AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition

Great headphones. Seriously, I'm really impresed with the detailed and excellent natural balanced sound that this unit delivers.

I currently own the K712 pro and the K702 65th Anniversary Edition, and both are great, but I think the K702 AE is a little bit better. Although both models perform really similar, I found that the K712 has slightly more bass volume; but the K702 65th Anniversay Edition has a slightly more defined deep bass. The K702/65th also feel more airy and a little bit brighter (without being harsh) when compared to the K712, that would be because of the increased bass of the K712 I believe.
 
Very comfortable when sitting upright, but a bit loose when bending forward or looking down.

I'm not an expert, nor a collector, but the K705 65th Anniversary Edition are the best headphones I have own (Sennheiser HD600, AKG K701 and a lot others closed back). I'm using them to work on my home studio mixes and "masters" as well as to listen to music at home.

I purchased a used pair of AKG K702 65th Anniversary Review two months ago from the owner of VeritasBN. It was in great condition and I have been using it with FiiO E09K/E07K which was also bought from the same seller. They work great together. Throughout these two months, I have been using it for music listening, gaming and movie. What I am writing below is all belongs to my opinion and my thoughts on it after two months of using it.
 
Before I get started, I would like to mention that I am a “Midrange-Head” and was never a fan of over-emphasized bass. Just like bass-head, I prefer as much midrange as possible, preferably smooth, warm but not too muddy, and detailed mids. My favorite headphones include AKG K550, PSB M4U1, Sennheiser HD598. AKG K550 and PSB M4U1 for the timbre, neutral, sweet mids, wide soundstage in closed headphone and bass extends deep without over emphasis at any point of bass. Sennheiser HD598 for the warm and forward mids. I find the HD598 to have the perfect amount of bass too.
So here we go…
 
Accessories and packaging
 
I got these used, but it comes with the original box in perfect condition. It kind of reminds me of the Incase Pivot boxing; similar to Incase Sonic. It’s funny how more expensive headphones does not package as well as some of the consumer priced headphones, the Jabra Vox, for example. I don’t mind having all the pizza boxes [I mean, Grado boxing] for the AKG K702/65 though. The boxing does look good to me as well. It comes with a 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack converter and a 3m long cable. Other than that, nothing else, but that is all you need although some [including me] would prefer a carrying pouch in it.
 
Build quality
 
As far as build quality goes, my only concern was the cable.  It’s on the thin side or maybe I am just used to the thick Grado cable which prevents tangles. Both do not tangle as badly, but for the price of AKG K702/65, I would expect something of better quality. While the cable is detachable from the unit itself, it does take some effort to remove it. Other than the cable, I find the unit itself to be very sturdy. The earpads are made of memory foam and the headband cushion is removed vs the traditional AKG K701/2 for better comfort. While I can tell certain parts of the earcups are made of metal, there are certain part made of plastic, but for reference use, there’s really nothing to worry about.
Comfort and isolation
The first time I wore the AKG K702/65, I feel like the clamping force is clamping my lower jaw and it kind of annoys me at times. After a few days of using it, I find the clamping force to be vanished somehow. Very comfortable headphone even when wearing glasses.  Earpads are very soft though does stick around with dust easily, but easily removed as well. I like the fact that I do not need to adjust the headband to fit my head each time I put it over my head. It adjusts to my head automatically and good thing it does not add too much weight to my head as well, it does feel like I am still wearing a headphone but it’s not at all heavy. I can easily wear these for one whole afternoon while I’m doing my gaming, homework or head-fying. My ears do not get warm while wearing it under room temperature, which I find a good add. If anything, I find the earcups to be super huge like the AKG K550. Extremely comfortable, but I have heard people preferring the MA900 lightweight design over AKG K702/65.
 
As a semi-closed/open headphone, I find the AKG K702/65 to isolates “okay”.
 
Sound
 
When it comes to its sound quality, I have given these about 300 hours of use [not sure about the previous owner] which I find it more than enough for typical AKG headphones and to say the least, I am very satisfied with it. It plays everything well, but master at none. It’s a great pair of headphone for all-in-one use at home. It does not get affected by the damping factor like some headphones do thus, it will suit any home audio equipment. I do recommend pairing it with something powerful. The AKG K702/65 is by no mean hard to drive, in fact, I can drive it straight out of my iPhone 4/iPad 2 to my listen volume at around 50% of maximum volume but they do scale better with more power.
 
The bass hits when called with the right amount of bass. It goes deep for a semi-closed headphone but it’s no competition when put next to Momentum whose bass extends deeper. I do prefer AKG K702/65 tighter bass though. It is warmer and fuller in body than the AKG K550 but if you were to put the Philips X1 next to it, the AKG K702/65 may sound thin but cleaner and less muddy sounding.
 
If the bass is K702/65’s weakest point, the mid would be its strength. Very detailed and smooth sounding. I have heard people saying that the K701/2 midrange sound “plastic” but to my ears, I do not find it so in the AKG K702/65. I find the midrange to be really nice, very musical and spacious sounding. It may not have the most natural timbre nor is it the most transparent headphone but the midrange is definitely something worth listening to after turning down the upper mids.
 
