Are the Q701 just repackaged K701?
Oct 3, 2010 at 7:40 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 160

DavidMahler

Headphoneus Supremus
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If so.....................
 
WOW! LOL.....a K701 approved by Quincy Jones with his spectacular expertise of COLOR.  If they want to have Quincy Jones DESIGN THE SOUND of a headphone that would be slightly more interesting, though I doubt he's equipped to design the headphone technically, he just could give a thumbs up or thumbs down.
 
In his quote endorsing the product he says "this is how I always wanted to hear Billie Jean"............assuming the Q701 is just the K701 with a Q on the grill and some un-audiophile appealing "lime green" on the plastic.................I have one question to all head-fiers...
 
Have you ever heard Billie Jean on a K701?  If so you, you will know that despite any good qualities the K701 may offer, R&B and drum/bass heavy pop was never one of its strong suits......in this instance I don't feel the sound reproduction is subjective, I think Quincy is flat-out LYING to endorse this crappy excuse for a product.
 
 
If for any chance the Q701 is not the K701 with "new colors"....I take back this entire OP, but I doubt it is anything more than a lame excuse for a new improved flagship.
 
YUCK
 
Oct 3, 2010 at 11:47 PM Post #5 of 160
I've posted this in another thread, but here is what AKG themselves posted in their facebook page:
 
"Good questions/comments everyone. To answer your questions on the what's unique about the new Quincy Signature Line, we'd like to let you know that Quincy Jones himself worked with us to design a headphone that made aesthetic changes to reflect more of his personal touch. The models come in black, white (with lime green accents) and a proprietary lime green color only available within the Signature Line. " 
 
So, so far all seems to point that they are just another color of the K702.
 
Oct 3, 2010 at 11:48 PM Post #6 of 160
if so, yes, agreed with op.
 
although we are a rare breed with our voiced opinions, they don't much leave these forums. Thus did AKG make a bad decision? for us yes! but for the refined "dr. dre beats" type i would speculate no.
 
There are so many people out there who don't spend even 1/10th the time researching a headphone purchase we do, but have the money to go with what they're told. those people simply are the majority populous and the leverage for marketing deployment.... sorry akg, but you just went down a few pegs on my wall. "if you make a good product, they will come"  its gonna leak if they are a re-badged k70x driver, then what??? put that cash towards a sweet new k1k platform if your marketing q line works!!!!!!!  
 
cheers everybody, M
 
ps.i wont lie, i love akg, ive had two models...k702 and k601 but didnt have the right amp at the time... this is not my hate on akg, just a concern for a giant straying in the wrong direction. ( pay no attention to the dumb US model of success akg...) lol
 
Oct 3, 2010 at 11:59 PM Post #7 of 160


Quote:
if so, yes, agreed with op.
 
although we are a rare breed with our voiced opinions, they don't much leave these forums. Thus did AKG make a bad decision? for us yes! but for the refined "dr. dre beats" type i would speculate no.
 
There are so many people out there who don't spend even 1/10th the time researching a headphone purchase we do, but have the money to go with what they're told. those people simply are the majority populous and the leverage for marketing deployment.... sorry akg, but you just went down a few pegs on my wall. "if you make a good product, they will come"  its gonna leak if they are a re-badged k70x driver, then what??? put that cash towards a sweet new k1k platform if your marketing q line works!!!!!!!  
 
cheers everybody, M
 
ps.i wont lie, i love akg, ive had two models...k702 and k601 but didnt have the right amp at the time... this is not my hate on akg, just a concern for a giant straying in the wrong direction. ( pay no attention to the dumb US model of success akg...) lol



it's not even rebadged....just...repainted...:p even the 25th anniversary portapros got a shiny medallion
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 12:02 AM Post #8 of 160
I remember reading iLounge's review some years back talking about the K701 sound great right out of an iPod.....my buddy bought one on that recommendation....
 
Here is the review
 
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/akg-acoustics-k701-premium-class-reference-earphones-ipod/
 
I also remember headroom's original frequency graph about 4 years ago was totally different than it is now....their original graph show a higher bass curve than the HD650.  I contacted them once about this when I first bought my pair and I said "I think my pair is broken because according to your graph the K701 have more bass than the HD650" and they said that it did not and that my pair was fine.
 
Then you have place like 6moons and Stereophile (can't remember specifically which one) claiming the K701 is totally on par with the HD800..
 
Then you have Stephen Hoffman claiming the K701 are his favorite headphone with an after-market cable, but that he didn't like them with the stock cable. I don't know about you but a cable change has NEVER changed a headphone's presentation enough to make me love a headphone which I didn't even like.
 
Then you have one head-fier (i'll keep him nameless) running around in over 100 threads saying how the K701 is on par with the best headphones ever made.
 
The other day I spoke to an AKG representative when I was ordering some K1000 parts to do some repairs, and I asked him "if they have all the parts why not just re-run the K1000" and he said as a response "the K701 are just that much better than the K1000 and we can sell them for cheaper"  He then went on to tell me he himself had never even heard the K1000, but this is what he was told by the engineers who designed the K701.
 
NOW..........AKG is revamping the K701 yet again (K702 was a previous revamp) with Quincy Jones' name on it, following in the tradition of Monster Beats, but using an old-time class-act like Quincy Jones instead of youth-beloved act like Dr Dre or Lady Gaga to sponsor their product.  Anyone using a headphone which sounds like the K701 (meaning studio oriented, bass light, soundstage enhanced) doesn't want flashy green and a Quincy Jones label on the headphone to pay 200 dollars more than the plain model asking price.  All someone who is used to Bose and Dr Dre Beats is going to say after plugging in a Q701 into their iPod is what my friend said after he bought a pair an iLounge's recommendation..........
 
