1000 soundstage.  Which for me was quick wow factor novelty that very quickly wore off...leaving behind an entry level can detail retrieval.
 
If the HD650 doesn't belong in hi-end discussions...neither does the K1000...it was originally priced accordingly.

I don't know if it works quite like that, but I like the analogy.  I think it's pretty obvious to me that the R10s are the finest headphone I've heard and they're decades old.  The HD800, HE-6, and LCD-2 are 1080p to R10's 720p.  The R10s and HE-90 pretty much stand at the top in their field with the Omega 2s sometimes considered and maybe the C-32 will be added or even "kinged".  The K1000 are right behind this bunch and in terms of what they achieve, they would be easily preferred by many over any headphone released in the past few years.  The tonal balance of the K1000 and K701 are not similar to me.  You may have amped them with the wrong choice for your taste, who knows?  
 
In terms of sheer reputation I've noticed that this forum collectively acknowledges the headphones as of this point in this way:
 
King Electrostatic: HE-90
King Dynamic: R10
Queen Electrostatic: Omega 2
Queen Dynamic: Qualia 010
Orthodynamic Kings: HE-6 and LCD2 whose reputation would be regarded somewhere between Queen and Rook status for most.
Rook 1 Electrostatic: Stax Lamba in various incarnations
Rook 2 Electrostatic: HE-60
Rook 1 Dynamic: K1000 or HD800 or T1 as widened soundstage tonally neutral balanced winner
Rook 2 Dynamic: HP-2 or PS1000 or RS1 or Edition 8 or D7000 as fun and engaging winner
Bishop 1 Dynamic: DT880 or K701 as soundstage oriented neutral mid-fi cans.
Bishop 2 Dynamic: HD600 or HD650 as lushly beautiful mid-fi cans
 

The two new flagship Orthos (HE-6 and LCD-2) rest somewhere in the vicinity of the Rooks and Queens in terms of reputation.
 
 
My gut tells me when the C-32 is released it will challenge the HE-90 and R10 as king headphone of all time, and it is possible that the Omega 2 already do that for a large margin of people here.

 

[Piotr Ryka]

Quote:

Regardless of bass quantity, in raw resolution scale...if today's hi-end flagships is like blu-ray resolution, and yesterdays flagships were like standard definition...the K1000s are like VHS quality. 
 
I ranked it with my HD595 in sheer resolution capability.  I think the HD595 was lower resolution than my HD650s and the K1000s successor...the K701s.  If you liked the tonal balance of the K1000s with the ears 1/2 to 3/4 flipped out...then you have no problems with the K701 tonal balance - its almost identical, with the K701 having the advantage of a higher resolution output device.  But of course, nothing can yet beat the K1000 soundstage.  Which for me was quick wow factor novelty that very quickly wore off...leaving behind an entry level can detail retrieval.
 
If the HD650 doesn't belong in hi-end discussions...neither does the K1000...it was originally priced accordingly.

What did you smoke?

 

[Piotr Ryka]

Quote:

Quote:

Regardless of bass quantity, in raw resolution scale...if today's hi-end flagships is like blu-ray resolution, and yesterdays flagships were like standard definition...the K1000s are like VHS quality. 
 
I ranked it with my HD595 in sheer resolution capability.  I think the HD595 was lower resolution than my HD650s and the K1000s successor...the K701s.  If you liked the tonal balance of the K1000s with the ears 1/2 to 3/4 flipped out...then you have no problems with the K701 tonal balance - its almost identical, with the K701 having the advantage of a higher resolution output device.  But of course, nothing can yet beat the K1000 soundstage.  Which for me was quick wow factor novelty that very quickly wore off...leaving behind an entry level can detail retrieval.
 
If the HD650 doesn't belong in hi-end discussions...neither does the K1000...it was originally priced accordingly.

I don't know if it works quite like that, but I like the analogy.  I think it's pretty obvious to me that the R10s are the finest headphone I've heard and they're decades old.  The HD800, HE-6, and LCD-2 are 1080p to R10's 720p.  The R10s and HE-90 pretty much stand at the top in their field with the Omega 2s sometimes considered and maybe the C-32 will be added or even "kinged".  The K1000 are right behind this bunch and in terms of what they achieve, they would be easily preferred by many over any headphone released in the past few years.  The tonal balance of the K1000 and K701 are not similar to me.  You may have amped them with the wrong choice for your taste, who knows?  
 
In terms of sheer reputation I've noticed that this forum collectively acknowledges the headphones as of this point in this way:
 
King Electrostatic: HE-90
King Dynamic: R10
Queen Electrostatic: Omega 2
Queen Dynamic: Qualia 010
Orthodynamic Kings: HE-6 and LCD2 whose reputation would be regarded somewhere between Queen and Rook status for most.
Rook 1 Electrostatic: Stax Lamba in various incarnations
Rook 2 Electrostatic: HE-60
Rook 1 Dynamic: K1000 or HD800 or T1 as widened soundstage tonally neutral balanced winner
Rook 2 Dynamic: HP-2 or PS1000 or RS1 or Edition 8 or D7000 as fun and engaging winner
Bishop 1 Dynamic: DT880 or K701 as soundstage oriented neutral mid-fi cans.
Bishop 2 Dynamic: HD600 or HD650 as lushly beautiful mid-fi cans
 

The two new flagship Orthos (HE-6 and LCD-2) rest somewhere in the vicinity of the Rooks and Queens in terms of reputation.
 
