[Salvatore]

I think Chicolom is on point! Awesome read which pretty much sums everything up.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

This is exactly why I was waiting on his impressions.

Chico, wait until you try it for gaming. I think Dolby Headphone will make the soundstage differences not as different as you may think. The Annie thows a pretty large soundstage for gaming and movies. Maybe even more natural than the Qs which are undoubtedly, and majestically huge, but not the most natural.

So...assuming you havent owned a K701/2/Q, you can get one for the $250 range, plus whatever the Annie pads cost, and get that new, Annie sound. That saves you about $100, with the understanding that the headband might be torturous. Take me for example, even if I didn't have a problem with the bumps, the headband was at it's limit on my head. The Annie headband has a looot more space for bigger heads.

The Annie's headband is a pretty substantial upgrade in comfort. Of course, you can also spend the extra cash for a K601 headband and mod it on, but I've seen threads on the process, and it doesn't look simple.

Non-Annie + Annie pads + K601 headband will put you near the cost of just getting an Annie when they are at a good price, so, not sure its a logical combo unless you really want the classic look, or really good with DIY. Even then, I think its probably better for those who currently own non-Annies to try the modding, rather than those who have nothing and are buying new. I would skip the hassle and just go for the Annies at that point.

 

[Blackmore]

Maybe its just the way these pics been made, but do they look angle to you?
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/652773/akg-k701
 
THX
 
Quote:

I'm pretty sure all K701's have had angled pads from day one.
 
That said, Mine are angled as well.

 

[Dougr33]

They look like it to me. Hard to tell from the photos, since the thicker part would be at the back, and there's not a good shot comparing it to the front. But they look pretty thick in the back to me.

 

[Blackmore]

Whats the correct position of the pads, well, lets say, stock placing. My are like thick up and thin down, like this  |/ \|
 
THX
Quote:

They look like it to me. Hard to tell from the photos, since the thicker part would be at the back, and there's not a good shot comparing it to the front. But they look pretty thick in the back to me.

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

 
Q701: Faster sounding, more air, cleaner separation, soundstage is more laid-back, greater impression of depth and distance in the soundstage.
 
K702 65:
More "Musical", lush, smoother, more body, slightly darker treble, less air, soundstage gives impression of being more forward and intimate.
 
As was ruled out earlier in the thread, the changes aren't just limited to bass, nor are they just limited to bass mids and treble.  I also detect some soundstage changes as well.

 

 
Here's something to try...
 
See what the Q701 with 65th pads sounds like with the 65ths outer grill (no foam) installed. Maybe it will sound just VERY slightly better when it comes to the soundstage. Maybe even try it without a grill. I know my old K601 got warmer/bassier with no grill, but my Q701 did not..
 
I wonder if the 65th sounds worse with the Q701s foam and grill installed (using stock pads). You'd think so, but maybe even better? Highly unlikely.
 
Unlike most, I think the Q701s grill an foam alter the sound very very slightly.
 
The biggest difference was when I didn't use any foam inside the Q701. Sounded closer to a K702, but not really close at all.
 
If the 65th sounded like an open DJ100 I'd buy it in about two seconds..wait, I forgot I have the pads on order. Out of stock until early March. Never has been in stock at all..
 
 
EDIT: So I imagine that with just the K702 and Annie pads you can't get the 65th sound. No confirmation yet I guess if some of the late 2012 or 2013 K702s sound identical to the Q701. Highly unlikely..
It still is baffling why the K702 sounds so much different than the Q701.
That is even more confusing than the Q701 vs the 65th.
 
Could be that AKG first used some updated drivers in the Q701s and then started putting them in the K702.

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

Whats the correct position of the pads, well, lets say, stock placing. My are like thick up and thin down, like this  |/ \|
 
THX

Thickest part should be totally facing the back and not up or down. That's the way mine have been...
 
K701 pads go flat after a lot of use. I've had some that are so flat you can't tell which side is angled.
 
Maybe this is why some claim the older K701s sound different

 

[Salvatore]

Yeah the ones I've tested had thick parts facing back and thin parts facing front.

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

 
My first thoughts after hearing the soundstage were, "OK, so the bass isn't "free."  Those flatter non-angled pads are compressing the soundstage."  I'm not 100% positive though, because I heard the anniversaries throw a couple sounds out pretty far, at a similar distance as the Q701.  So now I'm running some more tests to try and further disect the soundstage differences to see how much of the soundstage differences come from a byproduct of the weightier sound, and how much of it comes from actual having flatter pads and what role they are playing. 
 
I don't want to conflate a weightier sound with a smaller soundstage, because that's the impression you get at first listen (similar to how some people say the Q701 soundstage is smaller than older x70x).  Possibly the soundstage sizes are similar, but the 65s have more sound trying to fill up the same space (soundstage size) or even slightly smaller, which means you can't have as clear separation as some sounds start to bump into each other.
 
Or possibly the flatter pads are indeed a bit detrimental to the soundstage, and pan the sounds harder to the sides and decrease the depth.  Still working on analyzing that.  The flattest part of the Q701 pad is just about the same size as the entire anniversary pad.

