[Stillhart]

  Frank is no longer with AKG.
 
It is very easy to switch between pads.  Slight counter-clockwise turn to take them off...slight clockwise turn to put them on.  I actually really like their mechanism.

 
This.  He's no longer with AKG, but the phone number on that page should still take you to the new right person.  Or so I've read...
 
EDIT - Oh ****, 1000th post!  I talk too much...

 

[Boogirl]

Thanks. 

  Frank is no longer with AKG.
 
It is very easy to switch between pads.  Slight counter-clockwise turn to take them off...slight clockwise turn to put them on.  I actually really like their mechanism.

Thanks for this. Am also wondering how the K712 -  which are apparently deeper than the Annie pads - would fair on the Q701s?

 

[Evshrug]

Thanks. 
Thanks for this. Am also wondering how the K712 -  which are apparently deeper than the Annie pads - would fair on the Q701s?

I have both Q701 and K712, so I tried that. Bit bassier, not a world of a difference IMO, but a bit bassier. Btw, changing pads is pretty easy, you just twist them a bit (easier than a tomato sauce jar!) and when you out them on make sure to line up the little foam doughnuts.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Thanks. 
Thanks for this. Am also wondering how the K712 -  which are apparently deeper than the Annie pads - would fair on the Q701s?

 
As has been stated previously in this thread, unless something has changed at AKG, the part number for replacement K712 pads is the same as the replacement Annie pads.  I think Frank, or his successor, stated that the K712 pads would be coming to the US warehouse, but I've never read if that's actually happened.  The only thing to do is contact them and ask.  Begs the question: if the part number is still the same, how can they tell what they're sending?

 

[Evshrug]

How hard/expensive is it to get replacement feet for the Schiit Bifrost? My 2nd hand unit was missing one...

 

[ThurstonX]

How hard/expensive is it to get replacement feet for the Schiit Bifrost? My 2nd hand unit was missing one...

 
I just use a stack of felt discs (for sliding) on foam discs, the latter being stuck to the Bifrost.  Gives it a bit more height.  I'm always sliding my Stack o' Schiit around my desk, so for me they're the perfect combo.  If you want the brand name, I can post it.
 
Super Sliders (1 in. Grippers; 1 in. felt; that's diameter, not thickness

 

[IBIubbleTea]

Do you guys think it is worth getting the Q701 and the K712 Pro ear pads? Do they make the Q701 sound more fun and bright with more comfort than the stock ear pads? 

 

[Stillhart]

  Do you guys think it is worth getting the Q701 and the K712 Pro ear pads? Do they make the Q701 sound more fun and bright with more comfort than the stock ear pads? 

 
I don't know if bright is the word you're looking for.  The Q701 is borderline too bright for some people.

 

[IBIubbleTea]

   
I don't know if bright is the word you're looking for.  The Q701 is borderline too bright for some people.

Well I wasn't sure what it was called. Lets say, sound "better".

 

[allets]

The Q701 is definitely bright. Luckily I love treble. The more I've been listening to the Q701 though, the more I'm noticing a kind of lack of tone and body... almost thin sounding. I really like these cans though and I'm just trying to figure out which genre of music they'd fit best. I think it's cool to find a headphone for each genre of music, especially when you have a broad taste of music like me 

 

[Evshrug]

The Q701 is definitely bright. Luckily I love treble. The more I've been listening to the Q701 though, the more I'm noticing a kind of lack of tone and body... almost thin sounding. I really like these cans though and I'm just trying to figure out which genre of music they'd fit best. I think it's cool to find a headphone for each genre of music, especially when you have a broad taste of music like me 

The Beyer DT880 sounded even thinner, tinny even. The bass on my 2yr old Q701 blows me away if I watch TV and just use typical speakers for awhile before hand. I haven't back-to-back compared them, but my VW Golf puts out I think the same balance of bass vs everything else, except as with all subwoofers I hear the bass AND feel it in my chest (and gut and...). Now, the volume on my modest home theater system (Polk M40 bookshelves in stereo and a Polk sub) has an independent volume control on the sub, so I don't know where "neutral" or "level with the rest of the frequency range" is, and watching Frozen with my GF we were felt blown away by the steps-on-ice and a saw slamming through the screen, I thought I might blow out my speakers the bass was so sharp and strong! I mention that because I think our perceptions of "normal" bass levels are skewed by movie theaters that turn the bass waaaay up to provide a wow factor for customers, and in our minds we associate premium audio with that movie-theater bass.

Allets, I don't specifically mean you, but anyone that says the Q701 has "no bass," try listening to Katy Perry's "Dark Horse." The Q701 and it's big drivers can do big bass when called for, it's just that the bass is tuned to only be a little stronger than the mids. We should consciously consider the influence of the body feeling of bass from a subwoofer and how imbalanced theaters are, if we chase that blown away feeling in our regular headphones we may be turning up part of our volume up to hearing-damage levels (over time).

