AKG 701

[acs236]

After several weeks, I finally received the 701s. They've have a bout 85 hours on them now I'd say. I'm really starting to enjoy them and their, nice, deep, but not overpowering, bass.

I've been running them mainly out of the Prehead, but I'm happy to report that they sound great out of the Gilmore v1.

The soundstage is extremely vast, similar to the CD3000, but I'm thinking not quite as exaggerated. Still, the soundstage seems a bit unrealistic, but not distractingly so.

[Yikes]

Glad that you?re enjoying them. I was one of the first proponents of the 701?s . I?m still waiting for my own set. I believe them to be the best all around headphone currently available. Certainly they are among the elite 5.

I hope to have my set by late April.

[Iron_Dreamer]

They probably are the best all arounders, in that they have less glaring flaws than almost any other headphone I can think of. They don't rise to be the best of any particular catergory of sound performance that I can think of, but they do very well across the board. A very easy headphone to recommend, since unless the owner-to-be has much high-end audio experience, they will almost certainly be satisfied. Hmmmm, perhaps this is why Headroom now touts them. Anyway, enjoy 'em, and hopefully Yikes' pair will come in soon (aside: I wish I could hear your recabled SA5K).

[KenW]

Well I'm certainly curious and anxious to see what all the fuss is about. Mine should be here sometime this week but if reports of >300 hours burn-in are accurate, I won't be listening for some time to come....that is if you believe in the whole "burn-in" thingy. Anyway, enjoy 'em. Hope to share the experience soon!

[Salt Peanuts]

I've really been enjoying mine (out of Hornet while I wait for GS-X), especially with female vocals. Love that midrange.

(aside: I wish I could hear your recabled SA5K).

They sure do sound nice, btw.

[acs236]

I agree with a lot of this, and it's still too early for me to make any major judgment, but I do wonder whether jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none argument is a bit too strong.

Going from memory, I'm pretty confident that I liked Edwood's R10s better. And I believe I may have liked the PS-1s, save for the overpowering bass, a bit better. But in the AKG's price range, I'm not so sure. If I was able to assemble a frankenstein headphone, I what it would be.

I'm tempted to say the bass of the SA5000, which is exceptionally detailed and fast -- but it could use a touch more body, which the AKG has. Is there a headphone with mids that I like more. I'm not sure yet. Maybe the RS-1. I haven't A/Bed them yet or even tried to compare them in my mind -- but certainly the akg is no slouch. The highs? Again, though call. I don't really know. Still too early.

Iron_Dreamer -- I'm curious, which headphones, or components of headphones, do you like better than the AKG?

They probably are the best all arounders, in that they have less glaring flaws than almost any other headphone I can think of. They don't rise to be the best of any particular catergory of sound performance that I can think of, but they do very well across the board. A very easy headphone to recommend, since unless the owner-to-be has much high-end audio experience, they will almost certainly be satisfied. Hmmmm, perhaps this is why Headroom now touts them. Anyway, enjoy 'em, and hopefully Yikes' pair will come in soon (aside: I wish I could hear your recabled SA5K).

[tkam]

They probably are the best all arounders, in that they have less glaring flaws than almost any other headphone I can think of. They don't rise to be the best of any particular catergory of sound performance that I can think of, but they do very well across the board.

I'll agree with that for the most part, they are well rounded phones with a pretty balanced sound. They really don't have enough bass IMO though. I prefer the warmer fuller sound of the 650s so I kept them instead of the 701s. Plus the 650s scale better in a balanced system.

[General Kenobi]

I'll agree with that for the most part, they are well rounded phones with a pretty balanced sound. They really don't have enough bass IMO though. I prefer the warmer fuller sound of the 650s so I kept them instead of the 701s. Plus the 650s scale better in a balanced system.

Interesting, do you find the 650's to be darker?

I'm considering some 701's as a compliment to my PS-1... something different, good for Mahler, etc.

[PFKMan23]

The 650s are defintely darker than the k701s. no question or doubts about it.

[Grand Enigma]

Interesting, do you find the 650's to be darker?

I'm considering some 701's as a compliment to my PS-1... something different, good for Mahler, etc.

I would certainly call the 650s darker... even when balanced.

[General Kenobi]

I will not turn to the darkisde!

The k701's are sounding tempting...

[Salt Peanuts]

The k701's are sounding tempting...

Come to the Dark Side....

[KenW]

So my 701's arrived yesterday and I've got them burning-in. About how much burn-in do these things take? I'd read something like >300 hours?!

[Salt Peanuts]

So my 701's arrived yesterday and I've got them burning-in. About how much burn-in do these things take? I'd read something like >300 hours?!

I had let mine burn in for about 250~300 hours or so before I did any serious listening of them. I did start using them almost immediately after I received them, though.

