[Sonic7381]

I'd say Schiit Vali or Matrix M-stage will fit the bill.

I think I am going to save up a bit more and grab one of those two. They both seem to be good and should work for others if I upgrade in the future

 

[elwappo99]

 

I'd say Schiit Vali or Matrix M-stage will fit the bill.

I think I am going to save up a bit more and grab one of those two. They both seem to be good and should work for others if I upgrade in the future

 
Either will be great! Until then, don't get caught up in amplifiers and all that other jazz. Just plug them into what you've got and enjoy the music! 

 

[dwayniac]

My Q701 arrived today. Initial impression is that I like it more than enough for it to be my all-rounder except for jazz. It can't compete with my Grado 225i. Bass is the best I have heard in an open back headphone thus far.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Littledot 1+ , BravoAudio Ocean and old Receiver.

 

[8mike8]

Hi guys,
A while back, somebody here posted about these headband cushions for the Q701:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hand-Woven-Pure-Wool-Headband-Cushion-For-AKG-K701-K702-Q701-Headphones-/261445245520

And I'm glad to report that I didn't have a single headache, since I got them!  
They are not perfect, but far better than without.
Now I can listen for hours, without the feeling of a knife stuck in my head..

But, they do look ridiculous

 

 

[Boogirl]

Hi there. I mainly listen to classical music. Given this, could someone recommend the best Headphone/Dac Combi to go with my Q701s. I am looking in the Schiit Vali or Matrix M-stage price range, but am unsure if either of these two combos are particularly suitable for classical music listening. I read somewhere also that although the Schiit Vali is nice sounding amp, it however lacks on soundstage. I am concerned about this as I want to make the most out of the soundstage these headphones have to offer. Please advise me as I have very little actual knowledge regarding this so any help will be very much appreciated.

 

[elwappo99]

  Hi there. I mainly listen to classical music. Given this, could someone recommend the best Headphone/Dac Combi to go with my Q701s. I am looking in the Schiit Vali or Matrix M-stage price range, but am unsure if either of these two combos are particularly suitable for classical music listening. I read somewhere also that although the Schiit Vali is nice sounding amp, it however lacks on soundstage. I am concerned about this as I want to make the most out of the soundstage these headphones have to offer. Please advise me as I have very little actual knowledge regarding this so any help will be very much appreciated.

 
Hi Boogirl! 
 
Welcome to head-fi! 

 
 
I actually own both of these amplifiers sitting side by side, and my Q701 are on my head right now! Based on your post, looks like you've done a lot of reading about these amplifiers. Here's how I would compare them.
 
Schiit Vali: Better sounding tonality, far better texture (if that makes sense), and a more "natural" sound. It's truly a stellar amplifier, and I was shocked when I first had it warmed up. The Schiit Vali's bass is also a little looser than the M-stage. This works out fairly well with the Q701 which is a bit bass shy. Definitely a smaller soundstage than the M-Stage. But, the Q701 is such a large open sounding headphone, that it doesn't have a huge negative impact. Also the Schiit Vali does have the ringing (which I'm sure you read about).
 
Matrix M-Stage: Not as natural sounding, but in the larger scheme of headphone amplifiers, a very very good amplifier. Definitely wins out on soundstage, and bass control. Something to consider with the M-stage is that it is a "jack of all trades" amplifier. It has a very low noise floor which means it plays well with just about any headphone you throw at it. 

 

[Dragonzeanse]

Silly as it might be to ask this in this thread of all places, how do you guys think the Beyerdynamic DT880 (600 Ohm in particular) and AKG Q701 compare?

 

[jodgey4]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered a pair in black... oh boy . That puts off my SSD purchase for another two weeks probably... lol.

 

[headphones1999]

  Silly as it might be to ask this in this thread of all places, how do you guys think the Beyerdynamic DT880 (600 Ohm in particular) and AKG Q701 compare?

 
for me they both complement each other...

 

[wippo808]

  Hi guys,
A while back, somebody here posted about these headband cushions for the Q701:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hand-Woven-Pure-Wool-Headband-Cushion-For-AKG-K701-K702-Q701-Headphones-/261445245520

And I'm glad to report that I didn't have a single headache, since I got them!  
They are not perfect, but far better than without.
Now I can listen for hours, without the feeling of a knife stuck in my head..

But, they do look ridiculous

 
 

 
Hahaha that's awesome.  Really curious about those now, especially for such a wallet-friendly price.  Does the top fold sit flush with the rest of the stitching though? From the pic, it looks slightly 'off' (still awesome though, especially since it's all hand woven).

 

[Smugsie]

  Silly as it might be to ask this in this thread of all places, how do you guys think the Beyerdynamic DT880 (600 Ohm in particular) and AKG Q701 compare?
 

Originally Posted by headphones1999 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
   
for me they both complement each other...

I've heard the DT880 has a bit more detail than the Q701's due to the Q701's having a tad warm tilt and larger treble spike in the DT880.

 

[ExSnipe]

Anyone having a terrible time removing the outer part of the headphones for the bass mod? I keep scratching the sides.
 
I'm using a tiny phillips screwdriver to push the piece counter-clockwise, but I'm having no success. 

 

[Redshift Rider]

I used 2 toothpicks Just stick them through the tiny holes at opposite sides and push them.

 

[ExSnipe]

Hah, I could try that. I've been only using one tool + anchoring the headphones with the other hand. How much force did you use?