[K_19]

It would appear that if you get a pair of K701 pads you can turn your K7XX into a slightly bassier K701, midrange dips and treble weirdness seem to be mostly products of earpad damping. If they weren't $30 each, I would try K7XX + K701 pads + 2 felt rings.

Perhaps you can try those Ebay replica angled pads, they are $30 for a pair so half price of the set of the real ones, and apparently the quality on them are pretty decent.

 

[money4me247]

Perhaps you can try those Ebay replica angled pads, they are $30 for a pair so half price of the set of the real ones, and apparently the quality on them are pretty decent.

do you have a link for a good seller?

 

[K_19]

do you have a link for a good seller?

http://m.ebay.ca/itm/261623076443

Seems like he's the only seller, with a very good feedback score. Sells many other headphone pads too and his replicas seem very good for the most part. I think one user here from Head-fi got his Q701 pads and he seemed quite happy with them.

 

[c61746961]

Perhaps you can try those Ebay replica angled pads, they are $30 for a pair so half price of the set of the real ones, and apparently the quality on them are pretty decent.

Problem is, the pads aren't exactly complex in their construction or that different shape-wise from one another, so the material choice is what's making the difference. I wouldn't expect the 3rd party pads to measure exactly like the originals, maybe they do, maybe they don't, maybe they are even better.

 

[xtroria]

  300hrs of burn in for K/Q701/XX seems to consisently be the recommended amount of hours. I believe I've seen that for other AKG models as well. SO do folks feel that ALL AKG cans benefit from that amount? I've got a pair of K553s coming from the recent MassDrop so I was wondering about that. tks.

 
Well, there's always no harm in doing burn-in. But don't let the burn in makes you avoid listening the headphone until it's "burnt-in"
 
Just jam the music

 <- Official AKG emote (because of the spring headband) 

 

[bavinck]

I mostly just listened to whatever I want with my k7xxs, I noticed about 100-200hrs in the soundstage got bigger and the bass got deeper. First time I experienced this.

 

[2channelaudio]

Without reading the circa 146 pages in this thread..... 
 
IMO these HP's look like black AKG k712's....
At a great price to boot !
 
I have the AKG k712pro's which I picked up for $400 aud new...
These Massdrop units therefore represent exceptional value. 
 
If they are indeed AKG k712 pro's they are a fine headphone, which will need to be matched carefully with source and amplifier. Tubes DACs and vintage amplifiers mix quite well with the AKG k700 range. A warmish amplifier with good current and power reserves is essential to drive these HP's well, don't let the relatively low 60 ohms impedance fool you. 
 
To accompany my k712 pro's, I run a restored Sansui au-101 integrated fitted with Silmic caps, upstream I have a customised Lampucera1.0 + Lampizator CS8416 + CS4397 DAC (also fitted with an assortment of very nice Silmic and Panasonic filtering and signal caps). Tubes are rare NOS matched e88cc's... 
 
Sounds great for the coin. The Sansui/Lampizator DAC greatly aids bottom end impact and depth which the 712 pro's require, even with their 3db boost.. 
 
Cheers
2CA 

 

[mandrake50]

They also sound pretty darn good out of my new Oppo HA-2  sourced from a PC using Foobar.  Sounds like very nice gear, but I don't think essential for the KXX to sound nice!

 

[2channelaudio]

 
They also sound pretty darn good out of my new Oppo HA-2  sourced from a PC using Foobar.  Sounds like very nice gear, but I don't think essential for the KXX to sound nice!

 
Try Mqn as your software player, or playpcmwin... 
 
Both walk all over foobar for sound quality... Foobar is very flat and one dimensional compared to either of these players. Your missing alot of detail and dimension with foobar, its a pretty horrible sounding rendering package - although it does have added convenience features such as album art, playlist, equalisation, etc, etc...... ...
 
JMO 

 
Both suggestions are freeware/open source..... 
 
http://mqnplayer.blogspot.com.au/
(Requires some understanding to get working, requires haswell CPU also for AVX2 coding compatibility.) 
https://code.google.com/p/bitspersampleconv2/downloads/list
 
2CA 

 

[allindaze]

  Without reading the circa 146 pages in this thread..... 
 
IMO these HP's look like black AKG k712's....
At a great price to boot !
 
I have the AKG k712pro's which I picked up for $400 aud new...
These Massdrop units therefore represent exceptional value. 
 
