baka1969
Chaser of Ghosts
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Posts
- 3,446
- Likes
- 93
Hello fellow Head-Fi'ers,
I'm a headphone guy. I know this. I embrace this. I love this. I enjoy the personal solitude while listening to music that headphones provide. I relish finding ways to get closer to the artist's intend of their music. I am intrigued by how different 'phones approach sound reproduction in various ways. I marvel at how one headphone manufacturer's 'house sound' compares to another's. It all gives me ways to enjoy music with differing perspectives.
There are many reasons that all of us on Head-Fi love our cans. Be it the iPod invasion, financial reasons, the pursuit of perfection, and maybe the reasons I've even stated. No matter how or why, we're all here on Head-Fi because we're headphone people.
I've always wanted the best sound possible from my favorite music. I lean toward wanting crystalline detail and clarity over warmth. I'd rather a headphone have a little more brightness and sparkle than to have a little more thump in the rump. I want to feel as if I'm on the stage with the band than feel I'm somewhere in the back row of the theater.
With all that Grado is an easy choice for me. Grado has plenty of detail. They offer an aggressive presentation and are certainly forward. Grado 'phones also place you within the music and give you an on-stage feeling. I've been pleased with my SR-225's. I even find them to be extremely comfortable.
So why even bother to pursue the AKG K-701 when I'm content with Grado? I suppose being content is something I'm not content with. I have also read such polarizing opinions about them I just had to find out for myself. Plus I'm a member of Head-Fi and resistance is futile.
So I did just that. A fellow Head-fi'er had a pair of 701's for sale with 15hrs on them and I got them.
I have since put about another 100hrs total on them and would like to share my experience and thoughts. I will compare the AKG K-701 (retail $349) to the above mentioned Grado SR-225 (retail $195) and my Shure SE530 (retail $449). Pitting the AKG against the Grado would seem normal, but why am I also choosing the Shure? All three have such different sound signatures that I think it will add some perspective. Plus the Shure and the AKG have a similar retail price, so it makes some sense. And this is my review. LoL. Either way, I hope you enjoy reading.
As usual, I won't delve into all the technical specs or display fancy graphs. I'll just do the best I can to share my experience and the best I can to tell you what I hear. Please remember these are my just my humble opinions with my ears. YMMV
When I received the 701 I was pleased at the relatively simple packaging the AKG came in. It's a little fancier, with the added headphone stand, than the simple Pizza Box the Grado comes in (which I like), but is nowhere near as over-the-top as the aluminum encased box Shure uses. Along with the stand the 701 comes with a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter to be used with portable music devices like my iPod or a portable amp. I think the packaging is worth an 8.
When I opened the box they came in my first thought was holy $?@% they're huge! Compared to the Grado Prestige Series it's almost comical (not necessarily in a bad way) the difference. The 3" diameter x 1 1/2" Grado housing is totally dwarfed by the 4 1/2" dia x 2 1/2" AKG. Add the several inch height advantage the 701 has over the 225 and it's noticeable in almost every way. Portability, weight, wearability(?), comfort, sound, travel ability are all effected by it's extra girth. The Grado has the advantage in size in my opinion. I'll say a score of 7 for the AKG for size and weight.
When I got over the immense heft of the 701 I did like the aesthetic. The neo/retro/post modern/futuristic whatever you call it, it looks pretty cool. This contrasts with the 225 with the Grado classic simple approach. I honesty like both, but I'd have to give the nod to the Grado for keeping it simple. The Shure is an IEM and doesn't really compare here. Score an 8.
One of the areas the AKG edges the Grado is the cord. In every single way. It's one-sided on the left as compared to the two-sided Y-connected of the 225. The cord is very flexible on the AKG where the Grado is thick and inflexible. Although I've never had an issue with any of my Grados twisting, it requires work to maintain them kink-free. The AKG requires no such effort. Did I mention the 701's cord is 2' longer than the Grado cord? I really appreciate the extra length. The Shure cord is about a foot and a half shorter than the Grado, but given it's intended use, it's just fine.
Build quality is excellent on all three. As well they should be.
