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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- Note: this is an earlier serial (but not earliest) Austrian 7 bump K701 vs. modern Chinese 8 bump Q701 comparison. It is said that the newest K701s and K702s have bass much closer to that of the Q701, but I can't confirm this.
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Superb review. You know how to cover the important topics. After watch this review and many others (2 years ago), I finally found a pair of "like new" 8 bump Austrian K701s. I've been running them with a Mayflower...but am upgrading to a Schiit Jotenheim. I've been through a number of phones; Fidelio, BeyerDynamic, Focal, etc.....and I'm addict to the absolute clarity of the K701s. Case in point: The other day my right speaker went out on my 701s.....so I just grabbed my HD600s. (and, I really like the 600s). I immediately stopped what I was doing, disassembled the 701s and re-soldered the loose wire. The 701s are absolutely my favorites. Thanks again for the great review.
You really do THE best reviews on TH-cam.
Thanks! Trying to be the most accurate on headphones
Been using the Q701 since this vid came out and have not found another that I like better since then.
Excellent review.
I can only add one thing,
These like powerful amp, drive them hard and they will sound amazing, For the price, ...killer.
I got q701, (and I don't like the way they sound, artificial sound, to boomy and bass doesn't extend well enough), but just bought the k-701 again, after I've gave them to friend, years ago...
For some reason I do admire these headphones, in that price range you can't go wrong....
I have an old pair of Austrian K701s that I use daily. Beautiful crystal clear sound. Very uncolored. I picked up a pair of "Austrian" Q701s......like you said, boomy bass....muddy mids, attenuated upper register.
The moment you realize these cans are the ones Metal wears in his profile picture.
Despite being made of so much plastic they're one of my favorite looking headphones of all time indeed
Pretty accurate review. I have the Austrian K701s. I use them for recording and mixing. Regarding the bass... I've come to the conclusion it isn't that the bass is lightweight but it's partially obscured by the high end emphasis of these headphones. The high end is very bright which gives the impression the bass is somewhat lacking. Obviously, if you want to use these as listening headphones it doesn't matter either way - if the bass sounds light then for you it's light. However, for mixing your own recordings it's a good idea - as always - to reference a pro recording to get your bearings. On properly mixed and mastered rock, for example, the bass is there: solid, steady and 'real', no hyping and incredibly clear. It's a good idea to get that sound imprinted in your head so you know where you're going with it.
Another idea... I downloaded the trial version of Sonarworks 4 and copied the correction graph for these phones with a Waves Q10 EQ plug in which I sometimes add to the master bus to get another reference. The EQ plug-in sounds almost identical to the sonarworks software and gets these headphones absolutely flat.
All that said, I had the chance to compare these side-by-side with the K712 Pro. The 712 blew me away but the 701s were a steal secondhand at €60 and they're plenty good enough for my purposes.
Very informative. Thanks. I learned a lot.
I bought a "nearly new" K701 about a year ago (from a local UK reseller ~ $100), for my home studio use. Complementary listening experience to my Rokit 6 monitors; and more satisfying and comfortable than the predecessor DT770 Pro.
(Don't break a wire, though; you need the finesse of a keyhole surgeon to re-attach it ...)
Ugh I know, I had to resolder my Chinese Q701 once in its lifetime. The Austrian K701 in this video never had such a problem
I'm quite happy with my 20 years old k601...so comfortable...you can wear them for days in a row...
I have that exact same model from 2008. Hands down the best headphones I've ever owned. Replaced my AKG K280's with them. I drive them with a Musical Fidelity XCan headphone tube amp. The detail one can discern in the mids and highs of recordings is phenomenal.
Please come back @metal571 , the headphone cultists going wild. we need you!
A truly awesome review. Many thanks, metal571.
Got the k271 and was thinking bout getting the k701. But after this im definitely getting the Q701. Perfect review! Thank you!
Just be aware they're gonna sound a lot different. If you like the Q701 and want to upgrade further, go for a K712.
Great review. I use AKG K702 for gaming (pvp fps). I like how the K702 has low bass for this purpose as bass tend to mask positional info. How does the K702 compare to K701 in soundstage and directional accuracy?
I enjoy the K701, yes recessed thin bass, but does not bother me....agreed diff genres are fun to listen to. Treble detail, because I am a treblehead...I enjoy the most. Seems K701 aficionados gravitate to these amps after trial and error w other amps (bada ph-12, doge 6210, ttvj fet-a, headamp gilmore lite, musical fidelity x-can v8, pacific valve ming da mc 84c07, heed canamp, woo audio 6, head-direct ef1). Comfort factor of the K701 is second to none....I have the DT880, Audio Technica M50, some IEMs....swap them in and out for change of pace to keep it fresh.
Please come back
Ooof I feel like if I were to buy these headphones I would be dissatisfied, but they look soo beautiful
I've just purchased a pair Q701 yesterday.
Thanks for the review.
+jiabsenpai hopefully you are enjoying. They are quite the interesting flavor can
Thanks for this video - I'm going to pick up a pair of Q701's tomorrow and try them out
Awesome review. Thanks so much. I have the Q701 and, from your description, there doesn't seem to be reason to buy or much less test the K. I also have the V-Moda M100, which provides a wild, daring sound sig, and a few others.
If you like the M100 check out the DT770. I have a review of that as well.
Nice review. It's really interesting to hear what you'd say about AKG K712. By reviews, it seems like they don't have this bass recession and more body to the sound.
