[Evshrug]

I also found that using EQ to "shelf" cut the higher frequencies exposed the (excellent quality) bass and brought the Q701 back into balance.  It no longer sounds thin or lacks punch.  I also had to slightly reduce the 2 khz peak by about 2 dB and boost 12-16 khz a few dB to add some sparkle up top for my aging ears.

I have never had an audio product that didn't need some kind of EQ to get the sound I like, though.  Trying every headphone in existence just so I don't have to EQ would be a ridiculous luxury I wouldn't mind having  

I'd be interested in iTunes-equiv EQ settings, just so I can hear what you found to be cool.

 

[DSW92]

How do these perform for gaming compared to the AD700?

 

[Evshrug]

I upgraded from an AD700 to the Q701. I don't feel like I lost anything regarding spacial perception, but gained some bottom-end presence and a kind of liveliness. Going back to the AD700, audio sounded slightly more dull and tinny, but the headset was lighter and (since I'd perfected the shape of my AD700's headband) more comfortable on the skull. Granted, I have no comfort problems with the AKG since I started using a seatbelt wrap to cushion the headband bumps.

Overall, they're both good headphones, but I'm happier and more excited to listen to the AKGs. I've had them for about a year now, sold my AD700 about two months ago because I was hardly using them unless for comparison. If you do upgrade, you'll see... You'll just want to USE the AKGs more often

I haven't found an equivalent portable, probably never will by the nature of the beast.

Edit: Oh, gaming specifically, with headphone surround, I murder in competitive and happily get lost in single player. I am very happy gaming with these and a surround processor like Creative's sound cards or Turtle Beach's DSS dongles.

 

[kebbin15]

AKG Q701 + Fiio E12? Is this a good combo? 

 

[Chris J]

AKG Q701 + Fiio E12? Is this a good combo? 

Yes, this is a very good sounding combination!
See my review in the E12 thread.

 

[kebbin15]

Quote:

Yes, this is a very good sounding combination!
See my review in the E12 thread.

Link? Sorry I'm too lazy to look for it and I'm just using my phone lol

 

[Stalker81598]

Quote:

I'd be interested in iTunes-equiv EQ settings, just so I can hear what you found to be cool.

 
I've found that if you use the EQ on iTunes to make changes more than +/- 3 to 4db it tends to adversely affect the sound. Something about the way the software handles it. I can't put my finger on it, but I know it does not behave the same way as the EQ on my soundcard software. On that one I can swing one of the frequencies all the way up or down without affecting the adjacent frequencies. The EQ on iTunes seems to bleed over a lot more than it should.

 

[Change is Good]

Quote:

I haven't found an equivalent portable, probably never will by the nature of the beast.

 
I had the GR07 MK2 when I had the Q701 and they were as close as I could get...

 

[Evshrug]

Link? Sorry I'm too lazy to look for it and I'm just using my phone lol

Kebbin,
I'm also lazy (at times), but in one of my moments of manic productivity (or something) I wrote a pretty extensive review of the E12, mainly tested with the Q701 (also briefly some Etymotic IEMs, to see what happens with a low-ohm impedance headphone), and I posted the link in my signature. If you go to the bottom of the page and switch from mobile to desktop viewing, you'll see my review titled "The Power of Zeus, in your pocket!" linked in my sig. I'm too lazy right now to copy/paste it for you just now tho, lol.

I had the GR07 MK2 when I had the Q701 and they were as close as I could get...

What brand is the GR07? I'll have to look into those, but TBH I'm not looking for another IEM (I like my Ety's, a LOT) but I want a closed headphone for those common times when I'll have many brief moments to play some music but I'll have to be able to take them off again when someone wants my attention.

 

[daleb]

Quote:

 
I've found that if you use the EQ on iTunes to make changes more than +/- 3 to 4db it tends to adversely affect the sound. Something about the way the software handles it. I can't put my finger on it, but I know it does not behave the same way as the EQ on my soundcard software. On that one I can swing one of the frequencies all the way up or down without affecting the adjacent frequencies. The EQ on iTunes seems to bleed over a lot more than it should.

Where the EQ is affecting the sound is what causes this. With your sound card, the EQ is directly affecting the signal - the source of the sound, meaning a 20 db boost is only affecting the signal. As long as it doesn't clip (by, say, turning it down on the computer and turning it up with an amp) you could get that bass as cleaning as you want. On the other hand, A EQ inside a media player directly affects the song or audio file, making it so changing the bass is literally changing the files bass as it plays.  Before hand, noise and off-key harmonics are mostly subtle. Afterwards,  these because much more powerful, and its hard to not notice it. These types of EQs that directly affect the file are not that practical - especially because they don't treat it as a parametric EQ, but literally boost only between say 64 and 125, making random jumps and drops in volume.

 

[Change is Good]

Quote:

Kebbin,

What brand is the GR07? I'll have to look into those, but TBH I'm not looking for another IEM (I like my Ety's, a LOT) but I want a closed headphone for those common times when I'll have many brief moments to play some music but I'll have to be able to take them off again when someone wants my attention.

 
It's VSonic. I have the bass editions, now...
 
If you want a closed headphone check out the SoundMAGIC HP100. I've been raving about it on the gaming thread but no one is listening. It really is a great closed headphone that complimented my Q701... and outperforms its $200 price tag. And did I mention the bass?

 and its soundstage is way above average for a closed can.
 
It's not a basshead can, though, so that's what makes it so sweet. Bottom to top all blends in nicely. I would have kept it but I wanted to see what all the Mad Dog hype is about... plus it didn't compliment the X1 well enough.
 
Edit: And if you want something even more portable like an on-ear headphone check out the Sennheiser Amperior. Also, a great compliment to the Q701/Annies... but nowhere near the soundstage (it is a supra-aural).

 

[kebbin15]

Quote:

Kebbin,
I'm also lazy (at times), but in one of my moments of manic productivity (or something) I wrote a pretty extensive review of the E12, mainly tested with the Q701 (also briefly some Etymotic IEMs, to see what happens with a low-ohm impedance headphone), and I posted the link in my signature. If you go to the bottom of the page and switch from mobile to desktop viewing, you'll see my review titled "The Power of Zeus, in your pocket!" linked in my sig. I'm too lazy right now to copy/paste it for you just now tho, lol.
 

Thanks! But I've read the Q701 doesn't respond that well with bass boost or EQ?

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

Thanks! But I've read the Q701 doesn't respond that well with bass boost or EQ?

 
Mine responds quite well.  I use it with bass boost from one of my amps though (iCan), not software EQ.

 

[Chris J]

Link? Sorry I'm too lazy to look for it and I'm just using my phone lol

I'll add a link when I get on a computer, a real computer.
I'm using an iPad right now.......so it's way too much aggravation, courtesy of Apple.

 

[Evshrug]

Thanks! But I've read the Q701 doesn't respond that well with bass boost or EQ?

In my E12 review (http://www.head-fi.org/products/fiio-e12-mont-blanc/reviews/8449), I found that, in practice, the E12's hardware bass boost is perfectly mated to the Q701. It's not a huge change, but it increases the ambiance without hurting the fidelity at all. The first time I've found a boost that doesn't take away from the fidelity, and I don't mind leaving it on all the time for any genre. Read the review, I explain.