[NiceCans]

In July 2012 I contacted AKG / Harmon regarding replacement ear pads for my K701 and was told they were unavailable at that time.
 
In May 2013 I again requested these ear pads and was told they were still unavailable but that I would be contacted when they became available.
 
It is now Oct. 2013 and still no ear pads, foolishly waiting for another reply but expecting only another blow-off.
 
 
Has anyone found a way to get replacement ear pads for these headphones?
 
Has anyone found AKG to be cognizant of customer service?
 
 
 
Their cans sound great but I am not willing to continue to patronize a company who is unresponsive to customer needs.
 
 
So, where can I get these ear pads?
 
What cans should I consider as a replacement? Ones with similar sound but real customer service?

 

[viralcow]

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/372399.html
http://www.moon-audio.com/akg-k701-k702-earpad.html
 
I wouldn't blame AKG, since companies generally don't provide replacement earpads (at least not in my experience). Also, the K701's are a decade old and the new KX12 line is their priority atm.

 

[Hoagie]

on line at head room, one of the forum sponsors.  they are expensive

 

[NiceCans]

  http://www.fullcompass.com/product/372399.html
http://www.moon-audio.com/akg-k701-k702-earpad.html
 
I wouldn't blame AKG, since companies generally don't provide replacement earpads (at least not in my experience). Also, the K701's are a decade old and the new KX12 line is their priority atm.

 
Actually, I do blame AKG.
I owned their K240 Sextet since 1974 and replaced ear pads, headband, etc all with parts purchased directly from AKG for a headphone that was 30+ years old.
I had the same experience with Sennheiser and purchased the necessary replacements for an old HD540.
So why not for one that is a mere 10 years old or less? That is only a fraction of the unit's life expectancy.
 
Anyway, thanks for the links. I guess I will bypass AKG and order them elsewhere.

 

[viralcow]

   
Actually, I do blame AKG.
I owned their K240 Sextet since 1974 and replaced ear pads, headband, etc all with parts purchased directly from AKG for a headphone that was 30+ years old.
I had the same experience with Sennheiser and purchased the necessary replacements for an old HD540.
So why not for one that is a mere 10 years old or less? That is only a fraction of the unit's life expectancy.
 
Anyway, thanks for the links. I guess I will bypass AKG and order them elsewhere.

 
Haha, I'm not old enough to remember the "good old days." But then the entire electronics industry would be at fault, not AKG. My old 2007 Thinkpad broke down two years ago and IBM/Lenovo didn't have replacement parts for them, either. And that's just 5 years.

 

[vid]

  Has anyone found AKG to be cognizant of customer service?

 
Some while ago I emailed AKG for info on one of their earlier - admittedly obscure - models, but there was no response apart from someone telling me they had redirected my email to the appropriate location within the company. About six months later I emailed them about it again, but no response.
 
Also, I tried AKG's local warranty service, once. Sent the phones in and waited for two months but heard nothing back. Emailed them, they said it might take a while for them to stock up on replacements, giving me the choice to either wait longer or to be sent a more expensive model instead, which I accepted. They ended up shipping me some cheap model and denied my subsequent request to send it back to them in its unopened box. No wonder, those things sounded bad. Haven't bothered with AKG's services since then and can't really recommend them.