[Tigerhawk]

 
Quote:

I'm looking for a pair headphones preferably closed (but not necessary)  in the $200 range. The AKG K702's seem to have nothing but glowing reviews. Except for the bass.
 
I listen to mostly modern rock (Flobots, Incubus, ect) although a lot of it doesn't really fit in a genre. I also listen to instrumental like Apocalyptica's less heavy side. I love the violin family and guitar.
 
I mostly tend to listen to the vocals and rhythm sections but I still want accurate highs and lows just nothing too over the top. My previous headphones (Sennheiser HD280) seemed close to a perfect fit while the AD700's I tried had an overwhelming bass. I wouldn't mind a little more bass than the HD280 but the A700's just sounded unbalanced.
 
I will be using a Nuforce uDac to power my headphones.
 
Considering my musical tastes would the AKG K702's suit me?
 
Any input is appreciated!

I'm going to recommend the usual for someone wanting K702s that listens to any rock and such, you may want to look for a different pair of headphones.  I found even most acoustical and instrumental music to sound more balanced and natural on the HD600s than did on the K702s.  Regardless, you just need to try stuff out before you settle on one.

 

[DomaPhone]

I got a pair recently and they have plenty of everything. Fantastic effin' headphones if you ask me! Honestly, there's not much more you can ask for in the bass department with those. 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

I got a pair recently and they have plenty of everything. Fantastic effin' headphones if you ask me! Honestly, there's not much more you can ask for in the bass department with those. 

aside from asking for bass

 

[Response]

Thanks all
 
I'm leaning towards the Sennheiser's now after reading more on them. I'm probably going to try and find a place to audition them first. Besides, it leaves room for a necessary amp upgrade sometime in the near future .

 

[lejaz]

Probably the best advice I can give is to take everything you read here with a grain of salt. Only your own ears can tell you what's too much or too little bass. I love the 702 bass, but I listen to mostly acoustic jazz and classic rock. My beef is with the highs which can be a bit much for my taste, and the mids which are a bit pale and distant...but not by much. According to some people's ears they have too little bass...according to others (self included) they are perfect in that department...so who should you going to believe?  If you're going to buy without auditioning then maybe get something that is not so polarizing, like the hd600. That one seems to be almost universally praised.

 

[AmanGeorge]

I think the Senns are a good bet for you. If you're looking for closed, the Shure SRH840 might fit the bill as well - I really liked those (and they are an INCREDIBLE value), and I thought they sounded pretty good with rock (although some disagree on this point).

 

[rhythmdevils]

And the K501 could be a good cheap alternative as well, if you like that bass light signature.  It has some of the most beautiful vocals of any headphone at any price point, and the treble is much more integrated into the sound than with the K701, so harshness and bad recordings won't be as much of an issue. 
 
Still bass light, but if you don't need a lot of bass, I really can't think of a better phone

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

I'm looking for a pair headphones preferably closed (but not necessary)  in the $200 range. The AKG K702's seem to have nothing but glowing reviews. Except for the bass.

 
There are 2 camps with the k701/702. Some love them, many others hate them. I'm in the latter group. 

I had a pair of k701s for maybe 4 months. I disliked presentation of the sound, in particular the recessed mids (yes they were properly amped). They were also very uncomfortable - persevering with their poor ergonomics left me in a lot of pain.

 

[wind016]

Quote:

 
There are 2 camps with the k701/702. Some love them, many others hate them. I'm in the latter group. 

I had a pair of k701s for maybe 4 months. I disliked presentation of the sound, in particular the recessed mids (yes they were properly amped). They were also very uncomfortable - persevering with their poor ergonomics left me in a lot of pain.

i dont have this problem. i find the akgs very very comfortable with no pain whatsoever. the k701's earpads are thicker at the back reducing pressure on the jaw.
 
i found the sennheiser's smaller soundstage and lower resolution compared to the AKGs a deal breaker for me.
the grado's earpads also had painful friction.
 
that's my experiences. with akgs vs grados vs senns

 

[arteom]

let your ears be the judge. The bass is there, it will go lower than the senns (hd600 to say the least) just won't have that slam. They excel with vocals and acoustic music, as far as electronic music they will do ambient music really well. They also have a uniquely "BIG" presentation.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

The only thing to me that suggests that the K701 might be a good match for you is that you clearly prefer a bass-light sound, which the K701 will bring. Unfortunately, I really don't think they're a good match for you otherwise.
 
The K701 sounds truly bad with music that has been compressed or overproduced. For unamplified acoustic music, it's phenomenal, but for things like modern rock with electric guitar and dynamic range compression, it's just going to make your head hurt.
 
I think you're better off with something that's has a reputation for being more forgiving, and better with Rock. The Grado lineup comes immediately to mind - maybe an SR225 would fit your bill? They're also much less sensitive to amplification than the K701, which might not sound great straight out of a uDAC.

I have 701s and they are only good with the very best mastered recordings because they reveal every flaw that's there.  I agree with AmamG, get something more comfortable and forgiving like the DT880s or Senn 600s.
 
USG

 

 

[paulb09]

You could look at the K601 too for something more rounded off than the K702, though I believe the pricing isn't the same in the US. Here the K601 is significantly cheaper than both the K702 and HD600 which makes it worth considering, but I hear in the US the K702 isn't much more expensive so most people skip any thought of the K601 and go straight there. It's quite a different sounding headphone though, and may possibly be to your tastes.

 

[JeckyllAndHyde]

or get used K702 and sell them back if they dont fit Your taste. I wouldnt be very considered about bass issue - they do goes very low - I'm really enjoying "The Fat Of The Land" on my K701

 

[WayTooCrazy]

I personally use the uDac with K702, Grado SR-80i, Beyer DT770 Pro 80 Ohm and have tried them with Sennheiser HD600.  The uDac has the power to drive them all (up to 300 Ohm), but it doesn't drive them WELL to a certain degree.  I think the uDac sounds good with the K702... but once I plug them into my Little Dot I+, the bass definitely hits deeper, you can feel it more and it's a very nice sound.  This is all from a very modest beginner's system.  The bass on the HD600 is definitely better though.  I just like the more revealing nature of the 702 (though, I will be getting an HD600 soon enough).  The bass  on the DT770 is a Rapper's delight... but that's not my type of music anyway.  I think you'll be fine with the K702 out of a uDac... but be aware... that once you provide better amplification... the headphones will just start sounding better and more full across the entire spectrum.

 

[paulb09]

Quote:

or get used K702 and sell them back if they dont fit Your taste. I wouldnt be very considered about bass issue - they do goes very low - I'm really enjoying "The Fat Of The Land" on my K701

Indeed; where there's a decent amount of bass, the AKGs will give it to you. Your mention of "The Fat Of The Land" brings me to the bass guitar in "Climbatize"; no one can argue that the K601 has "no bass" when they've heard that one. Well recorded orchestral pieces can also get the AKGs to bring out a surprising amount of low end punch. I think most people's problem is that the AKGs never give anything more to the bass; only where a recording has that much bass may it seem at level that they would tolerate, so compressed music especially can just seem like a load of mid range and nothing else.