AKG K701/K702 vs. AKG Q701? - Page 10

Don't forget this one..you knew I had to do it

Variations between testing on the Headroom graph? That large? Who knows..

The Headroom graph actually makes more sense to me..closer to what I'm hearing.

 

I personally could care less about these graphs...still interesting to see.

 

BTW I think those differences on the IF graphs would be audible. There's no real way to know for sure if they're just variations.

 

 

 

BTW this reminds me of the old discussions about the differences between the grey/silver screened HD-600/HD-650 and the older versions. I don't think anyone could agree on that one either. Some heard a difference and some didn't. Q701 is a much larger difference (to me) obviously.

 

I think people even went as far as saying the "new" silver screen HD-650 was easier to drive!

 

 

 

:D

 

Probably won't be resolved. I do think we need to be cautious throwing this around as a fact, and/or recommending one version of the K/Q70X over another. Basically, pick the one whose price, color and cable configuration you want. 

I didn't dig that deep, sorry.  Someones probably going to have to volunteer to dissect the Q701s.  Not sure if I've got the skillz for that =\
 

 

I understand why you want a blind test.  I would to.  I was expecting them to be so difficult to tell apart that I would have trouble deciding to sell the K702.  That's not the case though.  It was obvious.  I've been testing opamps in my M-stage and I've already admitted that the differences between them quite possibly are placebo, so I'm not embarrassed to admit that my brain is tricking me.

 

Blind testing these AKGs would be like blind testing AD700 and AD900.  Are they similar?  Sure.  Do they sound the same?  No way - and yes, I've AB compared both of those headphones as well.  Did I need to blind test them to verify the differences were real?  No.  The differences were large enough to stand on their own and exist outside the realm of placebo/sighted bias.  It's the same situation here with these AKGs.  Everyone who has heard both the AD900s and AD700s have said the AD900s add a bit more bass, more mids, and tame the treble.  The same thing is happening with these AKGs.

 

I hope this clarifys why I've been saying that a blind test isn't necessary in this case.  If the situation was reversed and you had both AKG's, I would be suspicious of the claims and call for a blind test too
 

 

I've read that (and just about every other K v.s Q comparison before buying.  I trusted Tyll's opinion enough to expect VERY slight differences  That's the reason I got the K702; I was expecting almost identical signature to the Q701 but with larger soundstage.  I was expecting to have difficulty telling them apart, and difficulty selling off the K702s.  That's not what I got though.

 

Maybe people should start thinking Tyll's statements are the anomaly/outlier.  Maybe his Q701s were bass light and his K701s were bass heavy.  I don't know.  I'd bet money that If I sent him these two pairs he'd verify my impressions.

As far as I'm concerned, you'd have to be deaf to not notice the difference.

I'm willing to bet that the older Qs WERE the same as the Ks, but that more recent batches did have a tweak somewhere.

People act like its impossible. We should all know by now that headphones get tweaked.

Zombie_X and I have heard bass monster DT770/600, where the majority of head-fi considers them bass light. As well as two versions of the MMX300. One bass heavy, one bass light, with nothing to tell them apart.

The Qs I have, and the Ks I used to have: glaringly obvious at how they sound different. Not night and day, but definitely different enough to call the Qs improved as a whole. Chico also isn't someone who would exaggerate differences, unlike the vast majority of head-fi who tend to make outrageous claims of night and day differences.

I agree with him wholeheartedly on his comparison, as it mirrors exactly what I heard. The K701 I had was dry and analytical. The Qs are warmer, more body to the sound, less analytical, but more musical. They are still detail monsters, but not as tipped towards analyzing as the older Ks.
Edited by Mad Lust Envy - 2/10/12 at 12:26pm

Also..I think one reason people suggest the Q701 so much is that right now it's just as cheap as the K701/K702. If it was $100 more, I'd have a harder time suggesting that.

I do wish they could come up with a way to make all the prices of the different colored models the same or similar.

 

When I bought my black q701 the white Q701 was nearly $75 more! I do wish the white Q701 came with white pads like on the K701.

 

The pads on the K701 are grey.

I like the Oreo look MUCH more than the K701, actually.

An older thread, but I'll revive it. I was at VentureCraft the other day trying out their new GoDap Unit 4.0. Their head of sales loves the Q701 which he brought out for me to test. I got to borrow the Unit 4.0, but not the headphones as they are his personal home phones. The Unit 4.0 did a very good job of powering the Q701: full bass, very wide, luscious midrange, and no real harsh high frequencies that I could tell in my few minutes with them. I'm a DT880 lover, so maybe my perception of harsh highs are different to a Sennheiser fan. Whatever the fact, the Q701 are great phones. I love that you can switch the cable and their comfort even when wearing glasses. 

 

I wasn't expecting such full force volume and sound coming from the Q701 as I wasn't as much a fan of the K701. But it's been years and my tastes may have changed. I don't know if they are the same or different, and I don't care. I live in a country where car manufacturers bring out 'new' cars that are just the stereo systems moved a few centimetres and the price jacked up a bit. A new model gets slapped on so that Toyota can say they have 40 different models. 

 

AKG putting out something the same but named different is simple play-as-you-can games, and is usual, even tame if you compare to Japanese companies. Whatever the fact, the Q701 is gaining traction here in Japan which is nice to see as this country is overrun with clones.

 

Wow!

The GoDAP Unit 4.0 looks like a VERY nice piece of kit!

 

BTW I own a pair of DT880s and Q701s myself!  How would you compare the two 'phones?

I was recabling a pair of K501 and had an interesting observation that may provide some insight on the "bass boost" on the Q701. When I wasn't quite finished yet, I put them on and noticed the side that wasn't finished and sealed had slightly lighter bass. Not super noticeable, but I'm quick to pick up on channel imbalances.  When I sealed it up, the two matched up. The bass increase on the Q701  could in fact be from the "Q" logo sitting in that same area behind the driver.

 

  Anyone confirm? 

 

The bass increase on the Q701 isn't from the "Q" button or the felt behind it.   I tested it by swapping it out and I couldn't hear any noticeable difference in the sound. 

 

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