The K701 causes mental conflict. On one hand, I want to rate it one-star for disappointing me so much. I've had two pairs of 701s for some time, and in the process they have survived many other headphones that I grew bored of—notably, a few Sennheiser and Grado models. The problem is that as of 2013, the competition is just too stiff. I'm genuinely interested in any headphone that can do a good job hooked directly to my phone, because in the end it's just frikkin' awesome to have amazing fidelity pumping through the noggin while standing in line at the bank.



Here's the thing about the K701, a few days ago I wore them to a party. The plug was connected to pocket lint—the AKGs were just a fashion accessory. Well, I got four separate compliments, and thats four more compliments than I usually get on my attire, at any party. So, they've got that goin' for 'em. Back at home, on a good amp, the K701s can do their thing much more effectively. But, right next to them on my desk is a pair of Monster Inspire, and a pair of Denon AH-D600. Both sets of cans spank the poor K701s, I hate to say it but they are now relegated to the role of "fashion accessory."


 


I paid a very low price for my K701s, back in 2009. The current price for a used pair of 701 cans is higher than what I paid new. At the current price, I'd be a bit upset if I bought them, not knowing what to expect. If I was specifically looking for hyper-detailed open-air headphones with restrained bass response, then I'd probably buy the K701s again.


 


Update - I just had and "experience" while comparing the K701, the Monster Inspire and the Denon AH-D600. I put on the K701s and cued up some Com Truise. I forgot which headphones I was wearing rather quickly. Then a bass sequence came on, and I was taken aback. I wondered what was wrong. Oops, I forgot I was wearing the K701s, but not in a good sense. Basically, I thought I was listening to the D600s, until the bass came in. Pragmatically speaking, the K701 just got its butt kicked.


Update two - I picked up a pair of Pioneer SE-A1000 for $46. AKG should be ashamed of themselves, the K701 is really overpriced for what it offers.

I'm in a good place. Three days ago I bought a pair of Monster Inspire headphones, which I find to be tremendous. However I let my wife try them on and I could sense a tinge of envy; I knew that I needed to have two pairs of premium cans in the house. I decided that I could solve that problem by upping the acoustic ante—by buying a pair of Denon AH-D600. I'm glad I took the plunge, because I find the AH-D600 to be equally enjoyable, compared to the inspire. I also have a pair of AKG 701 and I prefer both the D600 and the Inspire to those cans, even when strictly comparing sound quality. The main difference between the two new pairs is that the AH-D600 is decidedly geeky and ridiculous-looking compared to the Inspire.

There is also a difference in how music is reproduced, but that difference is relatively minimal when compared to some other headphones I have sampled lately. The Inspire has a touch more intensity to it while the D600 manages to be a bit more open. There is near total parity in terms of bass. I think the D600 comes close to sounding perfect. Frankly I'm surprised by how much I enjoy both cans, after a series of disappointments with some Sennheiser and Logitech models (HD-380, UE6000), and a few weeks trying really hard to like the Pioneer HDJ-2000.
 
Now I'm in a place where the vaunted K701 sounds thin and generally lacking compared to both of my new headsets. Truly a great day.

The Roland Quad Capture 2X2 comes from the world of pro audio but is a viable option when used as a USB DAC with a laptop or desktop. The Roland uses regenerated USB power, which effectively isolates the signal path from stray noise, a serious issue when DACs are used with computers. The unit is 100% USB bus powered.


 


The Quad Capture is usable without drivers, plug it in and it shows up as a 16/44 audio interface. This is all that's needed for CD audio playback, and all of the unit's enviable qualities are self-evident. Adding ASIO to the mix elevates the unit into the upper echelon of USB DACs, namely it enables bitrates up to 24/192. When it comes to "affordable" pro gear, I've owned a couple of Focusrite Scarlett units, and a Motu Traveler. I've used Mackie and Alesis USB mixers. I've tried out the latest/greatest soundcards from Creative and Asus. The Roland trumps them all with it's well-built chassis, and a noteworthy, buttery delivery of deep bass.


 


Rendering refined detail is Quad Capture's strongest suit, music is output with a smooth ease that I've come to associate with high-end DACs intended for use with home stereos, without a hint of the granularity produced by lesser units. The headphone amp appears more than capable of driving a finicky pair of cans, in my case a pair of AKG 701s. Currently, the Quad Capture is breaking in my new pair of Monster Inspiration headphones, I'll reach 30 hours sometime after lunch today, I'm psyched to hear the results.


