[kustomdlux]

Thanks, that's great information to have. I keep reading that the K702 really wants power so that's why I was looking a little higher. I had originally considered the E9 (possibly with the E7) but I figured it might not be enough go juice for the K702. From what I've read both the E9 and the Asgard are good deals for what you get, so I guess it's a bonus that the less expensive of the two is a good fit for the AKGs.
 
Quote:

I've been listening to my K702 today for a few hours with my Onkyo and it's not too bad at all. Since you have a K702 and not a Sennheiser headphone, I'd seriously suggest the E9 over the Asgard specifically for the K702. It just has better synergy with the K702 compared to the Asgard. I love my K702 with my E9, but not the Asgard so much. The Asgard is a good amp, but seems to do better for Sennheiser or other headphones. I own both the E9 and Asgard right now. I got my E9 for just $117 on Amazon. I also heard the Matrix M-Stage is a good match for the K702, but I haven't tried it. If you want to get a Schiit amp, the Valhalla is probably a better match for the K702.
 
BTW the E9 can drive the K702 with EASE. I wasn't expecting that. I only have to put my volume at 25%

 

 

[enatali]

I completed a side by side evaluation comparing my AKG K702's against the Sennheiser HD650's.  I am using the Little Dot MK IV SE tube amp.  Both headphones and amp are fully burned in.  I previously used a solid state Headroom amp.  The Little Dot is a vast improvement.  I've concluded that my "perfect" headphone would be a blend of the AKG and Sennheiser.
 
Regarding the AKG's, I love the tight bass, the pristine midrange, the air in the treble region and the openness of the soundstage.  With my previous amp, I felt there was way too much high frequency energy -- I prefer a somewhat softer sound.  The Little Dot amp definitely softened things up a bit.  I also made a "unconventional" upgrade to the headphone.  I inserted a single layer of 2 1/2" round nylon ladies stocking as a second "grill cloth"  (the ear pads can be twisted off and this material can be carefully inserted.  Crazy perhaps, but it reduced the high frequency energy a tiny bit more, with no observed negative impact.  The bass is deep, but wish there was a little more.  A terrific headphone (especially for  for those who want to hear deep into a recording. 
 
The Sennheiser's have stronger presence in the bass region, although the bass is a little "wooley" sounding .  The midrange and highs are  silky smooth, but somewhat "dark".  One can listen to the Senns at very low volume and still experience a full, rich sound.  Also a terrific headphone for people who like a romantic sound.
 

 

[tdockweiler]

Thanks for the impressions. Looks like you and I have the same two headphones. I keep comparing the HD-650 and K702 side by side also. For me, there is no "better" headphone between the two for me since they sound so different. I do think the K702 has more clarity overall though, but it's hard to say. Something like a mix between an AKG and a Sennheiser would be nice. I've heard some say that the ATH-AD2000 is like that, but I'm not sure about that.
 
My K702 was never too bright for me in the past (with my Asgard) but with my E9 they are. I think it's just that the E9 is a brighter sounding amp. It's not a big deal for me and maybe more burn in will help.
 
I personally find the K702 more fun to listen to than the HD-650 at times. For me the HD-650 can be not as engaging to listen to, but it's not a big deal. For that I have the HD-598 anyway.
 
So I've finally settled on the K702 and HD-650 and I really like both of them. K702 might be used a tad more only because I'm addicted to using them for gaming now. Never liked them for gaming until I used them with the E9!
Quote:

I completed a side by side evaluation comparing my AKG K702's against the Sennheiser HD650's.  I am using the Little Dot MK IV SE tube amp.  Both headphones and amp are fully burned in.  I previously used a solid state Headroom amp.  The Little Dot is a vast improvement.  I've concluded that my "perfect" headphone would be a blend of the AKG and Sennheiser.
 
Regarding the AKG's, I love the tight bass, the pristine midrange, the air in the treble region and the openness of the soundstage.  With my previous amp, I felt there was way too much high frequency energy -- I prefer a somewhat softer sound.  The Little Dot amp definitely softened things up a bit.  I also made a "unconventional" upgrade to the headphone.  I inserted a single layer of 2 1/2" round nylon ladies stocking as a second "grill cloth"  (the ear pads can be twisted off and this material can be carefully inserted.  Crazy perhaps, but it reduced the high frequency energy a tiny bit more, with no observed negative impact.  The bass is deep, but wish there was a little more.  A terrific headphone (especially for  for those who want to hear deep into a recording. 
 
