[Za Warudo]

That must be some strong toothpicks. I used a couple of push pins.

 

[ThurstonX]

  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?

 
Definitely use two pointy things (I used wood nails; easier to grip) on opposite sides, and apply enough even, steadily increasing counter-clockwise force until they give.
 
You'll get it.  Good luck.

 

[ExSnipe]

That must be some strong toothpicks. I used a couple of push pins.

 

   
Definitely use two pointy things (I used wood nails; easier to grip) on opposite sides, and apply enough even, steadily increasing counter-clockwise force until they give.
 
You'll get it.  Good luck.

Well... the toothpicks worked. At least for the left side. Now to get that sticker out.

 

[Redshift Rider]

That must be some strong toothpicks.

 audiophile grade 

but i did broke couple of them at first.

 

[snowshoe]

  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.

 
I listen to a lot of classical music and use the Emotiva XDA-2. I've been very happy with it. However, for music such as string quartets or any music that features the cello (or bass -  I'm thinking of Esperanza Spalding's music even though it's not classical) I prefer to use the XDA-2 as a DAC only and feed it through to a Schiit Magni. The timbre of those instruments is much more pleasing to my ears with the brightness of the Magni. I would not worry about an amp's supposed lack of soundstage. The Q701s offer plenty! If you are interested in the XDA-2, I'd recommend just trying on its own first to see what you think. I believe Emotiva offer a 30-day trial, btw.

 

[Boogirl]

   
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. 

Thank you for the warm welcome and also the information. Are you comparing the M-stage to the Vali/Modi combination? If so, can you advise how much the Modi is affecting the performance of the Q701s? Is it possible, for example, to pair the Vali with a different DAC in order to get the best of both worlds, specifically, the natural sound and good tone of the Vali, but also the good bass control and soundstage of the M-Stage?

 

[Boogirl]

   
I listen to a lot of classical music and use the Emotiva XDA-2. I've been very happy with it. However, for music such as string quartets or any music that features the cello (or bass -  I'm thinking of Esperanza Spalding's music even though it's not classical) I prefer to use the XDA-2 as a DAC only and feed it through to a Schiit Magni. The timbre of those instruments is much more pleasing to my ears with the brightness of the Magni. I would not worry about an amp's supposed lack of soundstage. The Q701s offer plenty! If you are interested in the XDA-2, I'd recommend just trying on its own first to see what you think. I believe Emotiva offer a 30-day trial, btw.

Thank you.

 

[ExSnipe]

   
Well... the toothpicks worked. At least for the left side. Now to get that sticker out.

10 toothpicks later and I got it.
 
Split them in half and made a tape base so I could hold them easier. The difference is definitely there, thanks guys!

 

[8mike8]

   
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).

Well, because the original bands' width is wider in the center, and narrower at the sides, the cushion is a bit stretched/loose accordingly.

But as long as it helps, i don't care

 

[ryencoke]

Looking forward to receiving these! Will be my 2nd pair of headphones..

 

[Stillhart]

  Thank you for the warm welcome and also the information. Are you comparing the M-stage to the Vali/Modi combination? If so, can you advise how much the Modi is affecting the performance of the Q701s? Is it possible, for example, to pair the Vali with a different DAC in order to get the best of both worlds, specifically, the natural sound and good tone of the Vali, but also the good bass control and soundstage of the M-Stage?

 
If you're looking in the $200-250 price range, I'd suggest finding a used Audio-GD NFB-15.32 (or similar).  The M-Stage is a great amp (I've got one) and the amp stage of the Audio-GD sounds indistinguishable to my ears.  The DAC on the Audio-GD, though, is really really nice.  It's a noticeable upgrade from the Modi.  I think it's hard to beat the Audio-GD for bang-for-the-buck in that price range.  It's definitely a little more expensive than the Modi/Vali, but might be worthwhile.  
 
If you're looking for something a little more neutral sounding (the M-stage, Vali, and NFB-15 are all warm), try the Yulong D100 or Audio-GD NFB-11.32 (or similar).  I love my Yulong D100, but I find it a little bright for the Q701's so I'm selling it.
 
Disclaimer - I haven't actually heard a Magni or Vali, but I've owned the Modi and I returned it.

 

[iSpy]

Has anyone here had any experience with/know if the Creative Sound Blaster Z soundcard will properly drive the Q701?

 

[Fuzziekiwi]

  Has anyone here had any experience with/know if the Creative Sound Blaster Z soundcard will properly drive the Q701?

My Xonar DG has a hard time driving them. 

 

[Stillhart]

  Has anyone here had any experience with/know if the Creative Sound Blaster Z soundcard will properly drive the Q701?

I use an Omni, which is the same as the Z but USB instead of PCIe.  The volume is not an issue at all and the sound isn't bad, but once I put a real amp in there, the sound improved noticeably.  
 
It's one of those things where you will not think it sounds bad until you hear it with the amp and then you'll go, "Ooooh, so that's what they meant!"
 
BTW, the DAC in the Omni was comparable to the Schiit Modi to my ears, so I returned my Modi.  SBZ/SB Omni with an amp is a pretty solid budget setup.

 

[iSpy]

Which amp did you get and is there a drawback to the Omni compared to the SBZ? I see thats its around $20 cheaper.