[Evshrug]

How's it going all!

     After much deliberation and "blood, sweat, & tears" spent working, I have finally ordered my Q701s from Amazon. I first went to Fry's in Manhattan Beach, but left empty-handed. For those that don't know the Fry's in Manhattan Beach, CA, you're pretty much on your own, as chances are you know the store better than the employees. I then went to Sam Ash, because they have a headphone area and it seems like they have every other "lower" mid-fi tier headphone, BUT the Q701 which they need to special order.

     I am coming to these headphones from the older beige-purple Audio-Technica AD700. Comparing the frequency charts of the two headphones, it seems like it takes all the frequencies and boosts them as well as extends the bass a lot. Bass being the biggest downfall of the AD700, I am pretty excited to see how well the Q701 will do. I will be doing the bass port mod, whether immediately or waiting a month is till up in the air though. I also plan to go to my friend's house and "steal" the pads off his K702 65th LE to see how the bass port mod and Annie pads sound like.

That was my transition as well! Though I just had a FiiO E5 to start out with.
It did seem like a refined AD700 to me too, plus something that was hard for me to pin down that simply made it more involving to listen to... I think that, today, I would say that the AD700 was more laid-back, the Q701 has as-good soundstage (with good amping) yet a more "forward" feeling. Would you agree? It was hard giving up the AD700 at it's price/value, but in the end I just liked the Q701 more.

 

[jasonb]

Which side of the bass becomes livelier? The sub bass or mid bass? If it was the sub bass, I'd gladly mod these cans. However I'm paranoid if this would affect the soundstage.

It adds sub bass and if anything adds depth to the soundstage.

 

[62ohm]

 
Which side of the bass becomes livelier? The sub bass or mid bass? If it was the sub bass, I'd gladly mod these cans. However I'm paranoid if this would affect the soundstage.

 
The sub bass does become livelier, and perhaps, a bit looser. Mid bass doesn't seem to change. Not sure about the soundstage just yet, but this might be it.
 

It adds sub bass and if anything adds depth to the soundstage.

 

[watsaname]

That was my transition as well! Though I just had a FiiO E5 to start out with.
It did seem like a refined AD700 to me too, plus something that was hard for me to pin down that simply made it more involving to listen to... I think that, today, I would say that the AD700 was more laid-back, the Q701 has as-good soundstage (with good amping) yet a more "forward" feeling. Would you agree? It was hard giving up the AD700 at it's price/value, but in the end I just liked the Q701 more.

I have yet to get the headphones from amazon, but I will post some of my thoughts on the upgrade from the AD700s when I do get them. 

 

[Smugsie]

   
The sub bass does become livelier, and perhaps, a bit looser. Mid bass doesn't seem to change. Not sure about the soundstage just yet, but this might be it.
 

Part 1:
In that case, I'm going to mod them right now!
The q701's already has pretty solid bass impact, I wouldn't mind toning down the tightness of it.

Part 2:
Okay, so after about 20 minutes of listening. I pretty much knew what went up and what went down, with the help of foobar of course.

As some users stated, it indeed does sound more thick. Sounding more like a closed back headphone than open. Bass also does like to play around, where before it was just tight and solid impact. It's more of a flat low rumble bass.

I actually hint 3 layers of soundstage, however this soundstage is more close together, compared to the 2 solid layers of soundstaging before.

Through foobar, I was able to tell that the frequencies between 2-4khz are 2-5db more prominent. I'm not sure if that improves the charts so that it's a flat response, or if it's worse. Because my ears are iffy on the whole comfort of listening vs flat response.

Part 3:
One thing I'd like to add, to me, it's just very tiring to listen to. It definitely does not sound bad, it's hard to explain though. I do miss the airyness though... I might just put the sticker back >.<

Part 4:
I put the sticker back, I guess I pretty much did an a/b comparison there. The sticker removed makes the q701's sound more detailed, more bass, more higher-mids, more soundstage depth.
However, what I did miss was the airyness and relaxed listenning. I'm sorry if I disappointed anyone, but this mod just isn't for me.

 

[darrenyeats]

This might make Q701 owners feel better.
 
According to innerfidelity (not headroom.com) the bass roll off for the stock Q701 is much closer to the K712 than it is to the K701.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads
 
Overall response is different between all three though. Actually K701 actually have the smoothest response and K712 the most elevated bass region. Q701 are somewhere in the middle.