The Sennheiser's have stronger presence in the bass region, although the bass is a little "wooley" sounding .  The midrange and highs are  silky smooth, but somewhat "dark".  One can listen to the Senns at very low volume and still experience a full, rich sound.  Also a terrific headphone for people who like a romantic sound.
 

 

 

[draven5494]

I received my K702s yesterday and while I probably shouldn't comment on them yet due to my very limited burn-in time (<3 hours), I am smitten by these headphones already.  I hooked them up to my Matrix M-stage which is connected to PC with an Auzentech Forte sound card.  Listening to FLACs using Foobar, I was literally amazed at the clarity (I caught myself actually with my mouth agape at one point). 
 
I can hear the smallest of detail from a song.  It's like I have super hearing now!  I can hear a singer take a very small, faint breath in between a verse.  I can hear people ever-so-slightly shifting in their seats when listening to an orchestral piece.  These sound like trivial things, but to me, this brings the recording to life.  Being able to actually hear the breath come out of a singer's mouth, like it is being blown directly into my ear - it is quite a moving experience. 
 
As for the soundstage, at this point, I don't think it is overly large at all.  I think it all depends on the recording.  On some songs it sounds like the singer is right next to my face.  On others there is a more spacious feel and I feel like I am sitting further away. 
 
I briefly compared the k702s to my HD650s and it just feels like the HD650s can't match the details of the K702s.  Sure, the HD650s have more (not necessarily better) bass, but I really don't find the K702s lacking bass at all.  The bass is just super-tight.  Switching back and forth between the two, to my ears the HD650s are somewhat boomy in the bass dept.
 
This is an exaggeration but this is what popped into my head while comparing the two headphones.  Let's say someone is playing some music loudly on a stereo system in a room.  The HD650s are like listening to that music from an adjacent room.  The K702s are like I am in the same room with that stereo system.  Like I said that is an exaggeration so no flames please but to me this illustrates the differences I hear.
 
So, needless to say, I am extremely impressed with the K702s right now and seeing as how many people report that they get better and better up through 500+ hours, I am very anxiously looking forward to what these sound like down the road.
 

 

[Loevhagen]

Having the HD800 and the LCD-2 I still find the K702 to fascinate me. After having purchased the German Violectric HPA V200, the K702 sings again as never before. I can still put the HD800 and the LCD-2 in the drawers for some days and just get involved in the music portrayed by the K702 on the V200.
 
Check the Violectric amps out.
 

 

[liamstrain]

 
My AKG K702 have arrived! I'm running them through my MacBook Pro, and Headroom Total BitHead as amp/dac for now. 

Initial impressions - pretty much a 180 deg turn from the Grados. Both fantastic, obviously.

The Grado are very up front and immediate sounding. Great with Jazz, Rock, some folk, Rap, etc. Some classical works on them, but mostly they are more impactful, more fun.

The K702 are airier, lighter, more precise. It seems big orchestral pieces will benefit from their feeling of space, allowing each instrument its own room to develop and be heard, without being overwhelmed by the others (or an out of control bass line). Bass is present, but very tight. Looking forward to comparing that aspect in particular when my Hifiman EF2A gets here.  

Really interesting phones. I am hearing details I didn't know were in the recording... breaths, a musician in the 3rd row humming along with his part, etc. Not enough to be distracting, just enough for me to go "Wow." Everything is just a bit more distinct, more crisp.

These will evolve as they burn in (only a couple hours thus far)... but so far. Wow. Great complement to the Grados. I'm very happy.

 

[Rivendriel]

How many people here have listened to the K702 with the Beyer A1 amp? Is this a good combo?

 

[anymouse]

Would these work well with the fiio e11?

 

[aswin]

Apogee Duet has an output impedance of 32 Ohms. So the damping factor would be around 2. With my Mbox 3 Mini, it would be slightly above 1. Does this have any impact on the sound quality? I dont like the idea of putting an amp in between a high quality audio interface and a high quality headphones. Any idea?

 
Quote:

Hey guys I have had my K702's since friday they have been on constant burn in since then. They had less than 100 hours on them when I got them. I have put 100 hours since then.

They sound very good. I am really enjoying them. I am running them directly out of my Apogee Duet. I find them to be very detailed and neutral sounding.

