AKG K702 Impressions.
Mar 29, 2017 at 4:24 AM Post #361 of 636
  You have been very helpful!
 
If you could share your comparison between these headphones with Rachmaninov - Piano concerto No. 2 - Adagio sostenuto, that would be great!
 
I find these piece to be very tricky to get a right balance in real life, so I am very curious about your opinion!
 
Thank you Me x3!
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Sure.
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 5:35 AM Post #362 of 636
The only recording I have from Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 2 is the one by Yuja Wang - Abbado (Deutsche Grammophon).
 
First of all I can't find any major flaw in terms of reproduction quality with these two headphones.
Both are neutralish in the sense that none of these colour the sound beyond what's reasonable or believable to my ears.
In simple terms, K702 is like being there at row 3 while DT880 is like being there at row 15. Not in terms of absolut depth, but in terms of tonal balance, soundstage and overall presentation.
 
With the AKG instruments are bigger and more separated one from each other, you can hear them distinctively with more ease. Lower notes on the piano are better defined. The presentation is clean, natural and great for critical listening. You are there, close... On some parts, depending on your preferences and preferred listening levels, you could find you asking yourself why are you sitted that close? As the big sound can became intrussive or simply too upfront. Something like when you are too close on a cinema, but less extreme.
 
Switch to DT880 and now you're back at row 15, the sound source is now smaller and the sound is more cohesive and less analytical. Nothing stands out too much, everything's there but you're not close anymore so you don't get the ultimate instrument separation. Bass notes have a more diffuse quality but still well defined, the piano sounds more blended with the rest of the instruments and the overall presentation is less intrussive. Some would say less emotional, but others might say easier to rationalize. While being close is very good in terms of detail retreieval and instrument separation, it can be harder to create a coherent recreation of the soundstage in our head. With the Beyer you're farther away so putting the soundstage together can be a simpler thing. And the headphone might "disapear" more easily.
 
Despite both being neutralish reference headphone if you're a critical listener you'll get clearly different impressions.
More often than not I prefer the AKG for this kind of recordings. I found the presentation more effortless and richer in terms of information.
I might lower the volume a litte bit if needed.
 
That said, the Beyer still offers a very pleasing sound to my ears and some would prefer it with very valid arguments, as some of those explained above.
 
Mar 29, 2017 at 6:52 AM Post #363 of 636
Thank you! From your impression, I would lean towards AKG, because, saparation and clarity of the instruments is very important. I am thankful for you effort!

If you maybe have some other headphone in this price range, that you maybe prefer more, let me know!

Thank you again, and I wish you a great day!
 
Apr 4, 2017 at 12:29 PM Post #365 of 636
Hello everyone! I have just one question.

Did anyone notice any difference between old models of AKG K701/2 and the new ones regarding sound and overall quality?

Thanks! :)


My later pair is slightly warmer, less dry and less nasal overall.
My previous K702 had less bass than DT880 and was drier overall while my actual K702 is similar in the bass department, a tad fuller sounding indeed.
 
Apr 4, 2017 at 1:53 PM Post #367 of 636
The thing is, I read a lot of reviews of people having problems where drivers just stopped working, and especially with left drivers, mostly from the owners of AKG Q701. That is why I have to aks people with experience. :)
 
Apr 5, 2017 at 3:25 PM Post #368 of 636
 
​i've removed the donut-shaped foam inserts behind the earpads in my 702's, since I don't want any of the top-end attenuated. 
 
having the top-end still present is why I decided against buying the K712 (which, after reading various reviews, I decided that the 712 was intentionally tuned "warmer" in order to have a "softer" treble, compared to the 701-2). 
 
of course, the difference in sound signature between various models in the "K" line may be attributed solely to the different earpads.  (or, it could be AKG may have done some additional, subtle tweaking in other areas, as well, to the different "K" models).  
 
who knows?

