AKG K701 Studio Headphones

I know these cans get a bad rap in certain areas but that's dependent on the listener and gear they use with it. When burned in and driven properly they are a great set of reference headphones. Emphasis on reference. They are exactly what they are meant to be and deliver great presence. I'm not a fan of over-driven bass which was I huge reason I bought these. They aren't lacking at all in this area as many reviewers claim, yet most likely under-driven and hence the reason some feel this way. When pair with a good amp, especially a tube headphone amp that can match the impedance they a deliver strong responsive bass that's not over produced. I'm a big jazz fan and Jaco comes through clean and rich, same goes for Entwistle, Jack Bruce, et al. My taste in music covers several genres including jazz, classic rock, bluegrass, folk, etc... and these cans perform well across the board. There is no artificial sound in the mids at all as some feel, they are true and direct. For those wanting a clean, flat, true reference sound that can't afford top tier, these are the cans for you.

Why do I like these? They are comfortable (compared to M50s IMO), they have really big sounstage and they really flat frequency response which I really like. They also come with nice stand that will keep your headphones "stored" nicely. Build quality is pretty good, but these aren't really ment to be travelled with. They are really big and can't fold at all + they also don't come with any kind of box/pouch, so these are really ment to be used at home. Another reason for that is power; they need quite some juice to sound good. They will reach some volume even with phone, but it won't sound very good. They work with Focusrite scarlett 2i4's amp pretty good, but I'm sure they will sound even better with nice amplifier. They are also open, so you don't want to take them to a train or something. 
 
I would recomend these for home use with some kind of amp for music listening and mixing (why I like them), but wouldn't use them in public since they obviously don't isolate very well. Iverall, really nice headphones I would recommend to a friend (unless he wants to use them on a go).

The AKG K 701 Studio Reference is one of AKG's, or Akustische und Kino-Geräte's many succesfull headphones. This model in particular, is a full size studio headphone, with an open ended design. These headphones, aside from their physical appeal in design and comfort, have clean and flat sound that is appreciated by most listeners. 
 
The overal tonality of the headphone, besides its noted detail and depth, is flat and balanced. A flat frequency response is great for the average audiophile, but for the more average consumer, a little boring. They are also notoriously difficult to drive, and are very detailed. The sound is slightly warm, compared to the average headphone as well. 
 
Highs:
The highs on the AKG K 701's are very detailed. The highs are very percise and clear without being harsh or grating on the ears. The highs are only augmented by the soundstage.
 
Mids:
The mids on the 701's are slightly off. They sound thin compared to most other headphones of their level, despite the amazing detail that they contain. The thinness may be attributed to the slight bump that is shown on the frequency response chart of the 701's. 
 
Lows:
The bass on the 701's is very tight. It is controled, precise and have deep extention.   The only thing lacking on the bass is it's impact. The bass also has great soundstage, which makes it great for movies.
 
Comfort: 
As expected out of a headphone in the $300 class, the comfort is decent. The replacable earpads are soft and comfortable, and the suspention design of the headband makes them customizable to every head. The headband is leather however, and has been noted to be uncomfortable at first. 
 
Verdict:
At around $350, the AKG K 701 is a decent buy for the money. Its wide soundstage and astounting detail at its price make it a contender for as a great headphone. However, the thinness of the mids brings it down.