 


I doubt I would have picked up the Roland at it's street price of $269—but I found it on clearance for $135 and at that price it is a steal. Value rating is based on price paid.


 





The Quad-Capture is the core of my portable studio

Dear AKG 701, I really enjoyed our time together. Our long-term commitment yielded some amazing memories. I appreciate your ability to turn heads, even to this day. You are a ravishing work of Austrian art and science. 
 
Dear Pioneer HDJ-2000, our brief time together was a fun fling. I couldn't find anything to complain about, until one day I simply gave you up without a second thought. What happened there? Oh yeah, I forgot... I met a Monster.
 
OK here's the deal—last week I thought Monster = Bad. Now I think Monster = Good. It's that simple. My search for a pair of headphones that I can honestly describe as accurate, full-range, dynamic, detailed, and comfortable is over. After auditioning over a half-dozen pairs of cans in the $200-300 range, I found my ideal pair—and it was the last pair of headphones I thought I'd ever buy: Monster Inspiration

First: I think the Inspiration sounds best in passive mode, with NR turned off. Another pair of headphones I tried out recently—the UE6000 from Logitech—sounded better in passive mode as well, but was unacceptable in active mode. That's not the issue with the Monster Inspiration. Active mode sounds excellent. It's just that the Inspiration can take advantage of a good headphone amp in passive mode, and sound better than what the built-in circuitry is capable of. In other words, they are a great set of traditional cans. 
 
In fact, the Inspiration in passive mode is so good, I have no issue with retiring my AKG 701s. They are thoroughly outclassed by the Inspiration in terms of sound quality. No competition. The fact that the Monsters can be switched to active mode and run off a phone is an ancillary bonus—the main revelation is how good they are in general.
 
After allowing for about 20 hours of break-in, I'm in audio heaven with the Inspiration—especially at-home and listening in passive mode through a Roland Quad-capture 2X2. One of the most notable qualities is the tight, accurate nature of the bass. In fact the sound is very similar to my four-subwoofer home system—not a hint of boom, just an uncanny ability to plumb the depths. Expansive soundstage and precise imaging is what truly sets the top-of-the-line Monsters apart from lesser offerings. The sound is never, ever "trapped inside my head," instead the Inspiration paints a properly-sized audio hologram. If the recording has depth cues and uses phase tricks, the result is surround-sound. If the recording is traditional stereo, the soundstage is projected forward. The illusion of sitting in the sweet-spot of a truly great stereo system is maintained.
 
After a lifetime of scorning Monster, now I find myself proselytizing on its behalf. I guess the company was "Inspired" to "Beat" the competition. My ears are very, very happy.
 
*There is a passive version that costs $50 less. 

In my recent quest for a new set of cans, I took a slight detour into the land of flashy prosumer headphones, in the form of the HK CL. The only reason I tried a pair was the price: half off, which equals $99. 
 
My first impression, upon opening the package, was of a quality product. The CL has a look and feel that makes it seem like the perfect match for an iPhone, iPod or iPad. They are such a good match, they may as well be Apple brand, instead of HK. Before I had a chance to listen, two things had to happen: I had to replace the headband—the package includes two sizes—and I had to let the headphones break-in, because it couldn't possibly be that they so totally lacked any authority in the bass department. Not a pair or sealed, over-the-ear headphones that retail for $200—or could it?
 
After about forty hours, I had a sneaking suspicion that the understated nature of the CL's bass was... understated. I would even forgive them if a more powerful amp brought back some bass, and that they were not as good a match for the iPad as advertised. No such luck—even relatively benign material like Lindsay Stirling so totally lacked bass that it was as if I was listening to a violin solo. Deadmaus? Forget it. Imaging was good, the sound was relatively uncolored... and the bass response was a slight wisp—just a "hint-o-bass," to whet the appetite of the neophyte.

In this world of bass-heavy headphones, there surely is room for cans that focus of the higher registers, and aim for clarity over boom. The HK CL does that, to a point. But it is inexcusable that they cannot even compete with a pair of B&O Form 2s in the bass department, and overall the design sacrifices too much comfort in order to achieve an aesthetic effect. In the end, they were not worth keeping, even at half-price.
 