 
I`ve been removing foam discs from K702 for some type of music regularly. (I have newest chinese K702 with more bass.) The difference in sound is huge without it:
 
- Bass and deepest bass is weaker
- Sound is more detailed
- More mids and heights (Heights can be exaggerated for music with high hat, etc.)
- Soundstage opened and is closer
 
I`ve ordered this set of foam discs for experimenting with sound and I'm really curious about them:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fine-Tune-The-Sound-Foam-Disks-Ear-Pads-For-K701-K702-Q701-Q702-K601-Headphone-u/182288710174?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40656%26meid%3D10661e24fe974257a59c64c4ab1808fc%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D172517496337
 
Has anybody experimenting with circles under the earpads? What is your experience?
 
Apr 5, 2017 at 4:07 PM Post #369 of 636
   
I`ve been removing foam discs from K702 for some type of music regularly. (I have newest chinese K702 with more bass.) The difference in sound is huge without it:
 
- Bass and deepest bass is weaker
- Sound is more detailed
- More mids and heights (Heights are exaggerated for music with high hat, etc.)
- Soundstage opened and is closer
 
I`ve ordered this set of foam discs for experimenting with sound and I'm really curious about them:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fine-Tune-The-Sound-Foam-Disks-Ear-Pads-For-K701-K702-Q701-Q702-K601-Headphone-u/182288710174?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40656%26meid%3D10661e24fe974257a59c64c4ab1808fc%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D172517496337
 
Has anybody experimenting with circles under the earpads? What is your experience?


I removed them pretty soon after buying the K702s. Getting rid of them stops my earls resting against anything which makes them so much more comfortable. I can't say I noticed anything different about the sound.
 
Apr 17, 2017 at 1:20 PM Post #370 of 636
First impressions of my new K702: simply wonderful!!
 
Out of the box after 6 hours: what should sound better after burn in? No idea .. will see what happens :wink:
 
I will do no bassmod here, no there is no need imho!
 
Maybe this are brand new series with an update but I dont miss bass at all. I heard now for longer time 90 % in direkt mode, sometims I give a smooth bassboost when it fits ocasionally but as I said there is no no need for me in my combo.
I hear all styles of music - not a classic freak, jazz, dub, rock too
 
Or maybe its the marvellous pairing with the IFI ICAN Micro ...I dont know. Everything ist just perfekt - open, crispy and punch if its really there. if I want to FEEL it helps X-Bass in the lowest setting - but most of the time I enjoy listening in the flat and direct position.
 
Fantastic Can and it seems an outstanding good amp pairing (its not the SE version!) Power, crisp, openness and wonderful bass with the K702 in direct mode.
 
I read in German/Austrian forums about some who felt the bassmod too enormous and went back to stockmod. Some told 50% of the outcome would be enough to be not nasty. In my case and in this combo I will leave the can how it is: pretty fantastic!
 
I was playing around with EARMAX Tubeamps, AKG K240, AKG K410, Sennheiser HD650, Beyerdynamic DT880, IFI Ican Micro
At the end I liked the K401 with the IFI most. The new K702 now gives a bigger soundstage and more details now even it lacks burn in .. will see:wink:
 
Apr 17, 2017 at 3:24 PM Post #371 of 636
I too am impressed with my K702s when it comes to their sound. But I still think my £87 Audio Technica ATH-AD700s were better value. I paid £115 for my K702s. The sound is so good. But something that I never thought would bother me seems to now. There is nothing about the sound that stands out on them. That is because everything sound so good on them. How fussy can I be? I'll never be happy
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What I loved about My AD700s is that the treble really stood out on them. It was so sharp and clear. But the bass was a little lacking. Where as on these, they have a little more bass, and more laid back treble which results in a more balanced sound. But I now seem to miss anything standing out! Strange.
 
What really does disappoints me about the K702's is the build quality. If these headphones used to be £250, then I would have been seriously disappointed with them. They feel much cheaper than they are. I personally don't think they sound be over £100. The sound is only a little better than my AD700s but the build quality on my AD700s was far better. The plastic was really solid and tough. The cable was thicker, harder and tougher yet, just as flexible. The jack on the end of the cable was surrounded by rock solid metal rather than this rubberized plastic. The only visible bit of metal on the headphones is the tiny clip that holds the leather headband on. The rest all feels like cheap plastic. I really did expect the grills to be metal like they are on my AD700s. But again, they are plastic. I suppose it does save weight. But they just sound and feel so cheap when you tap them.  Although the ear pads certainly feel to be decent quality.
 
