[ObeyurMaster]

I just got my K550s yesterday and I like them thus far. They are really good cans overall, I think.
 
 
Quote:

Thank you Harman for ruining an amazing company, again.

 
I am puzzled at such sentiments which a lot of fellow head-fiers seem to have. Of course, I don't know much about AKG's background but the K550s seem like great cans, getting pretty good reviews around. Isn't that a step in the right direction for Harman owned AKG? Just wondering....

 
 

 

[CantScareMe]

check on Wikipedia about harmon and akg. 2 minute research. they've owned akg for nearly 20 years. If someone wanted to suck dry a boutique audio company after taking over, it wouldn't have taken them 20 years.

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

check on Wikipedia about harmon and akg. 2 minute research. they've owned akg for nearly 20 years. If someone wanted to suck dry a boutique audio company after taking over, it wouldn't have taken them 20 years.

20 years ago was pretty much when they stopped making interesting and unconventional designs like they used to.

 

[WilfredCp]

I've just read all 76 pages of this thread and I still feel none the wiser about whether i should buy the k550s (crazy i know but it was pretty interesting).So for a budget of under £300 what full sized headphones would people recommend? Can be closed or open (doesn't matter). Important thing is my dac/amp is bright (sometimes painfull sibilance) so headphones can't be bright. HD650 seems to be my best bet?

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

I am puzzled at such sentiments which a lot of fellow head-fiers seem to have. Of course, I don't know much about AKG's background but the K550s seem like great cans, getting pretty good reviews around. Isn't that a step in the right direction for Harman owned AKG? Just wondering....

 
 

The issue is simple - for a company with a long and distinguished history, and one which gave the community something as outrageous as the K1000, the AKG of the last decade or two hasn't kicked a whole lot of goals. I'm not denying that they have some good products, but tweaking the K701 drivers and painting the housing lime green isn't exactly earth-shattering innovation. Do you really equate Harman with high-quality audio ? 
 
If Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic were able to invest in new flagships post the K701/HD650/DT880 era, why not AKG ? 
 

 

[idletime1213]

IMO the K3003 is every bit a flagship product, and performs like one as well. Though people might dismiss it since it's a universal IEM.

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

IMO the K3003 is every bit a flagship product, and performs like one as well. Though people might dismiss it since it's a universal IEM.

That's the glimmer of hope for a change in direction but with ~20 years since they had some sort of flagship or statement product it's long overdue.
 
I really do hope it is a sign of things to come though.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

IMO the K3003 is every bit a flagship product, and performs like one as well. Though people might dismiss it since it's a universal IEM.

The price certainly puts it in that category, but why have they trod water for so long with a successor to the K701 ? I'm not advocating change-for-the-sake-of-change, but the Quincy Jones thing was pure marketing. Dont get me wrong - I'd love to hear the K3003 - but I do have a personal bias toward fullsize cans.   
 

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

The price certainly puts it in that category, but why have they trod water for so long with a successor to the K701 ? I'm not advocating change-for-the-sake-of-change, but the Quincy Jones thing was pure marketing. Dont get me wrong - I'd love to hear the K3003 - but I do have a personal bias toward fullsize cans.   
 

Sounds like you should do your research or actually listen to them. Once you've done this, you'll find they're not the same and not just marketing.
Yes, it's probably true about the lower end Quincy Jones stuff, but not with the Q701.
 
There's about 4 or 5 people now who have owned both and found them much different.
 
I'm glad AKG made a slight revision to the K702 and released the Q701. Same price or cheaper too.
 

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

Sounds like you should do your research or actually listen to them. Once you've done this, you'll find they're not the same and not just marketing.
Yes, it's probably true about the lower end Quincy Jones stuff, but not with the Q701.
 
There's about 4 or 5 people now who have owned both and found them much different.
 
I'm glad AKG made a slight revision to the K702 and released the Q701. Same price or cheaper too.

So in other words its only 99% marketing...

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

The price certainly puts it in that category, but why have they trod water for so long with a successor to the K701 ? I'm not advocating change-for-the-sake-of-change, but the Quincy Jones thing was pure marketing. Dont get me wrong - I'd love to hear the K3003 - but I do have a personal bias toward fullsize cans.   
 

Have you listened to them?
 
Owners and reviews--by large percentages (if not nearly unanimously)--disagree with your assertion that the Q 701 is just a re-badged and colored K 701 or 702.  The Q 701's are warmer and have superior/stronger bass than the K's.
 

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

So in other words its only 99% marketing...

Are you putting words in my mouth? IMO the Q701 (I have) is about a 10-15% improvement over the K701/K702.
Had both of them, including the K702/K701 many times. I can't say it's a major change, but I'd gladly sell a K702 if I had it and get a Q701.
 
I would say it's enough for some who disliked the K702 to actually like the Q701. Possibly. I've found the Q701 to be even better than even the K501, K400 and K601.
I actually would take the K501/K601 over the K702, but not the K400.
 

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

Are you putting words in my mouth? IMO the Q701 (I have) is about a 10-15% improvement over the K701/K702.
Had both of them, including the K702/K701 many times. I can't say it's a major change, but I'd gladly sell a K702 if I had it and get a Q701.
 
I would say it's enough for some who disliked the K702 to actually like the Q701. Possibly. I've found the Q701 to be even better than even the K501, K400 and K601.
I actually would take the K501/K601 over the K702, but not the K400.

So AKG claims that they had Quincy Jones voice a headphone for them and that voicing sounds so close to a model they already make that all they have to do is slightly tweak that existing model?  This tweak also happens to by mere coincidence be a little more midbass which would also make it a more consumer friendly (i.e. marketable) sound.
 
Is anyone supposed to buy that?  If you do I've got an R10 I'll sell you for the low, low price of 2K and an Orpheus and HEV90 I'll sell you for just 7.5K.  Send PayPal too...
 

 
Seriously now.  Yes it sounds a little different.  Yes some people think its worthwhile upgrade.  Yes its still 99% marketing...

 

[Lorspeaker]

i am listening to a USD$250 Q701 right now thru a schiit LYR.... 
crazy gooooodsound for a midpriced setup. 
i dunno what the akghamonbashing is all about.

 
i dun miss/need a bigger soundstage of the Hd800
nor sprain my neck on a LCD,
or break my bank on an edition8/9/10

 
but of cos if i have wades of bills....
i would stock up every can of every brand.

 
Back to the K550....
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[KG Jag]

Quote:

So AKG claims that they had Quincy Jones voice a headphone for them and that voicing sounds so close to a model they already make that all they have to do is slightly tweak that existing model?  This tweak also happens to by mere coincidence be a little more midbass which would also make it a more consumer friendly (i.e. marketable) sound.
 
Is anyone supposed to buy that?  If you do I've got an R10 I'll sell you for the low, low price of 2K and an Orpheus and HEV90 I'll sell you for just 7.5K.  Send PayPal too...
 

 
Seriously now.  Yes it sounds a little different.  Yes some people think its worthwhile upgrade.  Yes its still 99% marketing...

Or maybe AKG listened to the criticisms of their K 701 & 702 and made changes that their customers wanted.  Good business, good marketing--and a better headphone for the same or less money.
 
Bottom line--you're free to vote with your money (including keeping it in your pocket), as are we with ours.