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AKG 701 compared to Grado 325is, my experience

post #1 of 35
4/10/10 at 10:39am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,

A local high-end store has recently put together a headphone demo room, I had to check it out as it premiered earlier this week I've been interested in both the AKG 701 and the Grado 325is for some time, I was glad they had both on hand for demoing. Unfortunately I wasn't alowed to use my own MBP as a source, but instead had to use their Cyrus CD 6 SE connected to a Musical Fidelity X-CAN V8. They provided a demo CD with music varying from crappy mainstream dance/pop to classic music. Fortunate for me was that the CD contained a fair bit of vocal jazz (which is my preferred music).

My home setup consists of a MacBook Pro 13" ->M2Tech hiFace ->Icon HDP ->Denon AH-D2000. I'm really happy with this setup, but I'd like to add a good pair of open headphones to complement my Denons.

Both the AKG and the Grado sounded really good to me, I could easily live with either of 'em. But, my experience from comparing the two is that the Grado is brighter and has quite a lot of sibilance. The AKG sounds more intimate and have a more relaxed and warmer sound than the Grados. I think that the Grados are a wee bit more comfortable to wear as they are a on-the-ear-design and have a very light preassure. Soundstage is a really close race between the two.

I've read a lot of reviews of the AKG 701 in which the reviewer complains of a overly bright and sibilant sound, I didn't find any hints of this in the pair that I tried. The bass isn't as pronounced as in the Denon AH-D2000, but it's defenetly there and goes really low down. The mid's might be a little recessed, I guess this is why I felt they sounded more relaxed and comfortable than the Grado 325is.

All in all, the AKG 701 wins over the Grado 325is with a narrow margin. If the Grados didn't suffer from sibilance I'd give the win to them. The AKG 701 sounds like they were designed with Jazz music in mind. Especially female vocal jazz.

As I've read some coments about that the AKG 701 doesn't pair so well with the Icon HDP, the store has kindly agreed to lent me a pair of AKG 701 to try at home over the weekend. I will really put them to test at home with my own gear and 24/96 HD jazz music. The price has dropped with about €100 and this is a positive factor for me to consider before I make a decision between the two of them.

I'll report later with my progress.
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post #2 of 35
4/10/10 at 11:00am
Hi Kobra, I'm curious, where are these €100 K701s?
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post #3 of 35
4/10/10 at 11:36am
Thread Starter 
You've misunderstood me, they're not €100, they're a €100 less than before They retail for €300 instead of €400 here in Sweden
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post #4 of 35
4/10/10 at 1:25pm
I see..I thought that price was strange.
€300 is quite a high price, when they sell for $230 in the ads here second hand which is about €160
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post #5 of 35
4/10/10 at 1:32pm
This is the first I have heard that a Grado (that isn't the PS- or GS-1000) has a soundstage comparable to the AKG K701. Are you absolutely sure? Do elaborate!
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post #6 of 35
4/10/10 at 1:42pm
The price in the UK has dropped a fair bit recently. They can be found for around £210 (same as the K702). It makes them quite tempting.

OP: What volume were you listening at? I find the sr325i (non s) only to become sibilant only at high volumes, while at lower volumes they are nicely balanced. The sound signature on Grado's does seem to change a lot with volume. More than it does with other 'phones I've used.

I keep meaning to add a complimentary set of 'phones to my system and the K701/2 are on the shortlist. Along with a dozen others.
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post #7 of 35
4/10/10 at 1:44pm
I thought the Grado's I had did have a good soundstage on proper clean recordings, but they are a bit easy to get congested on busy tracks which makes them sound smaller.
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post #8 of 35
4/10/10 at 2:07pm

Exactly...

Quote:
Originally Posted by sampson_smith View Post
This is the first I have heard that a Grado (that isn't the PS- or GS-1000) has a soundstage comparable to the AKG K701. Are you absolutely sure? Do elaborate!
Did you mix them up? Grados (except for the GS1K and PS1K) are very, very intimate and the K701s have very wide sound staging. Can you please clarify?

