[alpha80]

 

To my ears they sound very similar too.  I lived with the K712 for a couple of months before I got the K7XX.  At that point I tried two different amps with both head phones, just about every genre of music under the sun, and did my best at "blind" comparisons.  This went on for a full month... trying to detect any obvious black and white sort of difference between the two... Not just something I thought I could hear but something I could just drag my wife or our son into the room and put a track on and let them listen with both pair of headphones and they would go "OH!  I hear it!".   At the end of the day I could discern no difference between the two.  Sold the K712 and kept the K7XX (I liked the ninja black look better!)

I do agree with alpha80 that the signature analytical airyness on the top end, that I remember so well from my years of K701 use, is not nearly as prominent.  I'm seriously considering a pair of K702 to battle it out for dominance over my ears

Yeah, K7XX is less airy than the K701/702/Q701/K812, and more bass than even a bass port modded Q701, especially on sub bass.  I'd say it's bass is almost as good as K812, just slightly less sub punch on 808's, or big orchestral hits.  bass guitar performance may even be slightly sweeter on the K7XX, as it seems to have a tiny edge in the presentation of upper bass guitar notes to the K812.
 
I predict that if you by a K702, and battle it out, you'll keep the K7XX.  have you ever tried the Q701 ?  with a bass port mod ?  Did you ever bass port mod your beloved K701 ?

 

[allindaze]

After recent comments I was excited to perform the bass port mod on my K7xx... I was able to pop the grills off and immediately noticed the foam. I thought about removing it to see what it sounded like but didn't want to do two mods at once. It sucks but removing the sticker does render them much less refined than the sound I've come to love since I got them.
 
Of course I need to mention it's only been 10 minutes and so I may get used to less clarity for more bass. I hope I do end up finding a new love for the sound but hearing them with an unrefined voice reminds me just how much I love their sound just the way they come.

 

[Sillyness]

I was just thinking about popping the stickers back on. After listening further, I feel that I prefer the stock sound to modded for stuff like rock. The DT770 can give me some low-end if the mood strikes.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Just won a K7XX at the Nashville Meet! I have a HE560, Grado PS500e and Alclair RSM CIEM, Schiit Lyr 2, Meier Corda Classic, Über Bifrost, iFi iDSD Nano, Apex Glacier....so looking for synergies and comparisons. All advice is appreciated.

 

[xtroria]

Just won a K7XX at the Nashville Meet! I have a HE560, Grado PS500e and Alclair RSM CIEM, Schiit Lyr 2, Meier Corda Classic, Über Bifrost, iFi iDSD Nano, Apex Glacier....so looking for synergies and comparisons. All advice is appreciated.

I believe most AKG headphones arent lousy about amp at all, lyr 2 should happily drive it

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Just won a K7XX at the Nashville Meet! I have a HE560, Grado PS500e and Alclair RSM CIEM, Schiit Lyr 2, Meier Corda Classic, Über Bifrost, iFi iDSD Nano, Apex Glacier....so looking for synergies and comparisons. All advice is appreciated.

Lyr is heavenly with them. I would imagine the Meier would be amazing as well.

 

[hakushondaimao]

Just won a K7XX at the Nashville Meet! I have a HE560, Grado PS500e and Alclair RSM CIEM, Schiit Lyr 2, Meier Corda Classic, Über Bifrost, iFi iDSD Nano, Apex Glacier....so looking for synergies and comparisons. All advice is appreciated.

 
Just received my K7XX yesterday after they sat in a friends mailbox (holiday home) in Phoenix for 2 months. Very impressed. I can run them satisfactorily straight from my new X3ii, but this combo puts a huge smile on my face:
 

 

[c61746961]

Doing A&B's right now, with:

AKG K7XX  (stock, and with K701/Q-701 pads)
AKG K812  (stock)
AKG K701  (stock and with K7XX/712 pads))
AKG Q701  (bass port mod and with K7XX / 712 pads))
Beyerdynamic T-90  (stock & with EDT990 pads)
Sony MDR-7506  (stock and with Beyerdynamic DT250 pads)
Sony MDR-V6  (stock and with beyerdynamic DT250 pads)

FUN !!!

Hey!, any updates on this?, I'm particularly interested in the K7XX + K701/Q701 pads pairing, I want to know if the upper midrange gets filled somewhat.

