Will
Been here a while!
Ribena abuser!
Member since 2008
Posts: 2,164
|
Post by Will on Oct 31, 2008 13:43:57 GMT
I've been working hard, and have managed to save up enough for a pair of 'high-end' headphones. I managed to have a pretty quick listen to a pair of K701, which had been well run in (couple of months of either real listening or on a radio). What I heard, connected to my SCHA, convinced me that these were the beasts for me. This morning, whilst having a look around the internet, a couple of places indicated that the K701 was being discontinued. www.dv247.com/invt/34436/Not surprising, given that the K702 is here, and the rumoured K701mkII is on the way, but it does mean that there is a chance that there may be a few bargains to be had. I found the following link to be the best value, but only just, over Thomanns.de cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190261719089&ih=009&category=14985&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1I ordered my K518s from them in the past, so I know they're kosher. I have an old CD player, which has a headphone socket and Rush's Show of Hands CD (the official Wilbur burn in CD) ready, and once arrived, the new K701s should be ready to listen to after Christmas!
|
|
robertkd
Been here a while!
Electronics Engineer from sunny Queensland
Posts: 111
|
Post by robertkd on Oct 31, 2008 15:35:56 GMT
It wasn't unexpected the Studio K271's got upgraded not so long ago your price is roughly equivalent to what I paid for mine only a couple of months ago (when K702 came out) I have a couple hundred hours up on mine and they are really damn nice on the SC HA Robert
|
|
|
Post by sometrolls2 on Oct 31, 2008 16:47:42 GMT
Unless there is a huge spare supply, I wouldn't expect large discounting before Christmas. I remember Richer Sounds eventually doing the HD580 for £80 as an end of line product.
|
|
FritzS
Been here a while!
Sound of Blue Danube
Sound of Blue Danube
Posts: 1,364
|
Post by FritzS on Nov 2, 2008 17:29:21 GMT
Hi, I live in Austria, near the factory of AKG - I will keep an ear to the ground If I have more information I will post here
|
|
|
Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 3, 2008 18:50:39 GMT
I wonder why K-701 was discontinued?
|
|
Will
Been here a while!
Ribena abuser!
Member since 2008
Posts: 2,164
|
Post by Will on Nov 3, 2008 20:42:32 GMT
Yep, I mentioned the rumour in the first post. I believe the difference to the K701 is a burn in time of 4 years, slightly wider soundstage, and it comes in pink. Apart from that, no difference! Anyhoo, My K701s came today, after ordering from Planet Gizmo's ebay website on Friday. Very excited, getting my first pair of big boys headphones. They sounded better from the box than I expected from all the feedback and reviews I read, although as stated the bass is hiding. Anyway, they are burning away now, and should be ready by Christmas
|
|
robertkd
Been here a while!
Electronics Engineer from sunny Queensland
Posts: 111
|
Post by robertkd on Nov 3, 2008 21:27:38 GMT
Anyway, they are burning away now, and should be ready by Christmas Wilbur, Christmas,.. err which year?
|
|
FritzS
Been here a while!
Sound of Blue Danube
Sound of Blue Danube
Posts: 1,364
|
Post by FritzS on Nov 5, 2008 14:52:33 GMT
Yep, I mentioned the rumour in the first post. I believe the difference to the K701 is a burn in time of 4 years, slightly wider soundstage, and it comes in pink. Apart from that, no difference! Anyhoo, My K701s came today, after ordering from Planet Gizmo's ebay website on Friday. Very excited, getting my first pair of big boys headphones. They sounded better from the box than I expected from all the feedback and reviews I read, although as stated the bass is hiding. Anyway, they are burning away now, and should be ready by Christmas Wilbur, welcome in AKG club ;D
|
|
Will
Been here a while!
Ribena abuser!
Member since 2008
Posts: 2,164
|
Post by Will on Nov 5, 2008 20:20:17 GMT
Cheers Fritz! It certainly looks that way, doesn't it? Mind you I am thinking about some Igrados for my mp3 player, for when I'm of on site surveying.... Perhaps I should see what AKG does is this area, just to be safe?
|
|
|
Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 5, 2008 21:29:54 GMT
Wilbur...... you've got yourself a superb pair of 'phones there and a pair of 'phones which deserve respect! You'll find they start to relax after about 500 hours and sound their best after about a year of use... seriously, it's all about bedding in and these puppies take a long time to bed in. You can speed the process up in two ways: 1: Remove the pads 2: Dip the pads in lukewarm water for 3 minutes 3: Place the pads in a plastic bag 4: Stand on the pads and gently "stomp" for 20 minutes (much like crushing grapes) 5: Remove the pads from the plastic bag and hang out to dry on a piece of string 6: Refit the pads This removes the "batter" and makes the pads more pliable.... most importantly it places the drivers closer to your ears and you'll notice you now have "bass" Next thing to do: 1: Get two pillows 2: Place the K-701 between the pillows next to a central heating radiator 3: plays some music on loop and keep them playing for about 4 days at moderatly high volume levels Tell me what you think
|
|
Will
Been here a while!
Ribena abuser!
