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So the topic today is the Akg K701: A headphone I've not enjoyed and found hard to tolerate under the best conditions for 99 percent of the time. I forgot to mention, today appears to be the anniversary of our marriage.
You ask why? Let's start by giving a little background.
3 years ago to this date, I was a student-on-a-budget venturing audiophile. When I finally found my will, I set down 300 dollars for the investment. It was with great doubt that I perceived audio at the time, I didn't believe anything over 300 for a headphone could be justified. Surely the differences from 300-1000 were slim? So it was with a heavy heart (full of yielding expectation) that I researched the forums for the best can I could possibly buy. Forget sources and amps, I was inclined to believe that so long as I had an end-game headphone, everything else would eventually fit the picture. Plus, how bad could a 300 dollar can sound from my Ipod?
Well after a few days I could wait no longer. By all reads it looked like the k701 was the one for me. I might add that the k701 was a FOTM at that time. All the reviews I found lusted over its massive soundstage, clarity, presence, and compared it to giants out of my range. I figured why the hell not? I didn't care much for audiophile terminology such as efficiency or resolution back then. A week later, the k701 arrived in a brilliant black box, foreshadowing doom. Inside, the letters greeted me with "Expect...Greatness". Holy balls was I excited when I immediately plugged it in via laptop. You all remember your first time? Well forget burn-in and high-quality recordings, I was up and running with the best youtube video ever, straight out of the 3.5 jack. Well after cranking the volume up to 99, I figured that the sound coming from the k701 was extremely weak, ethereal, and lacking major low-end. Stupefied, I gave the cans to my uncle for an audition. He thought they were "good" after I told him how much I spent. Well a little research later [and a bit of a heart-ache], I purchased a rolls ha43 reference amp [Yes, reference for 40 dollars, go figure] to temporarily drive these power-hungry white demons. Meanwhile I also received the Grado sr60 as a gift. And you know what? Despite my girlfriend at the time complimenting the k701, I preferred the sr60. Honestly, I couldn't tell a difference between the sound of the two. Don't get me wrong, The k701 was driven pretty loud with quite a bit of power from the little amp.
Well eventually the k701 was stashed in my room for a good period of a year or so, until I finally sold them. Just couldn't get over the strange almost artificial-like sound. They were either all treble from a DAP, or not nearly impressive from my new m^3 amp.
Every time I encountered a k701 thread, I couldn't help but shake my head. Where was the unearthly massive soundstage? The details and separation rivaling the sa5000 and k1000? The extended sub-bass and rich vocals?
Fast forward to this month, after a long audio journey in between. Where I've tried just about every high-end iem on the planet and listened to even the best electrostats. In the house I've got a Stax sr507 and a Rwa Isabellina plus 3 pairs of Custom iems.
I decided it was worth an effort to start splurging on mid-fi dynamic cans again.
Well after trading a pair of Ultrasone 750s to |Joker|, I once again found myself unwrapping a k701, this time with a different looking box. How bad can a [now $200] ex-flagship can sound out of my newly acquired music streamer/ o2 combo?
Haha, wasn't too impressed honestly. I felt as if the shivers-down-your-spine feeling was non-existent. The bass quantity and extension was much better than I remembered though. However, details and treble were average. Somehow they came across as smooth and slightly warmish, with a loss in resolution. Further listening revealed that the timbre of wind instruments sounded wrong, and strings were lost in transition. I make it sound as if the k701 is bad. Not so, I just felt they were boring to me, and not great for certain genres. They still had great potential though, I felt as if they could be improved.
Well here's the thing, I find myself unable to take them off now. Quite literally. Maybe not quite. But they sound amazing. Wait what? How is this possible? I'm telling you right now to go pick-up a pair for the street prices they're going for. So long as you have a decent amp/source, it's a steal.
Let me explain. First, I popped the earpads off, a fully-reversible action involving a counter-clock wise twist. This exposed the drivers and doughnut shaped foam insulators that rests on them. These had to go, I figured they had a significant impact on the sound. When the cans are properly driven, the foam over the drivers adds mid-bass and reduces the highs. Once off, I finally realized the soundstage I was missing. These are unbelievably open, the cans act as ear-speakers. I would even go as far as to say that the k701 are only a small step down in terms of transient response + soundstage from entry electrostats. They're more open than the hd800s!
I also reversed/rotated the pads (Which have an elevated side), decided to swap on a pair of k501/ k601 pads lying around, and replaced the foam with translucent micro film. And had them on afterwards.
It's almost incomprehensible how the k701 changed, break-down on the sound signature to come as I get more head-time with them. Do yourself a favor and try a pair.
