[JamesMcProgger]

Quote:

Lot of rose tinted nostalgia for "old AKG" - their headphones might have been impressive compared to what was available at the time, but compared to today's headphones (including Harman AKG's) the "legendary" sextett, playback, k340 just don't stand up. 

I disagree with you, K601 is a hell of a headphone for less than $300, it only needs a good amp to shine, and you can hardly find a better studio headphone than the K240 for $100, comfort, sound, durability, the K240 is a steal.

 

[Digital-Pride]

I tell ya I don't think there's any manufacturer that gets more abuse around here and other audio forums than AKG.  Despite the abuse the Beats line, Bose and Skullcandy get, they at least get some respect(however little). 
 
Despite what others may say, they still produce some great sounding headphones.  Their product line-up has become quite diverse with headphone flavors for almost every taste, in fact they'll soon be introducing what I believe will be their first reference quality iem the K3003.
 
As for their lack of a 1000 dollar flagship, with the right set-up the K701 is not too far away from those vaunted dynamic flagships.  Considering all that, I'd say AKG is doing just fine.

 

[Cliff-Samuels]

Forgive me for not reading every post here but can I just ask something, it said these are marketed as the next model up from the AKG K701, are they the next model on from those or are they a cheaper headphone & not as good?

 

[Twinster]

 
Quote:

I tell ya I don't think there's any manufacturer that gets more abuse around here and other audio forums than AKG.  Despite the abuse the Beats line, Bose and Skullcandy get, they at least get some respect(however little). 
 

I'm not sure I agree with this statement. I have not read a lot of love on Head-Fi for sure. My kids are using some Skullcandy IEM but it's only due to their lifetime replacement warranty. Kids go through IEM like candy. 

 

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

Forgive me for not reading every post here but can I just ask something, it said these are marketed as the next model up from the AKG K701, are they the next model on from those or are they a cheaper headphone & not as good?

The K550 will be slotted above the K271/2 as their top closed headphone.  How it sounds compared to the K701 has yet to be determined, though we all wait in suspense!
 
     Quote:

 

I'm not sure I agree with this statement. I have not read a lot of love on Head-Fi for sure. My kids are using some Skullcandy IEM but it's only due to their lifetime replacement warranty. Kids go through IEM like candy. 

 

Perhaps I was giving those other brands a little too much credit.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

I tell ya I don't think there's any manufacturer that gets more abuse around here and other audio forums than AKG.  Despite the abuse the Beats line, Bose and Skullcandy get, they at least get some respect(however little). 
 
Despite what others may say, they still produce some great sounding headphones.  Their product line-up has become quite diverse with headphone flavors for almost every taste, in fact they'll soon be introducing what I believe will be their first reference quality iem the K3003.
 
As for their lack of a 1000 dollar flagship, with the right set-up the K701 is not too far away from those vaunted dynamic flagships.  Considering all that, I'd say AKG is doing just fine.

The K701 gets hate, but that's only because some people don't like its sound character. It's a shared opinion that they are detailed as hell for the prices they're at. Probably the most detailed and it even trumps the Grado GS1000i. I'm sure AKG can still make something good.

 
Quote:

The K550 will be slotted above the K271/2 as their top closed headphone.  How it sounds compared to the K701 ha yet to be determined, though we all wait in suspense!
 
     Quote:

Perhaps I was giving those other brands a little too much credit.

I liked the K271 as a closed headphone. It really just needed more bass response. The K550 looks to be in a smaller form though so I'm not expecting its soundstage to compare with the K271.
 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Lot of rose tinted nostalgia for "old AKG" - their headphones might have been impressive compared to what was available at the time, but compared to today's headphones (including Harman AKG's) the "legendary" sextett, playback, k340 just don't stand up. 

I disagree, I've heard most of today's headphones and I think the Sextett beats most of them in certain areas, so it depends on your priorities.  They don't beat them in resolution or refinement, but they have better tone than almost anything available today including the new "HD" flagships.  They simply portray instrument's tone in a more realistic way IMO. 
 