The soundstage perception has gotten much better than when i first got them. I have found myself enjoying Andrea Bocelli, Norah Jones, and a lot of the vocal music that i have much more than i did when i had the HD650's. Don't get me wrong though these things do rock music very well too. I know many say the bass is lacking in them. They are lacking impact but the bass is there, and i find it to be plenty for most of the music i listen to. You are given a very accurate presentation of the recording you are listening to, if you give them a crappy recording they give you a crappy sound, give them a good recording and you get a good sound. You are listening to the music not the headphones which i really enjoy.

That is just my opinion as of now, I am sure these will change even more for the better as they continue to burn in. But they are making me enjoy a lot more of my music collection now.

 

 

[Ampeezy]

The AKG K702 is an excellent phone and i really think its a preference thing; you either like the K702 sound or you don't. I for one absolutely love it!
 

 

[Ampeezy]

A good Amp will definitely allow them to reach their full potential. If you are on a budget, i would recommend the Fiio E9, a really good SS amp.

 

[oggdude]

Currently i am using a pair of AKG K702's with the intend of mixing while travelling. So far I'm using a macbook pro for mixing and an iPhone 4 for listening to music when i'm not near my laptop.
 
Would a headphone amp/dac like the e07k make any difference from using the headphone out on the macbook pro, other than expanding the frequency range?
 
Could i plug a cMoy headphone amp into the headphone out port on the macbook pro and get an increase in quality and or ability to drive the K702's better?

 

[Leslie Dorner]

I just ordered mine from HeadRoom a few minutes ago early this morning. I hope they will ship out today and I'll get them this Wednesday. I was thinking about the Sennheiser HD-800, but the huge price tag scared me away. HeadRoom describes the K701 and K702 as giant killers that compete against $1000 headphones for a fraction of the price and they lowered their asking price by $100 off MSRP. I was thinking about the Quincy Jones version, but the garish green color cable was not my style. I understand that these need 500+ hours of burn in before they open up and I'm prepared to put in the sweet loving time. I wanted a reference grade headphone at an affordable price and the K702 was the better choice with the detachable cable. HeadRoom sells the Cardas Fat Pipe cable upgrade for $250, but I'm hesitant to get them because they're expensive considering the headphones cost $350. What do you think? Are they worth it? I have the Etymotic ER-4PT with 4S adapter and I'm looking for a somewhat similar sonic performance except with a full sized open design headphone. I listen to a lot of classical, female vocalists, classical cross over, opera, smooth jazz. I'm thinking that these are the right pair of high end headphones for my needs at a price that I can easily afford.
 
Did I make the right decision? Or, should I have gotten the HD-800s?

 

[KetchupNinja]

Quote:

I just ordered mine from HeadRoom a few minutes ago early this morning. I hope they will ship out today and I'll get them this Wednesday. I was thinking about the Sennheiser HD-800, but the huge price tag scared me away. HeadRoom describes the K701 and K702 as giant killers that compete against $1000 headphones for a fraction of the price and they lowered their asking price by $100 off MSRP. I was thinking about the Quincy Jones version, but the garish green color cable was not my style. I understand that these need 500+ hours of burn in before they open up and I'm prepared to put in the sweet loving time. I wanted a reference grade headphone at an affordable price and the K702 was the better choice with the detachable cable. HeadRoom sells the Cardas Fat Pipe cable upgrade for $250, but I'm hesitant to get them because they're expensive considering the headphones cost $350. What do you think? Are they worth it? I have the Etymotic ER-4PT with 4S adapter and I'm looking for a somewhat similar sonic performance except with a full sized open design headphone. I listen to a lot of classical, female vocalists, classical cross over, opera, smooth jazz. I'm thinking that these are the right pair of high end headphones for my needs at a price that I can easily afford.
 
Did I make the right decision? Or, should I have gotten the HD-800s?

 


I would have ordered from Amazon TBH, it's about $100.00 cheaper.  That aside, I would wait and listen to them first and then decide if you want to change the cables or etc.  Sure, the HD 800 is nice, but the K/Q 701's are no doubt a good headphone.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Currently i am using a pair of AKG K702's with the intend of mixing while travelling. So far I'm using a macbook pro for mixing and an iPhone 4 for listening to music when i'm not near my laptop.
 
Would a headphone amp/dac like the e07k make any difference from using the headphone out on the macbook pro, other than expanding the frequency range?
 
Could i plug a cMoy headphone amp into the headphone out port on the macbook pro and get an increase in quality and or ability to drive the K702's better?

 
Try the Apogee Duet @ guitar center, and if you like it...you can get a used one.