[URNape2]

Hi all, recently picked up an almost new pair of Annies off eBay and was wondering how to tell if I have a first or second gen version?  The guy didn't have the box or any packaging, but the phones have 004955 on them if anyone knows what that means?  Thanks!

 

[elwappo99]

  Hi all, recently picked up an almost new pair of Annies off eBay and was wondering how to tell if I have a first or second gen version?  The guy didn't have the box or any packaging, but the phones have 004955 on them if anyone knows what that means?  Thanks!

 
 
So you're the one that got those! You have a later production pair.

 

[King of Pangaea]

  FR looks closer to the K712 than the K7XX, but %THD+Noise looks about the same as the K7XX. Go figure. I think mine has marginally better square wave response than the others though.

 My drivers aren't quite as perfectly matched as the K712 Tyll measured, but I think the Tyll's K712 may have been a review sample provided by AKG themselves, which could explain the exceptional driver matching. If you look at the K7XX, which was also sent in for measurement by another volunteer, the driver matching looks about on par with my Annies maybe even slightly worse.

I just got a pair of Massdrop 7XX.  I thought I was buying 702s but seller didn't list exactly that way.  Anyway, I've got them.  With all the reading I have been doing here I can't figure out where these Massdrop 7xx fit in the AKG 7series.  701 & 702 are the same can, just different earpads and replaceable cable.  702 made in Austria I guess while 7XX made in China.  What exactly is a 7XX?  Is it just a 702 made in China instead of Austria, or is there something else to it?
 
Does it really take 100+ hours to burn these suckers in?  I have about 30 hours on them now.
 
Amy clarification would be appreciated.
 
Thanks, Bill

 

[URNape2]

   
 
So you're the one that got those! You have a later production pair.

 
Haha, were you the son of a gun that bid them up at the last second?  I was so stoked watching that auction - thought I was gonna get away with a pair of Annie's for like $200! Lol.
 
How do you know the model corresponds to a later production?  And perhaps, the more important question: is that a good or a bad thing?  Difference in the pads or something, as I understand?

 

[elwappo99]

 

   
 
So you're the one that got those! You have a later production pair.

 
Haha, were you the son of a gun that bid them up at the last second?  I was so stoked watching that auction - thought I was gonna get away with a pair of Annie's for like $200! Lol.
 
How do you know the model corresponds to a later production?  And perhaps, the more important question: is that a good or a bad thing?  Difference in the pads or something, as I understand?

 
no no, not me. I wasn't bidding on it, just watching because I was curious on the price. 
 
The differences are pretty subtle and not necessarily a difference you would be able to tell unless you had two pairs sitting side by side. My units numbered 07XX was an early production. My number 24XX was a later production. 

 

[URNape2]

   
no no, not me. I wasn't bidding on it, just watching because I was curious on the price. 
 
The differences are pretty subtle and not necessarily a difference you would be able to tell unless you had two pairs sitting side by side. My units numbered 07XX was an early production. My number 24XX was a later production. 

 
Oh I see, haha.  Well I appreciate the clarification.  I imagine these are similar to the K712 Pro then.  Still searching for an AMP/DAC - might you have any recommendations in the $200-400 range?

 

[elwappo99]

 

   
no no, not me. I wasn't bidding on it, just watching because I was curious on the price. 
 
The differences are pretty subtle and not necessarily a difference you would be able to tell unless you had two pairs sitting side by side. My units numbered 07XX was an early production. My number 24XX was a later production. 

 
Oh I see, haha.  Well I appreciate the clarification.  I imagine these are similar to the K712 Pro then.  Still searching for an AMP/DAC - might you have any recommendations in the $200-400 range?

 
I think there's a lot of good options floating around, but I'm not really knowledgeable in that price range in terms of the latest and greatest. I really like the Schiit Vali with the AKG K712 line (it does have some drawbacks). Also the Matrix M-stage is a good all around unit. 
 
If you look through the old K701, K702 and K712 threads you should find plenty of talk on amplifiers. Sorry to redirect, but I don't like recommending stuff I haven't heard and I'm out of the market for that range amplifier.  DACs really are independent of the amplifier and headphone. That is, synergy and "matching" has more to do with the amplifier and headphone than with the headphone and DAC. Just get a decent DAC at a good price and you'll be set there 

 

[macro]

 
I just got a pair of Massdrop 7XX.  I thought I was buying 702s but seller didn't list exactly that way.  Anyway, I've got them.  With all the reading I have been doing here I can't figure out where these Massdrop 7xx fit in the AKG 7series.  701 & 702 are the same can, just different earpads and replaceable cable.  702 made in Austria I guess while 7XX made in China.  What exactly is a 7XX?  Is it just a 702 made in China instead of Austria, or is there something else to it?
 
