[chinesekiwi]

Quote:

blackzarg, the K-701 was marketed heavily towards the audiophile crowd. Look at the various pro headphones like the DT48 and MDR-7509HD. Have you ever heard of the Sennheiser HFA-200? Look it up. Those are studio cans and there's a very good reason why you don't hear much of them here other than a handful of enthusiasts. When a manufacturer packs a pair off to "Stereophile" and the other audio rags, you can be sure they're courting the audio nuts instead of the pros.

The K-701/2 sure doesn't sound like a studio headphone, either. It was tuned to please the audio crowd, though not all of us enjoy it.

Gees, really, you talk far too much sense at times. It's scary.

 

[SP Wild]

 
Quote:

blackzarg, the K-701 was marketed heavily towards the audiophile crowd. Look at the various pro headphones like the DT48 and MDR-7509HD. Have you ever heard of the Sennheiser HFA-200? Look it up. Those are studio cans and there's a very good reason why you don't hear much of them here other than a handful of enthusiasts. When a manufacturer packs a pair off to "Stereophile" and the other audio rags, you can be sure they're courting the audio nuts instead of the pros.

The K-701/2 sure doesn't sound like a studio headphone, either. It was tuned to please the audio crowd, though not all of us enjoy it.

I don't know about that...the K701 would be ideal for low level listening and still be able to dig out the noise floor to scan for errors - engineers should listen at low level if their job is listening all day, everyday.  My opinion is that they were indeed intended for studio work...until "Stereophile" got a hand of a pair, fed some "subjectives" and it got out of hand - I got suckered HARD by that review. 
 
They even felt they had to do a follow up countering the reviewers view that the HD650 had been dethroned - stating it was still preferences not outright.  I just don't trust reviewers anymore.  But I do enjoy them very much now, don't know why...burn-in perhaps?

 

[dcpoor]

if they were intended for studio use... they wouldn't be glossy white and chromey with a leather headband. <_<

 

[SP Wild]

Re-reading the Stereophile K701 review - that Wes Craven should be shot - nothing objective.  He felt the HD650 was too "overly analytical" which implies the K701 was more "musical"......Bass, hah - whatever.  What a loada crap - its like the opposite of everything he described!
 
Quote:

if they were intended for studio use... they wouldn't be glossy white and chromey with a leather headband. <_<

Whats wrong with killing two birds with one stone?

 

[hhforever]

Quote:

That's actually pretty common.  
 
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000ULAP4U/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1283226773&sr=8-1&condition=new
 
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=ath+m50&hl=en&cid=9471239444166504050&ei=53x8TP_hN5_WiwT3r7zRAg&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#scoring=p
 
http://www.geartree.com/p-35208-audiathm50s-audio-technica-ath-m50s-closed-back-dynamic-monitor-headphones-w11-straight-c.aspx
 
Bought mine here:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Audio-Technica-ATH-M50s-Headphones-ATH-M50-s-M50-/220657591262?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336037a3de#ht_2765wt_1137
 
Plenty of non fake M50s under $100.
 
The Shure 840 is consistently 45%-100% more expensive.  Honestly the 2 are such different beasts it's funny they are always compared to each other.

Quote:

 

I agree with this 100%. My idea is that Shure doesn't even want the SRH-840 to compete with them. For that they have the SRH-750DJ, which is more similar in price. Even that's a bit different, but can probably "compete" better with the bass of the M50. If one was to compare the 750DJ and SRH-840, the SRH-840 would definitely be considered light on the bass! The 750DJ has way too much bass (to my ears). I thought it'd be an improvement, but it just felt like an SRH-840 that's much more annoying to my ears, however that's possible. I guess from what I've read, the 750DJ is supposed to be more "fun" or something. As if the SRH-840 wasn't already? It's far from just being a boring "neutral" headphone.
 
The M50 is a better headphone to me overall just due to the fact that it actually fits and doesn't have somewhat harsh highs at times (My sig is based on sound quality only, for anyone that cares). This is one rare headphones that's only slightly better overall to me because of the comfort, fit and low price. I guess I don't buy headphones for ONLY sound quality. But that's 90-95% of it.
 

 
 
Totally agree with these, I got mine less than $100 and yea after extensive listening to both, got to admit both 840 and m50 are different. I just personally think m50 is popular but wont think that its overrated..
 

 

[blackzarg]

Not to start a flame war, or anything, so I do this with total respect (you have a long history here, and I'm pretty darn new, so I'm sure you know a lot more than I do)!
 
From the 1:10 mark, the rep. says that most of AKG's headphones are geared towards the studio, not for home listening, which is why they came out with the 242, 272, etc.
 
Also, the K702 webpage says "Monitoring, Mastering, Mixing". Nowhere on the page does it say for audiophiles, home listening, etc. Now, I'm comparing this to Sennheiser, which, on the HD650 webpage, says "In the HD 650, audiophiles will experience truly unique natural sound. With sound this good, long concerts in the comfort of your home are a certainty, so the HD 650 also sets standards in comfort and convenience. The HD 650 is a genuine masterpiece, which will satisfy even the most demanding listener."
 
