AKG K702 Impressions.
Oct 14, 2016 at 12:19 AM Post #286 of 636
Ah is that what it is? Yeah well they are pretty good at not bleeding that's for sure.


When the bass has high levels of harmonic distortion it's normally perceived as bigger, fuller, bloomier. Shure SRH-1840 for instance has very little bass on frequency response measurements, but has high levels of THD, and it's normally perceived as a warm sounding headphone. HD800S measures similar to HD800 in the bass with respect to frequency response, but according to some sources the newer HD800S has increased levels of THD, and that might help warming the sound.

In very simple terms high levels of harmonic distortion means that if you play a 40Hz tone, you also get a good amount of 80Hz and 120Hz, and this contributes to the warmifing effect.
Play 80Hz, and you'll get good amount of 160Hz and 240Hz, and so on...

Of course, other variables come into play because the sound of a paticular headphone is always a complex matter, but this is something that should be taken in care when trying to understand the headphone's behaviour.
 
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Oct 29, 2016 at 2:25 AM Post #287 of 636
I have some reasons to suspect there's a new warmer/fuller sounding version of the AKG K702
 
Oct 30, 2016 at 3:43 AM Post #289 of 636
Yes, it is named K712
smily_headphones1.gif

That's a well known one!
 
I mean there's a chance very recent K702s are different from the rest.
Typically the K702 was quite similar to the K701 in the bass + treble peak at 7kHz instead of 6kHz.
 
I had a relatively new K702 (sn103xxx), newer model with bumpless headband.
Slightly less bass quantity than my DT880, and pretty much on pair with my HD800.
 
Recently Tyll from Innerfidelity measured a K702 and it measured warmer than mine, warmer than K701, HD800 and DT880.
K702: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK702.pdf
K712: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK712.pdf
 
That was intriguing to me.
 
Then I got an even newer K702 (sn.129xxx) and it's warmer than DT880 and noticeably fuller sounding than HD800...
 
Oct 30, 2016 at 3:00 PM Post #291 of 636
  Can anyone recommend  a cable upgrade for the 702
 
Thanks


You can find plenty of sidegrades, different shape, colours, you know...
There's nothing wrong about the original K702 cable.
 
Oct 30, 2016 at 6:26 PM Post #292 of 636
  Can anyone recommend  a cable upgrade for the 702
 
Thanks


I upgraded My 702 to a Wywires Red headphone cable and they now sound better, smoother and more natural than my HD 600s with a Silver Poison cable, and the bass is deeper fuller too.. The secret of the 701/702s is break in. I thought they were crappy until a poster told me to break them in for 300 hours. The Wywires cable will need 100 hours of break in too.
 
Nov 19, 2016 at 5:42 PM Post #293 of 636
I have upgraded my second hand Austrian K702s to New Fantasia $15 short cable and I am impressed, the build quality is awesome, soundstage nice and open:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Audio-upgrade-Headphones-Headset/dp/B00KALQQJI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479595022&sr=8-1&keywords=k702+cable
 
Love my K702s, I chose them as a compromise between SQ and cost, and I don't regret it at all. The HD-DAC1 shines in the headphone amp section too, but I mainly use it with my Parasound Zamp v.3/ProAc Tablette combo.
 
Nov 20, 2016 at 5:15 AM Post #294 of 636
  That's a well known one!
 
I mean there's a chance very recent K702s are different from the rest.
Typically the K702 was quite similar to the K701 in the bass + treble peak at 7kHz instead of 6kHz.
 
I had a relatively new K702 (sn103xxx), newer model with bumpless headband.
Slightly less bass quantity than my DT880, and pretty much on pair with my HD800.
 
Recently Tyll from Innerfidelity measured a K702 and it measured warmer than mine, warmer than K701, HD800 and DT880.
K702: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK702.pdf
K712: http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AKGK712.pdf
 
That was intriguing to me.
 
Then I got an even newer K702 (sn.129xxx) and it's warmer than DT880 and noticeably fuller sounding than HD800...

 
I also noticed this change in the very recent K702's.
 
I had bought a set about 6 months ago and returned them.
Also had an original Made in Austria set which I liked very much,
but ultimately grew tired of them and sold them.  They had the
biggest soundstage I'd ever heard from any headphones.
 
But I think that the newest ones coming out actually sound
better overall; they're very good value.  And unlike some
others, I have no issues with the build quality.
 
Dec 27, 2016 at 12:36 PM Post #295 of 636
Hmm I am starting to think i may want to just use the Marantz 2275 for a while and see if i can save up for something a bit nicer cause it sounds like anything in the $300 price range may or may not sound better than the 2275.



