[KyPeN]

I've never made my love of the Grado line too cryptic. I loved my MS-1s, my 325is, and I now love my RS-2s. I can only imagine upgrading to the HP-2s or PS-1s.

I decided I wanted a pair of cans to compliment my RS-2s that would also go well with my Gilmore since I have no intentions of upgrading it for some time. I had a pair of Sennheiser HD-580s, but couldn't enjoy them. I happen to be one of the school who can't get by the "veil," so to speak. I found myself going back to my Grados, even for orchestrated and other various non-rock/metal pieces. So, I sold them.

Enter AKG. I heard these on a B-52 with a Binaural recording at a local meet. I loved the sound. I heard the same setup with a pair of HD-650s and was bored to tears. How can Senn's flagship sound so empty and lifeless? But the K701 sounded, to me, exactly, like a pair of Sennheisers should. So, I saved and browsed the FS forums. And, they arrived today and I just got back to the appartment to make a quick listen.

Holy....freakin....GOD. They are everything I wanted and more. Comfortable, good looking, and, oh yeah, sound exactly like what I was hoping they would from my system. Listening to the Pirates of the Carribean 2 soundtrack (Hanz Zimmer), the instrumental separation and soundstage with the clarity I was looking for in orchestrated pieces was exactly what I was hoping for. Combine this with the huge stage live performances like Friday Night in San Francisco (John McLaughlin, Paco de Lucia, and Al Di Meola) and the perfect punch for hip-hop/rap adn I have the perfect pair to encompass all music I listen to. This really allows me to enjoy a lot more of the music I listen to with the sound I was looking for. I'm part of a new school:

Grado for rock/metal (75-80% of my listening habits)
AKG for the rest

If people really want, I can post more impressions, but in the meantime, I'll be enjoying the sound. Thanks guys!

 

[F107plus5]

Congrats on your find! That's the beauty of this hobby, and the fact that we don't all hear the same. I am happy with my MS2i and HD600, you are happy with your RS-2 and K701.

I am happy that we are both happy!

....and yes; more impressions are always welcomed!

 

[Blackmore]

Because of your RS2 love, it do not surprise me that you never liked HD650, same here.
I have tried AKG K701 once and wasn't impressed, but doesn't mean that they are bad or something. I found my peace with GS1 for now, but still miss my lovely RS2 quite a bit

Congrats

 

[Hi-Finthen]

Nice review~

Hey congrats on finding the phone with which to complement your fulll spectrum listening pleasure

I too simply love having the bases covered between my RS-2s and k701s as complements and will even stray between generes with the both sucessfully simply for the change up and variety... Really freshens up those favorite tunes of mine I know so well, and for so long

These k701s present a perfect balance revealing a smooth all important midrange with clarity and detail with the ability to be listened to pleasingly for hours long listening sessions

P.S. the k701s WIDE soundstage adds to their being a strong compliment to our Grados... Sorta like a Les Paul vs Stratocaster contrast even...

Enjoy~

 

[geardoc]

Yea, RSx's for jamming with the band, K701 for a seat in the orchestral performance, and HD650's for a table in the dark and smoky jazz club.

 

[botching]

I put up my relatively new (around just 50 hours i think)k701 for sale thinking it was not for me. Then ,I let it burn for 5 days on 24/7 music playing with some deep weighty bass. On the 6th day a friend bought it. Before he took it away we both listened to it. Wow! dramatic transformation from the sound of a new k701.
He did not go home with the k701. I begged him no to take it away. Well friendship meant something to him so he went home with no k701 but at least with at full stomach ( i treated him to a veny nice meal in lieu of the k701)
these K701 are great sounding phones and a great all rounder!
I think they're for keeps and completely agree that theyre really nice phones!

 

[fordgtlover]

Nice find. I too recently found the joy of the K701, but I find it suitable for all my listening.

 

[skai]

hi what good amp goes well with k701?

 

[ecclesand]

I too went from the 325i to the K701/Headfive combo and couldn't be happier! I pretty much use the K701 for all my listening needs now!

 

[oxymoron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by botching /img/forum/go_quote.gif I put up my relatively new (around just 50 hours i think)k701 for sale thinking it was not for me. Then ,I let it burn for 5 days on 24/7 music playing with some deep weighty bass. On the 6th day a friend bought it. Before he took it away we both listened to it. Wow! dramatic transformation from the sound of a new k701. He did not go home with the k701. I begged him no to take it away. Well friendship meant something to him so he went home with no k701 but at least with at full stomach ( i treated him to a veny nice meal in lieu of the k701) these K701 are great sounding phones and a great all rounder! I think they're for keeps and completely agree that theyre really nice phones!

Same here! On day two I took pictures and wrote the text for the ad (craigslist and canuckaudiomart in my pre-50-messages-on-head-fi days). After reading some comments here, I let it the k701's break-in with pink noise for about three days. Listened to the result and never posted the ad.

Hey, OP, thanks for your review. Reading the subject line, I thought you as a Grado user would HATE the AKG sound. I guess this shows my ignorance of Grados beyond the SR-60. I'll give them another listen.

 

[Morph201]

The K701s are excellent cans, you just need the patience to see it through the burn in process.. as far as HD650s, well depending on needs, you'll have to "recable" them (along with proper amplification like all good cans) to bring them outta their shell...

I found "voices" on the K701 to seem "eerily" REAL! There were a couple of jazz tracks I had where the artists were talking and it sounded like they were RIGHT IN THE ROOM WITH ME! Crystal clear!! Honestly I think those cans are great stock!

 

[nibiyabi]

Maybe the K701 is finally settling back to normal -- been wallowing in the post-FOTM depression for quite a few months, but I guess it has been getting better recently. I did see quite a few at HeadFest.

 

[GlendaleViper]

Glad you're enjoying them. Wow, your thread title seems to have really brought the Grado/K701 complementists out of the woodwork eh?

Grados for rock/metal (70-80%)

AKG for the rest

 

[kramer5150]

x2... Im also a fan of the K701. (edit... and a Grado user too)

You're using the entech 203 as source?... thats cool. IMHO the 701 is a great can for mid-fi enthusiasts because it sounds good with the right mid-fi source/amp, yet it can scale up very well with the highest of high end balanced gear too.

They were ALL over the place at headfest, so I dont think I'm alone in this assessment.

 

[jinp6301]

i love how we hear differently.

I'm a grado lover and I hated the K701s out of a Corda Aria, but I loved the hd580s out of it.