AKG K1000 - Are they worth it?

[DesignTaylor]

Hey gang,

I've got a decent headphone collection but one thing I'm always chasing is a more speaker-like listening experience. I like a big soundstage with lots of separation and placement of the instrumentation. I also really dislike overly bright or sharp audio. It's gotta be warm but detailed.

So... I've been interested in the K1000 for a while but prices are getting crazy. When they come up for sale folks are asking over a grand. Since they are kind of rare it is unlikely there will be a seller near me so if I want to try I'll likely have to buy.

Anyone had experience with them? Seems like tube gear would be a good match.

Would really value any input. Alternative suggestions are cool too.

thanks!

 

[Doc B]

I have two pair and I really like them. Enough to build an amp with them in mind. They do get the image outside of your head, while other headphones do not for me. Not the most whomping bass, but you can adjust the position to optimize what they put out.

 

[johnsonad]

No.....

When they were closing out, I remember them selling for a little over $250. They have an unusual fit on your head. For some it’s great, others not so much. They need the right amp match like Doc eluded to. They are also getting harder and harder to find replacement drivers for. Just my two cents.

 

[DesignTaylor]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the varied responses. This is really what has kept me on the fence. For $250 I would have a pair in a heartbeat. $500 probably, but a grand is hard to justify. If the collectors market remains strong I could likely sell them on if they don't jive with me but that's always a risky proposition.

Doc, tell me more about this amp you built for the K1000s?

 

[caffeinator]

I had a pair of K1000's a number of years ago. While I was impressed with their build quality and I did like the sound, the fit and feel, for me, were just not a great match. A secondary issue was that I didn't feel like my headphone amp at the time (Bottlehead SEX amp, probably what would now be called the 2.0 version) had quite enough oomph to drive them.

Everyone is different, so the fit and feel of headphones are always quite personal. The K1K's, though, are much different than the typical over the ear cans, so one's reaction to them is perhaps harder to predict than most. I seem to recall reading that they're out of production, so I'd guess that may lead to rising prices.

If I had a grand to throw at a new set of cans, I'd be a lot more likely to look for a pair of HD800's or perhaps consider a foray into the electrostatic world, as opposed to going back to K1K's. Just my $0.02, your mileage may vary, past results are no guarantee of future returns and objects in mirror are closer than they appear - the usual disclaimers.

 

[Doc B]

I think a common implication here is that they need power. That's why PB, Kelvin and I built an amp specifically to address that issue.

https://forum.bottlehead.com/index.php?topic=7888.15

 

[DesignTaylor]

caffeinator, thanks for that feedback, very helpful. In my quest for a bigger soundstage, the HD800S and Hifiman Arya have both come up often.

Doc that is one heck of an amp! Hopefully if a pair of K1000 ever enter my life I'll find an amp worthy of them.