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Member Reviews: AKG K701 Studio Headphones

Ceja-Blu

AKG701's the black sheep of classical headphones

Posted
By Ceja-Blu

Pros: Noticeable detail and placement definition

Cons: Midrange shy and bass shy when driving rock & metal

Out of contrarian rage, I ended up getting another  pair of 701s just to see why everyone is so intent on bashing these cans.  All my silver-haired classical mastering guys love these cans and go on about their ability to open the soundstage and layer it with subtle and rich detail .  Indeed, Vocal, jazz groups , piano solo, acoustic jazz, Guitar and plucked instruments, and ethnic music sounds exemplary through these cans.  They are noticeably cleaner and better defined when generously amped.   The build quality is above average for this pricepoint.  The design feels solid, well balanced and well thought-out. It's a relatively "big" assembly but never...
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poikkeus

A classic for classical/chamber

Posted
By poikkeus

Pros: Maybe the best phone for classical, lean, clear sound

Cons: Not ideal for rock

Although I also own a HD800, I'm keeping my AKG K701 for its combination of comfort and performance with classical music - in which it excels. Aside from the Beyer DT-880, the most comfortable headphone currently made, the K701 has plush velour pads (though users with bigger heads may prefer a larger phone). And the illusion of head space is equal to that of the DT880 and Senn HD800, making this phone easy to wear for extended periods of time.    The bass (or rather, the relative absence) is the sticking point for many. I believe that the sound is nicely balanced, but there's no question that it struggles to manage music with a more assertive bass presence. The phones have a ribbed top,...
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Happy Camper

They have their place.

Posted
By Happy Camper

Pros: Wide but balanced presentation, details without loudness,

Cons: finicky to amp

When I first got the K701, I had been using the Ety 4s so the bass was actually better on the 701s. They did sound tinny and shallow. I read that they needed about 400 hours of play to settle into the final character they will provide so I left them on along with a new tube amp for three weeks non stop. If they were going to fail, I wanted them to do it early in the warranty.   They did indeed respond both to moderate volume material and a more powerful amp. As I became more knowledgeable of the nuances of the sound, I started tweaking the cables, tubes and power cords.   I can say that while other headphones in the $250 range may have looks or a "wow"sound initially, I have...
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slowpogo

Fantastic - with proper break-in

Posted
By slowpogo

Pros: Detail, soundstage, looks

Cons: Comfort, extended break-in needed

I'll first say that when I initially got these headphones and plugged them in, I was pretty disappointed.  The sound was thin, plasticy and terribly rough on my ears.  BUT I had read enough about the K701's to know that people recommend an extended break-in period of at least 100-200 hours.   I made a temporary setup in the laundry room: old iPod plugged into old Onkyo receiver, K701's plugged into receiver's headphone output.  I put a varied playlist on repeat, and kept the volume quite low at first.  I let it run 24/7, each day raising the volume some until it was at a decently loud listening level.  After about 11-12 days I had a listen - WONDERFUL!  There was now a deep liquid...
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MadJackalIto

AKG 701 very nice headphone

Posted
By MadJackalIto

Pros: very detailed, good bass (not bassy ) very nice sound

Cons: a bit unconfortable the headband, problem with bigheads, need a Home/desktop amp not the best choice for portables amps

Greetings   well... how to describe this headphones?...  VERY NICE pair of headphones, very detailed, analitical, good response and bass enough. Very nice on classical and jazz music. Ideal for CDs or Vinyls of symphonic music.   Looks very well and need a good amp and DAC, but still unamped sound very nice. Cheers.
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Audiopro

fantastic pleasure at a bargain price

Posted
By Audiopro

Pros: Dynamics, fun, comfort, definition

Cons: nothing at this price

I have owned a few headphones including Sennheiser HD 600 and Grado SR80i. I simply sold the Grado when I heard the AKG701, not because the Grado is bad, but simply because of the level of fun and excitement the AKG gives me when I listen to classical. At this price it simply unexpected. The bass is not too present by more than enough for any experienced hifi enthusiast who likes classical and Jazz (maybe not rap  or other boomy music) I will not write many lines about the bandwidth, midrange etc which is absolutely perfect. The most important things for a headphone is how much fun it brings you and its capability to virtually disappear from your head. Its comfort is top....
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bedlam inside

Make listening to music Fun, great headphones for a sensible budget,

Posted
By bedlam inside

Pros: Overall Balance, ability to play clean and loud

Cons: Attenuated bass requires EQ or an Amplifier with suitable bass boost, cannot match the best for airyness and 3D presentation

Conclusion   Sonically well above average, decent build quality and excellent ergonomics AND a real world price that is not mad price, these ‘can’s are ‘bad’, but in a good way. In absolute terms they are no match for the best Headphones I have come across, but they do so much right for relative sane money and are so much fun to listen to, these go for now to the top of my shopping list. Jack Wolfskin coat or these headphones? I’m gonna say sorry Jack, hello Quincy. I’d still like a pair of ‘can’s with ergonomics like these but with planar drivers and for less than a monkey, (<£500) please, but that failing, these I can live with on all fronts… Let me see if I can keep...
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BK201

Despite all the hate, I love these

Posted
By BK201

Pros: nice mid-treble ratio, soundstage

Cons: bass rolls off

Similar sounding to the HD600, but is a bit brighter. Not as bright as the DT880. One thing that I like about these headphones is the out-of-head experience that it provides. It's like hearing the music in 3D and you can easily pick apart the instruments. I think the weakness is the lack of bass (similar to the HD600) and maybe that it can get a bit harsh in the 2-3kHz region at times leading to a somewhat honky sound. But the soundstage is fantastic, very similar to the HD800 in terms of presentation of sounds. Oh and those headband bumps... glad they got rid of them in the limited edition 65th edition K702s. Maybe the K703's or whatever the next variation in the line-up...
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iamthem

Well rounded reference mid range can.

Posted
By iamthem

Pros: Neutral frequency response. Massive soundstage. Excellent imaging and separation. Fast transient response (highly detailed.)

Cons: Slight resonance in the mids. Relatively poor soundstage depth leading to a "void." Relatively weak bass may not be for all.

    This will be a quick review summarising the K701. My rather arbitrary rating scheme is based off price ranges with 10/10 as the best for its price, 5/10 as meh and 1/10 as horrible.   My review in one line:   Overall Sound (9/10): Very neutral. Slight resonance in mids. Detailed reserved bass. Excellent soundstaging and imaging.   Design (7/10): Although the construction is mostly plastic, the headphones feel solid. The design is quite striking and the full size ear pads are expectedly huge. They are reasonably light, and everything from the wire frame to the velour cups feel stiff… although not very durable. Despite the solid feel,...
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mattphones

Quincy Jones Q701 Green

Posted
By mattphones

Pros: As stated: Amazing

Cons: inefficient

No need to beat this dead horse. These headphone are the TRUTH as long as you have a very good headphone amp to provide overkill power to the phones. They simply sound limp-wristed from anything less. They bass is anemic and the highs are all sizzles if you dont drive them well.   PS- yes, the green is nuclear secret of the ooze green. If professionalism is what you are going for- look elsewhere. This green is for pure S&G's. SOLID BUY RECO.
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Where to Buy It

EarphoneSolutionsAKG K701 Studio Headphones at EarphoneSolutions$399.00See It »
Amazon.comAKG K 701 Headphones (White) at Amazon.comToo low to displaySee It »
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