As a listener of jazz and classical music, a pair of "broken in" Q701's are superior in every way to my sennheiser 650's. As with all good headphones and speakers the amp and source must also be good. No combo am/fm receiver amps here.
I guess you prefer the particularly colored nasal midrange. I think they sound very enjoyable for classical, but accurate? Not even close. So depends on taste
Cracking, even handed review: thanks! I like these headphones a lot, but it's definitely a case of try before you buy if at all possible. A friend borrowed mine and hated them - and so did I through his old Audiolab amp - so you need to know whether you like the presentation and whether they're going to slot into your system. In very general terms I don't think Sennheiser lovers are likely to get on with the K701, but people who like Grados very well might. Speaking of which, better have a look at your SR80e video next.
Lol yeah my opinion changed drastically on these cans over time. As you'll see when you hear my opinion on the SR80e
I love the grey and white color scheme. I wish headphone companies used those colors more often. Does this have a similar sound signature to an Etymotic?
Just got a 2008-made K701 as well (the headband elastic is dead on mine also, lol) and I have a late production K702 to compare with it... and I definitely hear a difference between the two pairs as well as to the Q701's. IMO the main difference comes with the layer of foam inside of the cups, the early production inner foam is definitely different compared to the later K/Q foams, the former is denser yet thinner while the latter is thicker but more porous. The foams seems to mainly effect certain regions of midrange and the highs for the most part IMO. The early K's are definitely bass light and colder, drier sounding (and I wouldn't like it as my only headphone), but it makes for a great change of flavour once in a while! Anyways, also wanted to say that I love your reviews, thank you, and to keep more of them coming!
Appreciate your support. Thanks. Yeah, I've actually heard the newest 702s actually have the Annie pads on them as well as flat headbands, which was interesting. I keep getting confused because my 701 sounds distinctly bass light, lighter than most graphs show. I read that the really old 701s back when they still had the triple cardioid logo on the sides actually had two foams - one circle and one donut. AKG just keeps changing things around. I have no idea what the 701 was intended to sound like anymore lmao
Oh and stay tuned, I'm going to attempt to push out a K271 review today.
metal571 Wow a re-review huh? I know you weren't too fond of it the first time, but looking forward to it! I did own it at one time as well, but eventually sold it due to their stronger clamping pressure (which I'm sensitive to). Thought they were pretty decent soundwise though. Also saw that you tried the Sextett so looking forward to that one too. I too, am a huge AKG fan if you haven't noticed lol.
EMK19 Sweet. We seem to be a dying breed. My dad kind of influenced me since he's owned an original K140 Sextett since the 1970s when it was bought brand new, so I got interested in the brand and here I am...with a K701, had a Q701, and have a K240DF, K240 Sextett LP, K550, and K271 MK II. I would review the K140 if it wasn't his and he didn't guard it with his life. Next time I go home I'll see if I can pry it long enough to review. Yeah the 271s do have a strong clamp, I have to use the velours to be comfy enough with them since it pushes too much and my ears touch the inner foam with the pleathers. Instead I took the pleathers and swapped them onto my Sextett. Sounds way better now.
Hey there! My K702s landed today. No head bumps. Sounds nothing like all the reviews I read about them, and I've read a lot. There is no lack of power in the center of the mix. The reviews says they have a massive soundstage. Nowhere near what I'm hearing from them. The soundstage is intimately closer than the reviews say. It's more like how people describe the K612's soundstage. I was expecting a lack of power in the low registers, but my pair has just the right amount IMHO. Not anemic like all the reviews say about the first ones with the bumps. It seems AKG is making all sorts of changes without telling anyone. I got them used - like new for 109 pounds. They may still open up and change. Not a scratch on them, but don't know how long they've been used. They may still open up and change.
Norman Zealand Malana new K702s come with anniversary pads, are made in china, and have no bumps. they will sound nothing like old k701s.
metal571 Indeed! Very happy with my purchase! Now to look into ripping vinyl :P It's like this road never ends.
metal571 hey man don't know if you remember me, but I've boiled down all my choices to the q701 and k612 (why not the k550?because open > closed) which one should I go for? I have an amp so powering them will not be a problem
Bodhi Geraci I would still get the Q701
metal571 I heard the centre image can get lost with the q701? Is that true? How do they compare in bass? Which is cleaner? Especially for mixing
Thanks to your review, I have both the K701 and the Q701 both Austrian made. My preference is the K, but the Q is excellent too. Some day I'll need replacement pads. Where do you get your pads?
They're not Austrian anymore, they're Chinese made now
@Benjamin McMullan All I know is where they're built, not sure about tuning differences. I reviewed the Q very early on in this hobby, and my K701 was an early Austrian unit that had much less bass than the Q. All 3 measure similarly to my knowledge if you were to buy one today
@@metal571 I owns three k701 (early and late Austria and Chinese version) and here's my thoughts:
The two aus version sounds more like a k701, less bass with a more distance vocal and that sweet treble, Chinese version sounds more "neutral" with a noticeable bass boost and a more in your face vocal, and doesn't have much of that k701 treble.
For the two Austria version:
Early aus (could be tell from the serial number, logo on the side, and packaging) have a more distanced vocal compared to the late aus, other than that I don't hear a significant difference.
I would rank them as both Austria version > Chinese version, but that's just my opinion
edit: just get my fourth one (ealry aus with serial number of 16xxx)
Friend, I'm sorry, I'm from brazil and sometimes i cant understand. So, talking about sound, whats the difference between k701, k702 and Q701? What is the best in your opinion? I want to buy one of these.