 

[discombob]

Part 4:
I put the sticker back, I guess I pretty much did an a/b comparison there. The sticker removed makes the q701's sound more detailed, more bass, more higher-mids, more soundstage depth.
However, what I did miss was the airyness and relaxed listenning. I'm sorry if I disappointed anyone, but this mod just isn't for me.

 
This is exactly what I heard, and yeah it was tiring.  It was like my head was getting "squeezed" between the loud low bass and the additional detail up top, sort of like the sound was run through a slight compression effect.  I ended up with some low-density foam squished back in the ports after I ruined the stickers when I took them off.
 
A better way to increase the bass to my preference (more impact around 100hz) and still have it sound controlled was to do the mod where you add a second layer of circular foam in the area underneath the Q badge.  I used microfiber cloth and this also moved the center of the soundstage in and made it more coherent, in my opinion.  Still sounds big, open and airy; it was just too wide in the center before for my tastes.

 

[i luvmusic 2]

Finally my Q701 just arrived.

 

[62ohm]

  Finally my Q701 just arrived.

 
Gratz mate! Your 62nd post for your 62ohm cans...

 

[i luvmusic 2]

   
Gratz mate! Your 62nd post for your 62ohm cans...

oh yeah i did not noticed that. THANKS!
I just found out that Q701 sound better with D1 + Bravo Audio Ocean than LD MK III .

 

[watsaname]

I received my Q701 and have been listening to them for a while now. First impression? I can definitely notice the bumps on the headband, but they have yet to cause my pain. 
 
Comparing it to my AD700 they seem to feel more like a closed headphone as they are not as airy and don't seem to let in has much sound from the your surroundings. They are definitely more forward then the AD700 and the soundstage is more "3D". To me, the AD700 sort of has a set soundstage, everything feels X meters away from you, but with the Q701, depending on the album/track, the music can either be closer or feel farther away. That could just be the mastering of the track and distortion.
 
This comes from someone using the Soundblaster Z for reference.

 

[koiloco]

After 1 week with the HD800/WA22 exclusively, today I put the Q701-m back on and got reminded of how great the Q701-m is for $200, especially the more relaxed, not so up close sound stage that to my ears helps more with instrument separation and layering.  I went back and forth between the 2 when listening to Ottmar Lierbert - Luna Negra.  I actually preferred the Q701-M over HD800 for guitar tracks.  I found HD800 a little thick and boomy for guitar, especially on the 3 upper strings.  With different tubes, maybe it could be a different outcome but right now, that's the case. So, this has confirmed again for me that the Q701 is not going anywhere and yet, the next purchase decision remains illusive.   HD800 vs AD or will there be a new contender coming into light?

 

[Ashade]

Let's see what the K812 has to offer, although the initial comments already insight that is probably not going to be at the level (it will have other goodies anyway).

 

[CCXR594]

So, on amazon, the K550's are only 3$ more than the Q701's. Would it be worth sacrificing the soundstage of the 701 to be able to travel with the 550(since it's sealed and will block more noise)? I'll be making a trip to FL this summer, and if these cans sound as good as the thread says, they'll pretty much render my SE215s obselete, and I won't want to be without them, but open back cans aren't too conducive to air travel. I will mainly be using them at home though.

 

[ThurstonX]

So, on amazon, the K550's are only 3$ more than the Q701's. Would it be worth sacrificing the soundstage of the 701 to be able to travel with the 550(since it's sealed and will block more noise)? I'll be making a trip to FL this summer, and if these cans sound as good as the thread says, they'll pretty much render my SE215s obselete, and I won't want to be without them, but open back cans aren't too conducive to air travel. I will mainly be using them at home though.

 
I love my K550s.  They do indeed isolate the listener from external noise, and do a pretty good job at not leaking sound, unless you're listening at an unhealthy level... 

  If you like the AKG sound, I bet you'd like these.  Hopefully you can demo them somewhere, esp. to check for a proper fit.  Some people complain they can't get a decent seal.  I've never had that problem, and the cups swivel in all sorts of directions, which helps.  And as long as it's not really warm where you're wearing them (should be OK in a plane), the pads are super comfortable.