[KenW]

I'm at about 100 hours now. Some slight improvement in the bass but still I find myself wanting more. Clean and clear sound. Comfy fit but the pads are going to take some break-in for them to fit my head properly I think. Probably keepers but I'm hoping for a bit more bass in the coming weeks.

[Ben Gramain]

I'm tempted to say the bass of the SA5000, which is exceptionally detailed and fast -- but it could use a touch more body

This is a mystifying thing to me. The SA5K to me had an uncontrolled, DJ-phone-like bass. The contrast for example was really stark in conjunction with both a standard and recabled DT880. The 880's hit less but you could really make out the attack. The SA5K in comparison had plenty of volume, but all the impact of being poked with an over-ripe banana. I wonder if there was something wrong with mine?

I hope the K701 fares better.

[acs236]

That doesn't seem like the SA5000 I'm used to. Of course, that doesnt mean something was wrong with yours.

[Nanoha]

I think it might have something to do with the amping (not exactly amping quality per se, but characteristic of the amp). My SA5K through my Marantz receiver and Sony receiver sounds exactly like Bangraman's account of SA5K's base: impactful and rather uncontrolled like a DJ can. Though the quality of the headphone-outs are contestable, I would claim that receivers weren't particularly at fault since there isn't anything abnormal about the sound of my HD650 through those receivers. When I used to own the DT880, the bass was indeed quite tactile with the Marantz. On the other hand, I've heard the SA5K with a G-Lite and it was quite detailed and fast, but of course there was less of an impact. I've also listened to the SA5K out of a SuperMacro Lite and SR-71, both of which focused on the detailed and fast aspect of the SA5K.

[KenW]

I think it might have something to do with the amping (not exactly amping quality per se, but characteristic of the amp). My SA5K through my Marantz receiver and Sony receiver sounds exactly like Bangraman's account of SA5K's base: impactful and rather uncontrolled like a DJ can. Though the quality of the headphone-outs are contestable, I would claim that receivers weren't particularly at fault since there isn't anything abnormal about the sound of my HD650 through those receivers. When I used to own the DT880, the bass was indeed quite tactile with the Marantz. On the other hand, I've heard the SA5K with a G-Lite and it was quite detailed and fast, but of course there was less of an impact. I've also listened to the SA5K out of a SuperMacro Lite and SR-71, both of which focused on the detailed and fast aspect of the SA5K.

I can confirm this. I used my Sony STR-DE845 receiver during the burn-in process. The 701's had a much darker presentation with deep, boomy and uncontrolled bass but mate them with my MPX3 slam and it's a totally different story. The balance returned and the bass became very, very tight and full of impact. I will admit to having some concerns about these cans early on but as things have progressed, I'm becoming more and more enamored with these cans. They're looking like a keeper for sure at this point. I'm digging them!!

[devwild]

I mentioned when I first got my 701s on head-fi, any "normal" headphone jack (read consumer level headamp) I plugged them into, the bass was very poorly controlled. That was the first idicator to me that these babies need current, as the SA5000s respond similarly, but IMO not just in the bass... without current, the SA5000 overall is very messy and harsh.

I compared the K701 and DT880 a while back on my M^3 (which is biased for low impedance cans) and the K701 easilly surpassed the DT880 on bass control and detail, though not quantity, on that setup.

[Nanoha]

That was the first idicator to me that these babies need current, as the SA5000s respond similarly, but IMO not just in the bass... without current, the SA5000 overall is very messy and harsh.

Grrr, maybe I should get a Dynahi. The PPX3 Slam might work as well.

I wonder though, I'm assuming Bangraman's amps shouldn't be lacking in current. \

[Ben Gramain]

That argument is rendered rather moot as I also own the Qualias... which have the same electrical characteristics. I could actually see the difference in movement between the drivers with a large low bass sound. Bass impact: Qualia = Ali. SA5K = banana.

[Nanoha]

That argument is rendered rather moot as I also own the Qualias...

Oh yeah....

After giving it some more thought, I'm thinking that the upper bass is what everyone is referring to when they say "tight and detailed". I would actually then agree that the lower bass is rather uncontrolled. For instance, the upper bass to my ears is tighter than the HD650's upper bass while the SA5K's lower bass is substantially less controlled. I therefore have to conclude that the SA5K does indeed have an uncontrolled bass as a matter of fact.

I need to try the Qualias sometime.

[acs236]

The results of the SA5K out of a receiver are not suprising. My Marantz 1070 does a good job with high impedence headphones, but makes a sloppy, thick, syrupy mess of low impedence headphones. This is because the headphone jack has a high output impendence.

[Ben Gramain]

I have a distinct dearth of receivers in my house, but rather an excess of decent headphone amps