Have you tried the Sonarworks plugin? It is supposed to give all headphones a flat frequency response. I would really love to hear your opinion of it
.
I have tried the K612 pro recently and really love the overall quality. Consider to get close back k271. Have you tried K271? Do you think that can with similar characters as K612 / K701 / Q701 base on the graph?
The vocal fry is killing me
Enjoyed your review. Any suggestions for a sustitute for K601's? I have nearly worn mine out in 10 years of production. I love the uncoloured openness and clarity (without the scratchiness of most of my Seinheisers) Tried the A380's but they sounded boxy in comaparison to the 601's. - Thanks
Probably K612 which seems to be one of the relative sleepers and well-liked while everyone has heard of the K7 series. The 612 I believe has a little more neutral mids and doesn't have as much of the strange 2.5k ish peak that these have. This is an extremely old review but that's what I remember from owning them
Akg 702 or HD 599 for soundstage and imaging for shooter games?
AKG K702
Any chance you could review the K612 Pro and compare it to the K701? I want to by my first pair of open-backs and I'm having a hard time deciding between the K612 Pro, K701, K702 and the Sennheiser HD 599. All of them can be had for the equivalent of 140-170 USD in my country. I think I lean towards AKG, just not entirely sure if I want the spicier K701 or the supposedly more relaxed and slightly bassier K612 Pro. Currently daily-driving the K550. I think whichever I choose I'm going to take a while to get used to the lesser bass, so I guess the opinion I'm looking for is which would be best for a person just getting into the open-back world.
From my research, the k702 is the inbetween of the k701 and q701. Is that accurate enough to mix on?
Somebody explain please why a headphone with to much bass and poor mods,highs are considered non audiophile level and a headphone that has perfect mids and highs but no bass or sub bass are considered audiophile level even they miss the bass ? Audiophile level should be a headphone that can reproduce the ALL freq from the bottom up to the top with no flawless
+Bobby Brian it just turns out that a lot of audiophile headphones have significantly less bass than what consumers are used to because even a headphone that measures with a flat bass region sounds kind of bass light to many people, which is something I talk about in my neutrality video. This is also a really old video and I don't totally stand by my old ideas of what audiophile sound should be. It really should be all frequencies sounding as they should rather than just specific regions so you are correct.
Hey man. Great review, thanks a lot.
I am an electronic music producer, specifically techno, so I wanted to ask you, for that genre, would you go for the Q701 ot the K701 (for studio use)?. I read down the comments section that a guy who also makes EDM asked you something similar and you recommended him the 440 (Shure?) and they they cost like $100 less than the 701s. So if I can save that much money and actually having a more accurate sound, that would be awesome...
Thanks again
+Munera I'd say K550, also got a review of those
Great! I just watched the review of the K550. Just one more question: Considering the music I make is mostly done in the box and I rarely record live instruments, would you still recommend the K550s given that those are closed back, over the Q 701 that are open back?
+Munera the Qs are not very accurate or I would recommend them more
Any Amp and Dac recommendation for AKG K701?
Please help!
I'm looking for a pair of headphones I can use from my mobile phone, or from an amp. It needs to be versatile. Can be open back or closed back. Needs to be clean, not bass heavy but not harsh.
I originally came from the Sony Professional 7506's.
Bare in mind I bought the Sony MDR-1A's = far too muddy and bass heavy.
Audio technica M50 = harsh highs and loose bass with dissapointing mids also uncomfortable.
AKG553, from your recommendation actually on another video = great sound, poor comfort for long listening and weak head grip so kinda falls off your head.
Seinnheiser HD579 = open back so great sound for the money, good comfort and soundstage but they have a plastic ridge inside the ear cup which rubs exactly on one place in my ear causing pain.
Ordered the Beyerdynamic 990 Pro and the AKG K702. Still waiting to try these.
What can you suggest? Need to be around £100-£130 but no higher, I can wait till things are in sales as well so feel free to suggest options.
Thanks dude!
I drive mine (#29222) with a Phonitor 2. My favorite headphone for monitoring guitar. Very lifelike and quick with a live signal.
The midrange timbre was still way off with a noticeable bump at 2.5k which made anything with distorted guitar nearly unlistenable with these except at lower volumes. My opinion changed over time from this video unfortunately. They aren't bad headphones but these in particular but they still have incredibly light bass and quite forward upper mids.
+metal571 Perfect for Jazz. These are intended for musicians and audio professionals and it shows. My hearing isn't what it used to be... maybe that's why I like 'em so much.
6doublefive3two1 they aren't exactly flat but do make acoustic music and classical music sound wonderful and not boring. Something about the mids did really beautiful things to the overtones in acoustic guitars and pianos especially.
Hello, very nice review. Altough I have a question: Wich soundstage is widest? The Sennheiser HD 598, the AKG Q701 or the AKG K701? Thganx already in advance.