Quote:

I tell ya I don't think there's any manufacturer that gets more abuse around here and other audio forums than AKG.  Despite the abuse the Beats line, Bose and Skullcandy get, they at least get some respect(however little). 
 
Despite what others may say, they still produce some great sounding headphones.  Their product line-up has become quite diverse with headphone flavors for almost every taste, in fact they'll soon be introducing what I believe will be their first reference quality iem the K3003.
 
As for their lack of a 1000 dollar flagship, with the right set-up the K701 is not too far away from those vaunted dynamic flagships.  Considering all that, I'd say AKG is doing just fine.

The reason AKG gets a lot of abuse is specifically because of the headphones of their past.  There are A LOT of experienced members here who prefer the K501, and even the K400 to the newer K701.  The K400 came out 30 years before the K701.  They have consistently and purposely cheapened, and worsened many of their headphones over the years and adopted a strategy of repainting headphones rather than improving their performance. 
 
The same can't really be said for any other manufacturer.  I don't consider the current AKG to be the same company as they were at one point.  IMO, the only difference between the current AKG and BOSE/Beats is that AKG started off with a bunch of well engineered products.  They have the same business model at this point. 
 

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

I disagree, I've heard most of today's headphones and I think the Sextett beats most of them in certain areas, so it depends on your priorities.  They don't beat them in resolution or refinement, but they have better tone than almost anything available today including the new "HD" flagships.  They simply portray instrument's tone in a more realistic way IMO. 
 

The reason AKG gets a lot of abuse is specifically because of the headphones of their past.  There are A LOT of experienced members here who prefer the K501, and even the K400 to the newer K701.  The K400 came out 30 years before the K701.  They have consistently and purposely cheapened, and worsened many of their headphones over the years and adopted a strategy of repainting headphones rather than improving their performance. 
 
The same can't really be said for any other manufacturer.  I don't consider the current AKG to be the same company as they were at one point.  IMO, the only difference between the current AKG and BOSE/Beats is that AKG started off with a bunch of well engineered products.  They have the same business model at this point. 
 

Hmm, you've made some good points there.  AKG's hasn't consistently improved its headphone line-up as much the other European manufacturers.  Perhaps, AKG is positioning itself for new product to be introduced in near future?  Like the K550 and K3003 for example.

 

[sexiewasd]

Quote:

The K701 gets hate, but that's only because some people don't like its sound character. It's a shared opinion that they are detailed as hell for the prices they're at. Probably the most detailed and it even trumps the Grado GS1000i. I'm sure AKG can still make something good.
 

 
I'm quoting you not because I disagree, I don't, but your post brings me to my point.  I agree the 701's get hate because of their sound signature, and a lot of people say that they need to "fix the bass", they don't.  No it's not accurate, and it doesn't sound like the real thing, but it has a sound signature that i'm addicted to, It's just what sounds good to my ears.  It's what I like to call the "Yamaha sound" because every one of Yamaha's string instruments, and a lot of their other products all share some of the same ideals in sound that I prefer (The exhaust on the LFA even has the Yamaha sound).  It is most evident in their pianos, you will find two groups, the ones that love them for there perfect clarity and well it's just an exactness about them, and those that just hate it because it's "sterile" and won't settle for less than Bosendorfer (holy **** best bass of any instrument ever, but yamaha owns them now), and that is the best descriptive word that I've heard it called, but around here analytical is more popular. You really have to play the crap out of them to sound good because the piano sure as hell isn't going to help you, but it will show your skill and emotion as pure as it is, and if it's crap then tough luck.  It's the same thing with the 701/702's, they sure as heck aren't going to make your music sound better than it is, they are going to put every flaw up on the big screen with flashing lights, but when you've got something really good under the spot light they really let you enjoy it for all that it is, every stupid detail is there. my favorite thing is when you can hear the vocal chords slap as a singer bridges the gap between chest and head voice, it doesn't sound "live" but it sounds more human when you can pick out those details that make a song less perfect and more honest.  I think that we would all be lucky to have a closed headphone with the tightness and detail of the 701's, no it's not perfect for everything, and it sure as heck isn't good for every music style, but the detail makes it valuable to have around.  I think that people need to just better understand what that sound signature really is good for and what it isn't before they tear it apart.
 
