[Tjj226 Angel]

I am looking at possibly upgrading my Q701's to the K167. I see several member ranting and raving about how good the k167s are, and for 180, I could easily sell my 701s and spend like 20 bucks, but my real question is do they sound better. 
 
I am ultimately looking for extremely clear and crisp sound. I absolutely hate wrap and dubstep, so I am not looking for blow you ears off bass, but I do like the bass guitar in rock and roll.
 
I am looking for something that is going to give me the ultimate Led Zeppelin experience.  

 

[Dylan Yamazaki]

Just a Headsfi-up: Q701s are open; K167s are closed; thus you will get quite a different listening experience.

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Quote:

Just a Headsfi-up: Q701s are open; K167s are closed; thus you will get quite a different listening experience.

Already aware. I am basically wondering if the music itself is clearer. I like both open and closed headphones. I do prefer having the sense that I am in a studio recording booth with the band rather than in a concert hall or something of that nature. 

 

[wje]

I should be hearing the k701 today and can provide some observations at the end of the day.

 

[Evshrug]

wje,
So basically, you're "saying" it's not even a comparison? lol.
 
Tjj266 Angel,
Do you actually feel the Q701 imparts a "concert hall" feel to the sound from any music/song? The soundstage doesn't impart that effect to my ears. One thing I will say about the Q701 is the soundstage becomes much more circular and less linear with the addition of a decent tube amplifier. I have not heard the K167 to compare, I hope somebody else adds a chime-in. I wonder how different it is from the K550?

 

[wje]

Quote:

wje,
So basically, you're "saying" it's not even a comparison? lol.

 
No.  I didn't state that.  At our last headphone meet, I was anticipating testing out a pair of Q701s.  However, the heapdhones were there, but I didn't get to try them out.  I wanted to, but when I had time after finishing up the listening to another make, I'd look over and someone else would be testing the Q701.
 
I returned my AKG K167 Tiesto headphones.  The comfort level - from the foam ear pads collapsing meant that my ears were hitting the baffle and it was painful when wearing.  Also, the level of upper frequency detail on the K167 provided to be a bit too much for my tastes.

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Quote:

wje,
So basically, you're "saying" it's not even a comparison? lol.
 
Tjj266 Angel,
Do you actually feel the Q701 imparts a "concert hall" feel to the sound from any music/song? The soundstage doesn't impart that effect to my ears. One thing I will say about the Q701 is the soundstage becomes much more circular and less linear with the addition of a decent tube amplifier. I have not heard the K167 to compare, I hope somebody else adds a chime-in. I wonder how different it is from the K550?

I actually compared my Q701s to wje's K167s the other day, and I can tell you that there is no comparison. 
 
The Q701s do have a big sound stage. The concert hall effect really depends on how your music was recorded. I can listen to live music, and it really sounds like you are in the middle of the crowd. On the flip side, if something was recorded in a studio, you feel like you are in a studio. 
 
Here is my issue with the K167. The sound is inaccurate, faded, and extremely cold for my taste. I put the K167s on for 20 seconds and I took them right off. Again, I mean no disrespect, but they were god awful compared to the Q701s, and even the K702s that I was able to try out. 
 
As for the K550s, I have only listened to them at best buy with one of the clerks Ipods attached, and the sound was really good. A little bass heavy for my taste, but they were comfy, and barely leaked any sound. 
 
I would still prefer to have the Q701s out of all of them, but if you NEED a closed headphone, then the K550 is a WAYYYYYYY better headphone than the K167. 

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

I actually compared my Q701s to wje's K167s the other day, and I can tell you that there is no comparison. 
 
The Q701s do have a big sound stage. The concert hall effect really depends on how your music was recorded. I can listen to live music, and it really sounds like you are in the middle of the crowd. On the flip side, if something was recorded in a studio, you feel like you are in a studio. 
 
Here is my issue with the K167. The sound is inaccurate, faded, and extremely cold for my taste. I put the K167s on for 20 seconds and I took them right off. Again, I mean no disrespect, but they were god awful compared to the Q701s, and even the K702s that I was able to try out. 
 