Thanks!
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post #9 of 35
4/10/10 at 3:01pm
Hi,
I haven't heard the Grado mentioned but do own the AKG K 702. Interestingly when I first had them they suffered sibilance, which I hate. However , after a couple of months , this rounded off to a great sound. I wonder if the AKG you heard was fully burned/broken in ?
I have to say up untill this experience with the AKG I was a burn/break in sceptic but now I am sure there is something in it. The AKG didn't change in spades but enough to remove what was a very irritating trait.
By the way, I love my AKG's
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post #10 of 35
4/10/10 at 3:43pm
I am not surprised the K702s won with jazz. I think I have finally gotten into jazz, thanks to how well the AKGs present the sound detail and life of the music.

I find the K702s has a wider soundstage than the SR80s, but with both very well run it the difference is not huge.
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post #11 of 35
4/10/10 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, I'm back I'll try to elaborate on my first impressions and I'll try to straighten out the odd misunderstanding

Regarding the soundstage: Yes, I'm absolutely sure about my first statement. The soundstage of the AKG 701 and the Grado 325is is comparable though the AKG 701's slightly (marginaly) larger. The high frequencies of the AKG 701 is a bit more open and airy with a (very) slightly recessed mid. This translates to the open, but "intimate" sound. By intimate I mean soft and gentle compared to the "in your face" sound of the Grados. When I made quick A/B comparison between the two I heard that the Grados where a bit brighter and "harder", the "in your face" is my way of explaining the "presence" in the Grados mid frequencies. The singer whas a bit more prominent in the songs compared to the AKG 701 in which the singer became more "gentle" and "laid back", but not overwhelmed by the band. I hope you all undersand what I mean ( )

Regarding the sibilance, I never said that the AKG 701 suffered from this though the Grados had terrible sibilance. I don't listen to music at abnormaly high volume. The X-Can v8 that I used was dialed to about 10 o'clock. Even though I tried to lower the volume I still heard the sibilance of the Grados.

Both headphones were demo units that had plenty of burn in hours on them.

I'm also happy to report that the AKG 701 mates really good with the NuForce Icon HDP. A match made in heaven, a better match than the one with the X-Can v8 -if you ask me...

So, to summarize: I chose the AKG 701, I think they have a "expansive" but gentle sound, they match very well with my Icon HDP ... and I'm a happy camper!
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post #12 of 35
4/10/10 at 4:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kobra View Post
The high frequencies of the AKG 701 is a bit more open and airy with a (very) slightly recessed mid.
Not recessed mids, IMO... Forward upper mids and lower treble, but slightly lean and unsaturated mids overall, lacking fullness and presence, at lower volumes.

In comparison, most standmount speakers put more 'meat' on 'bone', especially my Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s which are very full and fleshed out in the midrange.

However, the K702 has several strengths, which the Wharfedale can't quite match, resolution, timing and bass being the key victories.

Most other premium speakers, which are way pricier than the Wharfedale also differ similarly from the K70x...
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post #13 of 35
4/10/10 at 5:33pm
agreed re: the forward upper mid.
which is why i love the k702 with female singers.
and the wimpier dudes, too. hahahaha
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post #14 of 35
4/10/10 at 5:42pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for the clarification This is my first "review", I find it very difficult to put words to what I hear. The fact that english isn't my mother tongue doesn't make it any easier
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post #15 of 35
4/10/10 at 9:47pm
The OP's post makes no sense to me regarding soundstage. The Grado definitely doesn't have as wide soundstage as the K701 and yes, I have tried both on the same rig and song. Soundstage is the sense of depth, width, and height to a audio reproduction. Maybe you are confusing neutrality or instrument separation with soundstage . Your explanation of soundstage is way off in my book Not trying to be offensive or anything, but do you know exactly what soundstage is?
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