[Mochan]

I am going to get a Q701 one of these days to compare with my K701. I just have a few other projects at the moment but the Q701 I must hear someday to see if I really want to replace the K701 with them. I've always wanted a K701 with more warm low end, midbass, and smoother highs. 

 

[Frank I]

On Tyll site Innerear he revived the Q701 and found the measurements were the same as the K701 702 so it was just a marketing gimmick to resell some AKG no changes  were evident. Personally if I ever bought another one it would be a 702 because the cable is easily replaced.

 

[bbophead]

Quote:

On Tyll site Innerear he revived the Q701 and found the measurements were the same as the K701 702 so it was just a marketing gimmick to resell some AKG no changes  were evident. Personally if I ever bought another one it would be a 702 because the cable is easily replaced.

On Tyll's site, http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/akg-quincy-jones-q701, he found the measurements to be "almost" identical and for all practical purposes, sounded the same, in his opinion, as the K701.  I never knew the K but I sure do like my Q.  If I want to, I can power them just fine with a Total Airhead.  About 200 hours of break-in smoothed out the highs quite a bit.  Mine cost $285 with free shipping.  

 
 

 

[ddtrr]

Just purchased a BLACK Q701 off Amazon. I have heard the K701 driven by a Yaqin MS6v6 and a HK AVR.
 
a)K701 sounds TERRIBLE and Anaemic on the 6v6
b)Symmetry and fabulous with the HK AVR.
 
So I too have the belief that the k701s are hard to drive.And need amps that cost more than the cans to drive
 
While am I surprised that the Q701 are driven beautifully with my Yaqin 6v6 and NAD 320BEE. Don't even need to crank up pass 11'0clock.
 
Immense soundstage, tight DEEP Bass and Lush (with the 6v6)
Incisive and effortless with BOTH (6v6 and 320bee)
 
What I do have  have is a Yaqin Buffer between my Pioneer DV300 (Goldmund) and the amps.
 
The Q701, despite what the spec sheets say and similar drivers to the 702 and K701 are DEFINITELY DIFFERENT. Real easy to drive.IMHO
 
It really is bewildering that the Q701s are so easily driven, contrary to what have been discussed.
 
 

 

[Trasselkalle]

It would be interesting to see the re-testability of many measurements tests. HeadRoom has the three models at different values, but I wonder how many times they reset the head that they use to ensure that they are getting repeatable results. Same goes for all other places, of course.
 
The slight hump in the bass region that HeadRoom suggest (below) would be interesting to see if it is actually audible or just an anomaly from the test. It would also be interesting to hear if the quicker drop-off at 2kHz on the Q makes the mids less steely (as some express it - I don't have a problem with my 702 in that regard). If the metrics are repeatable, there should be audible differences, although most likely small due to the way they are all put together. 
 

 
Oh, and the Q have a detachable cable also, btw.
 
Quote:

On Tyll site Innerear he revived the Q701 and found the measurements were the same as the K701 702 so it was just a marketing gimmick to resell some AKG no changes  were evident. Personally if I ever bought another one it would be a 702 because the cable is easily replaced.

 

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

These are one of the sets I picked up on my trip back to headphone land. Really digging them. I got them because they cost about $50 less than the going rate for K702s, which were my first choice from the AKG stable.
 
I dig 'em. Bit bass shy. Not that they can't handle it, very EQable headphones, you can make them thump without demolishing the other frequencies which was a massive surprise. Usually headphone drivers just sort of sound like they sound, you can nudge a few dB in either direction but I was able to pull a trick with Channel Mixer and pump an enhanced LFE channel into them and they had bass that was pounding without being slow. AKG needs to make a can for bassheads, the drivers are up for it.

 

[caol ila]

The K702 graph seems to have a slightly extended bass response just as the K601 would have if you overlaid them. Seems that maybe the K702 is a hybrid of the K701 and the K601. Bass response of the K601 married to the treble of the K701.
 
The K601 is the slightly warmer K701 that some people have wanted, but it has been there all along, and usually at a much lower price. You spend the difference in price on a better quality headamp to get the K601 singing properly.
 
The K601 is notorious for its inefficiency and need for a top quality amp. I use AKG's own headamp that came in my HEARO 999. Does an excellent job with lots of power to spare.
 
Maybe it's better the K601 has been left alone and there is no need to decide among three different versions of it. Will make shopping on the used market a lot easier in the future. AKG will probably keep serving up a different version of the K701 every couple of years as long as audiophile nervosa keeps creating a demand for one.

 

[HelticWonder]

if these headphones are for big band and live recordings then im assuming its not good for rock music, particulary hardcore and metal? if not then can you recommend any headphones for my taste

 

[estreeter]

HelticWonder, the House of Grado has what you seek - just steer clear of the 325(is)/MS-2 - and several of the big Beyers will also make you very happy. Whatever you choose, give them at least a month : too many of us chop and change so often that its difficult to appreciate one headphone.

