AKG headphones vs ??? What to get?

[JonnyD]

Hey,

I love my shure 420 headphones, but i don't find them that comfortable. I love using them for flights, and train journeys, but would like some headphones to match them for quieter environments at a similar sound quality.

I have tried my friends AKG 240 Studio cans, and really like the sound they give. As far as i can see, currently on the market there are the AKG 601, and slighty higher the 701's. What else should I try out at this level? Am I jumping up somewhat from the 240 to the level that I have seen at the moment on the internet in the 610/701?

I would mainly be using them through my beresford 7210 at home, and possibly with my ipod wondering around from time to time. I found the 240's to be ok, even if I had to use them at near full volume on my ipod. They sounded great and were very comfortable at home with the beresford

Thanks for any advice!!

Jon

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, slightly confused.

I'm not sure about the new Beresford though I consider the headphone output of your particular unit as being quite poor. It's certainly not good enough to power the headphones of which you speak to their potential.

If you are looking to get a pair of reference headphones I would suggest getting a dedicated headphone amp. The one you choose largely depends on what headphones you choose.

I would recommend the AKG k701 currently licking at my drums. They seem to have the balance with out-and-out detail and all round balance. They do lack the explicit excitement my Naim amp gives, though I forgive them because they sound so truly fantastic.

ÿ

 

[JonnyD]

Ok, I've only just used the headphone output on the beresford 7210 for the first time today as I was listening to the 240 studio headphones. I have not tried the 601's/701's. I'm thinking of getting some good headphones as I said, for late night listening mainly.

As far as I can tell the beresford holds up nicely with what I've been listenig to so far...all lossless files, and I find them to be detailed, without being fatiguing and the bass holds up well too.

If I was to get the 601/701 would you suggest a headphone amp on top of the beresford then? What kind of thing do you mean?

 

[Anonymous]

Call me a (insert insult here) if you want but I've always thought the headphone out of the (existing) Beresford completely lacks power. It should not have had the socket there in the first place.

I have not heard the 601 but all the hype seems to stem from the 701's flat coil technology which is what sets them apart from almost every pair of headphone in consumer existence. Considering the price difference if you look around is about £30, there is no question.

They need a long, long, long time to run in. Whatever you believe in with running in times, believe this. I thought mine had run in after 200 hours or so, oh no. These guys take time.

Headphone amp wise I've just bought a Little Dot MK3 from China, readily available on eBay. Also look at Darkvoice. These Chinese tube amps seem to offer superb value for money over the admittedly excellent offerings from Graham Slee, Musical Fidelity, Creek and Pro-Ject.

ÿ

 

[JonnyD]

Haha!! No problem, I've never even used the headphone out before, so I won't shout you down!!

Thanks with the headphone amp hints...I'll definitely have a look around at the ones you've mentioned. Maybe once I've tried something like this I'll realise what the beresford 7210 lacks if thats the case.

I take it from this that you wouldn't advise the use of 601/701's outside of the living room set-up in this case, and any sort of portable players would also need a portable amp at least to go with them!

Thanks for your advice, it's a whole new world I haven't stepped into, and as usual, there's a whole lot more than i expected to take in!!

 

[Anonymous]

Not at all. When I first got my k701 I had just moved my computer set up to another room. Previously I had been playing computer audio through a Benchmark DAC1 into a set of Grado SR325. The Benchmark stayed in the front room whilst I made do with the AKG playing from an iMac line out. Of course it didn't match the set up I had but it was still deeply impressive.

Since connecting the AKGs via a spare Beresford and and Little Dot, I'm quite happy to forget my previous set up.ÿ

 

[JonnyD]

Cool, nice to know they still sound good straight from an iMac! I've actually been trying out the 240S's from my macbook this morning so as not to disturb my wife!

Just to play devil's advocate to myself, given my source equipment and assuming no additions, would I be better off getting something easier to drive, I see the Grado's you mentioned and the 225's are a similar price to the 701's, and have an impedence of 32ohm rather than 60-odd, (the 240S's are 55ohm).

How does the sound of the Grado's compare in your opinion?

 

[Anonymous]

Well I've grown pretty fond of the k701. The SR325 sound superb, I've not heard the 225 though I don't doubt their ability. Grado and AKG are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Grado is excitement and bright, AKG on the other hand is not so instantly likable as Grado. Falling in love with the sound from a pair of Grados is akin to faling in love with a buxom, blond centrefold - what you see is what you get, forevermore.

What the k701s do is cause me to fall in love with sound every day. A foot drum (no idea if that's what they're actually called) - is not an instant spurt of bass, the leading and trailing edge of every single thing you hear is so well defined you could chew on it. You can follow the foot as it presses on the pedal, sailing through the air until the mechanism hits the resistance which is the skin of the drum. The surface slowly deforms, every fraction of the distortion comes whistling into your ears, no expense spared. Bass happens. (same thing then happens though even more impressively in reverse).

It's up to you really. All I'll say is if you listen to the Grados and the AKG briefly, testing them in a shop you'll fall in love with the Grados and wonder what I was banging on about with the AKG. With time and patience, the AKG will swamp you with benefit.ÿ