+Bert Fripont Q and K are basically the same but the 598 is more narrow
Thanx for Your reply
My 701 sounds great. My AKG 701 have bass modded speakers inside and have detacheble cable, my cable modification. :) Sound must be equalized, because every AKG 7xx have 1.5kHz - 5 kHz big hump on the curve, and not corespond with human ears (loudness curve), probably cone material give big humb, but positive is, they give crisp and clarity sound with natural bass, and ammazing detailed high tones wih very large open soundstage (opened headphones). Every headphones must be equalized, because not exist ideal material for construction speakers with required properties, and every headphones is specific. With Sound BlasterX G6 and settings 32bit 384kHz this headphones produced crisp and detailed sound with big soundstage. I love them! My settings on G6 is, all features off (offcourse 🙂 ), Stereo , Music mode, Filter - Slow Roll Off - Linear Phase, EQ 31Hz +9dB, 62Hz +7dB, 125Hz +4dB, 250Hz -2dB, 500Hz -5dB, 1kHz -8dB, 2kHz -11dB, 4kHz -8dB, 8kHz +2dB, 16kHz +12dB. Hi-Low at Low position, maximal volume 65 - 75% for listening with no distortion :) I hope this helps you achieve a crisp sound with equalized loudness contour.😉 My second equalization settings is 31Hz +8dB, 62Hz +6dB, 125Hz +2dB, 250Hz -3dB, 500Hz -8dB, 1kHz -10dB, 2kHz -9dB, 4kHz -8dB, 8kHz +3dB, 16kHz +12dB this settings give full volume sound with very little distortion - Hi-Low on low position offcourse. Second settings i use for some situation, but first settings i like more for quite listening.
hi, i currently own m50x, is k701 going to be really great compare to the m50x, i cant seem to get enough detail from my m50x, i dont mind losing detail on the bass
+Halim going to be way different, much less bass quantity. I would move up to the K553 if you're coming from an M50
metal571 think i will c ur review on k550 first, thanx for your quick respond ,
@@halim5184 no comparison at all. M50x have much compacted soundstage and lack details compared to k701. My k701 are far better than my ath msr7 (which better than m50x) in detail retrieval.
Hi metal571, I love your reviews very much. I'm looking for a good studio headphone which I will use for producing EDM directly on my mac. When reading all these reviews, I'm still confused in which headphone will suits me the best. I also saw good things from the shure SRH840, what do you think of them?
The 440 sounded more accurate to me and that's what I use as a monitor in more recent reviews. But the K550 is what I'd get as that's even more accurate
i got mine in 2014 made in Austria used them for a year or so but i agree no bass at all. I put them away for 3 years, meanwhile i got a new amp and 2 days ago i used them agan don't even know why and now there is much more base now. The past 3 years i used the dt770 and i need to use an EQ and lower 20-80hz range 2-3db. With the right Amp the k701 have some bass, not dt770 bass but there is some kind of bass ;).
Sometimes output impedance of the amp and the ability for the amp to provide enough current can affect the bass on the AKGs
Can you mod it to have good bass? Maybe a total-conversion build, but with the same shell?
+metal571 It seems that all AKG headphones have the bump at 2Khz that you refer to.. maybe that's what I really like in my K430.. I'm starting to think Sennheiser has kind of a dull sound signature, although they have great bass.. Do you agree?
Totally disagree. Their premiere sound is basically the HD 600, which has slightly forward mids but proper timbre unlike the AKGs, and still somewhat lean bass, but less lean than the AKG signature, which is nearly bassless in my experience. AKG loves their 2.5k bumps. No clue why, it sounds way off from realism to me.
metal571 I see.. Well, then there's something different in my model in the mids that I really enjoy, and it's very different from the Sennheiser.. Never heard the 600, so I can't say if it's there too..
Eduardo Macedo It's really an argument between whether you want it to sound realistic and potentially boring (senn) or with some flavor that may work for specific genres (akg)
metal571 Yes, I guess you're right. I haven't taken these akg k430 off since yesterday, when I bought them. This never happened before with other models. They make every genre sound fantastic to me and there's no fatigue at all. A really enjoyable sound imo, and that's what matters to me the most.
Hey mate! I really liked your review. I am a new pianist and i am currently playing "River Flows in You" by Yiruma. Only pedals are left to finish the piece. I love my piano teacher she is master on her job really and she've been teaching me for 3-4 months and i do play piano everyday and she says i progress really fast. The next song after we finish Yiruma, will be an easy piece
of Chopin! My favourite Classic pianist.Playing piano and listening Chopin, Bach and all the other Classic pianists makes me feel calm. I don't know how to describe this really. It's like a therapy.
Anyways I have a Yamaha CLP-430 digital piano and I really want to buy one of those Open back headphones. I've made some research on the web and I thought AKG K701 would be good choice. My brother lives in Switzerland and he'll be back to home in two weeks so I must decide which headphone to buy soon. So my question is; should i buy AKG K701? If i buy one, will it be fine with my CLP-430 digital piano?
Thank you.
Oh i forgot to ask. Should i buy a headphone amp for my new headphone which i'll buy soon? I want everything to be perfect and i want the sound to be perfect so i can feel the song more deeply. Sorry mate i know i talked a lot but i need to tell you everything according to get the best answer from you.
P.S. I am 20 years old.
Thanks
HD 600 and an amp would work best. I would get the headphones first and they neither the k701 nor dt880 nor HD 600 are easy to drive so you'll need an amp if the keyboard doesn't get them loud enough. The HD 600 isn't particularly cheap but it's the most musically accurate headphone of the bunch
+metal571 Thank you for the answer mate. Well, it is a bit expensive but i checked your other reviews and it seems the best one for the price and it's a good investment. You are the expertise on these headphones so one last simple question before i buy the HD 600, I'll wear them only with my digital piano. Akg k701-702 looks really nice to me and i see people using them with piano for a long time. Do you think HD 600 is also better and feels like you are in an opera than the others? I'll order tonight mate i really need your opinion.
