K601 specs

[Laudanum]

There is only one sensitivity spec stated for the K601.
Can anyone tell me if the 101db sensitivity spec for the K601 is stated in db/mw or db/V ?

Also, is the K601 the only (relatively) high impedance phone that AKG still makes?   I think I have looked through the specs for all of the AKG's but want to make sure Im not missing any. 

Thanks

[CptKlotz]

Hi...

According to the product page and the spec sheet (http://de.akg.com/tl_files/catalog//AKG/AKG/Spec%20sheet/Wired/Specification%20Sheet%20-%20K%20601%20(English%20EU).pdf), that would be 101 db/V.


As for the impedance... Yes, I think the 601 is currently the model that has the highest impedance (may the experts correct me if I'm wrong).

There seems to be a general trend towards lower-impedance headphones.

I think the reason for this is that headphones are increasingly being used with portable players, computers but also with inexpensive mixing desks or music instruments.

That kind of gear doesn't usually have the most powerful headphone outputs (as opposed to professional studio gear, home amplifiers or dedicated headphone amplifiers) and usually has an easier time powering low-impedance headphones.


Is there a specific reason you are asking for the impedance (e.g. using a tube amplifier or other amplifier that works better with high-impedance phones)?

I'd say that the impedance in itself is not a measure of quality, but it can play a role in the interaction with an amplifier.


Kind regards,
Stephan

[Laudanum]

Yes, an OTL tube headphone amplifier.   I have phones that are a good match already.  Beyer 250 ohm 990's and my beloved 600 ohm K-141's from the 80's that are currently in for service.  But as you stated, higher Z phones are a dying breed, so Im looking to add to the collection while they are still available.  Not a fan of the another competitors by the way so those are out.

I really dont know of any other high Z phones aside from MB Quart (now German Maestro I believe).  The Senns, Beyer and apparently, the last fairly high Z AKG K-601.  I have heard the 701's which, from reading, are supposedly similiar in character to the 601's.  They didnt blow me away overall (my personal taste) but they have some redeeming qualities for sure.   However, the OTL amp transformed the Beyers so I may be willing to take a flyer on the 601's at current prices.  Besides that, I like to have phones with a bit different sonic characters.
But effciency is at question ... and I have to admit that Im not thrilled with what I consider to be a little bit of deception in the specs on the AKG site.  They list the single sensitivity spec but dont specify db/mw or db/v.  That's ok in and of itself but normally db/V is denoted by an asterisk (*).  And they omitted that asterisk which would lead one to believe that the phones senitivity is higher (db/mw compared to db/V).  Maybe it wasnt intentional but sneaky advertising and    stating of misleading specs is running rampant so ...
Thanks for the info.

[CptKlotz]

Are you sure you got the misleading figure on the AKG pages?

I checked the German product page, the specification sheet, the UK and International pages and they all listed either "db/V" or "db/mW, db/V*" (including the asterisk).

Maybe if you provide a link to the inaccurate page, the AKG guys can fix it (provided that it is on their server).

[Laudanum]

Just for clarification on my part ... AKG lists both sensitivity figures for most of their phones.  In the left column on their spec page they show that the db/V figure is denoted with the *-asterisk.  The db/mw figure is not.  Exactly like this in that left column ... Sensitivity (dB/mW, dB/V*)

On the US/English site ... First is the spec page for the K 242 HD for use as an example.  You can see that they list sensitivity by both db/mw and db/V (denoted by *).  The db/mw figure has no asterisk following it, the db/V has the asterisk following the figure.
   http://www.akg.com/personal/,pcp_id,165,pid,82,_psmand,1,show,specs.html&:K%20242%20HD

This is the K 601 spec page.  The same description in the sensitivity column on the left side ... Sensitivity (dB/mW, dB/V*).  But in the right column only a single figure is listed ... 101 and NO asterisk follows.  Here is the link ...
 http://www.akg.com/personal/,pcp_id,165,pid,2,_psmand,1,show,specs.html&:K%20601

Now maybe it's just me but that would lead one to believe that the figure, 101, is indeed 101 db/mw, not 101 db/V .   Am I right?
I appeared the same on one of the international sites, the German site I believe.  But I linked to that site from the top of the English/USA site so maybe it was just a translation site and you are referring to a different site.

But please check my links and tell me what you think, am I missing something?

Thanks

[CptKlotz]

Oh, *now* I finally get it... I thought the asterisk was meant to indicate which of the figures (db/mW or db/V) is being used.

I didn't look at the other headphones' pages and thus didn't notice they had two figures, one for milliwatts and one for volts.

Well, in that case it really isn't clear what sensitivity the K601 has. The German product page and spec sheet list (only) 101 db SPL/V but the other pages are a little ambiguous.

AKG team: please clarify :-)

[Laudanum]

I knew it wasnt just me 

I think that most people would browse the main AKG sites for info, like I did.  If they just look at the spec page that I linked then they may just take it for granted that the spec is db/mw.  I've been around a while, so I dont take much for granted     Now maybe Im just cynical and paranoid, maybe not.  But it's served me fairly well so far.  But regarless, they need to fix it whether just an oversight or intentionally misleading.

Thanks for the link to that PDF page.