[tdockweiler]

Quote:

I'm glad people are realizing the audio prowess of the "humble" O2 amp. Its surprising what this little amp can do to the Q701's. Definitely my favorite amp for now.

 
O2 is a good match for the Q701 and I love mine. I use it now in my bedroom for my blu-ray players using the E17 as a DAC.
 
I do think the Headroom Micro Amp is better overall but it costs like $350 when I bought it. I would say that they're so similar in sound that I'm never going to A/B them too much.
Micro just seems 97% like the O2 but with slightly smoother treble (not rolled off at all). O2 might be like 1% clearer, but maybe not.
 
I've yet to hear anything else so similar in sound to the Micro. Micro is totally underrated for the Q701 and I think that won't ever change since it's supposed to be discontinued.
 
Only problem with O2 is that it's obviously totally unforgiving with crap/harsh recordings. I'm even going to say that perhaps they sound even worse, but only slightly.
 
So far for the Q701 I'd rank my amp preferences as:
 
Micro Amp > E9 | O2 > Magni > Asgard1
 
It's hard to say anything bad about the E9 since it makes the Q701 sounds even better. Adds a tiny bit of warmth and sounds pretty smooth. It's not as transparent as the O2 obviously.
 
Strangely my old Total Airhead is pretty good with the Q701. I don't know where the E17 stands since I rarely use that for other than a DAC.
 
I wonder if the O2 has any similarities to the M-Stage? I imagine they're pretty close but with the M-Stage having a barely audible touch of warmth perhaps.

 

[demontux]

is there a way to fix the tention without replacment ? one feels more stiff copmared to the other... is it hard to fix it by myself ? and can you show a picture how to fix it maybe ? i googled my ass off and could not find any info about it.....thanks where can i buy the loops ? AKG dont want to provide support for me

 

[chicolom]

Well you just have to stop the headband from sliding up, so if you can figure out a way to do that by blocking it that should work.
 
To fix it you basically need to unclamp the elastic at two points.  One is that button on the headband and the other is behind inside held together by a big screw shown here .  The instructions on how to get to both parts are in the service manual
http://akg-acoustics.appspot.com/media/media/download/9352
 
You'll need the elastic pieces, and I doubt you can get them from anybody but AKG parts department. 
 
Spare parts
Frank Rodriguez frodrigu@harman.com 
Phone:  +1 818 920-3279

 

[Hairspray]

I bought the Q701 in spring 2012.
[size=small]And since then, it has never ceased to amaze me.[/size]
[size=small]There's something magical about the Q701: the bass texture and details, the instruments separation, the air, the timbre of the instruments, the 360° soundstage.[/size]
[size=small]S[/size]ome people say the soundstage is too big and artificial but imo it is just like you are standing in the middle of the orchestra/band, spinning around yourself, surrounded by the sound, kinda unique presentation but not unrealistic at all.
A realistic presentation doesn't necessarily mean an "in hall feel" or "front row feel", sitting in a chair, still.
[size=small]Anyway, I cannot think of a better sounding headphone in that price range. No even remotely.[/size]

 

[GirgleMirt]

[COLOR=444444]Anyway, I cannot think of a better sounding headphone in that price range. No even remotely.[/COLOR]

Etymotic HF5 at 100-150$ is, imho, better sounding, but I think Etys might be in a class of their own...

I agree with the most of what you say

but do DT990 really have a larger soundstage than Q701. Compared to my k701 the DT990 I heard didn't have a larger soundstage, maybe a more intimate soundstage.

What does more intimite soundstage mean? I think the DT990's SS just feels 'bigger' and it might have to do with the 990's boosted bass. But yeah just did a few A/B and indeed the SS essentially the same when it comes to instrument placement, the 990s seems to marginally place instruments a tiny bit more outside your head (larger SS), but really the difference is minimal. I think the bass is what creates a larger 'atmosphere' which is probably what I perceive as larger soundstage, and what you've described as more intimiate soundstage! But yeah in all cases, if we talk pure soundstage (width and position of instruments), they actually appear to be essentially the same.

 

[derbigpr]

Quote:

[size=small]Anyway, I cannot think of a better sounding headphone in that price range. No even remotely.[/size]

 
 
Original K701, before the K702 / Q701 came out.  
Even bigger soundstage and considerably better imaging, due to it being brighter, more speed and clarity, punchier faster bass. 

 

[Ashade]

Original K701, before the K702 / Q701 came out.  
Even bigger soundstage and considerably better imaging, due to it being brighter, more speed and clarity, punchier faster bass. 

It's funny that I read exactly he opposite. I suppose that listening is a very subjective experience.

 

[Advil]

I just placed my order and should have them tomorrow thanks to Amazon Prime! Using a FiiO E17 as a dac and got the line out to my Little Dot II++ amp should be a sufficient setup right?

 

[puskuruk]

Do you think q701 with the yulong a100 or matrix m stage better?

 

[demontux]

Quote:

Well you just have to stop the headband from sliding up, so if you can figure out a way to do that by blocking it that should work.
 
To fix it you basically need to unclamp the elastic at two points.  One is that button on the headband and the other is behind inside held together by a big screw shown here .  The instructions on how to get to both parts are in the service manual
http://akg-acoustics.appspot.com/media/media/download/9352
 
You'll need the elastic pieces, and I doubt you can get them from anybody but AKG parts department. 
 
Spare parts
Frank Rodriguez frodrigu@harman.com 
Phone:  +1 818 920-3279

dude thank you so much! i just hope it aint complicated i was just wondering how do i remove the rubber on the top sliding part, it seems to be part of the plastic.. i hope my damn store i bought it from will fix it for me, but i doubt it since i found out they are imported it "gray" , the rubbers should cost 2$ with shipping ? i live in israel, and AKG support in the email start bitching on me and refer me to the official importer which will not help me... i feel AKG service is so poor worldwide

 

[bracko]

Quote:

It's funny that I read exactly he opposite. I suppose that listening is a very subjective experience.

It is the opposite. 

 

[Ashade]

It is the opposite. 

Good to know. :S

I suppose I'll buy the other one to compare by myself.

 

[Advil]

Just got mine. Listened straight out of the box using my Macbook USB --> E17 --> line out --> Little Dot II++ and it was great but really lacking in the bass (more than expected). The detail was just insane though holy crap. I've wanted K701's for several years now so I'm very excited for these in their stead. Burning in with pink noise now and I have new tubes on the way for my amp. As much as I don't want to buy another amp, if I can't get any bass out of it I might get an O2 amp since it's only ~100 bucks used.
 

 

[Chris J]

Just got mine. Listened straight out of the box using my Macbook USB --> E17 --> line out --> Little Dot II++ and it was great but really lacking in the bass (more than expected). The detail was just insane though holy crap. I've wanted K701's for several years now so I'm very excited for these in their stead. Burning in with pink noise now and I have new tubes on the way for my amp. As much as I don't want to buy another amp, if I can't get any bass out of it I might get an O2 amp since it's only ~100 bucks used.

Hey,
O2 won't give you more bass.
Try using an EQ.
Or the bass control in your E17.

 

[derbigpr]

Quote:

Hey,
O2 won't give you more bass.
Try using an EQ.
Or the bass control in your E17.

 
 
Yea O2 will probably give him less bass than LDII.