Thanks
+metal571 I was on a web page about music and I saw a comment says; "the k701 sounds extremely bad if you are not driving it correctly, the same probably goes for the hd600"
I am not going to run this hd600 with computer nor for my iphone i am just going to use it for my CLP-430 digital piano. I don't know how to make these headphones sounds the best.
I mean i might use it on the computer in near future but for listening music only. I guess people use it for mixing and other things. Anyway, what do you say mate?
+metal571 Also i would like to know what amp would be good with HD 600 or AKG K702? I would like to order them together since i can't order them in here. My brother will order it in Switzerland or my cousin in U.S. will order from Amazon. The HD 600 is about 330$ and an amp together 400$ woul be awesome. I will appreciate a lot if you answer all that please.
Thank you very much
You should review the K612pro, I see quite a few people say they sound better than K701.
So do I, I just have to find one
Hi I wonder if it would be possible for you to test a pair of Fisher Audio F 011? I own a pair and I would love to know what you think about them. They are weird headphones endeed. Thanks Metal571.
Hi ,
I am thinking of getting akg k702 mainly for watching movies , I am considering them due to the big soundstage would you say they are s good option ?
Thanks
Hey, nice vid! Between the Q701 and the K702, what would be your choice?
+what's this? Nowadays I'd say Q701
metal571 hm, okay. Is it random whether or not its made in Austria? I've heard that the China ones are significantly worse
+what's this? It's not really country of manufacture as much as revisions over time that contribute to variances in sound
+what's this? It's not really country of manufacture as much as revisions over time that contribute to variances in sound
Is the bump at 2K hertz and the lower bass response not an advantage? If you are recording music and doing your sound equalizing is the lower bass response not going to make sure you add enough bass in your recording. Like wise the bump at 2K hertz is going to make sure you are not making your guitars sound too harsh. The K701 is a headphone for recording and critical listening while the Q701 with the added bass is more for daily listening to music.
Shape of the mids is just incorrect. Like, would you rather mix on a neutral studio monitor speaker or something colored? Now, as a studio tool to intentionally boost treble and upper mids and pick out details, I can understand it. But there's a good reason I switched to the HD 650 in the end, because in my case I'm a listener for enjoyment, and not trying to mix something
@@metal571 yes, of course you want as flat as possible. What I am trying to say is that the coloration is going to do the opposite for your recording while you are doing your EQ'ing. If you would be doing your EQ'ing with a bass boosted headphone the end result might turn out less bassy if listened back on other devices/headphones. If you would be doing your EQ'ing with a headphone that has a dip in the 2K hertz zone you would risk your end result being too loud in that area if listened back on other devices/headphones. My point indeed was that headphones are not created equally and that they should be used for the intent they are created for.
what would be a similar good soundstage but better imaging than these? (450€ being my max budget)
Hifiman 400 series, Argons or any Fostex TRPs.
Heed Canamp will push that phone to maximum ability...Great phone and combo IMHO
Hi may I ask, I own the 240k that is very neutral headphones is it a step up if I decide to go with the K701 ?
how would the Akg 702 compare to these? somwbody can help? thinkin about gettin the 702 for listeting to music with a nice soundstage
The K701 has a little little bit bigger Soundstage, and the Vocals are a part of the whole Soundstage and not directly in front of you, like it is normal. The K702 has the vocals on the right place. I prefer the K701 because this Headphone show you more detail of the Instruments because on the K702 the instruments are a little bit more quiet. It is not important, but noticeable. Also the K702 has a bit more bass
Hi metal571,
Do you know if it is true that the k702 is the exact same sounding with a removable cable? And are these a good deal at around 180 dollars compared to the k712 for 250 dollars? (I listen to a lot of jazz, pop, and classical)
702 sounds like a modern 701 does. 701 modern version may have some more bass than this one I reviewed. But yeah supposed to be the same driver and a good deal for that price
Thanks! I'll probably get the 702 as they are the same price, or maybe the 712
lcd2c or k702 for soundstage
Wow, the K701 is only considered mid-fi?
That admittedly dumb term really refers to price ranges nowadays, so yes
Hi could u suggest me that would it be a good idea to have these headphone for instance if i work with my Roland QUAD CAPTURE interface? You mentioned that u are using an Amplifier and i have been reading too that its preferred to have an headphone amplifier in order to get the best out of them.
If you want to be safe I'd get the HD 558 or 598 which are much easier to drive.
can you do a review of the akg k702 65th anniversaries? i've never seen a thorough technical review on these.
AFAIK they are very similar to the K7XX.
Your microphone is phenominal! What is it?
Lol this one is the Samson Go Mic
I was thinking at getting some new headphones, what do you know about the K612? As from what I have seen they look pretty good.and would suit what I like as reference headphones with an analytical sound to them
I would get the Q701 instead as they have less ringing and more detail in the treble.
what do you mean with ringing? is that because of 2khz peak?
Transient response. This video is old and also compares a very old variant of the K701 to the Q701. Some people I know like the 612 anyway. You could always buy it somewhere that accepts returns easily just in case you don't like it. Supposedly the mids are a little more correct in timbre on the 612
ok, thanks for the fast answer.
Have you considered the long burn in period? I have found my k701 improve over time. Even the bass sounds better now.
Mine is a very old used unit and is well burned in already. Only time I've ever heard burn in take a minor effect was on a DT880. Or it could be in my head.