Member since 2008
Posts: 2,164
|
Post by Will on Nov 5, 2008 22:14:49 GMT
Thanks for the info Mike. It was partly your review of the K701s that convinced me to get them in the first place. After long and intense negotiations with Mrs Will, I'm having these 'phones for Christmas, so my initial thoughts were to put them on repeat, in a cardboard box with pillows (to keep the noise down) until then, so come Christmas Day, my phones will be well on the way to being 'broken in' Obviously, they wont get much use on the day, but at least I'll be able to get my hands on them. I've had the K701s since Monday, and as I'm working away, they have been with me, breaking in by being played on my laptop whilst I'm out surveying. The difference in the last couple of days is noticeable, and even through the laptops frankly poor headphone out, there is 'new stuff' being noticed. What they'll do being driven by my SCHA has me all a quiver with anticipation With the earpad suggestion, I may leave it a bit. I can imagine the wife's face as she sees me 'treading' the earpads - "you spent chuffing how much and your doing WHAT?!" ;D
|
|
robertkd
Been here a while!
Electronics Engineer from sunny Queensland
Posts: 111
|
Post by robertkd on Nov 6, 2008 10:50:15 GMT
To be honest I really was a tad sus of the "break in" but read as much about the k701's as I could find and well seems like there is something in it. Mine have seen somewhere around 400 to 500Hrs now I appreciate them when I first got them I thought what have I paid all that money for They've got bottom end, mid and top and certainly sound better driven by the SC HA then say the receiver in the lounge room Robert
|
|
|
Post by leporello on Nov 6, 2008 23:59:47 GMT
I've had my 701s running more or less 24/7 on a Green Solo for coming up to two months now. I think that they have opened up nicely during that time. However, the burn-in process has been done more as a duty than a pleasure. My ATH W5000s are much more revealing and detailed than and have much more oomph than the 701s to my ears at a lower volume. With the W5000s I listen comfortably at between nine and ten o clock on the solo volume. The 701s I play at between twelve and two to get similar detail but they do sound thin compared to the W5000s. I'm beginning to wonder whether this might be a matter of synergy between my ears and these headphones. I'll continue burning in the 701s hoping that I'll get a little closer to hearing their well reported virtues. However, when I feel the need to immerse myself in music I'll treat myself to a couple of hours with the W5000s. Life would be much easier if I had two headphone outputs and I've even thought of buying a second headphone amp. so that I can forget about the 701s whilst listening to my other cans. But frankly that would be a daft waste of money. On the other hand, I can't help being curious to know what other amps. people may be enjoying their 701s on
|
|
robertkd
Been here a while!
Electronics Engineer from sunny Queensland
Posts: 111
|
Post by robertkd on Nov 7, 2008 12:43:50 GMT
This is because of a number of technical facets, firstly the sensitivity if the k701's and the ADH W5000's are different, that is to say for a given amount of "signal voltage" applied (tech talk for where the volume knob is pointing to" they produce different levels of volume or acoustic energy . This sensitivity relates to the amount of sound made for a given amount of signal and is sometimes rated as db/1mw of signal or alternately as db/1 volt of signal. This gives the basic efficiency of the transducers used in the ear phones. The other factor is the impedance of the transducers are also different, this (also tech talk) is a function of the amount of power generated with a given voltage signal, the impedance of the k701's is higher then that of the W5000's so all things being equal the for the same position of the volume knob the W5000's convert more of the signal into power and thus sound louder then the k701's for a given position of the volume knob. Yes I did a re calculation and ended up with a considerably more hours then I had first thought, again you might have some merit in the number of hours also listening may have made them more acceptable in terms of low end reproduction. yes well being a poor son of convict breading I could only afford a cheap pair of ATH AD1000's which also sound quite respectable perhaps a little more low end then the k701's but hey what can I say they are both very nice headphones, and of course on such a low rung of the social ladder I find the eminently affordable SC HA with it's 2 headphone sockets quite gem
|
|
|
Post by leporello on Nov 7, 2008 14:13:52 GMT
leporello, it is very entertaining to read your opinion. Mine is the opposite, I much prefer the K701 over the W5000. We all do not like chocolate. I do feel that if you have been running the K701 24 hours a day for 60 days they should be fully burnt in. Miguel, If this is as good as the 701s get, they're not really for me. I respect your knowledge and technical expertise and I guess I must learn to live with my chocolate ears. Interestingly, I always leave the 701s connected to the SOLO and have asked my son, who uses my PC as much as I do, to use the 701s. I 've explained to him about burn in etc. However, I continue to find after my son has been using the computer, that he has plugged in the W5000s. He is not an audiophile, nor is he interested headphones as such. So obviously the predeliction for chocolate headphones is in my genes. There's nothing per se wrong with the 701s, it's just that I enjoy music so more on the W5000s. When I'm dutifully listening to the 701s I find myself constantly being tempted to reach for my wooden marvels. I'll give the 701s another couple of weeks and then if I don't grow to like them more, I'll free up my desk by putting them back into their box and keep them as spares. Obviously my ears are not up to the task of appreciating this fine piece of Austrian audio engineering. I should have taken Merton's expert advice and bought a set of DT770s, but as I don't have a pointed head, I'm not sure that these would suit me either.
|
|
|
Post by leporello on Nov 7, 2008 18:27:33 GMT
Miguel, It's all your fault, had you not sold me the W5000s I may now have thought that the AKG701s were the greatest thing since Britain re-opened the Volkswagen factory and made it possible to for you to enjoy luxury motoring.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2008 0:12:31 GMT
You'll have to take up surfing again!
I was rather keen on the new Scirocco, Yummy.
|
|
|
Post by leporello on Nov 8, 2008 2:28:41 GMT
VW's rule! I am considering purchasing the one below. No progress with the dieting then Miguel.
|
|