The Grado 80/225 is extremely comfortable to me. I guess I have nano-sized ears because they fit around them completely. Plus the Grado is very light. I can wear then forever and not even feel them. This is not the case with the AKG 701. They are huge and heavy. Although I have gotten used to them, I always know I'm wearing them. When I first started using them I noticed the earpad would rest on my jaw and put pressure there. Plus that silly bump on the underside of the headband is just downright irritating. Since it self adjusts you can't really set it anyway you want on your head. It is what it is and you'll like it! LoL. The 225 is also easier lay down in than the 701. I have gotten used to them though. Head banging with the 701 is out. With the 225 you can head bang with caution. LoL. The Shure SE530, no matter which earpiece I use or how I insert them I find them to be uncomfortable after about an hour. Since I scored the 530 a 6, the 701 gets a 6.5.
What I and I believe most of us on Head-Fi really care about is how the headphones sound. This is where the AKG K-701 vs Grado SR-225 vs Shure SE530 takes hold. Without spoiling the surprise, I must say all three of these 'phones are excellent. And any one of these would be an pleasing addition to your music setup. The casual listener would find little to fault with choosing one. However, we're not casual listeners are we? Although some of the differences between the three can be subtle, some are more obvious. And make no mistake, each has it's own distinct sound signature. Barring the utility (like the IEM) my review is really to show the differences and my preferences in the way they each make music sound to me and my ears.
I was initially going to use the Headroom Total Airhead portable amp to test each of the cans. I really like this amp. You can read my review of it by clicking the link in my sig. I had my worries even before ordering and receiving the AKG K-701 as to whether the TAH would properly drive them. Alas, to my sadness, they couldn't. They just don't have the gas. So I found a Headamp AE-1 from a fellow Head-Fi'er and they work great with them. So, for this review, I will use the AE-1 with my 5gen iPod with all music in .wav format and a Cardas mini-to-mini to connect them for all three headphones. Also I will use Grado's 1/4 to 1/8 adapter for both the AKG and Grado to be consistent and because I think they just sound better than the one AKG provides.
As I type this review I will go back and forth between all three to most accurately convey what I hear.
I am a detail freak and so when I first listen to a headphone I listen to the first minute of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Hear from the album of the same name. There are very subtle details that only excellent and detailed headphones can pick up. Starting at the 5 sec mark the voice over the radio says "discipline remains mercifully". The "ly" part is difficult to delineate and tends to sound more like 'mercify' without the 'L' being enunciated. Both the Grado and the Shure pick this up well when listening. The AKG, however, takes it up another level. The detail retrieval of the 701 is not just stunning it's amazing. When listening to The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby off Love, the cello parts are incredible how much detail the AKG picks up and the ease with which it does it too. You can hear the vibrations of the cello much better with the K-701 than with any of the other two. I continue to be impressed with how much detail the Shure extracts, although the Grado has a slight edge. But hands down the 701 picks up everything. When the Beatles' Ticket To Ride is playing during the last 20 seconds of Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon album only with the AKG does it come through clearly. However I still can't tell what the voices (control room bleed over maybe?) are saying. The revealing nature of the 701 is sinful. Even though the other headphones will expose poor production values and bad recordings, the 701 shows ALL the production. Every dub, every mistake, everything. But holy moly does it reward excellence. Since I'm a detail freak the AGK not only gets a 9 from me but it wins the detail portion without apology.
The highs are not as easy to declare here. The Shure, the AKG and the Grado each have very different sounding highs. But I happen to like the sound of all three. The Shure SE530 has an ultra smooth high end. It's very silky sounding. Where they fall is the highs roll off quite early. There is a lack of sparkle to the 530 unfortunately in my opinion. From the upper mids all the way up the Grado SR-225 is right in your face and ultra aggressive. In a good way. The Grado is ever so slightly sibilant when compared to the other two. Particularly with Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. What the 225's highs lack in overall refinement they make up for in sparkle and liveliness. I just love listening to trumpets, guitar wailing and cymbals with the Grado. The AKG K-701 almost splits the difference between the two. The highs seem to roll slightly sooner than the Grado but with quite a bit more composure. But the highs are not what I would call silky. When I first got the AKG they were a tad sibilant, but now have none of that characteristic. I would say they AKG has a more accurate and clear way with the highs. I think the 701's highs sound more natural to me. And a grade of 8.5 is what the AKG would get. And if I had to choose one, I'd pick the AKG because I just like the more natural sound. When I play Nights In White Satin from The Moody Blues, the flute just seems to soar and float with the AKG. WoW. Next up Grado.
