My review of the AKG Q701 complete with a minute scoring sheet. Feel free to discuss, agree, and disagree on my findings.
AKG’s Q701 series of open back, dynamic headphones have been around for quite some time, and while they certainly haven’t been around a for as long as the likes of the original K701 and K702, they are becoming quite old. With that being said however, people have been arguing for well over a year about wether or not the Q701 has a different sound signature than its younger brothers. So, without any further ado, let’s investigate a little further, because I have a lot to discuss when it comes to these competent little cans.
While the AKG Q701 isn’t exactly the most favorable headphone in the world as of the moment, it was one of the most popular headphones several years ago, and one of the three flagships among the Sennhesier HD650 and the Beyerdynamic DT880. Now, Sennhesier with the HD800, Beyerdynamic with the T1, and AKG with the K1000 (old however) have all produced higher end, better sounding flagships, leaving previous models in the dust. With that being said, do these old flagships really sound all that bad? The simple answer to that is no, and the Q701 can actually produce a lot of aural heaven if amped properly.
The Design
Ah, the old AKG styling, so retro, yet so futuristic. Some call it weird, yet I love the design. While most headphones have a rather basic deign with a single cable, ear cups, and a basic headband, they Q701 looks a bit different. Up top we have a headband that looks very different from any other headphone. It’s made of leather, and features indents which, while quite annoying and bothersome to some, are actually decent when it comes to comfort. You may have noticed two bars running along the top, and those are for connecting one ear cup to the other, mainly due to the fact that only one ear cup has a mini XLR opening. The ear cups themselves are made out of plastic (as is the whole body) and are absolutely massive, but very futuristic looking, almost similar to something you’d see out of a Star Trek episode.
Comfort & Isolation
Since these are open back headphones, they aren’t going to give you any seal whatsoever, which actually helps the Q701’s when it comes to soundstage, but we’ll discuss that later on in the review. As for comfort, these may be some of the most comfortable headphones that I have ever worn. Only triumphed by the heaven-like ear cups of the HD800, the Q701’s ear pads are extremely soft, and feel like you have pillows on your ears, with very little clamping force, which can be both a good and a bad attribute. On one hand, the very small clamping force makes you sometimes experience the Q701’s as if they aren’t even on your head, while on the other hand, they can roll around on your head and sometimes fall off, all depending on the size of your head.
Sonic Impressions
The Q701’s sound signature has confused me since the day I got it. It has so many things going for it, but it’s confusing to see where the Q701 is focused. The upper, middle, or bottom portion of the sound spectrum? I cannot seem to find, even throughout the countless months I have auditioned this fabulous piece of headwear, what the Q701 is trying to do with its drivers. Nevertheless, we mustn’t fret, as the Q701 delivers a whole lot to the table, especially at such a cheap and popular price point. The Q701 literally needs over 3 days of straight burn in to sound good, and some people even mention several hundred hours, which I tend to think is quite ridiculous. Prior to burn in, the Q701’s will sound metallic, cold, and lifeless. However, pump some music through these bad boys for a few days, and you’ll notice a worlds difference when sonics are concerned.
Starting off down low, the Q701’s aren’t exactly the most bass heavy headphone in the world. The bass is definitely there, and while it surges when amped properly, it lacks deep extension, punch, and coherency. It’s definitely more influential and colorful than the K701 or K702, but it’s not as powerful or massive as something like the Sennhesier HD650, which trumps in the bass slam department once amped properly. Moving up the spectrum a bit, we come to the midrange, which sounds slightly metallic and sterile to me. Acoustical awareness on the Q701 is lacking, as it tends to be a bit laid back, with very little pronunciation, and a tad bit sterile. With that being said however, you can lush up the midrange with a good tube amp like the WA6 or the WA3, which tends to synergies amazingly well with the Q701.
As we climb up into the higher octaves, I started to notice that the Q701’s really need a good amp to get them to shine, otherwise it’s harsh and extremely fatiguing up top. With a good speedy (but warm) amplifier I tend to find the Q701’s top end to be very well extended, with plenty of sparkle, a lot of bloom, and maybe a bit bright to one’s ears. I’ve noticed that the high frequency noises and cymbals tend to come forward quite a bit, which can be mistaken for being sibilant, when in reality it all depends on the recording. The Q701’s seem to be very revealing, and if you have a bad, mushy, or sibilant recording, it’s going to be garbage in garbage out for the Q701’s.
Lastly, I have to stress how unique the soundstage is on the Q701’s. While it isn’t exactly the most lifelike soundstage in the world, it sure is massive. Width is exceptionally well handed and sometimes feels like you’re listening to a pair of speakers. Now, while the Q701’s soundstage is definitely big, it lacks when it comes to the minute details. I don’t feel as if though the imaging is very realistic at all, and the layering is almost none. Even though it’s very wide, all the instruments tend to lay on this straight line, instead of being curved outwards and downwards. Also, the Q702’s soundstage lacks a lot when it comes to depth. It’s wide, but everything feels so in front if you, and adds to the slightly less than adequate layering experience.
Vs. K701 & K702
I’d like to take a minute discuss the minute differences between the Q701 and the previous versions of the KXXX series. While I think both the K701 and the K702 sound identical to each other (as I’ve heard both extensively), I don’t necessarily think the same for the Q701. Unlike the K701 & K702, the Q701’s bass is a lot bigger and has more surge and power than the rather bass light younger brothers. Sure, it’s not a massive difference, but sonically noticeable. Also, I find the soundstage on the Q701’s to be slightly less wide and more realistic (still not very realistic, however) than the previous versions. Lastly, the Q701’s appear to have an overall warmer tonality than the younger brothers, which tend to come off as bright and sterile, even after a long burn in session. This is just in a nutshell, as I’d rather not get into the fine details, as the review would be much longer than this.
Final Thoughts
The Q701 continues to stand as one of the most confusing and unexplored headphone to date. While the Q701 will turn off most audio enthusiasts with it’s weird and slightly obnoxious (yes, I’m describing the Q701’s signature as if it’s annoying) sonics performance, it has a lot going under those futuristic drivers. When it comes to resolution, detail, and soundstage width, the Q701 simply can’t be beat, although, I’d take a look at some other mid tiers before the Q701, specifically the HD650 or the DT880/990.
