K-701 and K-340 revisited

[hirsch]

My first impression of the K-701 was that it was an improvement over K-340, sounding much like what I suspect a modded K-340 would sound like. However, the longer I owned the K-701, the less I liked the sound. Odd, but there it is. The final blow came in a listening session where a friend and I were comparing K-340, K-701, and K-1000 (just for the heck of it). Bad luck for the K-701 was that I discovered that the Wheatfield HA-2 is a very good K-1000 amp. The K-1000 is simply better than either of the others if the amp has the power for it, and the Wheatfield does. However, I was able to alter the relationship of the K-701 and K-340 simply by changing the gain tube of the Wheatfield. Sometimes the K-701 came out ahead, and sometimes the K-340.

I finally concluded that these headphones are much closer than I originally thought. I also realized that I didn't need the K-701, and sold it. That may be premature, but it simply isn't in the same league with K-1000 in any respect I can think of, and since the amp I like best for K-701 can drive K-1000, the 701 became something that would just sit on a shelf. I'm keeping the K-340, though, as Larry's mods are still sitting there tempting me...

The alternative was keeping K-701 and balancing it. However, a balanced R10 should be here Real Soon Now, so a balanced K-701 just didn't feel necessary. :P

[tkam]

I've actually been going through a similar thing with the k701, they are very neutral phones with a pretty even tonal balance but I find myself reaching for my other headphones more often than not.

Also I agree people who have been comparing them to k1000 have never heard the k1000 properly amped as the the k1000 are in a totally different league.

[philodox]

Get those K340's modded buddy, they sound amazing.

[tkam]

Get those K340's modded buddy, they sound amazing.

The treble and midrange are nice but they still don't have enough bass

[tiberian]

I've actually been going through a similar thing with the k701, they are very neutral phones with a pretty even tonal balance but I find myself reaching for my other headphones more often than not.

Also I agree people who have been comparing them to k1000 have never heard the k1000 properly amped as the the k1000 are in a totally different league.

same here...the fotm effect has worn off really fast.

[tkam]

I still think they are nice phones, my tastes just lean towards a warmer sound. I think if someone is looking for a tonally balanced phone they should take a serious look at the 701s.

[philodox]

The treble and midrange are nice but they still don't have enough bass

I've got no bass complaints over here... except in the area of impact my K340's beat my HF-1's in every way. And nothing does bass impact like a Grado.

[Yikes]

I am currently waiting for my 701?s. I sold my K1000?s because both the 701?s and my Siltech cabled Sony MDR-SA5000?s are much better all around cans. On the right recording the K1000?s are the best headphones available, the problem is that there aren?t enough ?right recordings?. I found myself using the K1000?s once or twice a month, and that didn?t justify keeping them.

I have not listened to the K340?s since they were actually in production (when?). They were nice, but I wasn?t as impressed as I am with any of my current cans (or the K1000?s). I would bet that the big difference is the dramatic improvements in Amps and Sources. I?m sure that when I listened to the K340?s it was being driven by a Luxman? Receiver, along with either a cassette deck or an early cheap CD player. Even though I consider my auditory memory to be exceptional I am aware of the difference in the systems used when I auditioned the K340?s.

Perhaps they do rival the K701?s.

But, I doubt it.

[tkam]

Yikes, I'm curious what did you use to power the k1000? I own both the k1000 and the k701 and IMO the k1000 are vastly superior. Sure the k701 have better overall balance and better low-bass frequency response but they don't reach the same level of refinement or have the same level of musicality.

[philodox]

Perhaps they do rival the K701?s.

Well, I haven't heard the K701 yet, but I do know that I prefer the K340 to the K1000. They both do things that the other can't, but in the end I like the things that the K340 does better. Still, if my resources were unlimited I would definately own a pair of K1000's. Great headphones.

[Yikes]

Yikes, I'm curious what did you use to power the k1000? I own both the k1000 and the k701 and IMO the k1000 are vastly superior. Sure the k701 have better overall balance and better low-bass frequency response but they don't reach the same level of refinement or have the same level of musicality.

My amp started life as an Antique Sound Labs OTL/32. It then went to Exemplar Audio (along with my K1000?s for proper voicing) to be modified. Everything in the signal path is Siltech G5 (of course) and everything is now shunt regulated. All caps and resistors in the signal path were replaced or bypassed with much better pieces. The cost? Who knows? I am a friend with John at Exemplar so he did it as a favor to me (not free, but not what he would charge). If a civilian were to have the same thing done it would cost in the $1500 to $2000 range. (not counting the amp)

Some very experienced members of Head-Fi who heard it at one of a couple of meets that I attended commented that my system was amongst the true reference quality systems that they had heard.

I do know that I have compared it to some killer production amps in the $1000 to $4000 range and my amp came out very well.

It drove the K1000?s wonderfully.

[tkam]

I guess we just have different tastes then as I really don't think the 701 are in the same league as the k1000.

[Yikes]

Which car is better a Ferrari or a Bentley? Or a Hummer? Or a Prius?

[Dusty Chalk]

The K-1000 is simply better than either of the others if the amp has the power for it, and the Wheatfield does. However, I was able to alter the relationship of the K-701 and K-340 simply by changing the gain tube of the Wheatfield.

I asked this question over on H**d-Fi, but I don't know if you saw it -- what particular tube complement did you use to drive the K1000? (And, if you remember my miniscule tube collection) do I have something that can drive the K1000 adequately, do you think? I'll relist my Wheatfield tube collection later, for reference (am at work right now).

[aerius]

The treble and midrange are nice but they still don't have enough bass

See if you can find the bass-heavy version that I have, it has about as much bass as a Grado PS-1.

[philodox]

See if you can find the bass-heavy version that I have, it has about as much bass as a Grado PS-1.

I can't wait to compare mine to yours again. I'm not sure if it is burn-in or the elastic readjustment that I did, but these things have BASS now.

[tkam]

See if you can find the bass-heavy version that I have, it has about as much bass as a Grado PS-1.

Hmm interesting, I remember Larry saying the pair I had was one of the bassier ones he'd come across and to me they were still lean in the bass department.

[aerius]

I can't wait to compare mine to yours again. I'm not sure if it is burn-in or the elastic readjustment that I did, but these things have BASS now.

Mine has less bass now since I figured out a way to get a bit more treble extension and even out the weird midrange colouration a bit more. You wouldn't believe how much blue sticky-tack I have in them, god they weigh a ton.

[hirsch]

The K-1000 is simply better than either of the others if the amp has the power for it, and the Wheatfield does. However, I was able to alter the relationship of the K-701 and K-340 simply by changing the gain tube of the Wheatfield.

I asked this question over on H**d-Fi, but I don't know if you saw it -- what particular tube complement did you use to drive the K1000? (And, if you remember my miniscule tube collection) do I have something that can drive the K1000 adequately, do you think? I'll relist my Wheatfield tube collection later, for reference (am at work right now).

Mullard rectifier, RCA 6AS7G power tube, and Ken-Rad VT-231 driver works. I'm playing around with a Mullard ECC32 in the driver position, and it's also very good. Killer mids, while Ken-Rad does more for bass.

[darkless]

The treble and midrange are nice but they still don't have enough bass

I've got no bass complaints over here... except in the area of impact my K340's beat my HF-1's in every way. And nothing does bass impact like a Grado.

Except maybe an ATH-L3000? Sorry, couldn't resist...