[KB]

New item, AKG702 comes with detachable ALO Hybrid SXC Cryo cable, big improvement over the stock cable. Please see these under the "Modifed Headphones" section on the web page. email me for more information.

 

[myinitialsaredac]

Those are beauts.

Dave

 

[Bojamijams]

Anyone have experience with these? I am considering this upgrade but at the price of this, it's not an easy decision.

Can anyone say there is any improvement and where specifically?

Also, I was intrigued by another thread on Head-Fi asking that recabling the K702 may be pointless as only the left side will be improved but the right side will not as the internal wire stays the same.

I'm very curious to hear your thoughts on this Ken.

 

[KB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bojamijams /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, I was intrigued by another thread on Head-Fi asking that recabling the K702 may be pointless as only the left side will be improved but the right side will not as the internal wire stays the same. I'm very curious to hear your thoughts on this Ken.

While a direct cup rewire would be optimal, I do not agree with the though of the detachable recable being "pointless" you still get a marked improvement with the detachable recable vs the stock. I have compared the stock vs the ones we are making and its pretty obvious. Its also nice to be able to have a spare cable and the convenience of having the cable its pretty nice. I can make the detachable recable to any length also. I do preform a direct hard wire on the AKG 701s, its a lot more work and costs more dough.

I lent a pair to Vinnie who took them to the NY Head-fi meet Dec 13th, not sure if anyone had a chance to report out on them.

Hope this helps, thanks for your post.

Ken

 

[Bojamijams]

Thanks for the reply Ken. Hopefully someone can chime in on their experience but can you say specifically where you saw the improvement vs stock? Punchier lows maybe? (as that is kind of what I'm noticing the K702 could be better at)

 

[Jian]

Hi Ken, seems this topic haven't been updated for months. So whats the verdict? I'm very interested about this one since I've just ordered the imod, and will wire it with P-51. Can this be drived by P-51 and is the wire the same as the one you sell separately? If it is then this deal is a bargain. And for its for my P-51, will the cable be made into small plug to fit the input of portable amp? and final question is how does it compare to the moded k701 in your opinion? Cheers!

 

[KB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jian /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Ken, seems this topic haven't been updated for months. So whats the verdict? I'm very interested about this one since I've just ordered the imod, and will wire it with P-51. Can this be drived by P-51 and is the wire the same as the one you sell separately? If it is then this deal is a bargain. And for its for my P-51, will the cable be made into small plug to fit the input of portable amp? and final question is how does it compare to the moded k701 in your opinion? Cheers!

HI Jian,

I do not own a P-51 but can love all of Rays works. The AKG702 ALO cable is the same as the one I include with the 702 should you opt to support ALO and buy the headphone from me as a set. No the way we are making the cable is with a 1/4 plug since most people use and regard the 702 as a home based headphone and not a portable one. I can make anyone one of these cables with a mini plug though. I think I have touched on this before the 701 ALO modded headphone is a direct to each cup hard wire and therefore IMO sounds soincally better all be it not by a huge margin over the 702s. The give and take is that the 702s are a little more ergo friendly with the one detachable cable can cost less.

Hope this helps.

ken

 

[Jian]

Thanks Ken, I'll seriously consider this package. Wonder if anyone tried these moded cans, compare to the stock cable.

 

[lgn]

well, i already own the k702, but these cables sure look good, i'll love to hear anyone's input as well

 

[aimlink]

Ok. I dived in and bought the ALO K702's.

In the box received from ALO Audio were the K702's with the stock cable attached and the ALO cable in a separate and sealed plastic bag.

I've been using the K702's with the ALO cable exclusively since I got them. I've been really enjoying the K702's. Very good sound indeed.

Today, I switched to the stock cable as an experiment when someone "in the know", and with dazzling technobabble to back up his skepticism claimed that cables didn't make a difference.

To tell you the truth, I genuinely didn't expect such a marked difference. The first thing I noted was the marked reduction in volume. I now understood why I could listen to these cans with relatively low volume settings compared to the usual testimonies. There was loss of dynamic range in the sound with less bass punch, mid-range fullness, and high end sparkle. Of course, this could have been secondary to the volume reduction, but I knew it couldn't be only that since I'm quite familiar with how the sound of the ALO K702's as I reduce volume. Anyway, to give benefit to doubt, I turned the volume up to the levels that I was previously listening and sure enough, the reduction in dynamics was pretty much there. It's as if a significant amount of 'liveliness' was sucked out of the general sound. The bass was less, with a reduction in general fullness of sound.

Though I'm sure that I'd psychoacoustically adjust to the new sound to the point where it didn't sound as different, I knew I'd never enjoy the K702's as much without the ALO cable.

I'd so love to pit this ALO K702's against the HD800's. Should make for a very interesting comparison. Already, tonally, the Ed8's and and ALO K702's have a lot in common with the details reproduction and energy being very similar. The Ed8's just have less sound stage with quite a heavier bass response.

As you should realize by now, I wouldn't hesitate recommending the ALO cable as an upgrade to the K702's. It's great synergy considering that I did do a Cardas cable upgrade with my now sold HD650's and didn't enjoy such significant sonic improvements. Though they were there, they weren't anywhere near as marked.


PS// Considering that there are supposed to be sonic improvements as a result of direct wiring of each driver in the ALO K701's, I'd personally take very seriously the claim that with the ALO mod, the K701's are propelled to the top of the heap among open dynamic headphones.

 

[KB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimlink /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok. I dived in and bought the ALO K702's. In the box received from ALO Audio were the K702's with the stock cable attached and the ALO cable in a separate and sealed plastic bag. I've been using the K702's with the ALO cable exclusively since I got them. I've been really enjoying the K702's. Very good sound indeed. Today, I switched to the stock cable as an experiment when someone "in the know", and with dazzling technobabble to back up his skepticism claimed that cables didn't make a difference. To tell you the truth, I genuinely didn't expect such a marked difference. The first thing I noted was the marked reduction in volume. I now understood why I could listen to these cans with relatively low volume settings compared to the usual testimonies. There was loss of dynamic range in the sound with less bass punch, mid-range fullness, and high end sparkle. Of course, this could have been secondary to the volume reduction, but I knew it couldn't be only that since I'm quite familiar with how the sound of the ALO K702's as I reduce volume. Anyway, to give benefit to doubt, I turned the volume up to the levels that I was previously listening and sure enough, the reduction in dynamics was pretty much there. It's as if a significant amount of 'liveliness' was sucked out of the general sound. The bass was less, with a reduction in general fullness of sound. Though I'm sure that I'd psychoacoustically adjust to the new sound to the point where it didn't sound as different, I knew I'd never enjoy the K702's as much without the ALO cable. I'd so love to pit this ALO K702's against the HD800's. Should make for a very interesting comparison. Already, tonally, the Ed8's and and ALO K702's have a lot in common with the details reproduction and energy being very similar. The Ed8's just have less sound stage with quite a heavier bass response. As you should realize by now, I wouldn't hesitate recommending the ALO cable as an upgrade to the K702's. It's great synergy considering that I did do a Cardas cable upgrade with my now sold HD650's and didn't enjoy such significant sonic improvements. Though they were there, they weren't anywhere near as marked.

aimlink, thanks for the post. can you post a photo?

Ken

 

[aimlink]

^ Sure! Here are a couple pics.

 

[arrowmark]

I definitely agree that the ALO cable for the AKG-k702 really makes it a very special headphone !!!!

 

[KB]

Nice

Not sure if you guys say the 6moons review of the AKG702?

Ken

 

[aimlink]

Yes. I saw it. Nice review it was too.