I still think the K400/K500 are the best looking AKGs. The K1000 is nice too for its form over function design.
New AKG line
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bhanja_trinanjan
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Well, I am kind of late in this thread and was also waiting for AKG to release a worthy successor to the K-701/2. As I had written before, all I wanted from the new AKG was better midrange presence and midrange-treble integration. I listen wholly to orchestral classical and like 90% of what the K-701 does, except that I want it to light up the midrange a bit more. I had bought the Beyer T1 with a lot of hope and I frankly found it to be deficient in the midrange, other than being less accurate and neutral. So, I hope that the Q-701 does what I want... but then... with classical being a 'niche' genre I doubt whether any flagship would be voiced specifically for that genre.
rhythmdevils
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You posted a picture of a gold painted garbage can because You simply dont like the K701. There are many hps that differs only outside from previous models.
What does these 3 pictures have in common?
None of those 3 headphones were cosmetic only changes. At least from the early reports of the Sennheisers. But even if they were, at least Sennheiser and Ultrasone are coming out with actual new models in addition. AKG hasn't come out with a completely new, well engineered product in literally decades. The K701 may be your favorite headphone, but it is just a tweaked K501, like the HD650 is just a tweaked HD600. In the past 20 years or so, AKG has repainted their K240 3 times without changing anything else, and the 2 refreshes prior to those 3 were not improvements, but efforts to make them cheaper (while sounding worse). So yes, I do have something against AKG at this point. Like I said, they are just like Bose/Skullcandy except they started off with well engineered products. They're riding that wave, trying to make as much money as possible off the image that the real AKG created from actual engineering. Harmon doesn't care about AKG, they're just squeezing it for what it's worth, and when/if it dies, they'll toss it out. I'm not being pessimistic here, it's just how these companies work.
Beagle
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I don't think this new line is meant for folks who already own the K701/702. I think it might be targeted for folks who don't own either. Do people replace their cars every year if the design is altered slightly?
To stimulate new sales, Coca-Cola and Pepsi change their container design/colors frequently but the product tastes the same. I don't see anyone complaining about that.
I used to own the K501, and I think the K701 kicks it into the gutter. And many people also agree.
rhythmdevils
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Car manufacturers change the look slightly every year, and then come out with a completely new model every 3 years. AKG hasn't released a completely new headphone in a looooooonnnnnggggggggggggggg time.
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Exactly...the mid range is why I love the T1s so much. They are simply the best mids out there (and stomp on the K701s in that regard). I actually heard the K701s again the other day (I sold mine off about 10 months ago) and I am glad that I did.
rhythmdevils
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Beagle
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My experience was the exact opposite. Mids on the T1 were timid and non-musical, whereas the K701 ebbed and flowed like live music. I still have the K701. So I guess if we just accept each others preferences, most of these threads need not exist. But what would be the fun in that?
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So I guess if we just accept each others preferences, most of these threads need not exist. But what would be the fun in that?
None whatsoever....
bhanja_trinanjan
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On which amp? I suspect that you are yet to encounter them on a high end SS amp on a classical recording with lots of winds and strings.
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I like the T1 somewhat on my Headroom Ultra Micro (which is basically the same as the Headroom Max), but it does not light up the midrange in the way I prefer.
Also, I focus heavily on the rendition of acoustic instruments (I judge tone, timbre, pitch definition and presence/saturation) and do not judge midrange on voices alone.
bhanja_trinanjan
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My experience was the exact opposite. Mids on the T1 were timid and non-musical, whereas the K701 ebbed and flowed like live music. I still have the K701. So I guess if we just accept each others preferences, most of these threads need not exist. But what would be the fun in that?
I also found the T1 mid to be a bit apologetic. The K701 isn't ideal either, but has better transparency, truer pitch definition and less coloration/euphony
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