The highs do not sound harsh at all instead, it’s very clean sounding like the AKG K550 that I love a lot except for the lack of body but nothing EQ and a warm pair of amp won’t fix. There is some treble spike here, but it does not affect most of the music I listen to. Overall, a pretty forgiving headphone but things sound muffled with compressed files.
 
Another thing I like about the AKG K702/65 is its wide and deep soundstage and excellent imaging. This makes it great for movie and gaming. Everything feels more alive.
 
Amping
 
It is ideal to pair it with a tube amp or at least, something warm and powerful as in my opinion, the better you feed it, the better they perform!
 
Conclusion
 
Unless I have around $500 just for buying a pair of headphone, I don’t think I will be giving these up. If you can find these at around $300 or the K712 for a little bit more than $300, it is definitely worth considering, but if you wanted something warm and bassy with great sound resolution, I suggest looking into the X1 if you do not mind the less musical and spacious sounding mids.

I bought these awhile back to mainly use for gaming and music on my pc. This is my first set of "real" headphones so my opinion on here is probably is probably not as valid as others but i will say i absolutely love this set of cans. I came from owning gamer headphones like the steelseries 7h and sennheiser pc 363d because i really just didnt know any better. I finally started to move away from gaming but i still wanted something i could use for gaming occassionally but for my main use to be music. I started to do some research online and decided to take the dive and purchased these headphones on amazon for 350$ and i can say it was money well spent. Im not gonna get into all the technical terms that everyone uses on here.. but my music collection sounds great. I dont find the bass lacking at all.. but to be just right. I paired this with an O2+ODAC and that makes these headphones sound amazing. I often thought about buying the hd600 and i might someday.. but these have been seriously awesome everyday use headphones. Im always showing off songs through these things to my roommates and they get a huge grin on their face. On a side note.. these things are incredibly comfortable. I love how they dont clamp onto your head.. but just kind of rest there. Its seriously like putting your head between two pillows. I highly recommend these headphones!
 
Music I listen to:
radiohead, daft punk, strokes, young the giant, muse, lindsey stirling, eddie vedder

Compared to Q701:
(most of this has already been mentioned in other reviews)
 

1. More forward sounding and upfront, except for upper mids (and most female vocals)
2. Warmer and fuller sounding than Q701, but not by much. Sounds slightly more muffled and not as clear.
3. Imaging seems better. I think my brain is just fooled due to flat pads and a warmer sound signature.
4. Way less treble and upper mids took a nose drive.
5. Sounds darker than MY HD-650. Weird.
6. Soundstage seems much smaller and the sound is definitely less airy.
7. The deal killer for me is that most female vocals often sound much more distant.
8. Q701 sounds more balanced to me. So does my HD-650(!)
9. More forward lower mids than the Q701.

1. Less engaging for me with my music collection. Maybe i'm an upper mids and treble addict.
2. Not that much more bass. A little more mid-bass, but that's about it. Any difference in low-bass is barely audible by my ears.
3. I wish AKG could find a way to create that extra fullness but retain the Q701's upper mids.
4. Sounds hard to believe, but SOME subtle background details are easier to spot on the Annie. I think due to the more forward sound and flat pads.
5. Sounds almost more like a closed headphone.
6. Sorry, but it's no HD-650 killer. HD-650 sounds better to me than the Annie, but not the Q701.
7. Perfect for gaming.
8. Seems to be louder at the same volume levels than the Q701.

 
NOTE: All depends on preferences. You'll prefer the K702, Q701 or K702 Anniversary. I think the Q701 sounds the best (for me).
I do use the Anniversary for gaming. I hate to admit it, but for music it generally bores me. I do like it more and more everyday, but i've used it since maybe April.
 
BTW if you want to save some money get a Q701 and some K702 65th Anniversary pads. Same thing.
 
Hopefully AKG doesn't charge a fortune for the K712 Pro. Hopefully it will show up on Amazon for around $350, but unlikely.

UPDATE: I made a few updates after comparing the Annies to other headphones in the my collection, and running them on my Maverick Audio A1 hybrid amp.
 
The K702 "Annies" are basically the sonic precursor to the K712 Pros, which just rolled off the assembly line. Think of them as a Quincy Jones Q701 but with squishier ear pads, no headband bumps, softer, less sibilant highs, a little more mid bass, more intimate vocals, and a thicker sound. Instruments don't quite float in the air like they do with the Q701, but to me, the less bright highs and non-aggressive upper mids make them easier to listen to for longer periods of time, and surprisingly make them a bit easier to pick out nuances due to a less distracting bright treble.
 
The bass is definitely there, though not as much as the K240 Studios/MKIIs, and does't really have much physical slam. The Annies still have that fast (compared to some dark Sennheisers) sound, natural mids and vocals which I love about AKGs. They are a little thicker sounding than the Q701s. Take note that they aren't very strong in the sub bass, or with synthesized bass. They don't like synthesized bass, unlike the K240s, which slam equally hard with synthed bass as instrumental bass. But they are great at reproducing well defined bass from drums, upright basses and bass guitars so they do a good job with more instrumental hip-hop like The Roots and Q-Tip. Overall though, the Annies don't have much bass slam at all.
 