If they are indeed AKG k712 pro's they are a fine headphone, which will need to be matched carefully with source and amplifier. Tubes DACs and vintage amplifiers mix quite well with the AKG k700 range. A warmish amplifier with good current and power reserves is essential to drive these HP's well, don't let the relatively low 60 ohms impedance fool you. 
 
To accompany my k712 pro's, I run a restored Sansui au-101 integrated fitted with Silmic caps, upstream I have a customised Lampucera1.0 + Lampizator CS8416 + CS4397 DAC (also fitted with an assortment of very nice Silmic and Panasonic filtering and signal caps). Tubes are rare NOS matched e88cc's... 
 
Sounds great for the coin. The Sansui/Lampizator DAC greatly aids bottom end impact and depth which the 712 pro's require, even with their 3db boost.. 
 
Cheers
2CA 

Very nice!

 

[allindaze]

http://m.ebay.ca/itm/261623076443

Seems like he's the only seller, with a very good feedback score. Sells many other headphone pads too and his replicas seem very good for the most part. I think one user here from Head-fi got his Q701 pads and he seemed quite happy with them.

I've been trying to locate replica ear cushions and it's difficult to find ones that are modeled specifically to be Anniversary edition replacements

 

[allindaze]

   
Try Mqn as your software player, or playpcmwin... 
 
Both walk all over foobar for sound quality... Foobar is very flat and one dimensional compared to either of these players. Your missing alot of detail and dimension with foobar, its a pretty horrible sounding rendering package - although it does have added convenience features such as album art, playlist, equalisation, etc, etc...... ...
 
JMO 

 
Both suggestions are freeware/open source..... 
 
http://mqnplayer.blogspot.com.au/
(Requires some understanding to get working, requires haswell CPU also for AVX2 coding compatibility.) 
https://code.google.com/p/bitspersampleconv2/downloads/list
 
2CA 

Thanks for those links, I've never heard of these players. I never thought to use more sophisticated software for playback. Foobar does give quite a bit of customization freedom as well as aesthetic control. I have to say though, using the WASAPI plugin I've been quite happy with it's playback of high quality files. I'm not sure if the tradeoff of using a purely functional application such as PlayPcmWin is worth it or if the difference would even be detectable to me. I feel like I'd need dog ears to really hear/notice what Foobar is doing to my music. Also is Foobar even really "flat and one dimensional" when using a plugin like WASAPI? I thought by bypassing the Windows sound driver I'd be receiving a more "bit perfect" stream of data to my DAC.

 

[2channelaudio]

Thanks for those links, I've never heard of these players. I never thought to use more sophisticated software for playback. Foobar does give quite a bit of customization freedom as well as aesthetic control. I have to say though, using the WASAPI plugin I've been quite happy with it's playback of high quality files. I'm not sure if the tradeoff of using a purely functional application such as PlayPcmWin is worth it or if the difference would even be detectable to me. I feel like I'd need dog ears to really hear/notice what Foobar is doing to my music. Also is Foobar even really "flat and one dimensional" when using a plugin like WASAPI? I thought by bypassing the Windows sound driver I'd be receiving a more "bit perfect" stream of data to my DAC.

IMO... Differences between software packages are audible and easily detectable... It doesn't take dog ears that's for sure.
Wasapi, Asio, KS is only one side of the coin.

Yes all these bypass windows mixer to provide a bit perfect stream.
HOWEVER this is not a debate I care to have...

Read some of the mqn thread pages on the Tirna Hifi forum......http://www.tirnahifi.org/forum/
Along with actaully trying the mqn software and comparing it to Foobar...

Here's some open source players to try/consider....
Vortexbox
** Playpcmwin
** Mqn - the best SQ player I have heard....
Foobar
Volumio
Bughead Emperor
JLP
** CMP cPlay

Good luck

 

[2channelaudio]

  I've been trying to locate replica ear cushions and it's difficult to find ones that are modeled specifically to be Anniversary edition replacements

 
I know first hand the k712 pro pads for instance are gel filled and not foam. 
Therefore using 701/702 pads will change the sound of these Hp's... 
 
The choice of pads will impact sound quality.
Its my understanding the gel filled pads on the k712's help produce/enhance the 3db boost this model markets. 
 
An aftermarket pad may be fine.... but until their fitted you wont know if its for better or worse. 
Best to purchase originals via your local AKG reseller. 

 

[c61746961]

Differences between software packages are audible and easily detectable... It doesn't take dog ears that's for sure.

I must be deaf.