 

[ACDOAN]

Quote:

Just purchased a BLACK Q701 off Amazon. I have heard the K701 driven by a Yaqin MS6v6 and a HK AVR.
 
a)K701 sounds TERRIBLE and Anaemic on the 6v6
b)Symmetry and fabulous with the HK AVR.
 
So I too have the belief that the k701s are hard to drive.And need amps that cost more than the cans to drive
 
While am I surprised that the Q701 are driven beautifully with my Yaqin 6v6 and NAD 320BEE. Don't even need to crank up pass 11'0clock.
 
Immense soundstage, tight DEEP Bass and Lush (with the 6v6)
Incisive and effortless with BOTH (6v6 and 320bee)
 
What I do have  have is a Yaqin Buffer between my Pioneer DV300 (Goldmund) and the amps.
 
The Q701, despite what the spec sheets say and similar drivers to the 702 and K701 are DEFINITELY DIFFERENT. Real easy to drive.IMHO
 
It really is bewildering that the Q701s are so easily driven, contrary to what have been discussed.
 
 

DDTTR, Your Avatar looks quite familiar. Halloween anyone ?
 

 

[Zombie_X]

I had bought a Q701 to try out and I own a K702. Using the dual 1/4" outputs on my X-CANV8P I tried them side by side. There was no audible difference between the two. The Q701 perhaps sounding a tiny bit less airy due to the QJ button on the back of the driver housing but no where was there the smoother highs or more bass that AKG talked about. 
 
Just save some money and go for the K701 (easy to convert to balanced) or a K702 (easy to swap cables in case the cable gets damaged). I personally like the look of the black Q701 but ended up returning it because I had no need for two of the same headphone.

 

[ocswing]

 
Quote:

I had bought a Q701 to try out and I own a K702. Using the dual 1/4" outputs on my X-CANV8P I tried them side by side. There was no audible difference between the two. The Q701 perhaps sounding a tiny bit less airy due to the QJ button on the back of the driver housing but no where was there the smoother highs or more bass that AKG talked about. 
 
Just save some money and go for the K701 (easy to convert to balanced) or a K702 (easy to swap cables in case the cable gets damaged). I personally like the look of the black Q701 but ended up returning it because I had no need for two of the same headphone.

 
Heh, if you take them to be the same then check prices! On Amazon right now one of the Q701s is actually the cheapest out of the K701/K702/Q701. You can generally find them pretty similarly priced so pick your favorite color and do some shopping.
 
 

 

[tdockweiler]

Thanks for the info. I'd still like to hear it,don't know why. I don't remember if AKG actually said anything about it having smoother treble or more bass.Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. I think maybe hinted at it, but then people just seemed to spread this around. The Headroom graph and their description didn't help! Of course they said it "perhaps" added some bass and smoothed it's treble. These days I don't know what to believe. I really didn't want to believe it was all marketing until I saw that it uses the same driver as the K701.
 
People lately have told me the Q701 is cheaper than the K702 or K701, so I'm guessing the Q701 is the way to go if this is the case. I do love the white color of the K701 though and it's pads. When I bought my K702 the K701 was so expensive! Last I checked the Q701 was $244 on Amazon.
 
I really need to hear a recabled K702. Directly to the driver and not using the stock XLR plug which makes cable upgrades pointless kind of IMO. Hopefully the K702 is as easy to recable as the Sextett and K240 Studio.
Quote:

I had bought a Q701 to try out and I own a K702. Using the dual 1/4" outputs on my X-CANV8P I tried them side by side. There was no audible difference between the two. The Q701 perhaps sounding a tiny bit less airy due to the QJ button on the back of the driver housing but no where was there the smoother highs or more bass that AKG talked about. 
 
Just save some money and go for the K701 (easy to convert to balanced) or a K702 (easy to swap cables in case the cable gets damaged). I personally like the look of the black Q701 but ended up returning it because I had no need for two of the same headphone.

 

 

[Katun]

Quote:

I had bought a Q701 to try out and I own a K702. Using the dual 1/4" outputs on my X-CANV8P I tried them side by side. There was no audible difference between the two. The Q701 perhaps sounding a tiny bit less airy due to the QJ button on the back of the driver housing but no where was there the smoother highs or more bass that AKG talked about. 
 
Just save some money and go for the K701 (easy to convert to balanced) or a K702 (easy to swap cables in case the cable gets damaged). I personally like the look of the black Q701 but ended up returning it because I had no need for two of the same headphone.

Good to know, thanks for posting.
 
I actually bought the Q701 because it was cheaper then the K701 and K702. Even if those two were cheaper, I'd probably still gone with the Q701 "just in case" there was any sort of improvement. Plus, the all black version is much more appealing than the white of the K701 or the kinda blackish blue of the K702. Could care less about the branded celebrity...

 

[Katun]

Edit, nevermind.