[tdockweiler]

Someone should take one for the team and buy some K712 pads for the non modded Q701 and report the results. Make sure to get K712 pads and not the flatter Annie pads (which I didn't like).
 
The K712 pads MIGHT give you similar results as a modded Q701 with stock pads.
 
K712 pads and modded Q701 give me too much bass and the low mids are much too forward. I did not experiment with opening the grill though. That might do the trick.
 
Pretty sure based on memory the K712 pads on a modded Q701 had fuller mids than a stock K712.
 
If my Q701 was stock I'd get K712 pads, but I don't really want to reverse the mod.
 
It's $60 for both pads. Considering the Q701 pads are $40, that's not too bad.
 
EDIT: BTW when I tried the K712 PRO with stock pads it sounded closer to how I remember the K702. The K712 PRO doesn't have the Q701 grill and is more open though. Perhaps that is why. I know some have said it's still a little bassier and I didn't try it for long.
 
Loving the modded Q701 of course. It's like an open version of my favorite closed headphone. I would love to try to get the low mids to sound as full as the K712 though. They're very very close. I think for that you'd need a stock Q701 and K712 pads. Maybe a K702 grill.

 

[Chris J]

That's great to hear (and honestly, I thought as much.  Not to sound like an Audiokarma poster or anything, but it's times like these where I definitely appreciate how they used to do things "back in the day").  

However, now I wonder if such a high output impedance would mess with the dynamics and soundstage.  Like, sure- I get that you're still capable of pumping 120 WPC into the phones (which would probably make them explode  ), so you've got near-unlimited overhead in that regard, but that doesn't change the fact that the output impedance is way higher (let's assume it's 220 or 120 ohms).  Surely the electrical dampening and dynamic accuracy would suffer.

And what about the Nakamichi (129 mW into 40 ohms)?  Its output impedance is a bit lower than the impedance on the 701s (by only 22 ohms, certainly nowhere near the "1/8 rule") but it doesn't seem powerful enough to drive them well (key emphasis on "well"- I know it'll probably make them loud enough but I don't want them to sound like a bag of butts).

I've been eyeing the Magni/Modi stack for a while and they're fortunately cheap enough where I might just pick up a set and see what happens.  I would just rather not be obligated to use another amp....

Actually, with an output impedance of 120 Ohms you aren't going to get anything close to 120 Watts into a pair of headphones.

The Nakamichi will drive 129 mW into 40 Ohm headphones.
That doesn't mean the output impedance is 40 Ohms.
It should have more than enough power for 62 Ohm Q701s.

 

[jasonb]

120 watts with a 120 ohm resistor will probably get a max of about maybe 8-10 watts to the headphones, just a guess. Still no headphone in existence will live through 8-10 watts. 
 
I use a Pioneer SX-750 on my Q701 and I can't turn the volume knob past 9 o'clock. The SX-750 is 50 watts rms per channel by the way. With the flat impedance curve the Q701 has, it really doesn't matter what the output impedance is.   

 

[Chris J]

  120 watts with a 120 ohm resistor will probably get a max of about maybe 8-10 watts to the headphones, just a guess. Still no headphone in existence will live through 8-10 watts. 
 
I use a Pioneer SX-750 on my Q701 and I can't turn the volume knob past 9 o'clock. The SX-750 is 50 watts rms per channel by the way. With the flat impedance curve the Q701 has, it really doesn't matter what the output impedance is.   

 
Got out the calculator:   

 
With an amp rated at 120 Watts into 8 Ohms, and an output impedance of 120 Ohms at the headphone jack, maximum power into a pair of 62 Ohm 'phones (AKG Q7010) would be approx. 1.7 Watts.

 

[jasonb]

   
Got out the calculator:   

 
With an amp rated at 120 Watts into 8 Ohms, and an output impedance of 120 Ohms at the headphone jack, maximum power into a pair of 62 Ohm 'phones would be 1.67 Watts.

I didn't realize that power to impedance was a linear line. 120 into 8 ohms doesn't always equal 240 at 4 ohms. I don't think it is that simple.

 

[Chris J]

  I didn't realize that power to impedance was a linear line. 120 into 8 ohms doesn't always equal 240 at 4 ohms. I don't think it is that simple.

 
Does 120 Watts into 8 Ohms equal 240 Watts into 4 Ohm?
 
Depends on how much current the amp can output & can the power supply provide enough current to the amp
depends on the output impedance of the amp.

 

[jasonb]

Whatever the number is, it doesn't mean much. All I do know is that I can't stand to turn the volume on my SX-750 past 9 o'clock with either my Q701 or my T50rp. Whatever power it has is plenty.
 
