[Leslie Dorner]

I read some reviews of the AKG K702 here and on HeadRoom and I just placed my order. I should get them this Wednesday at the earliest or Friday at the latest from HeadRoom. I was thinking about getting the Sennheiser HD-800, but I wanted to spend a lot less money while still getting the top of the line reference grade headphone from AKG. I chose the K702 model for the detachable cable feature and the midnight blue color. I know that they need 500+ hours of burn in time to open up the sound. HeadRoom says that the K701 and K702 are the least expensive full sized open design headphones that compete against $1,000+ headphones. These are touted as being giant killers. I listen to classical and opera most of the time. I have a top of the line audio rig. I am looking for accuracy, neutrality, transparency, resolution, big sound stage, and detail retrieval. Bass thumping power is not a priority for me. I listen to a lot of female vocalists in the classical crossover genres. I also listen to a lot of smooth jazz. Most of the time, I'm listening to Spotify Premium at 320 Kbps bit rate. I have 14,751 songs using Fraunhofer or LAME 3.9.9 --preset-insane 320 Kbps MP3s. I also have 30 gigabytes of 24 bit 192 kHz FLAC files from HD Tracks and Chesky. I think that I just got a good bargain from HeadRoom as they are priced at $450, but I got them for $350. These are supposed to be classics by today's standards. I'm looking forward to listening to them extensively.
 
What should I expect?
 
Where do they perform admirably?
 
Where do they show imperfections?
 
Do I need a Cardas Fat Pipe cable upgrade? I have Cardas Clear cabling in my audio rig.
 
Do you think that these hit my mark for sonic priorities?
 
Thanks.

 

[Leslie Dorner]

These are some stylish looking headphones according to the pictures. It looks futuristic! I was thinking about the AKG K701 Quincy Jones version, but I didn't get them because they come with a garish green cable. I also did not like that it slightly altered the original AKG K701 or K702 sound by making the trebles smoother and the bass tighter. It sounds like the QJ version is constricting the dynamic range slightly to present a more polite sound.
 
I think that the K702 is going to be somewhat similar to my Etymotic ER-4PT/S in terms of sonic characteristics, but it will have a much larger and deeper sound stage that has more textured layers. It will also be more comfortable to wear for several hours.
 
I'm intrigued by the Cardas Fat Pipe cable, but I'm not sure if it's wise to spend $250 for a cable upgrade when the headphones are only $100 more.
 
It's early in the morning right now, but I'd like some replies with detailed opinions and experiences with the K701 or K702.

 

[Acix]

Congratulations! I don't now about the Cardas Fat Pipe cable upgrade, but looks like almost any K-702 upgrade cable will be better compare to the original cable. I just build my won cable, here is more info: http://www.head-fi.org/t/378255/akg-k702-build-your-own-cable

 

[Blackmore]

Which one you got, original or Anniversary K702?
 
Congrats!

 

[Leslie Dorner]

I got the original K702.

 

[Stalker81598]

Just a suggestion, you may want to shop around a little more. K702 is listed on Amazon for $263. 

 

[Blackmore]

Good, they will please you with music you listen to, just take your time, burn them for say 300 hours and you will be there. Later, you can check the cable for them, but dont rush and spend that much, check used market first, lost of them out there, cos, USD 250-400 for after market cable is crazy, if you ask me.

 

[Leslie Dorner]

HeadRoom does price matching. I already checked. I'll contact them directly to lower the price and issue me a refund.

 

[Leslie Dorner]

I got them yesterday afternoon. They sound a bit muffled at first listen, but they sound fine a couple of hours later. I'm getting the Cardas Audio 10' Fat Pipe headphone replacement cable from HeadRoom tomorrow morning. I have the Moon Audio Silver Dragon 10' headphone replacement cable for my AKG K 702 and it's quite bright especially in the treble energy. Moon Audio's Silver Dragon is an exciting cable that puts a lot of peak energy into the headphones. I'm looking for a more polished and smoother cable and the Fat Pipe should do the trick.
 