I do believe in the burn in effect. Out of the box the K701 sounded terrible. Thin and cold. The sound has changed since then for the better. BtW I also have the "Made in Austria" version of the cans. "Made in China" just wouldn't be the same.
I also had the made in Austria cans and they were, are, and always will be thin and cold compared to the sennheiser stuff
Hi i want to buy this headphone soon. Do you think fiio e10k can drive this headphone'? and what is the cheap dac amp to drive it.? thank you
+Anderson Zhen yep that should work
I enjoy very flat sound with a large soundstage. I currently own the 598 and am looking to upgrade. Are these a good option? I was contemplating the X2 Fidelity but it seems that they are quite coloured especially the lower frequencies.
+SSBMsounds no this is a sidegrade and is less accurate with almost no bass. X2 is a bit bass heavy compared to neutral. Your actual upgrade path would be the HD 600 which requires an amp
Looked at your 600 review and it does sound like a good choice for me. I have an Asus Xonar Essence STX soundcard so I don't need an external amp. How does the HD 598 differ from the HD 600?
Thanks for your time and excellent reviews!
+SSBMsounds 598 is less clean and grainier. Same exact sound signature otherwise
I like the fact that you have a big pop filter that in my opinion doesn't work all that well, and a tiny mic, which I think is a Samson GO mic? No offence, sounds fine, just looks funny =P I have an AT2020 with a black sock over it =D
I know it was pretty comical. It doesn't work well because it was way too close to the actual mic diaphragm. I upgraded to a real XLR mic - the AKG P220 - recently and have been using that now.
metal571 Oh nice. I'll check those videos to see the difference =)
Do you think it's worth it going from an HD 598 to the Massdrop K7XX? I plan on getting an amp+dac stack later on but I won't have it at first. Do you think you can get at least acceptable sound quality from plugging it into the motherboard?
www.asrock.com/mb/intel/fatal1ty%20z97%20killer/
According to Asrock my motherboard can take headphones with up to 600 ohm impedance (Ne5532 amp), which I find hard to believe, but I'm at least hoping that it will run it better than the average motherboard.
+ime500 that's a sidegrade, not really an upgrade
what would be the best pair of headphones for listening to music at home??? would these work well?
+Elcycle17 depends on what kind of sound signature you prefer, whether you are going to disturb people with open headphones, price range, source (amplifier is necessary for many higher end headphones for sensitivity reasons), etc. need to be more specific
Hey, could you give me your settings to equalize K701 to sound to your liking?
+Lubo Valkovic never developed those settings but if I had to guess I'd probably cut 2k, 6k, and 10k to some degree
allright, i have a few queation
1. how this compare to k7xx, which is similar to k712? how the bass compare to k7xx? is it a huge gap compare to k7xx?
2. how the treble compare to k7xx? is it too harsh like dt990? or it is similar to k7xx?
3. how the soundstage compare to k712/7xx, i really love huge soundstage and i dont mind if people say it is unnatural.
4. compare to ath ad700/x which have bigger soundstage?
if the bass isn't huge different and the treble not too harsh like k7xx, i will buy this for sure. i plan to use this for gaming tho. so i dont mind unnatural huge soundstage as long as the treble is not too harsh and the bass isn't too light compare to k7xx. people say k7xx is basslight, but when i hear them, i think it "little" bit too much for my taste.
+Reki Agiseptana K712 has much more refined bass than the 7xx, which has horribly slow and loose bass without much definition. Levels are a bit lower but extension about the same. The rest of the sound signature is basically identical. Haven't heard the AD700x
Also if you search my channel you'll see I reviewed the 712. That's the one to be looking at. It's just simply better overall than the 701, 702, or any of those other confusing model numbers AKG puts out
metal571 just watch your 712 video. so k712 is "little" bit less bass than k7xx? if yes, thats what i'm looking for, not 701. although maybe i need huge "arround" soundstage the 701 has for gaming. actually when i heard k7xx, i like their soundsig, i like the soundstage, the treble on k7xx not too harsh for me not just like people says, except "little" bit too much on bass.
Then the 712 is exactly what you are looking for
metal571 ok thanks for replying
Will these work better than the q701 for mixing? I know the bass is lacking on these, I have some problems knowing exactly how well my bass line sits in the mix, or if my bass lines are mudding up the mix, or would the q detail how the bass is causing mud?
I wouldn't use either one for mixing because the mids are pretty off timbre. The 600/650 would be better for that kind of stuff
Thanks for the reply. Thats exactly what I needed to know. Great reviews!
Can anyone help me decide? Up to 150€ I can get one of the following, AKG K702, HD599, Fidelio X2HR, DT880/990, or maybe any other suggestion? I'm looking for a neutral, open back, good detail (above average preferably), good timbre, decent imaging, and soundstage headphones. I prioritize great detail and timbre rather than wide soundstage with average detail. It doesn't mean the soundstage can be horrible, but I'd go even for an average one if the detail is great. I won't use AMP for now just PC mobo for now, but I will buy one in the future. I can't test any of them so any advice would be deeply appreciated.
Edit: fixed my shitty writing because I'm from a non-English speaking part of the world.
599
@@metal571 Wow thanks I didn't expect a reply from you, I'm pleasantly surprised. Thanks for the reviews they do help a lot! :) The decision was made difficult because they were all within 20 euros from each other and I can't test any of them. I will write to you in this comment as soon as I get them.
Hi.