Give them another chance! They just might impress you as they did on our anniversary.
You ask why? Let's start by giving a little background.
3 years ago to this date, I was a student-on-a-budget venturing audiophile. When I finally found my will, I set down 300 dollars for the investment. It was with great doubt that I perceived audio at the time, I didn't believe anything over 300 for a headphone could be justified. Surely the differences from 300-1000 were slim? So it was with a heavy heart (full of yielding expectation) that I researched the forums for the best can I could possibly buy. Forget sources and amps, I was inclined to believe that so long as I had an end-game headphone, everything else would eventually fit the picture. Plus, how bad could a 300 dollar can sound from my Ipod?
Well after a few days I could wait no longer. By all reads it looked like the k701 was the one for me. I might add that the k701 was a FOTM at that time. All the reviews I found lusted over its massive soundstage, clarity, presence, and compared it to giants out of my range. I figured why the hell not? I didn't care much for audiophile terminology such as efficiency or resolution back then. A week later, the k701 arrived in a brilliant black box, foreshadowing doom. Inside, the letters greeted me with "Expect...Greatness". Holy balls was I excited when I immediately plugged it in via laptop. You all remember your first time? Well forget burn-in and high-quality recordings, I was up and running with the best youtube video ever, straight out of the 3.5 jack. Well after cranking the volume up to 99, I figured that the sound coming from the k701 was extremely weak, ethereal, and lacking major low-end. Stupefied, I gave the cans to my uncle for an audition. He thought they were "good" after I told him how much I spent. Well a little research later [and a bit of a heart-ache], I purchased a rolls ha43 reference amp [Yes, reference for 40 dollars, go figure] to temporarily drive these power-hungry white demons. Meanwhile I also received the Grado sr60 as a gift. And you know what? Despite my girlfriend at the time complimenting the k701, I preferred the sr60. Honestly, I couldn't tell a difference between the sound of the two. Don't get me wrong, The k701 was driven pretty loud with quite a bit of power from the little amp.
Well eventually the k701 was stashed in my room for a good period of a year or so, until I finally sold them. Just couldn't get over the strange almost artificial-like sound. They were either all treble from a DAP, or not nearly impressive from my new m^3 amp.
Every time I encountered a k701 thread, I couldn't help but shake my head. Where was the unearthly massive soundstage? The details and separation rivaling the sa5000 and k1000? The extended sub-bass and rich vocals?
Fast forward to this month, after a long audio journey in between. Where I've tried just about every high-end iem on the planet and listened to even the best electrostats. In the house I've got a Stax sr507 and a Rwa Isabellina plus 3 pairs of Custom iems.
I decided it was worth an effort to start splurging on mid-fi dynamic cans again.
Well after trading a pair of Ultrasone 750s to |Joker|, I once again found myself unwrapping a k701, this time with a different looking box. How bad can a [now $200] ex-flagship can sound out of my newly acquired music streamer/ o2 combo?
Haha, wasn't too impressed honestly. I felt as if the shivers-down-your-spine feeling was non-existent. The bass quantity and extension was much better than I remembered though. However, details and treble were average. Somehow they came across as smooth and slightly warmish, with a loss in resolution. Further listening revealed that the timbre of wind instruments sounded wrong, and strings were lost in transition. I make it sound as if the k701 is bad. Not so, I just felt they were boring to me, and not great for certain genres. They still had great potential though, I felt as if they could be improved.
Well here's the thing, I find myself unable to take them off now. Quite literally. Maybe not quite. But they sound amazing. Wait what? How is this possible? I'm telling you right now to go pick-up a pair for the street prices they're going for. So long as you have a decent amp/source, it's a steal.
Let me explain. First, I popped the earpads off, a fully-reversible action involving a counter-clock wise twist. This exposed the drivers and doughnut shaped foam insulators that rests on them. These had to go, I figured they had a significant impact on the sound. When the cans are properly driven, the foam over the drivers adds mid-bass and reduces the highs. Once off, I finally realized the soundstage I was missing. These are unbelievably open, the cans act as ear-speakers. I would even go as far as to say that the k701 are only a small step down in terms of transient response + soundstage from entry electrostats. They're more open than the hd800s!
I also reversed/rotated the pads (Which have an elevated side), decided to swap on a pair of k501/ k601 pads lying around, and replaced the foam with translucent micro film. And had them on afterwards.
It's almost incomprehensible how the k701 changed, break-down on the sound signature to come as I get more head-time with them. Do yourself a favor and try a pair.
Give them another chance! They just might impress you as they did on our anniversary.