"I can't hear anything, oh wait I think I can, does it get any louder, I can barely hear it"
 
And anyone working in a studio cares about $, and isn't going to pay extra money for a letter Q and some green color (which looks silly anyway).....
 
I'm mad at AKG for proving more and more that they're undeserving of their reputation, they used to be the best headphone company in the world
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 12:17 AM Post #9 of 160
lol i know exactly who you are talking about (nameless k70x promoter..) he prompted me into my k702 before i realized who the hell he was...
 
Exactly, if the people who work for akg havent heard the heritage cans (they probably dont even know what a k340 is...haha), how can they tell you anything about what is currently offered, other than it sounds good to them? they are really setting themselves up for hardship. I even saw how they make the k702 on how it's made...really, they must need cash flow... management people, management.
 
enough ranting for me, M
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 2:00 AM Post #10 of 160
David, you are overlooking the important safety aspect of the Q701. I hear that it has been approved for use by crossing guards.

If you get lost at sea, you can use the Q701 to signal the Coast Guard. Believe me, they will see it.

Would your HD-800 be easily noticed by a rescue helicopter? I don't think so.

Emergency responders would not see a LCD2, T1 or a K-1000, either.

It is clear that AKG is looking out for us. You should appreciate that.
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 2:08 AM Post #11 of 160


Quote:
I've posted this in another thread, but here is what AKG themselves posted in their facebook page:
 
"Good questions/comments everyone. To answer your questions on the what's unique about the new Quincy Signature Line, we'd like to let you know that Quincy Jones himself worked with us to design a headphone that made aesthetic changes to reflect more of his personal touch. The models come in black, white (with lime green accents) and a proprietary lime green color only available within the Signature Line. " 
 
So, so far all seems to point that they are just another color of the K702.

 
 
Yeah, AKG isn't even using confusing marketing speak here. They are flat out saying that Quincy pretty much only helped picked out the colors. Maybe they should have just made this a limited production K702 and made it a special Quincy Jones collector's item, rather than its own line.
 
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 2:18 AM Post #12 of 160


Quote:
David, you are overlooking the important safety aspect of the Q701. I hear that it has been approved for use by crossing guards.

If you get lost at sea, you can use the Q701 to signal the Coast Guard. Believe me, they will see it.

Would your HD-800 be easily noticed by a rescue helicopter? I don't think so.

Emergency responders would not see a LCD2, T1 or a K-1000, either.

It is clear that AKG is looking out for us. You should appreciate that.


lol
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 2:30 AM Post #13 of 160


Quote:
David, you are overlooking the important safety aspect of the Q701. I hear that it has been approved for use by crossing guards.

If you get lost at sea, you can use the Q701 to signal the Coast Guard. Believe me, they will see it.

Would your HD-800 be easily noticed by a rescue helicopter? I don't think so.

Emergency responders would not see a LCD2, T1 or a K-1000, either.

It is clear that AKG is looking out for us. You should appreciate that.


I am sold on this, since I often am at sea I can definitely see the Q701 as a very attractive product.
 
biggrin.gif

 
Oct 4, 2010 at 2:44 AM Post #14 of 160


Quote:
David, you are overlooking the important safety aspect of the Q701. I hear that it has been approved for use by crossing guards.

If you get lost at sea, you can use the Q701 to signal the Coast Guard. Believe me, they will see it.

Would your HD-800 be easily noticed by a rescue helicopter? I don't think so.

Emergency responders would not see a LCD2, T1 or a K-1000, either.

It is clear that AKG is looking out for us. You should appreciate that.



LOL
 
Quincy Jones cares about my safety.  
 
 
PS anyone else find that iLounge article truly weird?................Does AKG pay reviewers to ooh and ahh over their stuff.  I'm sure every brand has paid for reviews on any product, but I've never seen something as blatant as that iLounge article.  I think if the K701 were the best headphone AKG ever made, and about 100 bucks less (about $150 new), they'd be considered a very fair alternative to the HD595...........how it got a reputation for being on the same level as the HD600 or the T1 or HD800..........that's something we can all look back and laugh about in 10 years time, although many will laugh now.
 
Oct 4, 2010 at 3:24 AM Post #15 of 160


Quote:
LOL
 
Quincy Jones cares about my safety.  
 
 
PS anyone else find that iLounge article truly weird?................Does AKG pay reviewers to ooh and ahh over their stuff.  I'm sure every brand has paid for reviews on any product, but I've never seen something as blatant as that iLounge article.  I think if the K701 were the best headphone AKG ever made, and about 100 bucks less (about $150 new), they'd be considered a very fair alternative to the HD595...........how it got a reputation for being on the same level as the HD600 or the T1 or HD800..........that's something we can all look back and laugh about in 10 years time, although many will laugh now.



Alright, you made me read it... maybe I'm just way too tired and my brain has shut down... but I found this line pretty interesting, for lack of a better word:
 
"Silky smooth, detailed sound leans warm, but lets highs pop and creates a vivid stage."
 
Ok... detailed sound leans warm, but lets highs pop???
confused_face_2.gif
 what??? what does that mean? Some audiophile terms can be confusing, but that is a first for me, using the term pop for what I assume are high frequencies, that really blew my mind away, how do they pop?
 
I agree with you, that iLounge page is weird (and awfully bad designed, but I guess that is OT).
 

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