Does it really take 100+ hours to burn these suckers in?  I have about 30 hours on them now.
 
Amy clarification would be appreciated.
 
Thanks, Bill

 
Hey, sorry for the delayed response. The K7XX was just a special release done through the Massdrop website for a discounted price. They appear to be extremely similar to the K702 Annie and the K712 Pro. I've only heard my K702 Annies, but others on these forums have confirmed that the sound signatures are indeed very similar with a few subtle differences. I don't think anybody but AKG themselves know exactly what the technical differences are. Judging by the measurements, I think it could even just be the driver variation from one unit to the next, but who knows. I'd personally say just go for whichever one you can get the best deal on or has the color scheme you like most.

 

[rwpritchett]

I've followed the Massdrop discussion for the K7XX drop for a while and IIRC someone looked up the part numbers and it breaks down like this:

K702 Annie and K7XX have the same part # for drivers, K712 Pro is a different part #.
K7XX and K712 Pro have the same part # for earpads, K702 Annie may or may not be different depending on early vs late serial #.
K702 Annie made in Austria, K7XX made in China, K712 Pro was initially made in Austria but now it's another European country that I can't recall.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[WillBright]

I've followed the Massdrop discussion for the K7XX drop for a while and IIRC someone looked up the part numbers and it breaks down like this:

K702 Annie and K7XX have the same part # for drivers, K712 Pro is a different part #.
K7XX and K712 Pro have the same part # for earpads, K702 Annie may or may not be different depending on early vs late serial #.
K702 Annie made in Austria, K7XX made in China, K712 Pro was initially made in Austria but now it's another European country that I can't recall.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 
Correct on the driver, correct on the earpads (K702 annie has the same earpads as well, some people got confused about the early vs late serial thing because AKG released a new render of the annie that looked like the earpads were more angled, just an optical illusion). 
 
K712 Pro was originally austria, now all the parts are made in china and assembled in europe. Because you know, the cost of european labour is justifiable expense 

 

[silverbox]

K712 Pro is actually cheaper than K7xx here in Australia. $329 vs $331 (EDIT: in Aus dollars). I bought the K7xx from Massdrop because apparently it has a bit more bass. 

 

[rwpritchett]

There is a Massdrop poll for color options for the K7XX. Some of them make the K7XX look just like the K702 Annie, black with blue accents. I hope they don't do that... I like the unique color combo of the K702 Annie in the K7-- lineup.




Boooooo! Thumbs Down!

 

[WillBright]

There is a Massdrop poll for color options for the K7XX. Some of them make the K7XX look just like the K702 Annie, black with blue accents. I hope they don't do that... I like the unique color combo of the K702 Annie in the K7-- lineup.




Boooooo! Thumbs Down!

 
Yea, don't worry, red accents won the poll. 

 

[elwappo99]

I've followed the Massdrop discussion for the K7XX drop for a while and IIRC someone looked up the part numbers and it breaks down like this:


K702 Annie and K7XX have the same part # for drivers, K712 Pro is a different part #.

K7XX and K712 Pro have the same part # for earpads, K702 Annie may or may not be different depending on early vs late serial #.

K702 Annie made in Austria, K7XX made in China, K712 Pro was initially made in Austria but now it's another European country that I can't recall.


Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Correct on the driver, correct on the earpads (K702 annie has the same earpads as well, some people got confused about the early vs late serial thing because AKG released a new render of the annie that looked like the earpads were more angled, just an optical illusion). 

K712 Pro was originally austria, now all the parts are made in china and assembled in europe. Because you know, the cost of european labour is justifiable expense :devil_face:

There was an actual difference in the pads in the early anniversary units, fyi

 

[WillBright]

There was an actual difference in the pads in the early anniversary units, fyi

 
I'll ask Phillip next time I see him and get back to you. I could be wrong, this is just what AKG's global product manager told me when we were designing the K7XX. 
 
EDIT: accidentally a word