That hinge looks crap though even if it's pretty, I think that is going to be a problem, just like I think the "elastics" on the 701 will give me a bad day sometime, but maybe i'm just nitpicky after my hdj1000's broke in half in less than a year of lite use.
 
 
experiment: go into guitar center and go in the acoustic room, strum any Taylor, which is a tight and very pleasing sounding guitar, then strum a yamaha (even a Chinese one), the taylor's are tight, the Yamaha's are laboratory equipment.
 
Yamaha:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR94NDIfGmA
 
Bosendorfer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaNXdg0iFrU
(the sound quality on this one isn't as good, but it's my favorite performance, so deal with it.)
 
The LFA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzPD0AEB8I
(Just because)

 

[pogodrummer]

Quote:

 
I'm quoting you not because I disagree, I don't, but your post brings me to my point.  I agree the 701's get hate because of their sound signature, and a lot of people say that they need to "fix the bass", they don't.  No it's not accurate, and it doesn't sound like the real thing, but it has a sound signature that i'm addicted to, It's just what sounds good to my ears.  It's what I like to call the "Yamaha sound" because every one of Yamaha's string instruments, and a lot of their other products all share some of the same ideals in sound that I prefer (The exhaust on the LFA even has the Yamaha sound).  It is most evident in their pianos, you will find two groups, the ones that love them for there perfect clarity and well it's just an exactness about them, and those that just hate it because it's "sterile" and won't settle for less than Bosendorfer (holy **** best bass of any instrument ever, but yamaha owns them now), and that is the best descriptive word that I've heard it called, but around here analytical is more popular. You really have to play the crap out of them to sound good because the piano sure as hell isn't going to help you, but it will show your skill and emotion as pure as it is, and if it's crap then tough luck.  It's the same thing with the 701/702's, they sure as heck aren't going to make your music sound better than it is, they are going to put every flaw up on the big screen with flashing lights, but when you've got something really good under the spot light they really let you enjoy it for all that it is, every stupid detail is there. my favorite thing is when you can hear the vocal chords slap as a singer bridges the gap between chest and head voice, it doesn't sound "live" but it sounds more human when you can pick out those details that make a song less perfect and more honest.  I think that we would all be lucky to have a closed headphone with the tightness and detail of the 701's, no it's not perfect for everything, and it sure as heck isn't good for every music style, but the detail makes it valuable to have around.  I think that people need to just better understand what that sound signature really is good for and what it isn't before they tear it apart.
 
That hinge looks crap though even if it's pretty, I think that is going to be a problem, just like I think the "elastics" on the 701 will give me a bad day sometime, but maybe i'm just nitpicky after my hdj1000's broke in half in less than a year of lite use.
 
 
experiment: go into guitar center and go in the acoustic room, strum any Taylor, which is a tight and very pleasing sounding guitar, then strum a yamaha (even a Chinese one), the taylor's are tight, the Yamaha's are laboratory equipment.
 
Yamaha:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR94NDIfGmA
 
Bosendorfer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaNXdg0iFrU
(the sound quality on this one isn't as good, but it's my favorite performance, so deal with it.)
 
The LFA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzPD0AEB8I
(Just because)

you're spot-on.
i just love how my 701s sound
 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Probably the best pro-k701 post I've ever read. 

 

[Anathallo]

Just arriving at the party now.  Subscribed.
 
 
They look massive on the AKG website.

 

[WhiteCrow]

Pictures were released of a man wearing them, they are about the same size as the K701's or what ever number you want to think of series.

 

[sexiewasd]

The picture of them being worn is on the AKG site, They have the US k550 page up but without the US price listed yet, so It looks like they will be here very soon, there is the UK price though at £ 249.99 with "coming soon" on it.
 
UK page:
http://uk.akg.com/akg-k550-uk.html
 
US page:
http://us.akg.com/akg-k550-us.html

 

[wnmnkh]

They are really massive..... Not sure why they bothered to go for portable (32 ohm) since most people won't even bring them outside of their houses.