Nanoha Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Just ranting aimlessly. So I have a GCHA now. At first it sounded exhillirating; the amazing soundstage that is. But after listening to it for a while, my music just sounds so slim and uninspiring. I'm sort of a quiet listener, but it still sounds lean even when I turn up the volume. Maybe I'm just realizing the true nature of the K701 I'm using. (I also purchased the K701 recently and haven't tried it out of an amp other than the GCHA before.) Maybe I should have gone with a tube amplifier in the end after all despite having always thought I was a SS guy myself (high speed and punch). Female vocals are totally dry but I guess that is expected from a SS amp. However, I have yet to hear any punch with the GCHA though I remember someone told me last year that the GCHA packed a heavy mid-bass kick. Heck, my 2ndG Nano (which supposedly doesn't have a strong bass) packs fuller mids and a heavier bass punch. Of course there is the issue of my source (using that built-in DAC or my Fubar II, both of which are Burr Brown 2702's.). I wonder if the Burr Brown 2702 isn't a strong performer in terms of bass. I have a feeling the GCHA might pair quite well with something mellower like the HD650. I need to find someone with a HD580/600/650 on campus sometime. I remember there are some past GCHA owners around here. Any thoughts? If I had random cash lying around, I would send this somewhere for modding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotoriousBIG_PJ Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Yeah k701's lack some heft in their sound. I like the hd6xx headphones more. The GCHA doesn't have the same body a good tube amp has either. I also found it's imaging to be pretty poor. Biggie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granodemostasa Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 the GCHA was very lush and tube-like with my HP-2s. what you are describing, however, is pretty much how the K701s sound to me. they are dry and lack weight, for my tastes. agreed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSloth Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 I think the whole K701 love fest is wearing off a bit. It's a good headphone, but dry and a little peaky in the upper mids. I'd try out some other headphones to make an assesment of the GCHA's SQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiWire Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 My HP-2s sounded OK on Rhydon's GCHA... even and well-controlled, but I thought it was missing the richness, depth, and dynamics of my Headsave Classic. Give it some more time to burn in, and test it on other sources. I found that the burned-in K701 wasn't a particularly lively or impactful set of cans... neutral overall, but missing exactly the kind of kick you're describing. I didn't test the K701's on the GCHA, but they couldn't rock out on other amps either, in my opinion. It just wasn't happening, kind of like my experience with my old Sennheisers. You keep reaching out, but you never touch it (Aerius, stop thinking it). I'm curious about how a set of PS-1s would sound on the GCHA or my amp. \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanoha Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 It seems like the K701 is as you guys have described. It's dry and quite neutral with no real sonic flaws. It's just that it's really dry and there is that slight upper mids peak. I don't know anyone with a HD650 around, but I'll try out the AD2000 with the GCHA sometime later this week. And if a Headsave Classic beats the GCHA in terms of richness, depth, and dynamics... ahhhhhh...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerius Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 To me the K701 & GCHA are both on the dry & sterile side, and the problems with both would combine to give the issues you're having. The K701 is already a sterile sounding headphone which lacks dynamics & weight, it will not do bass slam unless you turn on the bass boost button on your music player or crank it up to some obscene volume, and even with the full & rich sounding RCA grey glass 6SN7 tubes it still doesn't have midrange life & tone. The GCHA is kinda like a "studio sound" headphone amp, it's "accurate, flat, and neutral" and does the "hi-fi tricks" but it doesn't have the fullness & tone of a good tube amp. Put the two together and you get the worst of both, call it negative synergy or whatever. I'm guessing that of current production 'phones, the Senn 650 would probably be the best match for the amp. It should clean up some of the 650's bloatedness and add some crispness & extension to the treble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiWire Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 It's a subtle sound distinction between the two amps - I think both are chip-based. Unfortunately, Norm isn't really making the Classic any more, but he must have some of the parts and circuit boards lying around... with the improvements he's made in the Go-Vibe series, one can only imagine what he could do with a home-based amp design I doubt the Classic would completely change the character of your K701s, though... I did try GlendaleViper's set on my Classic and portable source, and couldn't get it to rock out on the guitars and drums like the HP2s (on Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend). It was actually kind of surprising - I turned the volume up, but it just made things louder, not more distinct. I really did want to like the K701s, but I've been listening to Grados for more than 3 years now. Before that, I spent 9 years listening to my Sennheisers. Best of luck on your new setup - don't let my listening preferences get you down. I think that the K701s have a lot of potential, but they haven't met their match yet. A really fast, slightly forward source or amp might complement the AKG's strengths. They don't seem to be the kind of cans that like to get down and dirty, however. Wes Phillips of Stereophile seems to be a big fan of the K701s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotoriousBIG_PJ Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 It seems like the K701 is as you guys have described. It's dry and quite neutral with no real sonic flaws. Lol, no sonic flaws. Biggie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanoha Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Lol, no sonic flaws. Biggie. :'( What's up? Grammar or the K701? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotoriousBIG_PJ Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 :'( What's up? Grammar or the K701? 701 Biggie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanoha Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 701 Biggie. Enlighten me! (Yes, I've come to realize the K701 isn't that excellent after all. I can't really pinpoint it though.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotoriousBIG_PJ Posted February 19, 2007 Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 Enlighten me! (Yes, I've come to realize the K701 isn't that excellent after all. I can't really pinpoint it though.) "It's just that it's really dry and there is that slight upper mids peak." How is that no sonic flaws? Biggie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanoha Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 "It's just that it's really dry and there is that slight upper mids peak." How is that no sonic flaws? Biggie. Oh, that. Haha, I thought you were referring to something crazy like an absolutely messed up tonality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanoha Posted February 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Just bought a PPX3 SLAM 6SN7. Let's see how it turns out. I'm worried about the "Oh noes, distortion with the K701!" thing they're been having a fun with on Head-Fi. \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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