AKG K701 COMPETITIVE COMPARISONS

[kunalraiker]

I would suggest other K701/K702 owners to please post your opinions and comparisons with your other headphones,I've quoted some sentences from Tom Martin's review in AV Guide.




Assuming you are looking at the K702 as a reference headphone, my comments, below, may help to place the AKGs in context with respect to higher, lower, and similarly priced headphones:

* The Shure SRH840 is less expensive, and offers a similar sound (in terms of basic smoothness and level of information retreival) . The K702 is a bit more evenly balanced, but slightly less dynamic.
* The Grado 325is is similarly priced (on the street), but sounds rather different. The 325is has a mid-range emphasis that means it is less evenly balanced than the K702, but offers more micro-dynamic detail and macro-dynamic punch.
* The Sennheiser HD800 is substantially more expensive. It offers more micro-dynamic detail, deeper bass and similar smoothness. But the HD800 can sound a little uneven in the treble.

 

[donthuang]

Impression of K702 v.s. DT990(250ohms)

Highs: very close, K702 Sounds more sweet, DT990 sounds more delicate.

Mid:very different, K702 sounds pure and neutral, 990 sounds fantastic transparent and smooth

Bass: K702 sounds tight and fast, with very best texture, DT990 sounds just....more natural and effortless

Soundscape : K702 has more focus on image's body and weight,990 more focus on scape's layers and natural diffused feeling.

Dynamics : K702 has very good dynamic contrast ,very less dynamic compress, 990 has wider dynamic range and faster transient

 

[moonshake]

Interesting topic

* The K271 is less expensive, offers a similar sound with more dynamics, less soundstage, fuller mids but with less bass and highs extension in the freq spectrum. It´s a studio oriented HP, closed (with great isolation) and perhaps more sturdy for daily use. Confortable with velour pads but with more pressure in the head than the K701. Great closed partner of the K701 if you´re into AKG sound.

 

[netsky3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonshake /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting topic * The K271 is less expensive, offers a similar sound with more dynamics, less soundstage, fuller mids but with less bass and highs extension in the freq spectrum. It´s a studio oriented HP, closed (with great isolation) and perhaps more sturdy for daily use. Confortable with velour pads but with more pressure in the head than the K701. Great closed partner of the K701 if you´re into AKG sound.

IMO there's a large money differences between these cans to do a comparison the 701 should be better (much better, unfortunatly...

) than 271/241, or not??

 

[moonshake]

The K701 should and it is better than the K271, but it doesn´t do everything flawless. IMO mid bass, voices, snares and cymbals sound way more natural on the K271

 

[Region2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by netsky3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif IMO there's a large money differences between these cans to do a comparison the 701 should be better (much better, unfortunatly... ) than 271/241, or not??

How large is large? There's a much bigger price gap between the HD800 from the OP's example than there is between the K271 and the K701/2 in America. I've seen K702 go for like 250ish on Amazon and 170ish (avg) on J&R, B&H, etc.

 

[Happy Camper]

K701-Reading headphones

RS-1-Party headphones

I still prefer the 701s for most listening as the rig is set up for them. The RS-1s are rock.

Reading headphones- They are polite, open, detailed. You don't need the volume with a powerful amp to get the qualities from them. For acoustic, vocal, classical, 60-70s prog. rock These are my favorites.

Party headphones- You can't pay much attention to anything else. They are aggressive, V shaped coloration and can get harsh with some material in the high end. But they bring out the energy in rock, the passion in blues, the primeval need to toe tap to the music.

Both cover a good deal of ground and have convinced me not to try finding one hp that can do it all. You really do need different tools for different jobs. At least in the sub $500 budget.

 

[TheWuss]

happy camper - you changed your avatar. it's really throwing me off, man!

hahahaha.

 

[niranhopper]

I prefer the AKG K701 over the senn HD600 and RS1. Never found them lean in bass. Only issue with the K701 was that they were uncomfortable. I have sold the three headphones but the one that i miss the most is the K701. Now that i have upgraded to their predecessor the AKG K1000, i have no regrets as they are clearly better than the HD600/RS1 even when underpowered from the headphone out of the lavry DA10.

 

[Frank I]

I have the 701,840,1001, JVC RX900. I listen to the 701 the most because they are the best IMHO of all the ones I own. I love the 840 for their dynamic sound and use them mostly with vocals and for quiet listening. The 701 are the best for classical and jazz. The soundstage is much better. All good cans and sound diufferent.

 

[Stephen Murphy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Camper /img/forum/go_quote.gif K701-Reading headphones RS-1-Party headphones I still prefer the 701s for most listening as the rig is set up for them. The RS-1s are rock. Reading headphones- They are polite, open, detailed. You don't need the volume with a powerful amp to get the qualities from them. For acoustic, vocal, classical, 60-70s prog. rock These are my favorites. Party headphones- You can't pay much attention to anything else. They are aggressive, V shaped coloration and can get harsh with some material in the high end. But they bring out the energy in rock, the passion in blues, the primeval need to toe tap to the music. Both cover a good deal of ground and have convinced me not to try finding one hp that can do it all. You really do need different tools for different jobs. At least in the sub $500 budget.

By Reading Headphones, you seem to be saying the K701s are actually best at background music. But, why would you want to listen to any kind of music (including acoustic, vocal, classical, prog) if the presentation is void of energy, passion and rhythm? Unless one really is reading or at work, in which case they aren't listening anyway.

 

[Olimoronio]

LESS dynamic than the Shure's???

*shudders*

 

[Mochan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Murphy /img/forum/go_quote.gif By Reading Headphones, you seem to be saying the K701s are actually best at background music. But, why would you want to listen to any kind of music (including acoustic, vocal, classical, prog) if the presentation is void of energy, passion and rhythm? Unless one really is reading or at work, in which case they aren't listening anyway.

Did you just say the K701s are "void of energy, passion and rhythm?"

That makes absolutely no sense. I mean, how can a headphone lack "Rhythm?" What is that supposed to mean? Please explain.

 

[Stephen Murphy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mochan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you just say the K701s are "void of energy, passion and rhythm?" That makes absolutely no sense. I mean, how can a headphone lack "Rhythm?" What is that supposed to mean? Please explain.

That's kind of what I'm asking Happy Camper. He is saying there are different kinds of music, and for each type, you need the right tool (headphone) for the job. He says the Grados bring out the Energy, Passion and Rhythm (the primeval need to toe tap to the music) of rock and blues. He says the K701, on the other hand "are polite, open, detailed", so they are suited to classical and acoustic music.

But I am thinking I want Energy, Passion and Rhythm in my classical, acoustic and pretty much all music I can think of. I can't think of a situation where I wouldn't want those qualities there.

 

[Happy Camper]

I didn't say the K701s couldn't do those things. The RS-1 does those things better for me when I play those kinds of music.