AKG 701 in Stereophile August Wes Philips

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans the cyborgenetic implant ones they build in your ear to match exactly however there are some, um . . . drawbacks . . . . unless of course you do not object to thought-farming

haha - but then what would we talk about on headfi?

I think what Mercuttio and I are saying is enjoy your music, you aren't missing much and can secure your wallet.... for now.

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 haha - but then what would we talk about on headfi? I think what Mercuttio and I are saying is enjoy your music, you aren't missing much and can secure your wallet.... for now.

Yup! That's what I was getting at.

Sometimes I think back and realize that I was enjoying music on my first pair of iPod earbuds too... and I look at my bank statement...

I think I black out after that, because I wake up hours later remembering nothing with Grados on my head.

 

[Svperstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio Scary good bass to me is both correct tone (no one note) with texture that actually physically feels like it's moving my earbuds. Oh, and it can't overpower the rest of the spectrum. It needs to be controlled. Needless to say, I don't know too many headphones that have "scary good" bass.

SA5000 matches that perfectly

 

[mysticaldodo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatsudaMan Dude, well said! When it comes to reviewing new stuff, I think Wes Phillips has a lack of short term memory. Every product he reviews is his new best yet. That goes for most of the reviews in Stereophile. What a worthless magazine. IMO, most British Hi-fi reviews are much more level headed and judicious.

Care to list examples?



I'm still astounded by what he said about HD 650 being analytical. Did he list down what amp and source did he used to drive the 650? Were they the same ones used to drive the 701 too?

 

[MatsudaMan]

Quote:

Originally posted by mysticaldodo Care to list examples?

Not really. I used to read Stereophile. Now I read Hi-Fi Choice, What Hi-Fi and some others. It's really obvious that British reviewers are much tougher and more critical of the products that the review. Stereophile has an orgasm all over pretty much everything they review. Giving examples would be tedious and boring.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatsudaMan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not really. I used to read Stereophile. Now I read Hi-Fi Choice, What Hi-Fi and some others. It's really obvious that British reviewers are much tougher and more critical of the products that the review.

Right. Hi-Fi News has the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 above the GS1000 and HD650

I think the British Hi-fi mags review a lot of crap that justify the bad reviews. Stereophile and TAS tend to review things because they are good.

Actually, I revived this thread because I got the K701 last week and the bass is pretty awesome. Quick, even, dynamic and tuneful. Haven't got them fully "broken in" yet but they already kill the HD650 in every department, except the top but that's on it's way soon.

 

[pataburd]

IMHE the K701's bass indeed goes deeper, is controlled better and sounds more realistic than the HD650's

 

[donunus]

anybody have a link to sam telligs review of the ad700 by the way?

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif IMHE the K701's bass indeed goes deeper, is controlled better and sounds more realistic than the HD650's

Uh-huh. Exactly. What the K701s don't have is "slam" - something you don't hear live. I think that's why Wes found the K701s bass to be awesome. They go very deep accurately.

 

[JC_Denton]

^^
I also agree about that. The bass is tight, deep, controlled and proper. Not the typical boomy bassheady thing

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donunus /img/forum/go_quote.gif anybody have a link to sam telligs review of the ad700 by the way?

I don't recall him reviewing those.

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, those kinds of statements make it sound like an add. Stereophile is right up there with the New York Times as far as credibility, but it's a fun read anyway. (I might need a flame suit for this) "scary good bass" OMG IMHO the "bar" was established with the K-1000 and they haven't matched that yet. But I'm glad heaphones are getting some press anyway.

I canceled my subscription to Stereophile years ago. But I agree that the K701 have great bass, especially so with te RAL recable. I'm under the impression that lots of folks confuse "bass" with "bass boost."

 

[JMCIII]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beagle /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't recall him reviewing those.

It's in the latest issue (June I believe). Compares them to his K701s.

 

[Lenni]

Apr 08
The AKG 701 is a large, open-back, circumaural, dynamic
design with a neodymium magnet system. It features
wire frames, a leather headband, white porcelain-like
rims and motor housing, and extremely comfortable,
velvety ear pads that make “a dashing retro-futuristic
fashion statement.” While the K 701s were not exceedingly
difficult to drive, a headphone amp is recommended.
The K 701s coupled an unmatched sparkle and
life in the high frequencies with a full bottom end for
a truthful, involving sound that defied simple background
listening. WP: “The AKG 701s have raised the
bar for natural-sounding headphones.” Sam’s reference
phones: “Why mess around with speakers costing tens
of thousands of dollars when you can have this?” he
asks, summing up “Beautiful to look at, comfortable to
wear. Worth every Pfenig!” JM agreed: “The 701s exhibited
clarity and detail in abundance, as well as bass that
was powerful and well defined.” “A bit forward-sounding,”
warns MF, however. Stereophile’s 2006 “Joint
Accessory.” (Vol.29 No.8, Vol.30 No.12 WWW)

May 08

conclusion part of his three pages long review of the Ultimate Ears UE-11 Pro:

Are they the “best”? I still love the AKG-701 circumaural headphones, and if I listened only at home, they’d undoubtedly get my vote for “Best Headphones.” But they don’t mask external noise, and I can’t see myself flying with them and the portable amp it would take to drive them. The UE- 11 Pros’ size and 26dB reduction in environmental noise make them my current favorite traveling headphone. The UE-11 Pros are so good that I’m tempted to say, That’s it—no more head- phone reviews for me. But then I think, Well, if someone can make a better in-ear headphone, wouldn’t I want to hear it? Of course I would. Until then, I’ll “settle” for the Ultimate Ears UE-11 Pros. They’re the current champions.

ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENTS
HEADPHONE AMPLIFIERS: Head- Room Micro, Ray Samuels Emmeline The Hornet & Emmeline The Toma- hawk. —Wes Phillips

 

[donunus]

What about June 2008 on the ad700?