The bass is easy to grade. At this point in the AKG life cycle, the Grado seems to extend a bit deeper and have slightly more impact. However, the 701 is much tighter and more composed. The clarity again is the AKG strong suit. A grade of 8 for the AKG's bass. Although the Shure has a deep and impactful bass, it's a little loose in the caboose compared to the others. Not really sloppy, just more single noted. This is highlighted with the song One Of These Days on Pink Floyd's Meddle album. The dueling bass line is well defined with both the Grado and the AKG. With the Shure it's slightly but noticeably less so. None of these are boom boom booming bass. And that's perfectly fine with me. I think AKG 701 wins the bass contest of the three, it's the clarity that give it the edge over it's Grado counterpart.
The mids and the vocals are where the trio vary the most. It is this area where each headphone defines it's character the most I think. It will also be difficult to talk about the mids and vocals without discussing imaging and soundstage. This is going to be the most challenging to write about.
The Shure SE530 has absolutely gorgeous mids. They're creamy and silky and warm and wonderful. The detail and imaging are good. The soundstage is the most closed of the three. It does go around my head but doesn't expand much beyond that. Placing of the instruments is pretty decent but stops short of brilliant. The vocals are definitely in your ear. Very intimate even if lacking a little detail. If you listen to Janis Joplin sing A Woman Left Lonely and not fall in love then there's something wrong. Overall the mids of the Shure are it's most dominate feature with the highs rolling off short this brings that out more.
The Grado SR-225 mids are the least refined of the three but that doesn't mean it's the worst of the three. Or the best either. But I will say that the vocals are my favorite of the three. Whether it's Pink Floyd, or Tool, Radiohead or Metallica or David Allen Coe, the singing is terrific. To me it's as if they are singing right to you and is the focal point of the rest of the music. Soundstage with the 225 puts you right in the middle of a small stage with you. Placement of the band is great the all around you. Separation of the individual instruments are quite good. However, during some complex numbers the Grado can congest them a little depending on the song. I hear this more with metal, like Metallica or Queensryche for example, than any other genre. It's not too distracting, but still audible.
The mids of the AKG K-701 are the most natural, clear and controlled of the three. It has the widest soundstage and imagery. At first I thought the sound was a bit thin and two dimensional, but have through time really filled out. The vocals are a bit more distant than the Grado but not washed out or empty. Although the vocals aren't as intimate as the other two cans, they are crystal clear and you can feel every nuance and pitch change. the overall presentation of the middle section is holographic. Air just fills between the instrumentation. Atom Heart Mother from Pink Floyd is the perfect highlight of this. And the soundstage is expansive but isn't too wide. You still feel a part of the music and not just a bystander. Given the entire mid package, I lean toward the AKG above the others and grade them a 9. With the Shure and Grado a close second and third respectively.
The real question is how everything melds together and how well does each headphone play music? The simple answers is they're all great. But we're not that simple are we? The Shure is creamy smooth. The Grado is raw and aggressive. And the AKG is detailed and natural. The Shure SE530 is terrific IEM but to me they aren't as comfortable as the other two and don't engage me as well as the others. Vocals aside, the Grado is a rockin' 'phone but seems to lack neutrality and refinement. To me, the AKG K-701 seems to do everything exceedingly well. They are detailed without being tiresome. The highs soar without being harsh. Songs sound natural and well spaced. The music is clear to the point that the AKG plays what they're supposed to play. What the music is supposed to be. I lay back and listen to all genres of music and fall within it. Rock, prog, blues, orchestral, country or jazz. Even metal sounds great to me. I don't find them sterile in the least. They are very immersive to my ears and heart.
Are they perfect? Na. But without me spending $10k or more, perfection is elusive anyway. Am I ashamed of myself because a Grado man like myself prefers the divisive AKG K-701 over the Grado SR-225? Hell no. Will this be the last word for me with headphones? I doubt it. There are the RS-1's I've still yet to listen to. Not to mention everything north of $1k. And Stax are an entirely different animal. But for now, I am enjoying the 701 as my favorite can.
