I have to agree with Ric--in a quiet setting on the same amp these two cans do not sound close. Saratoga was super noisy when Ripley was there with his 701s, so I think it was hard to make these kind of comparisons. The 701s have less than an hour of listening time, and they were far more airy and open, had a wider soundstage and seem to extend higher and lower. The 601s have a nice sound, and seem slightly more comfortable, but their sound is clearly more closed in as Ric mentions.