- Jul 20, 2012
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idc said:Chris, that is a cracking review. Please create a new thread just for the review so it does not get lost in this thread.
Thank you.
Rather than start a new thread I've posted the review on to the WhatHiFi review of the Q701s as they are, as I understand it, in principle identical.As a follow up, I've been listening for some weeks now and I can't discern any noticeable "running in" effect. I've had the phones plugged in at all times so I think if it were going to happen it would have done it by now.
Lastly I've discovered that phones can be too good! I was listening to the famous live recording of Marta Argerich playing the Rachmaninov 3rd Piano Concerto and the audience noise was very disconcerting. You can hear every cough, splutter, sweet paper rustle and scuffle. Listening to it on speakers this morning the noises are still there but they blend into the background noise of my apartment and you can ignore them. Phones make you listen to them and they are hard if not impossible to ignore!
Chris
Hi Chris, only found your post today so I hope i'm not too late to the party!
I think i'm fairly well placed to offer an opinion on your dilemma, I too have the CD and PM6004 although i've paired mine with Monitor Audio RX1s.
The first thing I would say is that the phones out on the marantz is very good when compared to the vast majority of cd/amps. Marantz give almost as much attention to the phones output on these models as they do the main output so unless you were to spend the same kind of money as the PM6004 (or upwards) on a dedicated headphone amp, the extra outlay is unlikely to be justified.
Onto headphone choice now. Looking at your musical tastes and the fact you require a clean, analytical sound I can thoroughly recommend the AKG Q701 Quincy jones reference headphones. These produce an incredibly accurate delivery of the recording, as it was meant to be heard, and a soundstage few headphones anywhere near the price point can match. As for the wireless option, i'm guessing it's because your listening chair is quite far from the hi-fi? I so, another huge benefit of the Q701s is that they come with 2 cables, one at 3m and the other 6m. this should suffice for all but the most lavish of... em... ... castles?
If it's particularly heavy bass you're after i'd look elsewhere. Whilst the Q701s produce a lovely, tight, clean bassline, They're never going to reproduce the kind of brain rattling, sub-elephant mating call some may require. Again though i'd guess that's not really your preference given your Classical tastes and the fact you love your Kef speakers.
Should you decide to go for the Q701s can I advise you to steer clear of a well known store that starts with J and ends with ohnLewis, They're asking for 500 quid for a pair.
Instead look to an American company Standbyon who can be found on a well known rainforest monikered online store. I had to wait 13 days for mine to arrive but for less than 213 quid, it's a small price to pay. Hell, for a 2 week wait you've just saved yourself the cost of a Graham Slee Novo headphone amp should your heart really desire.
Happy hunting,
John.
I think i'm fairly well placed to offer an opinion on your dilemma, I too have the CD and PM6004 although i've paired mine with Monitor Audio RX1s.
The first thing I would say is that the phones out on the marantz is very good when compared to the vast majority of cd/amps. Marantz give almost as much attention to the phones output on these models as they do the main output so unless you were to spend the same kind of money as the PM6004 (or upwards) on a dedicated headphone amp, the extra outlay is unlikely to be justified.
Onto headphone choice now. Looking at your musical tastes and the fact you require a clean, analytical sound I can thoroughly recommend the AKG Q701 Quincy jones reference headphones. These produce an incredibly accurate delivery of the recording, as it was meant to be heard, and a soundstage few headphones anywhere near the price point can match. As for the wireless option, i'm guessing it's because your listening chair is quite far from the hi-fi? I so, another huge benefit of the Q701s is that they come with 2 cables, one at 3m and the other 6m. this should suffice for all but the most lavish of... em... ... castles?
If it's particularly heavy bass you're after i'd look elsewhere. Whilst the Q701s produce a lovely, tight, clean bassline, They're never going to reproduce the kind of brain rattling, sub-elephant mating call some may require. Again though i'd guess that's not really your preference given your Classical tastes and the fact you love your Kef speakers.
Should you decide to go for the Q701s can I advise you to steer clear of a well known store that starts with J and ends with ohnLewis, They're asking for 500 quid for a pair.
Instead look to an American company Standbyon who can be found on a well known rainforest monikered online store. I had to wait 13 days for mine to arrive but for less than 213 quid, it's a small price to pay. Hell, for a 2 week wait you've just saved yourself the cost of a Graham Slee Novo headphone amp should your heart really desire.
Happy hunting,
John.
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