 

[allindaze]

Hey!, any updates on this?, I'm particularly interested in the K7XX + K701/Q701 pads pairing, I want to know if the upper midrange gets filled somewhat.

I'd also be interested to know your findings. I've been contemplating picking up some Annie or K701 pads but don't know if it's worth it.

 

[Ustas]

interested to hear your impressions. i was actually thought the k812 performed quite well despite its relatively more muted popularity for a flagship around here.

I think it's just that most people either:

1. Listen to older, non-remastered, classic rock or classical recordings with serious mic/outboard, console / "overall-treble"/"distortion" issues in the original recordings, and thus want tube amps to essentially alter the signal, and act as mild/soft compressors, and also for the tubes to sweeten and dampen the entire stereo image in a similar manor to 2" TAPE saturation, or SSL G-series harmonic distortion.

2. Follow Tyll as if his opinion is gold.

I actually know I'll find a headphone terrible, if Tyll doesn't complain that it's at least slightly forward, mid-forward, or bright.  

And it's hilarious to me, when tyll complains of the AKG K812's THD, on the lower and upper ends, yet praises the HD800 for clarity (which actually has more harmonic distortion in the low end than the K812).  And then praises some overpriced, dim, bloated Planars for their "tight" or controlled" bass and clarity and imaging.  Sh!t is bush league laughable    i wonder what his opinion of Genelec is......

I'm not saying he's a shill, because he clearly isn't.  He's a well-educated, intelligent dude, who has a taste for darker, warmer, recessed phones.
His opinion and ears are just, i think, taken with not a large enough grain of salt by young/impressionable/ inexperienced HeadFi enthusiasts.

K812, is IMHO, very similar and slightly superior to the HD800 in all aspects besides vertical soundstage and the cord.  Neither are true reference headphones.  Both have barely recessed miss (although K812's are better).  And both have way too much FUN/musical harmonic distortion to be true reference.  And yet, neither are audiophile phones either, which tend to hide bad treble, and butter everything up in buttloads of sweet, sweet 2nd and 3rd order Harmonic distortion.  

To come back on topic.....the K7XX, I'd say is more akin to audiophiles, due to the seriously smooth laid back, BASS-HEAVY signature, and the less bright treble than the K812.

I totally agree with all above said except an opinion on Tyll tastes in sound . Especially I agree with your description of K7XX - they almost tuned to audiophile perfection by AKG team... this is not surprising as they are basically top of 7XX series and that was tweaked up for years. I only wish they had a bit more prominent and smooth upper mids.

 

[K_19]

I think Tyll always gives credit where it is due, even if the sound signature is not to his tastes. For example he always held the K701 in high regard even though he admitted that its not his type of sound... even back when K701 got bashed left and right here on Head-Fi...

 

[c61746961]

I only wish they had a bit more prominent and smooth upper mids.

This may be fixed with a pad swap.

 

[Joeybgood]

I just picked up a pair of K7XXs and I own a pair of K701s. I haven't had the chance to make a close comparsion between the two , but trying the K7xxs on(yesterday for the first time) I felt that the pads of each of these felt very much the same to me. What is/are the difference(s) between the two? I would think it would have to be a very subtle difference. yes?

 

[c61746961]

The K7XX pads are filled with a dense memory foam whilst the older pads had regular spongy foam, the inner diameter could be different (dunno), and some versions of the K70X pads were angled, which one is yours?
Get used to their sound and then try swapping the earpads.

Here's a measurement on the K712 (measures very close in the treble range to the K7XX, measurements taken from http://headaudio.weebly.com):


As you can see, on the K712 there's a 2 dB drop in bass level, the treble looks smoother and the upper midrange dip is filled somewhat. I'd guess the resulting response would turn to be a bit bright, but nothing a couple of felt discs replacing the original foam disc can't fix.

 

[alpha80]

interested to hear your impressions. i was actually thought the k812 performed quite well despite its relatively more muted popularity for a flagship around here.

I did as well.  And I think far too many HeadFi'ers take Tyll's opinion as gospel.  Tyll thinks the HD800 are too bright (I think they're boring, technically quite great, but recessed and boring)......So if he finds the HD800 too bright......of course he's gonna dislike AKG's lol .... maybe besides the K7XX / K712.
 
And yes, I'm sitting down again this thursday again with all of them.