I hope you've enjoyed reading my review and hope I have done a little justice to the Head-Fi community.
Thank you for spending the time.
Ross
I'm a headphone guy. I know this. I embrace this. I love this. I enjoy the personal solitude while listening to music that headphones provide. I relish finding ways to get closer to the artist's intend of their music. I am intrigued by how different 'phones approach sound reproduction in various ways. I marvel at how one headphone manufacturer's 'house sound' compares to another's. It all gives me ways to enjoy music with differing perspectives.
There are many reasons that all of us on Head-Fi love our cans. Be it the iPod invasion, financial reasons, the pursuit of perfection, and maybe the reasons I've even stated. No matter how or why, we're all here on Head-Fi because we're headphone people.
I've always wanted the best sound possible from my favorite music. I lean toward wanting crystalline detail and clarity over warmth. I'd rather a headphone have a little more brightness and sparkle than to have a little more thump in the rump. I want to feel as if I'm on the stage with the band than feel I'm somewhere in the back row of the theater.
With all that Grado is an easy choice for me. Grado has plenty of detail. They offer an aggressive presentation and are certainly forward. Grado 'phones also place you within the music and give you an on-stage feeling. I've been pleased with my SR-225's. I even find them to be extremely comfortable.
So why even bother to pursue the AKG K-701 when I'm content with Grado? I suppose being content is something I'm not content with. I have also read such polarizing opinions about them I just had to find out for myself. Plus I'm a member of Head-Fi and resistance is futile.
I have since put about another 100hrs total on them and would like to share my experience and thoughts. I will compare the AKG K-701 (retail $349) to the above mentioned Grado SR-225 (retail $195) and my Shure SE530 (retail $449). Pitting the AKG against the Grado would seem normal, but why am I also choosing the Shure? All three have such different sound signatures that I think it will add some perspective. Plus the Shure and the AKG have a similar retail price, so it makes some sense. And this is my review. LoL. Either way, I hope you enjoy reading.
As usual, I won't delve into all the technical specs or display fancy graphs. I'll just do the best I can to share my experience and the best I can to tell you what I hear. Please remember these are my just my humble opinions with my ears. YMMV
When I received the 701 I was pleased at the relatively simple packaging the AKG came in. It's a little fancier, with the added headphone stand, than the simple Pizza Box the Grado comes in (which I like), but is nowhere near as over-the-top as the aluminum encased box Shure uses. Along with the stand the 701 comes with a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter to be used with portable music devices like my iPod or a portable amp. I think the packaging is worth an 8.
When I opened the box they came in my first thought was holy $?@% they're huge! Compared to the Grado Prestige Series it's almost comical (not necessarily in a bad way) the difference. The 3" diameter x 1 1/2" Grado housing is totally dwarfed by the 4 1/2" dia x 2 1/2" AKG. Add the several inch height advantage the 701 has over the 225 and it's noticeable in almost every way. Portability, weight, wearability(?), comfort, sound, travel ability are all effected by it's extra girth. The Grado has the advantage in size in my opinion. I'll say a score of 7 for the AKG for size and weight.
When I got over the immense heft of the 701 I did like the aesthetic. The neo/retro/post modern/futuristic whatever you call it, it looks pretty cool. This contrasts with the 225 with the Grado classic simple approach. I honesty like both, but I'd have to give the nod to the Grado for keeping it simple. The Shure is an IEM and doesn't really compare here. Score an 8.
One of the areas the AKG edges the Grado is the cord. In every single way. It's one-sided on the left as compared to the two-sided Y-connected of the 225. The cord is very flexible on the AKG where the Grado is thick and inflexible. Although I've never had an issue with any of my Grados twisting, it requires work to maintain them kink-free. The AKG requires no such effort. Did I mention the 701's cord is 2' longer than the Grado cord? I really appreciate the extra length. The Shure cord is about a foot and a half shorter than the Grado, but given it's intended use, it's just fine.
Build quality is excellent on all three. As well they should be.