EDIT: I'm listening to this for the first time since I did the bass mod, this time around is much more enjoyable.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Someone should take one for the team and buy some K712 pads for the non modded Q701 and report the results. Make sure to get K712 pads and not the flatter Annie pads (which I didn't like).

 
The problem with that, of course, is that there's no way to guarantee you'll get the "real" K712 pads.  If I'd known that, I probably wouldn't have bothered, and thus wouldn't have ended up with the Annie pads.  C'est la vie.
 
The "solution" would be for someone with the K712 and an unmodded Q701 (or the willingness to reverse the mod) to compare them with various pads (Ks on Q, Qs on K).

 

[Hairspray]

The problem with that, of course, is that there's no way to guarantee you'll get the "real" K712 pads.  If I'd known that, I probably wouldn't have bothered, and thus wouldn't have ended up with the Annie pads.  C'est la vie.

The "solution" would be for someone with the K712 and an unmodded Q701 (or the willingness to reverse the mod) to compare them with various pads (Ks on Q, Qs on K).

That's my plan.
I asked Thomann about the gel ear pads. Theyv just answered me that the gel pads they have in stock are the 712 Pro version.
They know their shiat and are very professional but, since even AKG employees are confused, I still have doubts...
Oh well... after all, someone has to take the risk... Plus, they offer a 10 days return policy.
I'll think about it, haha..!

 

[koiloco]

I will get to compare my modded Q701 head to head with some HD800 on the Woo WA22 this weekend.  This will be my final test before deciding whether to move forward with the HD800 purchase for Xmas.  With the way my Q701 sounds right now on the WA22, I am not sure how much improvement I'll find.  Still, I am open for possibilities.

 

[jasonb]

  I will get to compare my modded Q701 head to head with some HD800 on the Woo WA22 this weekend.  This will be my final test before deciding whether to move forward with the HD800 purchase for Xmas.  With the way my Q701 sounds right now on the WA22, I am not sure how much improvement I'll find.  Still, I am open for possibilities.

definitely post your thoughts...

 

[Ashade]

^ +1.

Can't wait to hear your opinion.

 

[62ohm]

Sorry for deviating from the thread topic, but can anyone help me out here http://www.head-fi.org/t/688203/help-me-choose-between-these-2-options#post_9940793
 
 
Cheers

 

[Chris_Himself]

  Sorry for deviating from the thread topic, but can anyone help me out here http://www.head-fi.org/t/688203/help-me-choose-between-these-2-options#post_9940793
 
 
Cheers

 
I don't want to be the harbinger of bad news, but if you're looking for an amp to honestly "cure" the 701's in whatever format you have them in, it might be a good time to evaluate if you like the cans or not. I don't know why you'd really wanna go headfirst into spending hundreds on amps to try to resolve what is a $300 headphone. I provided some suggestions, I for one, like the 701's with lowly amps that have current. I think warmer, less accurate amps aka "cheap" somehow work a nice combo with me but the 701's are blessed with world beating accuracy for that $300 entry fee in those drivers. People LIKE to buy the baller amps for it, but by no means do I think it's absolutely necessary to get a feel for the sonic signature of these AKG's.
 
They've always been seen as one of 3 very different cans in the trifecta of headphones back in the day, K701, RS-1, and HD650. I'd try the others to see how you feel. With RS-1 you have it easy because you can try SR-80 and more or less get a feel for the rest of the lineup haha. SR-80 is like 80% of the RS-1 IMO. 

 

[62ohm]

   
I don't want to be the harbinger of bad news, but if you're looking for an amp to honestly "cure" the 701's in whatever format you have them in, it might be a good time to evaluate if you like the cans or not. I don't know why you'd really wanna go headfirst into spending hundreds on amps to try to resolve what is a $300 headphone. I provided some suggestions, I for one, like the 701's with lowly amps that have current. I think warmer, less accurate amps aka "cheap" somehow work a nice combo with me but the 701's are blessed with world beating accuracy for that $300 entry fee in those drivers. People LIKE to buy the baller amps for it, but by no means do I think it's absolutely necessary to get a feel for the sonic signature of these AKG's.
 
They've always been seen as one of 3 very different cans in the trifecta of headphones back in the day, K701, RS-1, and HD650. I'd try the others to see how you feel. With RS-1 you have it easy because you can try SR-80 and more or less get a feel for the rest of the lineup haha. SR-80 is like 80% of the RS-1 IMO. 

 
Thanks for the input mate, much appreciated.
 
I tried the RS-2i, and I have to say I preferred it more than the HD650, though not sure how much it differs with the RS-1.