 
My gut tells me when the C-32 is released it will challenge the HE-90 and R10 as king headphone of all time, and it is possible that the Omega 2 already do that for a large margin of people here.

And SR-Omega is what?

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Regardless of bass quantity, in raw resolution scale...if today's hi-end flagships is like blu-ray resolution, and yesterdays flagships were like standard definition...the K1000s are like VHS quality. 
 
I ranked it with my HD595 in sheer resolution capability.  I think the HD595 was lower resolution than my HD650s and the K1000s successor...the K701s.  If you liked the tonal balance of the K1000s with the ears 1/2 to 3/4 flipped out...then you have no problems with the K701 tonal balance - its almost identical, with the K701 having the advantage of a higher resolution output device.  But of course, nothing can yet beat the K1000 soundstage.  Which for me was quick wow factor novelty that very quickly wore off...leaving behind an entry level can detail retrieval.
 
If the HD650 doesn't belong in hi-end discussions...neither does the K1000...it was originally priced accordingly.

I don't know if it works quite like that, but I like the analogy.  I think it's pretty obvious to me that the R10s are the finest headphone I've heard and they're decades old.  The HD800, HE-6, and LCD-2 are 1080p to R10's 720p.  The R10s and HE-90 pretty much stand at the top in their field with the Omega 2s sometimes considered and maybe the C-32 will be added or even "kinged".  The K1000 are right behind this bunch and in terms of what they achieve, they would be easily preferred by many over any headphone released in the past few years.  The tonal balance of the K1000 and K701 are not similar to me.  You may have amped them with the wrong choice for your taste, who knows?  
 
In terms of sheer reputation I've noticed that this forum collectively acknowledges the headphones as of this point in this way:
 
King Electrostatic: HE-90
King Dynamic: R10
Queen Electrostatic: Omega 2
Queen Dynamic: Qualia 010
Orthodynamic Kings: HE-6 and LCD2 whose reputation would be regarded somewhere between Queen and Rook status for most.
Rook 1 Electrostatic: Stax Lamba in various incarnations
Rook 2 Electrostatic: HE-60
Rook 1 Dynamic: K1000 or HD800 or T1 as widened soundstage tonally neutral balanced winner
Rook 2 Dynamic: HP-2 or PS1000 or RS1 or Edition 8 or D7000 as fun and engaging winner
Bishop 1 Dynamic: DT880 or K701 as soundstage oriented neutral mid-fi cans.
Bishop 2 Dynamic: HD600 or HD650 as lushly beautiful mid-fi cans
 

The two new flagship Orthos (HE-6 and LCD-2) rest somewhere in the vicinity of the Rooks and Queens in terms of reputation.
 
 
My gut tells me when the C-32 is released it will challenge the HE-90 and R10 as king headphone of all time, and it is possible that the Omega 2 already do that for a large margin of people here.

And SR-Omega is what?

Original Omega was much less reliable in terms of people having problems, but it was no less regarded in sound than the Omega 2, possibly even considered a little better overall....so maybe that shares the Queen status?

 

[purk]

David,
 
What's the "C-32"?  
 
Thanks

 

[Clarkmc2]

Quote:

David,
 
What's the "C-32"?  

One of the pre-production code names for the new top of the line Stax.

 

[purk]

Quote:

Quote:

David,
 
What's the "C-32"?  

One of the pre-production code names for the new top of the line Stax.

Thanks.   That C-32 will be over $5K right when released?

 

[wind016]

new Stax are coming out?! sigh... my wallet...

 

[SP Wild]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Regardless of bass quantity, in raw resolution scale...if today's hi-end flagships is like blu-ray resolution, and yesterdays flagships were like standard definition...the K1000s are like VHS quality. 
 
I ranked it with my HD595 in sheer resolution capability.  I think the HD595 was lower resolution than my HD650s and the K1000s successor...the K701s.  If you liked the tonal balance of the K1000s with the ears 1/2 to 3/4 flipped out...then you have no problems with the K701 tonal balance - its almost identical, with the K701 having the advantage of a higher resolution output device.  But of course, nothing can yet beat the K1000 soundstage.  Which for me was quick wow factor novelty that very quickly wore off...leaving behind an entry level can detail retrieval.
 
If the HD650 doesn't belong in hi-end discussions...neither does the K1000...it was originally priced accordingly.

What did you smoke?

I was smoking Winfield Gold when I had the K1000s with me.  It was a brilliant headphone for its time...but lets not carried away here.  Its flagship status was, and still is, superseded by the K701s.  There is hypocrisy to those that praise the K1000 on one hand and condemn the K701 on the other.  I had the bass lite ones with me...and they sounded the same tonally as the K701 when ears were flipped out.  Except the K701 can't match imaging and staging...but it does surpass in smoothness and resolution.
 
Don't get me wrong...I like the tonality of the K1000s and K701 and prefer their interpretation of "neutral" more so than the HD800s very bright and warm "neutral".  But I am under no delusion about which headphone has the higher definition output device.
 
I've not heard the R10, Qualia or Orpheus so I can't comment on those...however those were priced exotically and positioned as esoteric hi-end when released.  It doen't surprise me that they are still up there.  Lets not get carried away with the K1000s, or else AKG will think this level of resolution is all that needs to be aspired to and never give us truly hi-end, K1000 successor...now that I will jump on.

 

[Anaxilus]

Are the Koss ESP950 really that behind the Stax Lambdas in your opinion to not be worthy of consideration of Rook status?