As for the K550s, I have only listened to them at best buy with one of the clerks Ipods attached, and the sound was really good. A little bass heavy for my taste, but they were comfy, and barely leaked any sound. 
 
I would still prefer to have the Q701s out of all of them, but if you NEED a closed headphone, then the K550 is a WAYYYYYYY better headphone than the K167. 

 
This is all preference.
 
Very best,

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Quote:

 
This is all preference.
 
Very best,

 
 
Mehhhhhh somewhat. The K167 is very distant and cold. I played a couple of my own recordings on the K167s and it did NOT sound right. I have been playing the bass guitar for a while now, and I know what it sounds like. The Q701, K702, and almost all the grados get as close to replicating reality with the bass as possible. The K550s add a slight percussion to my track, and the K167 isn't ANYWHERE close.
 
As for sound stage, meh. I guess that could be an opinion though I have a hard time buying that. 

 

[vernz]

Why not upgrade to K267?

 

[Minarets]

Quote:

 
This is all preference.
 
Very best,

 
 
Mehhhhhh somewhat. The K167 is very distant and cold. I played a couple of my own recordings on the K167s and it did NOT sound right. I have been playing the bass guitar for a while now, and I know what it sounds like. The Q701, K702, and almost all the grados get as close to replicating reality with the bass as possible. The K550s add a slight percussion to my track, and the K167 isn't ANYWHERE close.
 
As for sound stage, meh. I guess that could be an opinion though I have a hard time buying that. 

I can't disagree more. I didn't care for the 550 because they sounded muddled and not clean. I bought them from BB and had them for a week. Then I bought the K167 and so far so good. They are as clean and crisp as anything sub $300 that I have heard to date. Sub bass is great. Could use more mid bass but bass boost on an amp has helped me with that.
If anything the 167 has too sparkly highs but it sounds very natural to me. The 550s sounded like I was listening thru a felt, if that makes sense. Just not crisp enough for me.
Now I want some Dt770's

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Quote:

I can't disagree more. I didn't care for the 550 because they sounded muddled and not clean. I bought them from BB and had them for a week. Then I bought the K167 and so far so good. They are as clean and crisp as anything sub $300 that I have heard to date. Sub bass is great. Could use more mid bass but bass boost on an amp has helped me with that.
If anything the 167 has too sparkly highs but it sounds very natural to me. The 550s sounded like I was listening thru a felt, if that makes sense. Just not crisp enough for me.
Now I want some Dt770's

 
It is possible that Wje has a REALLY messed up version of the k167s? If his padding is going so easily, maybe it was a dud to begin with? 
 
The felt sound you are hearing though has something ti do with your 1K-3K frequencies. Maybe you should try to raise those because I didn't have that issue at all. 

 

[roma101]

Mehhhhhh somewhat. The K167 is very distant and cold. I played a couple of my own recordings on the K167s and it did NOT sound right. I have been playing the bass guitar for a while now, and I know what it sounds like. The Q701, K702, and almost all the grados get as close to replicating reality with the bass as possible. The K550s add a slight percussion to my track, and the K167 isn't ANYWHERE close.

As for sound stage, meh. I guess that could be an opinion though I have a hard time buying that. 

Cold and distant is correct and the timbre was indeed off to my ears. Your impressions match mine to the tee.

 

[wje]

Quote:

 
It is possible that Wje has a REALLY messed up version of the k167s? If his padding is going so easily, maybe it was a dud to begin with? 
 
The felt sound you are hearing though has something ti do with your 1K-3K frequencies. Maybe you should try to raise those because I didn't have that issue at all. 

 
In the K167 Tiesto thread, I posted a picture of the ear pad removed and turned inside out.  There, people could see the quality of the foam that was used.  It may have been a high-density foam, but it wasn't a memory foam that had been used.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Cold and distant is correct and the timbre was indeed off to my ears. Your impressions match mine to the tee.

Roma, how do you like K550, I am getting intrigued by those more and more. Dave (I believe), found them FAR (I quote the case) better than Momentum and MDR-1R and he owned them all.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/613707/the-akg-k550-appreciation-discussion-thread/135#post_8915469