Anyways, I definitely understand that everyone has their own personal tastes, but just wanted to voice my interpretation of what I thought AKG was doing.
 

 
Quote:

blackzarg, the K-701 was marketed heavily towards the audiophile crowd. Look at the various pro headphones like the DT48 and MDR-7509HD. Have you ever heard of the Sennheiser HFA-200? Look it up. Those are studio cans and there's a very good reason why you don't hear much of them here other than a handful of enthusiasts. When a manufacturer packs a pair off to "Stereophile" and the other audio rags, you can be sure they're courting the audio nuts instead of the pros.

The K-701/2 sure doesn't sound like a studio headphone, either. It was tuned to please the audio crowd, though not all of us enjoy it.

 

[Roger Strummer]

Quote:

Also, the K702 webpage says "Monitoring, Mastering, Mixing". Nowhere on the page does it say for audiophiles, home listening, etc. Now, I'm comparing this to Sennheiser, which, on the HD650 webpage, says "In the HD 650, audiophiles will experience truly unique natural sound. With sound this good, long concerts in the comfort of your home are a certainty, so the HD 650 also sets standards in comfort and convenience. The HD 650 is a genuine masterpiece, which will satisfy even the most demanding listener."
 

Just for additional info, the K702 appears in the professional section of the site, but the K701 appears in the personal section, which has marketing speak as "Let yourself go to pure enjoyment", so it seems AKG tries to market the K70x to everybody, with the white, non-detachable cord K701 geared for personal (audiophile) use.

 

[Uncle Erik]

No, I don't mean to start a fight, either. Ad copy is one thing, but the AKG marketing department clearly positioned the K-701 for home use. The packaging is consumer-friendly, it was made in white to appeal to the iPod aesthetic, and AKG deliberately placed it in the consumer/home market. AKG knows very well that the K-701 is recommended here. If I recall, when the K-701 was introduced, AKG paid special attention to its introduction to Head-Fi - they wanted sales here.

 

[SP Wild]

Quote:

No, I don't mean to start a fight, either. Ad copy is one thing, but the AKG marketing department clearly positioned the K-701 for home use. The packaging is consumer-friendly, it was made in white to appeal to the iPod aesthetic, and AKG deliberately placed it in the consumer/home market. AKG knows very well that the K-701 is recommended here. If I recall, when the K-701 was introduced, AKG paid special attention to its introduction to Head-Fi - they wanted sales here.

Poor corporate strategy - AKG is going down with techniques like this.  Didn't do their reputation any good, did it - you can see the K1000 was strictly audiophile - the K702 proves they have no idea what they're doing WRT product positioning and marketing.  Is it no wonder the K701 is high in this list?
 
Yup, that pearly white, retro looking, wire framed...gorgeous looking can...I got suckered hard.

 

[Uncle Erik]

SP Wild, I agree. The K-1000 was likely aimed at the home, as well. Pros don't want a wooden box and the K-1000 doesn't work with most of the pro headphone boxes. My guess is that the K-1000 was aimed at speakerphiles who wanted to use their speaker amps with headphones.

You'll see this same technique used all over, though. One of my pet peeves is with tools. Most power tool manufacturers make a separate, cheapened line for sale in the big box home improvement stores. If you look around, you'll find their professional line of tools which more. Those are worth it, by the way.

Anyhow, a lot of manufacturers position products as "commercial" or "industrial" grade when they're clearly aimed at home consumers. When you buy pro gear, you don't get slick packaging and extras like headphone stands. You usually get a plain box and an inquiry if you'd like to open a corporate account or if you have a reseller ID.

 

[Peetswee]

lol at this thread

 

[Br777]

YUIN OK2 - I was amazed at how bad these buds sounded.. especially given the hype this company gets..  terribly rolled off bass and treble.. pretty good mids..   promptly returned.

 

[Racio]

What I personally deem to be most overrated cans after reading all the reviews and then getting a chance fully audition them...
 
1. Grado GS1000
2. Denon D7000
3. AKG 701/2
 
 
And in contrast, these phones are what I felt to be somewhat underrated...
 
1. Alessandro MS-Pro
2. Beyerdynamic DT-150

 

[majkel]

The Denon AH-D7000 is indeed overrated in terms of bass. There is neither extension nor top notch articulation. I sometimes have impression some people just don't know what the lowest notes sound like. The Denon's don't deliver them and their bass is like from a budgetary floor loudspeaker with smartly damped but perceivable resonance. Other than that, they give impression of a hi-fi piece of equipment.

 

[Paganini Alfredo]

The Audeze LCD-2 has got to be the worst headphone. For whatever reason I am mad it cured my upgrade-itis.