The Grado 80/225 is extremely comfortable to me. I guess I have nano-sized ears because they fit around them completely. Plus the Grado is very light. I can wear then forever and not even feel them. This is not the case with the AKG 701. They are huge and heavy. Although I have gotten used to them, I always know I'm wearing them. When I first started using them I noticed the earpad would rest on my jaw and put pressure there. Plus that silly bump on the underside of the headband is just downright irritating. Since it self adjusts you can't really set it anyway you want on your head. It is what it is and you'll like it! LoL. The 225 is also easier lay down in than the 701. I have gotten used to them though. Head banging with the 701 is out. With the 225 you can head bang with caution. LoL. The Shure SE530, no matter which earpiece I use or how I insert them I find them to be uncomfortable after about an hour. Since I scored the 530 a 6, the 701 gets a 6.5.
What I and I believe most of us on Head-Fi really care about is how the headphones sound. This is where the AKG K-701 vs Grado SR-225 vs Shure SE530 takes hold. Without spoiling the surprise, I must say all three of these 'phones are excellent. And any one of these would be an pleasing addition to your music setup. The casual listener would find little to fault with choosing one. However, we're not casual listeners are we? Although some of the differences between the three can be subtle, some are more obvious. And make no mistake, each has it's own distinct sound signature. Barring the utility (like the IEM) my review is really to show the differences and my preferences in the way they each make music sound to me and my ears.
I was initially going to use the Headroom Total Airhead portable amp to test each of the cans. I really like this amp. You can read my review of it by clicking the link in my sig. I had my worries even before ordering and receiving the AKG K-701 as to whether the TAH would properly drive them. Alas, to my sadness, they couldn't. They just don't have the gas. So I found a Headamp AE-1 from a fellow Head-Fi'er and they work great with them. So, for this review, I will use the AE-1 with my 5gen iPod with all music in .wav format and a Cardas mini-to-mini to connect them for all three headphones. Also I will use Grado's 1/4 to 1/8 adapter for both the AKG and Grado to be consistent and because I think they just sound better than the one AKG provides.
As I type this review I will go back and forth between all three to most accurately convey what I hear.
I am a detail freak and so when I first listen to a headphone I listen to the first minute of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Hear from the album of the same name. There are very subtle details that only excellent and detailed headphones can pick up. Starting at the 5 sec mark the voice over the radio says "discipline remains mercifully". The "ly" part is difficult to delineate and tends to sound more like 'mercify' without the 'L' being enunciated. Both the Grado and the Shure pick this up well when listening. The AKG, however, takes it up another level. The detail retrieval of the 701 is not just stunning it's amazing. When listening to The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby off Love, the cello parts are incredible how much detail the AKG picks up and the ease with which it does it too. You can hear the vibrations of the cello much better with the K-701 than with any of the other two. I continue to be impressed with how much detail the Shure extracts, although the Grado has a slight edge. But hands down the 701 picks up everything. When the Beatles' Ticket To Ride is playing during the last 20 seconds of Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon album only with the AKG does it come through clearly. However I still can't tell what the voices (control room bleed over maybe?) are saying. The revealing nature of the 701 is sinful. Even though the other headphones will expose poor production values and bad recordings, the 701 shows ALL the production. Every dub, every mistake, everything. But holy moly does it reward excellence. Since I'm a detail freak the AGK not only gets a 9 from me but it wins the detail portion without apology.
The highs are not as easy to declare here. The Shure, the AKG and the Grado each have very different sounding highs. But I happen to like the sound of all three. The Shure SE530 has an ultra smooth high end. It's very silky sounding. Where they fall is the highs roll off quite early. There is a lack of sparkle to the 530 unfortunately in my opinion. From the upper mids all the way up the Grado SR-225 is right in your face and ultra aggressive. In a good way. The Grado is ever so slightly sibilant when compared to the other two. Particularly with Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. What the 225's highs lack in overall refinement they make up for in sparkle and liveliness. I just love listening to trumpets, guitar wailing and cymbals with the Grado. The AKG K-701 almost splits the difference between the two. The highs seem to roll slightly sooner than the Grado but with quite a bit more composure. But the highs are not what I would call silky. When I first got the AKG they were a tad sibilant, but now have none of that characteristic. I would say they AKG has a more accurate and clear way with the highs. I think the 701's highs sound more natural to me. And a grade of 8.5 is what the AKG would get. And if I had to choose one, I'd pick the AKG because I just like the more natural sound. When I play Nights In White Satin from The Moody Blues, the flute just seems to soar and float with the AKG. WoW. Next up Grado.