These are truly reference grade headphones. They're extremely neutral, accurate, transparent and they have very high resolution and detail retrieval along with a spacious sound stage with an airy tonality that lends itself very naturally for classical, acoustic, and opera along with jazz. I can hear the tone and colors in music quite naturally without it causing shrillness or sibilance. They're a bit fast and quick in dynamics which makes them perfect for fast paced, rhythmic, and complex music. I think that they are nearly colorless and the music takes on the sonic character effortlessly. They're a bit uncomfortable to wear for long listening sessions as the bumps in the headband push downward onto the crown of my head. They're a bit heavy and bulky too. The ear cups are too large for my small ears. It's difficult to get optimum positioning when listening to music.
 
The stock cable is okay, but it's not revealing enough for me. The Moon Audio Silver Dragon cable unravels the finer textures and contours of the sound more effortlessly, but they are too bright and impart too much propulsive energy in an already quick paced pair of headphones. Compared to the stock cable, it's competent, but it's withholding the delicious potential of the headphones. I listened to some HD Tracks 24 bit 192 kHz and 96 kHz albums and the Silver Dragon unquestionably have superior resolution and detail retrieval along with greater extension in the bass and treble regions compared to the stock cable. It delivers a fuller sound stage and dynamics are quicker and livelier compared to the stock cable.
 
You've got to have a top drawer source and source music to appreciate the differences between the stock cable and an aftermarket cable, but it's clearly there if your rig is up to snuff. It becomes easier to tell the differences between standard resolution and high resolution music on well mastered albums.
 
I think that these are keepers for the long term future. I can see how higher end headphones are superior, but these AKG K 702 hold their own compared to my Ultimate Ears Ue-18 Pro CIEMs. I prefer the K 702 because it's more tonally balanced and neutral than the Ue-18 Pro.
 
These are real bargains in the world of high end audio. I just wish they were more comfortable because I can't wear them for more than one hour.

 

[Leslie Dorner]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360508777168
 
I'm thinking about getting this Mogami Hi Definition Mini Quad Microphone Cable with Neutrik Gold Series NP3X-B and premium Neutrik REAN connectors cable. It's based on this Mogami cable: http://www.mogamicable.com/category/bulk/microphone/quad/. I think the price is average, but it's much lower than Cardas. I have the money to buy a Cardas Fat Pipe, but I am not sure if I want to spend $250 on a headphone replacement cable when the headphones are $263 on Amazon.
 
Should I try this out?

 

[davidsh]

Look, 16/44.1 isn't technically inferior to 24/192. You should not be able to hear the difference at all if you are human. Everything else would be placebo.
 
The k702 is a very capable headphone. I would like it to have a bit more bass, especially low bass. The 'phone is seemingly very neutral and extended. In detail retrieval and decay speed I find it above average compared to similar priced cans, but not extraordinary.

 

[Leslie Dorner]

ignored.

 

[Grevlin]

I friggin' love my 702's
 
With the T1 tube dac/amp they really sound fantastic.
 
Note: I had pink noise pumping through mine 24hrs a day for two weeks! - And they really do take a LONG time to break in.
 

 

[Leslie Dorner]

I'm still playing music through mine. At the rate that I'm going, it will take about one month into the first week of April before I reach the magical 300 hour burn in period or higher. I still have my doubts about burn in, but I'll be of an open mind about this topic so long as it doesn't cost me more money.
 
After the first few hours, I heard a few improvements, but they were minor. I think that the burn in process is placebo at best and it's a way to ensure that authorized dealers can refuse a full refund at worst. I've become very cynical about high end audio especially the headphone market. There's more bull crap in these forums than typically found elsewhere. Most of the people here don't know what they're talking about and they're defensive and mean spirited to boot.

 

[Grevlin]

Quote:

I'm still playing music through mine. At the rate that I'm going, it will take about one month into the first week of April before I reach the magical 300 hour burn in period or higher. I still have my doubts about burn in, but I'll be of an open mind about this topic so long as it doesn't cost me more money.
 
After the first few hours, I heard a few improvements, but they were minor. I think that the burn in process is placebo at best and it's a way to ensure that authorized dealers can refuse a full refund at worst. I've become very cynical about high end audio especially the headphone market. There's more bull crap in these forums than typically found elsewhere. Most of the people here don't know what they're talking about and they're defensive and mean spirited to boot.

 
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