Why the AKG K702 cost less than K701? Also how it compares to the HD650?

[PanzerIV]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently have the Sennheiser HD555 and listen to them daily since 2.5 years, now with a iPod Classic 80Gb and soon with a PA2V2 amp. I was looking for an upgrade and first was very interested in either the HD580/600/650 until a guy that was about to sell me his HD650 told me that I would prolly be happier with the K701 since they are very confortable, more portable and it's 62ohm vs 300 so easier to drive. He decided to sell his HD650 that he thought unbeatable, once he received his K701. So all this got me very interested in them since it also wasn't the first time I was reading good stuff about AKG and mostly the K701 model.

AKG seem to be very rare in Canada however.. as it's very common in Europe. So I looked online and on place like Ebay and I could find about 10 offers of the K702 per 1 of K701 and they were also less expensive! 0_o The guy I'm talking above told me that the only difference to his knowledge is that the cable is black and removable instead of white and fixed. I guess he's right, according to the description I've found here.

Suprisingly, my mind have changed quite quickly from the "HD650" to the "K702" I'd say. It's also a design from December 2008 unlike the HD600 series which is very old. It was very advanced for its time but maybe not it's being "outdated" compare to some newer offer, not to forget also that for similar quality the HD650 are way overpriced and yet they are harder to drive. Anyway.. so back to the main question of the thread, do you guys think the K702 is cheaper because there's more of them on the market now than K701 since it's meant to replace it, kinda like when DDR2 memory got cheaper than DDR1?

 

[oqvist]

I guess there is more of them out there. K701s are certainly quite hard to drive though don´t know how much better they are then the 650.

If you search K701 you will find quite divided opinions though they are certainly better then the HD 650 I had to my ears

However if you don´t want to spend money on amps maybe you can find something easier to drive? German Maestro 435S from my 450 Pro and 8.35D monitor experience is something I will probably look into. Beats both my K701 and HD 650 by quite a margin. They are kind of a mix of these two lol

 

[DanielCox]

Depends on your music. The HD650s are fairly similar to the 555s apart from a lot more bass. The K701/2 are a lot more detailed and transparent with a huge soundstage but lack in bass and can be quite fatiguing to listen to.
I prefer the K701 but I have both headphones and they're both excellent. In the end I believe it comes down to personal preference and not which is better.

 

[crossmd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCox /img/forum/go_quote.gif In the end I believe it comes down to personal preference and not which is better.

Trying for this is an exercise in futility anyway.

 

[pataburd]

Actually, I'd suggest the HD600 before the HD650, unless you have an amp that can really derive the best from the latter. The K70* are a fine listen (I owned and enjoyed them for over a year), but have an upper midrange/lower treble discontinuity that makes them incoherent in the critical registers.

 

[PanzerIV]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCox /img/forum/go_quote.gif I prefer the K701 but I have both headphones and they're both excellent. In the end I believe it comes down to personal preference and not which is better.

You're prolly right. In this category both must be really good but it prolly ends up being more of a personal preference than to which is "better". It's kind of strange that the K701/702 seems to be that hard to drive according to what I've read on the net, even though it's 62ohm and not 300ohm. One said that it was because of "very low sensivity" so I guess it's not only about the ohm.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanzerIV /img/forum/go_quote.gif You're prolly right. In this category both must be really good but it prolly ends up being more of a personal preference than to which is "better". It's kind of strange that the K701/702 seems to be that hard to drive according to what I've read on the net, even though it's 62ohm and not 300ohm. One said that it was because of "very low sensivity" so I guess it's not only about the ohm.

The 701/2s will drive great from many sources, tube amps will be most difficult to drive them.

 

[DeusEx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCox /img/forum/go_quote.gif The K701/2 are a lot more detailed and transparent with a huge soundstage but lack in bass and can be quite fatiguing to listen to.

I get detailed, transparent, and wide soundstage.....but fatiguing?



Also, in the states, a new pair of K702 is $150-200 cheaper than a HD650, take note.

 

[Ninkul]

I agree with the posts above, its really personal preference. You won't know until you hear. Try hunt out some stores that stock at least one of them. They're both great, I personally like the K701s better but the HD650s are great and are very "easy" sounding.

 

[PanzerIV]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acix /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 701/2s will drive great from many sources, tube amps will be most difficult to drive them.

Hmm, I ain't suprised that there's more than 1 type of amp but just by curiosity what are all the most common type of amps? I just received today my PA2V2 and I really don't think that it have small tubes inside, according to pictures I saw on google from tube amps. Also why tube ones will have more difficulty to drive these headphone?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeusEx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, in the states, a new pair of K702 is $150-200 cheaper than a HD650, take note.

Yeah that's a hell of a deal to consider. You can get in stores the HD650 at the very best for 400$CAD while the K702 are at 268$ and yet most people seem to either say they are as good, if not better so that confirm what I was thinking about the Sennheiser HD600 series being totaly overpriced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ninkul /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with the posts above, its really personal preference. You won't know until you hear. Try hunt out some stores that stock at least one of them. They're both great, I personally like the K701s better but the HD650s are great and are very "easy" sounding.

The problem is that first of all, high-end headphones are an ultra extreme mega rarity in local stores. I live just beside the big city of Montreal in Quebec, and there's so far only 1 store that have the HD650 and its not a known place from the public. As for the AKG it would be even more "mission impossible" to find a place where they got the K702 as even on Internet there's barrely any place that gots AKG stuff in Canada.

So far I really love my portable amp that I bought here for 40$ shipped. It makes my HD555 much better and I no more need the "Rock EQ" on my iPod so it should be fine for the AKG I think. I saw the curve from 1Hz to 1Khz for the HD555/K702 and the Sennheiser just like the HD650 had a huge spike near the 30Hz area "bass" while the K702 was a flat 62ohm from start to end.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

one thing that the OP brought up was the differences in the 701 vs the 702...im curious about this as well if anyone would be willing to expound upon this some more

 

[MCC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoupRKnowva /img/forum/go_quote.gif one thing that the OP brought up was the differences in the 701 vs the 702...im curious about this as well if anyone would be willing to expound upon this some more

K701 is white and comes with a holder, the K702 is black and has a detachable cord. They're the same acoustically.

 

[DeusEx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoupRKnowva /img/forum/go_quote.gif one thing that the OP brought up was the differences in the 701 vs the 702...im curious about this as well if anyone would be willing to expound upon this some more

I don't think there's a difference, besides color and detachable cable.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

thanks for the responses both of you, thats just crazy that they would release a "new" model for that, im interested in getting a pair to broaden my horizons, currently my only pair of real headphones are a pair of audio technica ath a900's that i really like. I listen to mainly metal and rock, bands like all that remains, parkways drive, black dahlia murder, megadeth, but i also listen to more normal rock like the smashing pumpkins, or a great bac with a beautiful female voice lead called the Material.

what do you guys think?

 

[carledwards]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielCox /img/forum/go_quote.gif The K701/2...lack in bass and can be quite fatiguing to listen to.

I don't find this to be the case at all. In fact, I rather prefer the bass of the K701 over the HD650. Of course, it's all a matter of taste.