The bass is easy to grade. At this point in the AKG life cycle, the Grado seems to extend a bit deeper and have slightly more impact. However, the 701 is much tighter and more composed. The clarity again is the AKG strong suit. A grade of 8 for the AKG's bass. Although the Shure has a deep and impactful bass, it's a little loose in the caboose compared to the others. Not really sloppy, just more single noted. This is highlighted with the song One Of These Days on Pink Floyd's Meddle album. The dueling bass line is well defined with both the Grado and the AKG. With the Shure it's slightly but noticeably less so. None of these are boom boom booming bass. And that's perfectly fine with me. I think AKG 701 wins the bass contest of the three, it's the clarity that give it the edge over it's Grado counterpart.
The mids and the vocals are where the trio vary the most. It is this area where each headphone defines it's character the most I think. It will also be difficult to talk about the mids and vocals without discussing imaging and soundstage. This is going to be the most challenging to write about.
The Shure SE530 has absolutely gorgeous mids. They're creamy and silky and warm and wonderful. The detail and imaging are good. The soundstage is the most closed of the three. It does go around my head but doesn't expand much beyond that. Placing of the instruments is pretty decent but stops short of brilliant. The vocals are definitely in your ear. Very intimate even if lacking a little detail. If you listen to Janis Joplin sing A Woman Left Lonely and not fall in love then there's something wrong. Overall the mids of the Shure are it's most dominate feature with the highs rolling off short this brings that out more.
The Grado SR-225 mids are the least refined of the three but that doesn't mean it's the worst of the three. Or the best either. But I will say that the vocals are my favorite of the three. Whether it's Pink Floyd, or Tool, Radiohead or Metallica or David Allen Coe, the singing is terrific. To me it's as if they are singing right to you and is the focal point of the rest of the music. Soundstage with the 225 puts you right in the middle of a small stage with you. Placement of the band is great the all around you. Separation of the individual instruments are quite good. However, during some complex numbers the Grado can congest them a little depending on the song. I hear this more with metal, like Metallica or Queensryche for example, than any other genre. It's not too distracting, but still audible.
The mids of the AKG K-701 are the most natural, clear and controlled of the three. It has the widest soundstage and imagery. At first I thought the sound was a bit thin and two dimensional, but have through time really filled out. The vocals are a bit more distant than the Grado but not washed out or empty. Although the vocals aren't as intimate as the other two cans, they are crystal clear and you can feel every nuance and pitch change. the overall presentation of the middle section is holographic. Air just fills between the instrumentation. Atom Heart Mother from Pink Floyd is the perfect highlight of this. And the soundstage is expansive but isn't too wide. You still feel a part of the music and not just a bystander. Given the entire mid package, I lean toward the AKG above the others and grade them a 9. With the Shure and Grado a close second and third respectively.
The real question is how everything melds together and how well does each headphone play music? The simple answers is they're all great. But we're not that simple are we? The Shure is creamy smooth. The Grado is raw and aggressive. And the AKG is detailed and natural. The Shure SE530 is terrific IEM but to me they aren't as comfortable as the other two and don't engage me as well as the others. Vocals aside, the Grado is a rockin' 'phone but seems to lack neutrality and refinement. To me, the AKG K-701 seems to do everything exceedingly well. They are detailed without being tiresome. The highs soar without being harsh. Songs sound natural and well spaced. The music is clear to the point that the AKG plays what they're supposed to play. What the music is supposed to be. I lay back and listen to all genres of music and fall within it. Rock, prog, blues, orchestral, country or jazz. Even metal sounds great to me. I don't find them sterile in the least. They are very immersive to my ears and heart.
Are they perfect? Na. But without me spending $10k or more, perfection is elusive anyway. Am I ashamed of myself because a Grado man like myself prefers the divisive AKG K-701 over the Grado SR-225? Hell no. Will this be the last word for me with headphones? I doubt it. There are the RS-1's I've still yet to listen to. Not to mention everything north of $1k. And Stax are an entirely different animal. But for now, I am enjoying the 701 as my favorite can.
I hope you've enjoyed reading my review and hope I have done a little justice to the Head-Fi community.
Thank you for spending the time.
Ross
