tell me, where's the water level when you listen to track #06 on your MS2i? On the K701 the water level is at chest level, certainly not above my head (like what ijan described, submerged in the water).

Or maybe they mounted my driver upside-down?

you have phobia with swimming izzit?

i like to lie down on my bed when i'm using my headphones. The wave test track makes me feel as if i'm blending into the ocean

I thought you're going to write a lengthy review on the LDM+ vs LD2+ and the K701?

well its fair if you compare them in terms of tonal balance, soundstage etc. Don't compare portability.

Well prior to my K701 purchase i scare my LD2+ cannot feed it with enough power, but then only i notice the K701 ain't a power hog. In fact it can reach normal listening volume directly from my EMU (max out every slider that is). As you can see, K701 can be powered solely by the EMU card and i'm pretty sure every headamp can power it up too (and that includes basic CMOYs etc).

You know, i posted at Headfi saying how crappy it sounded fresh out-of-the-box, even a $10 headphone can easily pawn the K701; and they ask me to visit a doctor to check my ears. Duh...

i think you already got used to loud volume (listen to SR60 in public buses and LRTs? ) I use to have a Sony discman and a pair of Sony clip-ons, and i like to use them in public transports. I had to crank up the volume so high up!

You know, you really scare me off this evening. I was surprised to see you turn the knob until it reaches the end! Guess what, after you left i tried your volume on track 6, and i'm pretty sure you can pick up the airplane at <20s interval Man, it was so loud!

p.s. i'll laugh when i recall back how you described your SR60 performance on the track #06: "hold a bucket of sand and splash left and right"?

Fresh K701 sounds like crap! Muddy vocals, totally zero bass, only "wow-ed" me with its soundstage. Too bad, now i cannot replicate that anymore Now it sounded much much better!

you know, K701 is really a fun headphone. It left me with nasty impression, then it learned how to speak clearly, then it learned how to pump out bass. Oh yeah, now my baby is learning how to pump out bass with impact. Just like Tamagochi, only difference is i feed her with musics.

eargasm!

you know, i can be really desperate when i want something. Yeah i have been burning-in for almost 24/7 (lolz, today (03/02/07) marks the 11th day i own my K701!). Optimum is 1000 hours leh, what sikit lagi?

So desperate, haiz... just like how i'm desperate for sex... that was before i got my AKG.

desire for sex < desire for better sound on my K701.

ijan have you ever tried removing the earpads? I wonder is it possible to do some "mod"

Lee, i'm not sure how to define "a well-driven K701", but my LD's volume knob isn't at maximum. My source (EMU0404) is at -7 DB and i'm pretty sure this setup is capable to drive the K701. Just that i'd already familiar with how my Grado SR80 sounds, and its bass impact was really great. However i do notice that my K701 has better instrument seperation, better vocals, and certainly better soundstage than my SR80. I just miss the bass of my SR80 and i wish the AKG's bass will get stronger after burning-in for over 1000 hours.

I tried your settings, and i guess the volume of your PPA is maxed out? If follow your settings i achieve my normal listening volume with my LD2+'s knob at max.

I still don't really get it. What do you mean by "drive the K701 properly"?

Then i guess my finding is same as yours, ijan. Using your Patchmix settings and max volume on my LD2+ and i reached my normal listening volume, so i guess my source + setup is no difference with yours?

By the way i found this info:

"The LD II+ has 12X gain with the jumper in and 9X gain with the jumper taken out. It has (and I'm not sure how) higher current capacity with the jumper out so can drive lower impedance phones better."

Should i remove the jumper then?

may i know how to configure the LD2+ to the same impedance as the K701?

its much more complicated than that. Now i'm getting more blur with all these impedance stuff. For certain i don't need to crank the volume all the way up until it stretches the limits, and for certain my current K701 sounds better than my SR80 except for the weaker bass impact; and i never have the slightest thought that my amp is underpowered.

As far as i can remember, Mr. Yang (the manufacturer of LD) uses AKG K501 and another Sennheiser headphones to test his prototypes. If the LD2+ is capable of driving the K501 (300 ohm if i'm not mistaken), why not the K701?

so you're suggesting a solid-state amp? I admit the LD2+ is a warm amp (like all other valve amps), but it compensates my 0404's brightness. Anyway i'll try to audition other forumer's headamp during the March meet up before i decide whether to keep this amp or not.

May i ask how to determine whether an amp is capable to drive a pair of headphones?

nothing beats lying on the bed with the lights off, and watch my headamp's ambient orange glow lits up that little corner on my desk... while my K701 over my head playing instrumental tracks that sends me to my dream

time to sleep! Damn its already 3am and i just finished browsing Meier-Audio's homepage

that's not the truth. It all started when i complain the K701 wins my SR80 except for the bass impact. I read a lot of reviews regarding the weak bass of K701, and in myself i hope with longer burn-in the bass impact will improve. Then out of no where someone starts to question the LD2+ is underpowered, then when i posted the fact that my listening volume and Patchmix settings is similiar to ijan's, questions about the inferiority of LD2+ starts to appear.

...Just like a poor hero soloing in the middle lane, then all the sudden got gang-banged by the opposing team in a DotA game... PcWork, i never question my amp, and honestly i'm very satisfied with it. Maybe the LD2+ ain't the best match for the K701, but why bother upgrading when i'm ok with how it sounds? No doubt there's a lot of other headamps out there, but i never tested them before so i cannot comment on their performance. I'm always fascinated with valves, and if i ever upgrade my headamp it will be another valve amp too.

true, i'm gonna play with everyone's headamp during the March meeting.