I have the same headphones, use it with my iMac trough a Citypulse dac/amp,
When watching movies or some series on my mac, the quality is very nice because of the waste soundstage and clarity, one funny thing is that when you listening to some series, one can hear an other serie being recorded in the background )))
For music I am not really satisfied, and I am sure it is my dac/amp that is the problem, can you reconmend a better dac/amp for me, I can spend about $2000.
Great review.
gryphongryph No these don't change a lot with amplification. Why don't you like music, is it the lack of bass? If so, I'd just get new headphones instead
metal571 No, I love music, and I am okay with the bass, but I also have the Beyerdynamic DT 911, and for me a piano sounds much better on the DT911.But the Beyerdynamic are much easier to drive for my amp, so when I change between them I have to put the volume 20% higher on the K701, it seams like there is a vail in front the K701, although the soundstage is much more velvety and creamy than the DT911, the Beyerdynamic seam to bring you into the music much more.
Ilisten to most music except hard rock/metal and electronica, also advance jazz I can not get my head around :-)
I am really surprised by your comment that the amp does not make the sound change, as I have read many post about how difficult the headphones are to drive amp vise, people seam to be of the opinion that one needs a really good amp, and a powerful one at that, to get the best of them., but no one mentions what amp would be the best !
gryphongryph i actually found my DT880 harder to drive than the K701, which is why I'm so confused as to why people say the K701 is hard to drive. I've evern driven it off my phone and it's sounded fine lol
metal571 I probably should explain, there seam to be a agreement that one need an amp thats pairs well with the K701 to get them to shine.
gryphongryph it's never sounded specifically different between all the stuff I've plugged it into. However tube amps might change it, though I don't own any right now.
hey. I am searching for studio headphones that have the most accurate sounding for a price range up to 300 euros (mixing, mastering and so on). I've already got ath m50x headphones but... ? which headphones do you recommend?
Lol those aren't too great. The HD 600 is about the closest I've heard to flat on a headphone.
metal571 thank you for response. So Sennheiser HD 600 is the closest to that. Are you sure :P :P ?
Aleksander Fras well after about 2 years in this hobby and hearing what has to be over 30 different models of headphones by now all the way from the cheapest to the HD 800, I think I'd know
metal571 Thanks again. I appreciate your advice!
Aleksander Fras that's what I'm here for. Enjoy.
How does the soundstage and imaging compare to the Q701?
+Dragonslayer182 it's about the same, I owned both
Alright, thanks!
jest nijaka słaba żeby nie powiedzieć bez nadziejna
good review...thanks...lil suggestion... look up! lol
Planning on getting either the m50x's or q701, which would you recommend?
I would get the HD 600 instead of either. The M50x is quite overrated so I wouldn't buy it regardless.
Hd600 is nice but it's way more expensive
Also worth the price. Or you could go with the 598 for a very similar sound to the 600 for even cheaper than the Q
Thanks for the advice, I got the hd598, mostly I'm going to be using them for gaming and I heard they are particularly good for that task.
Great videos by the way!
AD900X which I have but haven't reviewed yet would be superior for competitive gaming. Q701 doesn't have as good imaging, just a lot of soundstage width. Obviously up to you and also the type of games you play, may not be fps at all
do you own the akg q701?
+KawhiLeonard & Michael Jackson fan not anymore but of course I did since I believe I compared this to the Q in this review...
14:00 soundstage
Hello!! Do you think these are more natural sounding than the Sennheiser HD 650's or the DT 880's?
Nah the 600/650s sound most "correct" to me
Thanks! Also I've been watching your review on the AKG K240, they're on discount on amazon.. Do you think they're really worth it? You said you sold yours..
They're good for the price, key words "for the price". If you can spend more get the 650s or 600s
Thanks, I'll follow your previous advice and get the 650's. :) By the way, what do you think would be a budget amp for me to use with the Koss Portapro's?
+Eduardo Macedo you don't really need an amp for those unless they don't get loud enough. Amps, especially solid state amps, hardly ever change sound signature more than subtly
i have this headphone and i love them allot. Had them since 2009. Cool! I never realized there was a difference between the 7/8 bump headband cool :) For all the people who do not like the fact that they can't hear the bass.. then you do not really get the function that these headphones fill.. and it's not for you probably. go get a beats :P or something else which does have a bass.. or simply equalize.
let me ask you this :P because i really like the idea of having such "fruity" mids , but on the other hand , i wanna taste the bass on bass focused songs (not in all songs) :P. so my question is, if im listening to a bass player like Richard bona in his jazz sessions, will this deliver ? or are they really lacking on those sounds and the song will sound weak compared to more bass focused headphones?
+Inacius Tenacius look at my K712 review if you want bass with your weird but somehow pleasing mids
don't worrie , I saw them all! heheheh. I spent dozens of hours last days to see all I could about headphones , since I know very little about this topic. I went for the k701 tho. as you say in this review, if I never had audiophile headphones, this ones really probably will give me those highs and mids that will definitely contrast with the game centric headphones I'm used to. and that's what I'm craving for, definition (even if a bit flavored), and the sound stage. I'm counting on a weak bass , but I think ill enjoy it, I'm very tired of getting my head kicked around with overpowered bass sounds even in songs that are not about that , and I believe that in bass centric songs it shall have quality enough for me to enjoy it . I shall find that out pretty soon :) thank you for the videos, as I said, I took last days to go completely mental about this topic, and saw videos from everyone I could. imo , from what I saw, you have the best headphone videos on youtube, even with that relaxed setup! best wishes.
