[Za Warudo]

For long listening periods, and by long I mean like 7 hours, I sometimes have a hard time listening to the Q's so I switch to my other headphones. The headband is really annoying too, I have to adjust it every so often. Instrument separation is wonderful, and detail as well, which can't be matched by any of my headphones. 

I would never listen to headphones for 7 hours straight. There comes to a point when I want some quiet time.

I don't understand how AKG can go through so many variations of the 7xx model and still have those bumps on the headband after hearing all those complaints about it. I put some foam on it, but I might just cut them off someday.

 

[Za Warudo]

Funny discussion actually, I just upgraded from my Fiio E17 to the Pan Am, I'm finding the difference isn't as dramatic as I hoped for honestly. I've rolled the tubes a few times & thinking the Q701 may be the bottleneck in my system. I'm considering another set of cans but had HD598's & returned them because I preferred the 701's, the Senns were to laid back, a little veiled & kind of boring. So now I'm on the hunt for something else, possibly the Hifiman's since I can't afford the LCD2 which is supposed to be the perfect match to the Pan Am.

I thought the E17 (or the X3 which has the same DAC and amp) is a poor match for the Q. Bass was anemic and treble was harsh. My D100 really made them sing.

 

[ThurstonX]

This is why it's a keeper. I'm thinking of buying a Lyr and I'd like to hear them with valves. I suspect they could be rather good.

 
I can confirm your suspicion 

 

[i luvmusic 2]

   
I can confirm your suspicion 

Pardon me for asking have you ever try rolling 6SN7 or 6AS7 tube with your LYR and if the circuit can handle those tubes?Thanks.

 

[Smugsie]

I thought the E17 (or the X3 which has the same DAC and amp) is a poor match for the Q. Bass was anemic and treble was harsh. My D100 really made them sing.

Maybe I'm a masochist when it comes to treble, because I thought the treble was fine on the X3. Then again, the X3 actually has a tiny bit less treble than the ODAC/O2, but the bass isn't as solid in the X3 and soundstage is narrower.

 

[ThurstonX]

  Pardon me for asking have you ever try rolling 6SN7 or 6AS7 tube with your LYR and if the circuit can handle those tubes?Thanks.

 
No, never tried those.  I used the list of usable tubes from the old Lyr tube rolling thread.  Not sure if they're on it.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

   
No, never tried those.  I used the list of usable tubes from the old Lyr tube rolling thread.  Not sure if they're on it.

Thank You!

 

[Hifihedgehog]

  I find the soundstage of the Q701 to be wider than the DT990, while the DT990 have better imaging IMO.

Here's a rough ranking between the two DT990 models and Q701 so far based on my impressions:
 
Bass:
1) DT990 Premium 600 ohm: impact, depth, extension, speed: W-O-W!
2) Q701: reaches surprisingly low, but it lacks quite a bit of weight and authority
3) DT990 Pro: slightly slow and muddy; surprisingly even the Q701 has better extension
 
Midrange:
1) DT990 Premium 600 ohm: less piercing in the upper midrange than the Q701 and yet are is veiled like its Pro sibling; the midrange is actually clear and accessible without undue peaks or drops 
2) Q701: sterile yet quick midrange with an obvious push at 2 KHz, lacking a tad of lower midrange heft
3) DT990 Pro: distant midrange; this model is probably the prime reason the DT990 series gets a bad rap for its distant midrange
 
Treble:
1) DT990 Premium 600 ohm: color me surprised: the treble reaches much, much further than my old Pro but lacks its treble peak of death and stuff; with loads of ambience, air, shine and shimmer, this sounds like what I envision the HD800 would sound
2) Q701: A very clean, flat treble but with one flaw that does not get enough attention: a steep roll-off at 12 KHz
3) DT990 Pro: A puzzling treble, to say the least, with neither detail or control; not as peaky as a DT880 Pro I once hear but sometimes annoying nonetheless; less competent and resolved with maybe even some rolling off starting at 13 to 14 KHz
 
Sound signature summary:
DT990 Premium 600 ohm: A crisp, vivid, full, energetic wide open window to the sound
Q701: A somewhat dull and boring but occasionally informative and interesting listen
DT990 Pro: Warm, slow, slightly grainy and sometimes edgy; a clear half of a league below its similarly named Premium counterpart

 

[ThurstonX]

  Thank You!