You might also want to check out the K601 or K612.  They are a more attractive prospect to me than the K701/2.

Hi Matt. I hope you have had a good Christmas. I now have the following headphones; Beyerdynamic DT660, AKG K271 Studio ( original Austrian) and my most recent, for me, endgame headphones, AKG K612, which you mentioned in this post! I really like the fairly neutral sound of the K612, and I can really enjoy them from my iPod classic and Topping Nx-1 via LOD L9. I originally bought a Cayin C5 which powered them brilliantly but to be honest I found it hard to justify the £109 outlay,as they were not 3 or4 times better than the Topping. The K612 also sound superb from my stereo amplifier when I listen to CDs. My quest is finally over, and they only cost £85
 
Dec 27, 2016 at 7:45 PM Post #296 of 636
Hmm I am starting to think i may want to just use the Marantz 2275 for a while and see if i can save up for something a bit nicer cause it sounds like anything in the $300 price range may or may not sound better than the 2275.



You might also want to check out the K601 or K612.  They are a more attractive prospect to me than the K701/2.

Hi Matt. I hope you have had a good Christmas. I now have the following headphones; Beyerdynamic DT660, AKG K271 Studio ( original Austrian) and my most recent, for me, endgame headphones, AKG K612, which you mentioned in this post! I really like the fairly neutral sound of the K612, and I can really enjoy them from my iPod classic and Topping Nx-1 via LOD L9. I originally bought a Cayin C5 which powered them brilliantly but to be honest I found it hard to justify the £109 outlay,as they were not 3 or4 times better than the Topping. The K612 also sound superb from my stereo amplifier when I listen to CDs. My quest is finally over, and they only cost £85


Hey Thelonius! I've had a lovely Christmas, thank you! I'm so pleased you've found a perfect (for now) set of headphones! I didn't remember this conversation until you posted but I do now. Interestingly, since then, I myself have also acquired an amazing set of vintage and rare AKG headphones, the K500. They are incredible and do things that none of my other cans do. I'm very pleased with them. So neutral, slightly bass light compared to more modernly tuned cans but the most amazing soundstage and a wonderful, musical presentation that really draws me into the emotion of the music, not just the details. Happy listening! What music have you been listening to on them?

BTW I still have my Cayin C5 but it's not seen much use since I got the Chord Mojo.
 
Dec 29, 2016 at 7:17 AM Post #297 of 636
Is
Hey Thelonius! I've had a lovely Christmas, thank you! I'm so pleased you've found a perfect (for now) set of headphones! I didn't remember this conversation until you posted but I do now. Interestingly, since then, I myself have also acquired an amazing set of vintage and rare AKG headphones, the K500. They are incredible and do things that none of my other cans do. I'm very pleased with them. So neutral, slightly bass light compared to more modernly tuned cans but the most amazing soundstage and a wonderful, musical presentation that really draws me into the emotion of the music, not just the details. Happy listening! What music have you been listening to on them?

BTW I still have my Cayin C5 but it's not seen much use since I got the Chord Mojo.
is hd 600 or 650 far better than these? I like the wide soundstage of the 702 the most.
 
Dec 29, 2016 at 4:33 PM Post #298 of 636
Is
is hd 600 or 650 far better than these? I like the wide soundstage of the 702 the most.

No, far from that. These are pretty similar in the big scheme of things, although K702 is better in terms of soundstage, instrument separation and bass quality.
HD600/HD650 are better for less than ideal recordings.
 
Dec 29, 2016 at 8:44 PM Post #299 of 636
No, far from that. These are pretty similar in the big scheme of things, although K702 is better in terms of soundstage, instrument separation and bass quality.
HD600/HD650 are better for less than ideal recordings.
Ok, do. they sound similar to momentum over(with more details, but similar tones) in in any ways? Then I can just stay away. I literally didn't like them. After a month of struggle to like them, I ended up returning them. I wanted to upgrade from 702(was thinking if I must get 712 pro) or the Senn Route.
 
Dec 29, 2016 at 8:54 PM Post #300 of 636
Ok, do. they sound similar to momentum over(with more details, but similar tones) in in any ways? Then I can just stay away. I literally didn't like them. After a month of struggle to like them, I ended up returning them. I wanted to upgrade from 702(was thinking if I must get 712 pro) or the Senn Route.


It really depends on the type of sound you're looking for.
K702 is very different from the Momentum, same applies to DT880.
HD650 is closer to the Momentum but much better in terms of sound quality.
 
K712 is flatter and slightly brighter than HD650, which is more mid-bassy, fuller sounding and smoother in the treble region.
 

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