 

[Stillhart]

Yeah, the thing about really strong bass on headphones is that it tends to ruin the rest of the sound (unless you've got something decently pricey).  The bass on the Fidelio X1, for instance, tends to bleed into the mids and muddy up the sound if you don't have it properly amped.  And even then it only mostly solves the issue. Part of what makes the Q701 such a detail monster is the more neutral bass.  The X1 is a very well-regarded "fun" headphone, yet it can't compete with the Q701's detail because of the fun bass.
 
That magical ortho bass that everyone talks about?  Quality, not quantity.  At least on the Mad Dogs I had for a while.  
 
That said, I thought the bass on the Q was too little for my liking until I did the bass mod, which made it just right (for the AKG sound signature).  
 
Random thoughts on a Friday morning before coffee...

 

[Evshrug]

Yeah, the thing about really strong bass on headphones is that it tends to ruin the rest of the sound (unless you've got something decently pricey).  The bass on the Fidelio X1, for instance, tends to bleed into the mids and muddy up the sound if you don't have it properly amped.  And even then it only mostly solves the issue. Part of what makes the Q701 such a detail monster is the more neutral bass.  The X1 is a very well-regarded "fun" headphone, yet it can't compete with the Q701's detail because of the fun bass.

That magical ortho bass that everyone talks about?  Quality, not quantity.  At least on the Mad Dogs I had for a while.  

That said, I thought the bass on the Q was too little for my liking until I did the bass mod, which made it just right (for the AKG sound signature).  

Random thoughts on a Friday morning before coffee...

I made you some coffee, come downstairs!
Jk
Sometimes I wish there was a "mids" port mod for the K712, the K712 and Q701 have the same very good mids, but it would be cool to have K712 highs, Sony MA900 mids, and K712 or K612 bass. The Sony MA900 has really magical mids and soundstage, but the rest of the frequencies felt restrained and next to the AKGs it is boring/dull, I think because of it's lack of extension.

 

[mrk]

Right so Annie pads installed and having listened to tracks that I know have excellent positioning of vocals and supporting vocals/instruments I've come to the same conclusion that many on Head-fi have. If your Q701s are bass modded then using the Annie pads will make central vocals too central and diminish some of the soundstage.
 
To my ears using the pads on my bass modded Q701s I found that they lost that intimacy and highlights of each track no longer kissed your ear drums. They lost the character  that makes the Q701 so enjoyable. Putting the stock earpads back on resulted in that intimacy being restored
 
I would advise people to demo for themselves if they ever get the opportunity and not just take my word for it but I will be selling the pads on.
They are way more comfortable as you'd expect being memory foam and they just hug your head so good just like the X1 did but sadly for me the most characterful sound and wide soundstage comes from bassmod + stock earpads.
 
I didn't notice too much increase in bass. My cans are port modded anyway so perhaps it's much of a muchness. maybe a tiny bit more bass but the loss of character was what stood out the most.
It's worth noting the Annie pads are the same thickness all round whereas the stock Q701 pads are thicker on the rear half of the pad that sits behind your ears. I imagine that a lot of the sound character going missing with the Annie pads is due to the thicker rear section angling the driver in such a way that the stereo imaging is just better and I would bet someone else's left leg that if AKG released a memory foam earpad with the thicker rear section that they too would sound amazing on the.
 
Pics:

 

 
 
 
So a few reasons why someone may prefer the Annie pads over stock:
 
1: If they didn't like the super wide soundstage from the stock Q701 pads.
2: If they have not opened up the bass port hole yet.
3: They don't care either way and just want the extra comfort and bass.

 

[Boogirl]

Allets, I don't specifically mean you, but anyone that says the Q701 has "no bass," try listening to Katy Perry's "Dark Horse." The Q701 and it's big drivers can do big bass when called for, it's just that the bass is tuned to only be a little stronger than the mids. We should consciously consider the influence of the body feeling of bass from a subwoofer and how imbalanced theaters are, if we chase that blown away feeling in our regular headphones we may be turning up part of our volume up to hearing-damage levels (over time).

 
I agree with you that the Q701s are capable of producing bass. I think the Q701s can also produce a bass that you can 'feel' when it is set to a loud level within the mix, which is also sustaining. However I find when listening to Mahler's 4th Symphony - which is quite dynamic and has bass notes that are played quite low compared to the rest of the recording, and also which do not sustain - that the Q701s has a problem making those notes be felt.
 
Well, I say 'problem'... but really I'm just seeking perfection!