Here's where I stand on bass quantities:
 
AKG K701 - A bit light
Creative Aurvana Live! - Just right
Sennheiser HD380 - A tiny bit heavy

The Creative Aurvana Live! solved a major problem for me—how to listen to good audio while walking the dog at night. I live near a commercial and bar district in Center City, Philadelphia and I'm not interested in attracting attention with my headphones. Enter the CALs. Nothing about them says "hey, here's $300 on this guy's head." And yet, that's what they feel like, and that's what they sound like. OK, they are not as good as a great pair of $300 headphones—but I can think of a few models that cost that much that are bested by the CALs.
 
The comfort factor is huge, and Creative hits a home-run for an over-the-ear, sub $75 headphone. The faux leather earpads are genuinely soft and as a result these cans are uncommonly comfortable. They are an absolute necessity for standing in line at the bank. Noise isolation is not world-class, and they can leak a bit of sound but overall they behave well. There's nothing cheap about the CALs performance.
 
Clamping pressure is relatively light for the seal the headphones achieve. Since they are closed cans, there is a sense of confinement to the sound, but by no means is the sound field restricted to an "inside the head" experience. If the recording sounds expansive, the Aurvana's deliver—it's just that I also have a pair of AKG K-701s that I keep comparing them to, and of course they are no match in that department. The only category where the CALs beat the K701s was bass (of course). But that's the thing, the bass on the CALs is "just right," it really is. They can't dig as deep as a Sennheiser HD380, but they can hang with considerably pricier headphones in terms of precision and dynamics.
 
The key the the Aurvana is its price. Any flaws disappear with the mental knowledge that they are practically disposable, and that new ear pads for the AKG K701 cost as much as the entire Creative headset. They perform way about their price point, in more ways than one. The CAL is the headphone that ruined—as in replaced—the Grado SR60 and SR80, in terms of an everyday walk-around headphone. The relative comfort factor seals the deal. Since the CALs are sealed cans, I'm sure the folks at the bank are quite thankful as well.

No other headphone has surprised me in the manner that the Tactic 3D managed to. 
 
I originally purchased them because I needed headphones to do a Skype interview, and I wanted something kind of ridiculous and flashy, because I was going to be on video. The Tactic 3D seem like a perfect choice, with flashing LEDs on each ear cup.
 
When I first hooked it up, I installed the software and plugged in the USB cable. I was immediately annoyed by how easily any contact with the cable transmitted noise directly into the headset. My first modification was to replace the USB cable with a plastic one. That solved the issue of the transmitted noise, but overall the headphones sounded a little bit harsh and little bit bass shy.
 
The Tactic has the option of using a standard analog headphone cable, with a 3.5 mm jack. The cord that comes with the headphones is designed for use with a microphone. My second act was to remove the microphone and replace the provided analog cable with a standard stereo 3.5 mm cable, one that has a quarter-inch plug on the other side. So, suddenly I had a proper headphone cable — free of adapters — connected to a pair of headphones that happen to sound quite good when plugged into a decent source. In my case that's a Pioneer Elite SC–55 receiver—and for laptop use, a Motu MicroBook 2. 
 
That's when I started doing a little bit of research on exactly how good they could sound. I started comparing the modified Tactic 3D to a pair of Sennheiser HD 380, AKG 701, and — importantly — a pair of Creative Aurvana Live headphones. Creative makes both the Sound Blaster and the CALs, which may be the reason the two headphones sound alike. A series of rapid headphones swaps had me convinced, the sonic signature was nearly identical — so similar, it's hard to believe that they're using different drivers.
 
If this is the case, and I believe it is, then the Tactic 3-D represents a unique option. It can serve dual roles. For well under $100, they are a very tough, very good sounding, very flexible pair of headphones. The cable is replaceable, and they can be used as a USB headset. They can be used as a gaming headset with a microphone installed, but the microphone is removable so they can be used as a standard headset. Even though they feel stiff, and the earpads are firm, they are very comfortable.
 
About the only problem with them is that when using USB, they have those silly LED lights that flash along with the music. Thankfully there is a control panel that allows one to turn them off. It's a completely gratuitous feature, but it's sort of amusing. Even though sound quality through USB is not stellar, it's still a better option than the built-in audio on many computers.
 
The main thing about these headphones is that they sound great when used as stereo cans, with a proper cable. After all, they have an acoustic signature that is almost identical to the CALs, and they cost even less. I don;t know if they actually share the same driver, but they clearly have a similar sound. Overall, they are a very intriguing headphone option that you will not regret purchasing. Just stay away from the gimmicky software surround sound, and make sure it not to use the USB mode; and please, do not use the provided USB cable.