AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition - Page 54

Each side is $36.84, so kind of expensive.

Memory Foam also costs more or at least that's what Tempurpedic wants you to believe

 

You do get free ground shipping.

 

It's still better than what Audio Technica charges for some of their pads. Like i've seen some for $100. Yuck.

MLE,

 

Are you going to review the Annie and update your game guide before you sell the Mixamp??

Edited by DeathDealer623 - 1/18/13 at 10:54am

I was surprised they weren't more. Headroom sells the regular 702's for 39.95, calling it the suggested retail. Looks like AKG kept them about the same.
 

 

Seriously though now, im thinking this is quite alot for just two pads.. though if I don't try them I may never know what im missing... these funds could easily go towards another pair of headphones i've longed to try..
 

 

Wow, here we can get a pad for £11.98/$19.02 from http://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_k_702_ohrpolster.htm?sid=2c629a0a2785219d6aa175cef1b9108a , probably why I see these 65th pad so expensive

 

Whereas it looks like headroom will charge $6 to ship, making it $46 for one pad... thats absurd? 

I just got these cans today.   I've been auditioning new phones at Amazon's expense since early December.  I've had K702s/Sennheiser HD 650s (current set)/Sennheiser Amperiors (I kept these for work) and now the K702 annies.  Keep in mind that I have only had them about two hours since the FedEX guy stopped by.

 

First Impressions:

 

Packaging: Meh.  A special slipcover on the box.  I'd have expected more than just a sticker in it too.

 

Headphones themselves:  Nice grey colored cord.  It feels a little heavier than the one on the K702, but my mind could be playing tricks on me, I sent the K702s back to amazon yesterday so I can't say for sure.

 

Styling:  Same essentially as K702 obviously.  Headband looks sturdier, pushing on the memory foam pads is rewarding I guess?

 

Putting them on for the first time:

 

Really comfy.  They don't pinch my head like the HD 650s and I can wear them with my gasses on, which obviously is a plus.  I don't know about you all, but being able to see is pretty nice.

 

Sound:

 

I'm listening to 256kbps rips of Radiohead's secret 0110 playlist on an Aune T1 with a Rocket-Logo 6N23P on iTunes with the BitPerfect plugin active, eq is on but set to flat.  I picked these two albums because of the different dynamics in each song, and use of orchestration in some tracks.

 

Sound is very smooth, but still crisp.   I can pick out each instrument, and place them in the mix.  The soundstage feels both wider and taller than the HD 650s as well.   The bass issue I had with the K702s is gone.   I don't know if it is the pads or the matched drivers, but I don't feel these are lacking bass, and it does not have the murky quality I have picked up with the HD 650s, it seems more articulate and accurate.

 

Verdict (so far):

 

I prefer these over the HD 650s I have now in terms of both comfort and sound, but I haven't done extensive A/B yet or any real burn in.   My girlfriend is taking a nap and I don't want to disturb her, so take any of the above with the consideration that I'm listening at very low volume.   In my opinion, these are MUCH better than the K702 standard (which I had burned in for 50 hours previous to returning in favor of the HD650s).

 

More to come later.  

After spending more time with the Annies, I can say with some confidence now that they are a better headphone for me than the HD 650.

 

I've been listening to Monolake's "Ghosts" LP for the past hour, they experiment a lot with placing elements of their compositions in different locations in their live performances and recordings.   The HD 650's are not as good at imaging as the Annies are, sonic textures just seem to be floating in space around me. I could just reach out and touch them, they are vivid and almost three dimensional.  The HD 650s, as good as they are, cannot do this.

Edited by toschek - 1/18/13 at 6:59pm

How's the bass in comparison?

It is really hard to describe.   The overall sound is not very AKGish to my ears.    They sound kind of like the love child of a pair of 702s and 650s,  where the child has the best genes of both parents.

 

 

The bass is more of a quality over quantity thing.  In my opinion it's better than the HD 650, it's not as muddy to me.

Been listening to both as well still undecided, I MIGHT and highly stress MIGHT attempt to do a full 3 way write up with the K702-65's, HD650's & DT 990 600's

 

 

That's always been one of my favorite things about the x70x.

The amount of love the Annie is getting makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

I would call them explosive compared to my Q701.  The sound signature is pretty much identical, except the extra amount of bass is just splendid - can enjoy pretty much any genre on them without any EQ at all.  This is how the 70X should have always been lol

That's how I see it. A Q701 with the bass and warmth it should have had in the first place. The pads and headband really made them worthwhile too. Like tdock mentioned, I think the imaging might be better becauss of the flat pads, and soundstage is still relatively untouched.

Returned my K702 ANV for a refund  , Thomann price is too much even if the headphone is good ...  but if i should get another K702 i think i would go with the standard K702 unless i find a ANV for the same price as K702 and perhaps even not 

Edited by HaVoC-28 - 1/18/13 at 10:42pm