[pbarach]

I forget that all pro audio manufacturers have logistical issues due to COVID-19.

The new pads arrived a few days ago, within the 2-3 weeks that AKG promised. I also bought an inexpensive third-party cable from Amazon because the original cable was twisting itself.

 

[Ufasas]

Hi everybody, gone too far in headphones collection department, and can't stop buying headphones... Got one used k702 for 60 GBP! Looking to replace velour to leatherette pads and cable, once cans arrive, been hearing about these legends for years, can't wait to get got shanling UP4 USB-Bluetooth DAC with a lot of power, am hyped!

 

[calumniate]

What a price! Dang!

 

[Ufasas]

What a price! Dang!

Monstrous price, knowing that 10 years ago it was several hundreds, i paid 135 gbp for sony ma900, also bass light and big wide soundstage 7 years ago, so i think this is a steal of the year

 

[Ufasas]

How does soundstage and bass change with these pads?

2021-02-18 Update: Got the cans, fed with Shanling UP4 Dac/AMP via USB on lap/PC, many reviews that I read confirmed: detailed sound, monstrous soundstage, laid back, minimal bass, clear, warm, and impressive in competitive shooter games. Reminded me my Sony MA900, but just much more comfortable and steadier on head, same lightweight. If I hadn't ma900, and had these first, I wouldn't have looked at ma900, I believe

 

[sebek]

Can anyone compare K702 with K712 Pro?

I really like the soundstage of K712 Pro and it's very easy to listen to, never tiring.

But if I wanted clearer, sharper sound, with less heat, would the K702 work better?

Also, are there any differences in the level of driving power required? From the specs there shouldn't be any.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

K702: neutral/bright with more energy in the presence region (mids).
K712: warm, pseudo v-shape with beautifully weird mids.
I think the two will complement each other. What may sound a tad too sharp over the K702 will come across more warm and rounded over the K712.

 

[sebek]

K702: neutral/bright with more energy in the presence region (mids).
K712: warm, pseudo v-shape with beautifully weird mids.
I think the two will complement each other. What may sound a tad too sharp over the K702 will come across more warm and rounded over the K712.

K702 I have read that it has an even wider soundstage, is it even more detailed?

I know you like Sundara too, how do you rate it compared to the two AKGs? Much higher?

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

K702 I have read that it has an even wider soundstage, is it even more detailed?

I know you like Sundara too, how do you rate it compared to the two AKGs? Much higher?

I won’t comment on the soundstage thing as I think it’s mostly in people’s imagination. The sound field though is just as big as on the K712 because of the enormous cups
The K702 is highly detailed because of it’s linearity/forwardness in the mids where most music takes place...but also because of the extra zing up top.
I prefer the Sundara over most headphones tbh and I also prefer it over the K702. It’s also a neutral/brightish headphone so it’s basically my version of the K702 or as it was the K612 (my prefered bright/neutral AKG for the record).
The Sundara is just more smooth up top almost sounding like an estat. The AKGs are more ‘in-ya-face’...which many prefer mind you.

Edith: I’m actually about to pick up my newly ordered K712 from the post. I just couldn’t live without it. One of those headphones that both sounds wholly unique yet also very addicting. One of a kind.

 

[cylanes]

Bought these babies second-hand just shy of 90 Euro`s. The K702 are a reference studio model. It has a very a neutral tone and sounds very natural

Setup
I use them in combination with
PC → Audioquest Cobalt
Laptop → Focusrite Solo → Creek OBH21SE
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 ultra / Galaxy Tab S7 plus → Audioquest Cobalt
For streaming I used Tidal HiFi or Deezer 320 kbps

Vinyl Technics SL1810 → Retro AKAI amp
JVC CDplayer → Retro AKAI amp

Build quality
The K702 is mostly built up from sturdy plastic. The headband is made from thick leather. The whole feels light but solid.

Bass
Bass is there, no bass hump. It will not rattle your ears but to me it`s enough to create a full sound spectrum

Mids
I really like to listen to vocals on the AKG`s. Very lively reproduction of vocals. Female vocals like those of Diana Krall, Norah Jones are very good on the 702`s.

Treble
Accurate highs with a airy open sound to it.
I really enjoy the following albums with them:
The Buena Vista Social Club - The Buena Vista Social Club R.E.M - Automatic for the People Toto - Toto IV

Soundstage & imaging
The soundstage is quite wide I can place very well where the sound is coming from while playing games and watching movies.

Conclusion
They`re a very neutral and to my ears very pleasant sounding set of headpones. Also you can hear alot of details in good produced albums

 

[Twjones]

The Austrian made K-7-series were truly an amazing achievement, one of the true best reference headphones of any below $750. Getting k702's or k701's with bass port mod, off a good source, is getting you pretty damned close to tasting perfection already.

AKG K7-'s, are like the reference point of diminishing gains, in the headphone world. Nothing above them gets you as much as you ever thought it might. These are and will continue to be truly great headphones.

A day ago I might have questioned this, as much as I loved my old Austrian 701s. They got me into headfi for the first time since I bought Mura red foams to go with my Walkman in '82. That was almost 15 years ago now. I bought a Little Dot mkiii to go with them (Stereophile drooled over both models). It took me years to realize that an OTL tube amp was probably not the best partner for the AKGs. By then I had traded "up" as I fell deeper into this new rabbit hole. For kicks, while waiting for a pair of backordered Denon AH-D9200s to arrive (sold an LCD2 and a watch to avoid gearing up too much), I tried a fresh-out-of-the-box set of 702s on a Shanling M8. A DAP. The AKGs had all of about 10 seconds to break in. I was astounded. A much better match. Indeed, a really spectacular one. Now that the 702s have been so heavily discounted, they strike me as one of the best deals in audio.

 

[calumniate]

I once again did a mod using a fostex sheepskin suspension strap and elastics. Awesome

 

[Ufasas]

My other mod after cable replacement - perforated pleather pads from aliexpress (arrived in 5 days from china! talking about pandemic delays? what the bonkers?!!). These are more spongy, memory pads. Rock still sounds amazing with these pads, there is maybe a tiny bit more rumble on lower end, slightly more weight on kicks, still great instruments separation, guitars crunchy, voices sounding very clear, depending on the mix, like here:
I keep raising windows volume bar, how good it sounds. Who else got perforated ones? Any difference for you?

Also a question, do you keep those foam rings inside? They just fell off while replacing, and wasn't bothered to put back in, hah.

 

[pbarach]

I replaced my pads because they were crushed. I bought new pads from AKG, kept the foam rings, replaced the cable inexpensively. They sound as good as they did years ago after I broke them in.

 

[Ufasas]

What do you guys who like the 702 use as closed backs? The 702 is my favourite tuning out of all headphones i heard so far. Is there any similar closed back?

Beyerdynamic Custom Game, pretty safe bet, also sometimes 1more h1707, but Custom Game is so easy to get used to when swapped quick*, that I pick them more often as closed backs