For the price, they are great headphones that take a good middle ground between dark, laid back Sennheisers, and analytical, lean, but musical AKGs like the Q701 and K702. After owning them for a number of months and using them on different amps, however, I am come to the conclusion that the K702 Annies are a dark, analytical, but NOT a warm headphone. So don't expect any foot tapping action with them. They are meant for relaxed, dark, analytical (maybe this word has become trite by now) long term, late night listening, which makes up maybe about 30 percent of my listening. When I say the K702 Annies are still a K7-series, I mean that they are still somewhat dry, not very warm, lean, picky with amps and systems, but in this case, thicker and darker headphones rather than slightly bright, extra lean, quick and airy K7's (Q701s, K701, normal K702s). I have pretty much found out I am more of a warmth and energetic headphone sort of person (Beyerdynamic DT990 and AKG K240), so these are a bit dry and rolled up for my tastes. Still, for the right person, the K702 Annies are magical.

Build Quality
These are built very much the same as the previous K701, K702, and Q701. Lots of rugged plastic, a leather headband, and velour pad. The removable cable seems to be slightly less thick than the previous iterations. Although I wouldn't be throwing these things around or using them outside, the combination of materials and assembly quality make for a very well built can. The only thing I have a problem with the elastic bands used to supply the tension and adjustability of the headband. As with all previous models, these will eventually become loose and frail and will need to be replaced down the line.
 
Comfort
These are the same comfortable headphones as any of the previous iterations were. They fit securely without having too much pressure on your head. The ear cups are large and fit completely around your ears.
 
There are really only two revisions on the Annies that affect the comfort. The first is the ear pads which now contain memory foam and have been made less deep. The memory foam is very soft and allows a much better seal over the standard K702 pads with tend to be a little stiff. The depth has been lessened as well and the angle has been removed for a pad that is now straight. I do find this particular change has my ears touching the drivers more now, but I don't find it to be uncomfortable.
 
The second revision that affects comfort is with the updated design of the headband. The previous iterations had headbands built with 7 or 8 bumps on the inside that were probably put there to act as cushioning. Although I never had a problem with this design on my standard K702, there are a large amount of people who considered these bumps the bane of their existence and created painful pressure points. The new headband removes these bumps and is completely flat which should address the major comfort issues many people had. For me, this revision is a lot more slight in terms of improvement.
 
Overall, the improvements on the Annie's design make for a great fitting headphone to be even more comfortable now.
 
Sound
The previous K701, K702, and Q701 are great sounding headphones that I would considering to be slightly bright with recessed lows. I would still considered them fairly balanced, but with maybe a slight emphasis on the highs. The entire signature of the K702 65th Anniversary has been pushed warmer and I would consider them to be even more balanced than the previous models.
 
The lows are the most affected frequency with the Annie. There is definitely a level of warmth and fullness you get in the bass that you don't get with the standard K702. It adds to a generally more laid back and slow sound. The mids on the Annies are also pushed forward a little compared to the K702. They're slightly smoother and slightly heavier. The highs are darker and the treble has been pulled back slightly. The standard K702 had a very large soundstage and large separation. The Annie is still nicely detailed and positional accuracy is still good, but the revised warmth appears to have lessened that depth and separation.
 
As with others who have reviewed the K702 65th Anniversary, I can confirm that the sound signature changes are purely due to the revised memory foam ear pads. If you take any of those previous pads and place them onto the Annie, you get the previous signature. The same can be said for the opposite in that you can take the Annie pads and place them onto older revisions and you'll get the Annie signature.
 
Overall, the revisions on the Annie's sound are slight, but have made it a warmer, more laid back, slightly slower headphone that is better for all around use and is going to be more forgiving with poorly recorded or encoded media.
 
Conclusion
When you consider the price, comfort, and quality of sound, the K702 65th Anniversary Edition is a tremendous victory and great value. Considering it is a limited run headphone, you don't get much in the way of extras to make this package feel special (all that's included is a tiny booklet and a 3.5mm adapter). I imagine a lot of people will prefer the sound of the Annie over its previous iterations. For me, as good as this revised headphone is, I can't help but miss and prefer the excitement, speed, and sparkliness of the older signature. Because of this, I will be selling my standard K702, but not before purchasing a second set of non-memory foam ear pads which will essentially give me two distinct and great signatures.

So, I'm listening to the K702 65th Aniv cans, through the ECBA, and they're not bad. In fact, they're mostly the same as the regular Q/K701s, with a little more bass extension, less grain (likely better THD numbers), and cooler looks. They probably cherry-picked the best transducers and played with the foam in front of the baffle. No biggie. "Evolutionary, not revolutionary" is the phrase that comes to mind. Very solid cans and well worth the $350 I paid. Are they worth $500, which is the typical retail? Sure. There are many other big-name cans out there that are priced the same, or higher, that don't sound this good. So, why not? (Lower is better, of course.) I gave the K701s a 3.5 out of 5 stars, so these are a 4.