AKG K 702 & Headamp GS-X / Beta-22 / Big Boxen

[HiWire]

Would these sound half decent as a system? I listened to K 701's a long time ago and kind of thought they sounded like ass*. Would having killer power on these babies do anything for them, or do they still sound like ass after "burn-in" and Nuculer Power.

* ass as in they could not rock out. They were very dull sounding, even after about 1,000 hours of burn-in when running out of my amp. The sins of the K 701, in my opinion, are sins of omission. Perhaps Wes Phillips' ears are made of tin...

[ph0rk]

You thought the k701s sounded dull? I thought they were erring on the side of bright/fatiguing, but different strokes for different folks. Perhaps you are referring to something other than frequency response?

[HiWire]

Dull as in slow and non-energetic response in dynamics. They are slightly bright, but I suppose that might work with people who are looking for "soundstage cues" in the AKG flagship headphones.

Overall, I think they're somewhat neutral, but I found them a crashing disappointment at the time.

[Icarium]

I dunno about the 702, but I like the gs-x and k701 combo. I think it sounds pretty sweet.

[Asr]

If you thought the K701 was dull-sounding after 1000 hours, I think you might want to look into other headphones, or at least a tubey-sounding tube amp (like the Zana Deux). Audio-Technica and Grado headphones typically rock out better than AKG, or Sennheiser models. Running a K701/K702 in balanced mode improves bass response though in my experience, which kinda does help it rock out more.

[socrates63]

The Beta22 did wonders (veil was gone, better dynamics, and deeper sound stage as well iirc) with my HD600. Maybe it can bring similar magic to the AKG.

[morphsci]

I don't know about the K 702 but the K 701 benefits from a dual entry recable as well as moar power. The GSX/recabled K 701 make a good combo. Not as nice a midrange compared to the K340 but better treble clarity and bass control (both balanced).

[Smeggy]

I can't recall what amps I heard the 701 with at a meet but it still sounded meh to me. Not necessarily pure bad, certainly not fun or exciting though, just bland... and then there's that lumpy headband.