So just because of the build quality alone, that to me lets these headphones down a lot. I must have been rather spoiled by my AD700s. They must have been a real bargain!
 
Apr 17, 2017 at 4:21 PM Post #372 of 636
  ....
I will do no bassmod here, no there is no need imho!
 
....
At the end I liked the K401 with the IFI most. The new K702 now gives a bigger soundstage and more details now even it lacks burn in .. will see:wink:

I can confirm, that new K702 (made in China) has more bass and better soundstage.
(Maybe they have unnecessarily more bass for analytical listening, but just right for relaxing listening.)
 
Apr 18, 2017 at 1:10 AM Post #373 of 636
Thanks a lot for this infos! I am very glad now not to have chosen the K712, the bass would be a touch to much for me if there is really more than in the K702.
This is my first AKG made in China... everything is perfect. Its a bit sad anyway, because I live more or less round the corner of the AKG headquarter in vienna and I know them since I was a child. It was a pure Austrian product. All the cans were designed and also manufactured just 5 minutes by bike away from my house in vienna.
 
They did obviously now a hidden update on the K702 and I have to say that these cans are VERY good and sure one of the best in the class till 750 Euros (and possibly more?) I bought the cans last week for just 158.- Euros (they raised again the price up to 198.- now)... even so it is an incredible bargain for almost the price of some better interconnects.
 
Apr 20, 2017 at 11:29 AM Post #374 of 636
 
  Just as an example, a recording with (to me) very little impact simply because it is so thinly produced. It's a stylistic decision here, I suppose. But if I was listening to this for a long time I would really want some EQ applied to make it more palatable:
 

 
Nor do I particularly enjoy listening to this Motörhead recording un-EQ'd (or alternatively on very colored headphones – I remember this sounding great on an HD600). It's listenable but I wouldn't want to keep listening to it:
 

 
Another problematic recording:
 

 
 
I would claim that if the sound in any of these seems really pleasurable to you, it's safe to say that the headphones (or speakers/room) you are using are coloring the sound. Similarly, if a lot of the  recordings you listen to are of this quality, the K702 is probably not for you.



Well, I looked up all 3 tracks on Spotify. I couldn't say I found "You Got Me All Wrong" lacking bass. However, I certainly found the other 2 to be very thin. I just think certain recordings are like this. Maybe they intended particular tracks to sound like they are.
 
I've always found Peter Gabriel's "Big Time" track to sound very thin. But now I've looked up the official video, it seems to sound warmer there. I usually don't trust the sound on Youtube though. I have the original CD on the "so" album and I've noticed that it seems very thin compared to when all the tracks got remastered. From my CD, "Big Time" really feels to lack impact. But I just listen to it with my K702s as it is.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBAl9cchQac
I still think this sounds thinner than all his other tracks on the album but it sounds quite different to the track from my CD. I wish Spotify had Peter Gabriel! Then I could listen to all of his remastered albums.


You could always buy them?
 
Apr 20, 2017 at 3:16 PM Post #375 of 636
I was just curious about reading a lot about this little tuning via inlay of the pads.
So I made a donut out of thin "wetex" The donut I made out of this in a full ring was darkening the whole headroom to much for me, I was opening the hole a little bit more (around 3,5 cm), it was again more refined immediately, some hours later I was cutting some triangles in a row out of the middle. Looks pretty funky and the mod is smooth enough not to change too much of the overall stunning stage of the K702.
I use this a bit less than 1mm cleaning cloth (more or less dense, hard to breathe air trough it) together with the original sponge.
The prototype now gives a nice little emphasis of bass (not upper bass regions)& some dampening in the upper ends all seems a tad more relaxed. All this is a a very smooth modification, more deeper operations I was not forced to at all. :wink:
 
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