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This is not a review, it is simply a warning to those who steer clear of the 701s due to the bad press they have received on a well known headphone site. For an alternate set of comments -- favorable -- look at the URL I have posted.I have not tried a large number of headphones, but I have tried many. In the last 6 years, I have bought and sold around 10 pairs of headphones in the EU. I currently own a pair of K-701s and Audeze LDC-2s.
From the posts I read here, I get the impression that the AA headphone addicts do not have bundles of money to spend on their headphones systems. With that in mind, I think that the K-701s have the virtue of being the best, moderately priced, headphones on the market.
Why? Because they reproduce music better than any headphone I have heard (remember I haven't tried that many) except for one -- which I do not own and which will remain nameless due to its high price and the fact that, at 3 times the price (or is it 4x?) the additional sonic benefits -- largely in the bass -- do not justify the additional cost.
The K-701s are well balanced; they are neutral; they have very good channel separation (some call this sound stage) and I think they work fantastically on all kinds of music I listen to, which includes not only the "little girl with a guitar" type acoustic music, but also (and more importantly), very dynamic symphonic music from the likes of Sibelius, Mahler, Stravinsky, Bruckner, etc., on which they do not strain at all.
The only two caveats I would offer is, first, that they do not accentuate bass notes. The bass is tight and fast, but does not over-power the rest of the presentation. Second, they take a long time to even out. I can't say, how long exactly, because I don't remember. It just happened that after a long time, I went from thinking that these are very good headphones to these headphones are perfect for me.
Finally, I would suggest you get them re-cabled so that they feed both drivers directly. This probably involves getting new cables all-round. I own Moon Audio Black Dragon cables, but I can't really comment if this addition helped or hurt the sound, since I had them added them as a part of the purchase of these headphones. Instead, I can say, just, they are a part of the whole package I hear.
If you can get down to a store that has a demo pair, listen. If not, then I would take a gamble that I am not the only person who loves these headphones and, if you don't believe me, look at the URL I have posted.
"You don't need to be a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows"
Edits: 02/12/12Follow Ups:
... the K-701s are great headphones for the money but are bitches to drive to full potential. I have a pair of K-701s recabled w/ balanced Cardas Fat Pipe coming in the mail and I'm hoping my amp does them justice. I will try to remember to post my impressions.
"He was one of those men who live in poverty so that their lines of questioning may continue." - John Steinbeck
When I first tried out the K-701s I felt shocked... yet titillated. Shocked - because they seemed to demand more juice than any other standard headphone I had encountered. Titillated - because their sonic signature seemed slightly on the antiseptic side but basically neutral, and I wondered how a ballsier amp might make them sound. When I finally plugged my pair of recabled 701s into a balanced amp, these early suspicions were confirmed. These cans will eat up a lot of good balanced power, reminding me of certain loudspeakers that need to be cranked up rather loudly before they sound their best. But they sound much more fulsome across the spectrum now, and their "soundstage" (headstage?) no longer seems to be confined within the limits of my cranium. Though less visceral and organic sounding than the K-1000s they replaced, the K-701 headstage actually seems wider than that produced by the earspeakers. Their sparkling tonality and transient speed makes them just right for small ensemble Jazz music. Voted (by me), "Best Headphones for Jazz Recordings".
Edits: 07/01/12 09/21/13
I own the Q-701 and absolutely love 'em. Very balanced & smooth sound. I have no idea why people say that AKG x701's have no bass...but then again, many seem to think the Q-701 sounds has better bass than the K versions.
those bumps on the headphone became uncomfortable to my head sometime after an hour to two.
Otherwise I like the akg, but the only other headphone I have is the Senn hd-555. I prefer the akg k-702, but they don't sound twice as good for greater than twice the cost. An amp would help, but I don't listen enough to justify it. I've only used cheapie walkman and the headphone jack from a dvd/cd played I had.
Norman
Most uncomfortable headphone I've ever worn. Clamping factor extreme and the bumps in the headband sit right on your head. Some headphones are uncomfortable. This one hurt.
The sound was ok, but these are famous for their lack of bass.
I thought my Denon D5000's were way, WAY more comfortable and had a much more well-rounded sound.
"Lock up when you're done and don't touch the piano."
-Dr. Greg House
These headphones are lean in the mids, I can see why audiophiles like them. They are not very musical.
Did you use them with an amp? I found them lean in the mids when they were used with the amp I used to have (Headroom MicroAmp) or with the headphone jack on my AVR. But NOT lean in the mids with my current amp--Burson HA160.
yes used the Schiit Hybrid and their DAC. This combo sounds great on the Senheiser and Hi Fi Man headphones. Sorry the AKG's are lean.
Headphone comfort depends on the size and shape of your head! I have AKG K702s and (for TV watching late at night) Sennheiser PX-100v.2, either of which I can wear for hours without discomfort.
I had Sennheiser 600s and 650s that were heavy and clamped too tightly, right on my temporomandibular joint--couldn't wear either of them for more than 15-20 minutes before they got painful. I sold them to people who found them very comfortable.
... especially when it starts to get colder in the wintertime. They feel like earmuffs.
"He was one of those men who live in poverty so that their lines of questioning may continue." - John Steinbeck
As an owner of the AKG K701 head speakers , while the midrange has nearly excellent response, there are three things I'd like to see in the next version. Increase the bass so that it is flatter on the low end. I'm not asking for or advocating a + response, but work on the > 10dB dropoff from 50Hz - 10Hz. The highs need the peak to be flattened, as well as extended a bit (there's a > 12dB dropoff after 10kHz). And lastly, please get rid of those miserable F-ing bumps on the headband!
Do that AKG and here's your ad copy:
Introducing the AKG K801
hear us listen to you
I've seen this and I probably don't hear the higb-end roll-off due to my hearing loss, and the peak is actually helpful. The low end roll off doesn't bother me at all. My hearing down there is excellent and I prefer the bass of these headphones to those that have over-exaggerated bass. Overall, I love the way the music flows, quite apart from the individual parts.
But you're right, of course, smoothing out the response a bit wouldn't hurt (I hope).
"You don't need to be a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows"
I've had my eye (ear?) on some new 'phones for a while now. Nothing
wrong with my HD600s, but I keep thinking that a pair of 701s or a
pair of HD650s might be better. But I've no particular basis for
that opinion other than what I read. And of course you can find reports/
reviews to support whatever choice you want to make. I'll definitely
keep your thoughts in mind as I go forward.
MK
Mike K, I have both the 702 and HD650 and they are both worthy. I listen to the K702's more often, pretty much for the reasons explained by the OP.
The Sennheiser's deliver more bass energy no question. The AKG's are more clear and more expansive. Subjectively the AKG's seem more neutral, even though the objective measurement doesn't bear that out. The Senns always seem 'richer'.
When I go from one to the other, there is a mental adjustment I must make as my brain figures out where the music is. Then, that clicks in and I'm a happy camper.
And enjoyable for a while. The poster has to decide how he likes his music to sound, because there is a big difference between the two that you so aptly described.
"You don't need to be a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows"
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