 

 
My mind is probably playing tricks on me, but I always felt that imaging improved with flat pads and a warmer sound signature. Whenever I make my DJ100 more trebly, it's imaging worsens, but it's soundstage SEEMS larger. When I make it warmer with pads it's imaging IMPROVES. How is this possible? I'll never know. The K601 has better imaging than the Q701 and I think it's only due to have flat pads and maybe less treble.
 
It is amusing how when a headphone gets warmer your brain is thinking it has a smaller soundstage. I got this with the K702 vs the Q701 despite the drivers being the same.
 
I also think the HD-600/650 only have a smaller soundstage due to all that warmth and reduced treble. If you tune the sound on them slightly (by blocking air getting to the driver) it seems to improve. The HD-650's soundstage is perfect IMO with the ODAC. I even find it more accurate than the HD-598 (but not as large).
 
I don't think i'll ever figure out some of the things i'm hearing.
 
I listen to a lot of Jpop with female vocals so I imagine the 65th might be perfect for me (or it's pads). Q701 is good for this obviously, but memory foam pads would be nice. I doubt they'd compress at all on my head though since my Q701 has NO clamping force really.
 
My 100% perfect headphone is an open DJ100. I think a mix between an HD-650 and Q701 would be pretty close. Of course I'd need a little more present low-bass.

 

[tdockweiler]

Have to say that I'm really curious what the 65th pads would do for a K701, K601 and K400.
K701 is a little different than the K702 since it uses different part#s for the pads and foam.
It's possible the K701 stock pads are slightly less bassy than q701/K702 pads. They seem much softer.
 
I bet the 65th pads would sound the best on the K400 or K701. Probably awful on the K601.
 
BTW I think flat pads without memory foam would never work on the Q701. It'd be too "shouty" without AKG using different materials.
 
AKG should hurry up and get a stock of these pads shipped to the USA! It's taking them forever.
 
 
 
I also wonder if there was a way to reduce the warmth of the 65th pads on the Q701. Kind of perfecting it's sound...
I doubt switching out the grills is enough..
 
Chicolom, can you try the Q701 with 65th pads without the driver foam? I bet this might sound even better. Or maybe make the lower mids too forward..
This should bring forward the treble a bit. Barely audible though..
 
If that's not enough to perfect the sound you can also try to swap grills.
 
Who knows..maybe some will prefer the 65th with no driver foam?
 
EDIT: My Q701 doesn't need any more warmth really, but it still might be kind of nice. I'd be afraid it'll sound too much like an HD-650 with a larger soundstage and clearer sound.

 

[Dougr33]

Quote:

.....
 
AKG should hurry up and get a stock of these pads shipped to the USA! It's taking them forever.
 

Just got email from Frank/AKG.  He's asking for an update from Vienna, but thinks another 2-3 weeks!  I'll post more when he gets back to me.

 

[tdockweiler]

Quote:

Just got email from Frank/AKG.  He's asking for an update from Vienna, but thinks another 2-3 weeks!  I'll post more when he gets back to me.

Yeah i've had them ordered at the end of January I believe. Last week they told me that they'd probably be in stock the first week of March.
 
I'm glad they at least decided to offer replacement pads. It would be funny to have a $400-$500 headphone with no replacement pads made for it. Now I have to wonder how long the pads will be made...
 
Someone should send their pair in to Tyll (at Inner Fidelity) for measurements. I bet he'll say they sound the same as the K702

Only kidding...(I think)
 
I would laugh if they measured the same as the Q701. I actually think headphones can sound very very different yet have the same measurements.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

Yeah i've had them ordered at the end of January I believe. Last week they told me that they'd probably be in stock the first week of March.
 
I'm glad they at least decided to offer replacement pads. It would be funny to have a $400-$500 headphone with no replacement pads made for it. Now I have to wonder how long the pads will be made...
 
Someone should send their pair in to Tyll (at Inner Fidelity) for measurements. I bet he'll say they sound the same as the K702

Only kidding...(I think)
 
I would laugh if they measured the same as the Q701. I actually think headphones can sound very very different yet have the same measurements.

 
 
this is the case most of the time.  IMO

 

[Impulse]

Well it's hard to account for things like sound stage with measurements... Tho I'm sure the extra bass would show up on a FR chart even if it isn't super obvious, as long as both headphones are being placed on exactly the same position on the model head.

That's why comparing old/new measurements or (even worse) measurements from different sources is kinda pointless. Even the headband bumps would skew that to a point... (vs no bumps or a different shape band) Measurement equipment can actually be too sensitive at times and the end result its obviously always open to interpretation.

Anyway, chico's impressions have been very interesting! As many times as AKG has slightly altered the whole series, making one of the most drastic changes yet into a limited edition seems odd, maybe they'll keep it around or fold it into the lineup...

 

[2enty3]

I'm starting to doubt my ears now that it's 2 to 1.
 
But If I could ask both blackmore and chicolom to test one thing out with the EDIT: 65th+angled pads:
Do you guys hear any kind of over-emphasis on the high-end? Specifically the hi-hats? Because when I tested it, it sounded really bad. Like there was one man amongst the whole band who's sole purpose was to hit the hi-hat as hard as he could.
 
I swear I wasn't imagining about that, but maybe I was. Plus now is a bad time to re-test for me because I've got a cold messing with my ears.