I think you would make a good Mastering Engineer.
I have an ear for it now that I've listened to so much music on so many different headphones and speakers so I have an idea of what it should sound like, but totally lack the skills of using a DAW however
Don't be put off by DAW's, you don't need all those channels, just two! Checkout DSP Quattro, download the demo and most importantly, have fun!
which one better for detailes in shooter games rainbow six to find the players and hear all walking players ???
I would go with the DT880 for that. You'll need an amp
metal571 if i need sound blaster z what u advice me to ? now i have dt 770 but its not perfect for listen the walking
Which impedance? 250? The sound blaster Z should be able to drive a DT880 which is basically a much less bassy and more open sounding version of the DT770. See my 770 880 990 comparison video.
May also want to look into the DT990 as it has the largest soundstage
metal571 but all say the akg q701 its have more large stage ?
soooo this thing vs the K702..?
the thing is I am doubting between the K702 (which I can get for 156 EUR or 175 USD aprox.)
and the AKG K612 which I can get for (106 EUR/117 USD)
I know they're both not considered "hifi" but I'd rather own multiple different "lower-end" headphones thn 1 pair of really expensive cans
Get a better amp and they'll shine.
+Hi-Fi Insider they never did. Sold em and got myself the much cleaner sounding HD 600
No. With Schiit Vali 2 they sound exactly the same as without it. There is this misconception that amp makes them sound like it's not the same headphone. Amp amplifies the signal. Nothing else. Sound remains the same, Everything remains the same except the volume. Don't expect wonders. Don't spend hundreds of euros for an amp. If you don't like K701 without the amp, trade it for other headphone. It's not going to change. Except if you do the bass mod by removing sticker on the back of the drivers. Only that changed the sound.
Well even I'd say amps have effects on sound, but agreed that there is no such thing as an amp that turns one headphone into a totally different one. The differences are very small.
Of course, bad amplifiers will ruin the sound. I didn't want to say that all amplifiers at all price range sound the same. I was referring to decent ones - at few hundred euro price tag.
Personally, I've never liked the Sennheiser or Beyer-Dynamic cans. They sound too tinny to my ears. AKG's just have a more natural character to them.
I think K701's biggest problem is a REAL lack of bass. Way too many times a lacking low-end is equaled as neutral, I don't get it. These might be ok for older people (with a treble drop in hearing) who like classical etc. The comfort for my large head was pretty terrible, esp because of those silly "bumps" that dig into your head... HD600 is a truly flat model in the headphone world, it's also comfy. (And they have lots of user replaceable parts like the cable etc.). The only area the Senns lose is looks. The K701 is pretty, got to give them that.
+Ze Bubba yeah bass was way way too light so I eventually got rid of them. 701s to me are pretty colorful cans with an weird 2.5k bump and some sibilance and high treble boosts, with a truly lacking body and bass region. The 600 is closer to flat but I still think it's a little forward in the upper mids and is still lacking deeper bass notes to a degree. Much more listenable out of the box but not a particularly great soundstage.
Yep, I agree.
Lacking sub-bass is a problem with pretty much every dynamic headphone, though. And that upper-mid hike makes the 600 pretty good at picking up transients in vocals, guitars etc. when mixing. The small-ish soundstage is pretty much on par with the 600 overall. They don't hype stuff or do any huge gestures. There's room for improvement still, just waiting for that model to come out.
Ze Bubba i dont understand one thing : why the hell if a hp lack bass and has outstanding mids and high are considered audiophile grade ? they lack something in the sound , like a 5.1 surround system without subwoofer , it make no sense to me , if they have amazing bass and sub bass but average mids and high they are considered garbage , why the hp without bass are not considered garbage ??
DOBREGO dźwięku na uszy nie słyszałeś to jakieś kpiny lata 80 i 90 to były lata stereofonia była taka ze by ci uszy zwiędły opinia kupiona a ty się nadajesz
attention - I had AKG K601 and now Q701. I had constant problems with left headphone. After service fixed it was the same and again it start to do problems.. and now.. its joke - I want to get them on my head, and guess fucking what ? Left just stop playing!! That's whole true about "famous" AKG :)
Same Akg sucks
Yeah I had to resolder my Q701 once too. The solder joints aren't great after production moved to China apparently.
BUYER BEWARE, Q701 ARE NO LONGER MADE IN AUSTRIA AS ADVERTISED. THEY ARE MADE IN CHINA. Very disappointed, may return them soon.
Not a single AKG has been made in Austria in years. The only one left is the K812. Even the K712 Pro is made in Slovakia now.
metal571 I've seen reviews within the last year where the Q701's were made in Austria. They even had Made in Austria written on the headphones. One of the main reasons I chose the AKG's over their competitors, so you can imagine my disappointment.
ADAM WAITE Well they probably bought them second hand like I did. The info on where they're made requires a lot of prior research to even find out. Amazon for example doesn't make it obvious at all. It sucks.
No AKG will give you bass. They are actually too bright for listening to music. They shine when reproducing only one instrument eg. acoustic guitars, pianos etc. The Philips X2s or even the Porta Pro Koss will be more suitable for music listening.
The worst headphone I've owned, timbres are way off...
For Classical/Acoustic music K501 was much, much better than this.
So close pop-filter to mic not help. I hear all your "pop". Need distance 5-7 cm.
stereo w tych słuchawkach to żart
nie dość że rudy to fałszywy
Which do you prefer Q701 or K701?
Q701 was better overall
Wow thanks man!!!