 
Tried a couple searches in that thread, but couldn't find it.  I was hoping I'd bookmarked that post.

 

[RitzyBusiness]

There seems to be a film peeling off one of the ear cups.  Its sticky.

 

[ThurstonX]

  There seems to be a film peeling off one of the ear cups.  Its sticky.

 
Could it be that protective plastic wrap manufacturers stick on new products?  I thought my Qs were (cosmetically) defective, and then I peeled.  It was a real D'oh! moment.  Hope that's all it is for you.

 

[RitzyBusiness]

   
Could it be that protective plastic wrap manufacturers stick on new products?  I thought my Qs were (cosmetically) defective, and then I peeled.  It was a real D'oh! moment.  Hope that's all it is for you.

Yea same issue lol, that is all it is.  Just struck me as weird.  Glad to know I have no cosmetic issues anymore and it was just tape but the fact that something peeled at all worried me.

 

[Stillhart]

Here's a rough ranking between the two DT990 models and Q701 so far based on my impressions:

Bass:
1) DT990 Premium 600 ohm: impact, depth, extension, speed: W-O-W!
2) Q701: reaches surprisingly low, but it lacks quite a bit of weight and authority
3) DT990 Pro: slightly slow and muddy; surprisingly even the Q701 has better extension

Midrange:
1) DT990 Premium 600 ohm: less piercing in the upper midrange than the Q701 and yet are is veiled like its Pro sibling; the midrange is actually clear and accessible without undue peaks or drops 
2) Q701: sterile yet quick midrange with an obvious push at 2 KHz, lacking a tad of lower midrange heft
3) DT990 Pro: distant midrange; this model is probably the prime reason the DT990 series gets a bad rap for its distant midrange

Treble:
1) DT990 Premium 600 ohm: color me surprised: the treble reaches much, much further than my old Pro but lacks its treble peak of death and stuff; with loads of ambience, air, shine and shimmer, this sounds like what I envision the HD800 would sound
2) Q701: A very clean, flat treble but with one flaw that does not get enough attention: a steep roll-off at 12 KHz
3) DT990 Pro: A puzzling treble, to say the least, with neither detail or control; not as peaky as a DT880 Pro I once hear but sometimes annoying nonetheless; less competent and resolved with maybe even some rolling off starting at 13 to 14 KHz

Sound signature summary:
DT990 Premium 600 ohm: A crisp, vivid, full, energetic wide open window to the sound
Q701: A somewhat dull and boring but occasionally informative and interesting listen
DT990 Pro: Warm, slow, slightly grainy and sometimes edgy; a clear half of a league below its similarly named Premium counterpart

Out of curiosity, have you tried the bass port mod on the q? I'm curious how your descriptions would change then.

Very interesting to read the difference between the 250 and 600 versions and is so noticeable.

Re tube amps, would a tube DAC offer any of the benefits of a tube amp (the Lind that make it pair well with the q)?

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Out of curiosity, have you tried the bass port mod on the q? I'm curious how your descriptions would change then.

Very interesting to read the difference between the 250 and 600 versions and is so noticeable.

Re tube amps, would a tube DAC offer any of the benefits of a tube amp (the Lind that make it pair well with the q)?

I did the bass mod on my Q701 actually and though it helped to some degree, it somewhat ruined its dynamics in the midrange and it only made the upper treble roll-off all the more noticeable.
 
Again, note that the comparison was between a 250 ohm Pro (not Premium; in ZombieX's excellent comparison, the 250 ohm Pro is noted as the warmest of the DT 990 line and now I can clearly see why) and my current 600 ohm Premium and, to be honest, it was going off my memory. But I feel very safe in saying for myself that the Premium 600 ohm's midrange, bass and treble are faster, less grainy and more coherent than the 250 ohm Pro. In the world of Sennheiser, it would be almost like going from a HD555 to a HD600, where you get better extension, less grain and more naturalness in the long run. I personally believe it is a misnomer on Beyerdynamic's part for having made the Pro and Premium models share the same model number. I still cannot believe how good the midrange is and I was always craving for more clarity and fluency in the midrange on my 250 ohm Pros and I always was slighty annoyed by the treble, too. Not any more by a long shot!

 

[ZenocideZ]

Receiving both Q701 and NAD D3020 this weekend or early next week! Looking forward to pair them both!