Need something new again... AKG, Beyer, Grado? What should I do?
Aug 6, 2012 at 11:38 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 31

sml1226

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I'm looking for something new now that my plans to eventually snag a set of orthos has fallen through.

I definitely want a new set of open cans if I'm getting something full sized. I'm looking for some mids similar to what Grado gave me, not necessarily the same mids tonally, just somewhat forward like in the Grados. I'm a bit of a treblehead, so treble is good. I don't need a supertweeter on the side of my head, but what's a little too much for some shouldn't be too bad for me. I want tight bass. As long as it's there, it doesn't need to be there in very large quantities, but I'm not going to complain if there is a bit of extra bass provided it is nice and controlled. Comfort is also a big concern here, one of the main reasons Grado is not a major consideration though it does seem to meet most of my criteria pretty well.

I'm also looking for a new portable as well. Same criteria tonally, but closed, smaller, and preferably a detachable cable.

As I said, comfort is a pretty big consideration in my next purchase as that was one of the main reasons I did part with my SR125i (Still considering higher end Grados that are supposedly more comfy).

Haven't mentioned a budget yet... I guess $250 is my max right now.

I've seen two pairs of AKGs locally (K271mkII, K81DJ), same with Audio Technica (M30, M40). Basically, I don't have much choice for testing stuff around here. With that being the case, I'm not wanting to go too far up the price ladder, so while my budget is $250, I'm questioning spending that without being sure I want it.
 
Aug 6, 2012 at 11:57 PM Post #2 of 31
AKG Q701. Can't recommend them enough. The bass you are describing comes in quality with the Q's, not quantity. It's part of what makes them stand out from the rest of the crowd. I have also worn the Q's for up to 5 hours at a time, and they were still comfortable. It has a detachable cable, and it's about $240 on Amazon.com.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 12:14 AM Post #4 of 31
One or the other. Not doing both right now. If I do a Q701, my V6 will become my portable. If I do a portable, I'll keep my V6 at home or something.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 12:19 AM Post #5 of 31
Quote:
One or the other. Not doing both right now. If I do a Q701, my V6 will become my portable. If I do a portable, I'll keep my V6 at home or something.

The Q's are at their best in a quiet room. They let a lot of outside sound leak in, but that is to be expected with a pair of open headphones. I say go for the Q's now and invest in an amp later. That's just my opinion.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 12:39 AM Post #6 of 31
How important is an amp in running the Qs? Don't have anything particularly great to power them atm. Something is off with my speaker amp (hums when it's been on awhile... I think my tranny has loose windings) but I have used it for driving phones with some pretty good results before.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 12:42 AM Post #7 of 31
Quote:
How important is an amp in running the Qs? Don't have anything particularly great to power them atm. Something is off with my speaker amp (hums when it's been on awhile... I think my tranny has loose windings) but I have used it for driving phones with some pretty good results before.

Fairly important. For just around the house, I have driven them out of my iPod. Not super loud, but it works. And trust me, the sound quality on them will blow you away.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 1:01 AM Post #8 of 31
Alright. K702 and Q701 have both been out there among the top possibilities of my new phones for a long time now so I guess the reassurance is a good thing. Now the question is... what color should I get?
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 1:15 AM Post #9 of 31
What color are the cables that come with them? Some pics show all green, some show a green and a black, and some show two black ones. Really don't know what to trust.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 1:20 AM Post #10 of 31
If you're a treble-head, then I definitely second that suggestion. Q/K70X all basically are the same, with the exception of removable cables and different colors.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 2:18 AM Post #11 of 31
Q/K70x!
Go for it!
 
An M-Stage or Dynalo amp will pair superbly with that headphone.
 
For a new portable, consider the Beyer T50p.  It fits your criteria, but lacks a detachable cable.  I or another DIY'er can make the cable detachable for you if you really want that kind of feature.
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 11:48 PM Post #12 of 31
Quote:
What color are the cables that come with them? Some pics show all green, some show a green and a black, and some show two black ones. Really don't know what to trust.

The Q's come with 2 green cables (one 10 foot, one 20 foot) And the K702's have the same deal only black. You should totally get the green ones. Not a lot of people have that color, which makes them stand out. From the first time I saw them, I knew I had to get them in green. And so the story goes on... :)
 
Aug 7, 2012 at 11:52 PM Post #13 of 31
Quote:
The Q's come with 2 green cables (one 10 foot, one 20 foot) And the K702's have the same deal only black. You should totally get the green ones. Not a lot of people have that color, which makes them stand out. From the first time I saw them, I knew I had to get them in green. And so the story goes on... :)

 
I was tempted to get the green, but the whites in the end were just too sexy to pass up. Oh man do I love these in white. Also, you can pick up the K702 cable in black or do a custom if you're not fond of the green cord. However, a fair warning, some feel that the green cables sound different than the black one. I specifically remember tdockweiler testing that theory, I think it was in the Q701 appreciation thread. And doing a custom cable will certainly change the sound signature slightly.
 
Aug 8, 2012 at 1:36 AM Post #14 of 31
One thing we didn't really mention here yet... how are the mids on these? I haven't hear much mention of them. Treble and bass seem nearly perfect for me, but I'm not sure of the mids.

I don't love the green on white look for some reason. They are always higher for some reason anyway. Black and green are equally appealing right now. Green is cheaper, but less than $10 cheaper, so I can't decide.
 
Aug 8, 2012 at 1:52 AM Post #15 of 31

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