[ThurstonX]

a bit of a lazy post:

can anyone recommend me an aftermarket cable for the Q701? I'm a little short on cash, so my budget would be $50. it doesn't have to be the best, so as long as there's an improvement in the stock ones. thanks!

 
If you're at all DIY inclined, you can make a nice one for well under $50, assuming you have access to a soldering iron.  I prefer my DIY (uses Mogami W2799) to the stock.  It's also shorter, and has white paracord and a black Neutrik connector to match the cans 

 

[eimis]

^ pics?

 

[ThurstonX]

  ^ pics?

 
Hmmm, thought I had some.  I'll snap a few in a few.  Hang tight.
 
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Here ya go:
 
 

 

 

[eimis]

^ I'm salivating. How different does it sound?
 
I've been wondering what closed headphones sound most like q701?

 

[ThurstonX]

  ^ I'm salivating. How different does it sound?
 
I've been wondering what closed headphones sound most like q701?

 
I'd say it's a little more detailed, which may translate into a better soundstage.  To be honest, I haven't compared them in a while, and differences in cables are pretty minor to me.  I built it as a project, and to have something lighter and not rubber-coated.  As an example of how little I find cables to matter, I have an expensive after-market type 2 Litz cable for my HE-500s.  I built my own using the same Mogami wire I used in the Q701 cable (it's excellent wire).  I cannot hear a difference between my sub-$20 cable (and that's $11 just for the SMC connectors) and the expensive one.  I caught the DIY bug a little late to save myself some money.  Reckon I oughta try to sell the "nice" one.
 
Next project is to make a three-wire braided cable for the Q701s, with each wire sleeved in micro-cord.  Four wires in 550 paracord are tight enough to be slightly microphonic.  Probably should've used just three.  I've got all the pieces, just need the time.
 
K550s are similar, being AKGs.  I'm sure people will chime in on that one.

 

[Stillhart]

   
K550s are similar, being AKGs.  I'm sure people will chime in on that one.

 
The K550 will be on a lightning deal at Amazon in 2.5 hours.  I've been looking for a closed can for work, I wonder if this will be worth picking up (assuming the deal is decent at all).

 

[Za Warudo]

The K550 is supposedly hard to get a good seal on, and without a seal has no bass.

I would recommend the SoundMAGIC HP100, it has the airiness of the Q701 but has better bass extension. It's $200 but can they be found for $150.

 

[tdockweiler]

   
K550s are similar, being AKGs.  I'm sure people will chime in on that one.

 
I hope it's under $150! That was one weird headphone. It had more low bass than stock Q701, but yet it's mids were way too thin for my liking. Probably worse than the original K702.
It was really a boring headphone for me and not because of it possibly being neutral. When I bought it I originally paid $300 and thought the $150 KRK KNS-8400 was much better.
 
The smaller version of the K550 (forget the model, sorry!) sounds like it might be a little better. The graphs looked decent too.
 
IMO the K550 sounds nothing like the Q701 and is closer to the K702 in the mids and treble. Most likely when the K550 got more treble and low bass the mids suffered.

 

[Stillhart]

The K550 is supposedly hard to get a good seal on, and without a seal has no bass.

I would recommend the SoundMAGIC HP100, it has the airiness of the Q701 but has better bass extension. It's $200 but can they be found for $150.

Funny you should mention the HP100.  Mine will be arriving today!  I found a refurb on Amazon for $135 shipped.  I was going to see if the K550 was worth buying and comparing, but it doesn't sound like it.  Fine with me; hopefully the HP100 will fit the bill.

 

[Za Warudo]

Funny you should mention the HP100.  Mine will be arriving today!  I found a refurb on Amazon for $135 shipped.  I was going to see if the K550 was worth buying and comparing, but it doesn't sound like it.  Fine with me; hopefully the HP100 will fit the bill.

Nice, let us know what you think. The treble might be a bit harsh at first but smoothes out after some burn in.

 

[ThurstonX]

The K550 is supposedly hard to get a good seal on, and without a seal has no bass.

I would recommend the SoundMAGIC HP100, it has the airiness of the Q701 but has better bass extension. It's $200 but can they be found for $150.

 
Some people do have a problem getting a good seal.  Some don't.  I definitely don't have that problem.  Just don't want people to generalize about that possible issue.  With Amazon, you should be able to buy 'em, try 'em, and return them, if they don't work out.

 

[Stillhart]

   
Some people do have a problem getting a good seal.  Some don't.  I definitely don't have that problem.  Just don't want people to generalize about that possible issue.  With Amazon, you should be able to buy 'em, try 'em, and return them, if they don't work out.

Yeah, I guess I'll see how good the deal is.  They're $233 right now, $100 more than I paid for the HP100.  If that price doesn't come down significantly, I'm not going to even bother.
 
On a side note, how do you like the HiFimeDIY?  I was looking at maybe getting one of the amp/DAC ones for work.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Yeah, I guess I'll see how good the deal is.  They're $233 right now, $100 more than I paid for the HP100.  If that price doesn't come down significantly, I'm not going to even bother.
 
On a side note, how do you like the HiFimeDIY?  I was looking at maybe getting one of the amp/DAC ones for work.

 
re: K550s, yeah, I definitely feel like I overpaid for them, but they were still new, and between my wife and me, they definitely get used.
 
re: Sabre U2 DAC, it's a great little product.  I'm happy I got the USB isolator to pair with it, as I notice a difference (soundstage improved, though you gotta listen for it; maybe I imagined it, but I tried to be fair), and it pretty much guarantees a clean signal regardless of the device to which it's connected.  I velcro'd the two together, so it makes for a compact unit.  But you could get by with just the DAC.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

a bit of a lazy post:

can anyone recommend me an aftermarket cable for the Q701? I'm a little short on cash, so my budget would be $50. it doesn't have to be the best, so as long as there's an improvement in the stock ones. thanks!

If you can DIY one $50 would get you a nice cable and connectors.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Quoteid you braid the long stock cable?

   
Hmmm, thought I had some.  I'll snap a few in a few.  Hang tight.
 
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Here ya go: