AKG Q701 review

[goraman]

While my pair is still being broken in, I can only say if you have not heard the AKG Q701 on a nice little class A tube headphone amp you have never heard a smoother,more detailed or more defined sound stage ever going on in and all around your head. I have really been listening to a lot of headphones lately and got 2 new pair the others are the Ultrasone HFI 780 and over my life I have owned more headphones than probably anything else. None of the headphones I have ever heard or owned have been as well balanced as these.
No tizz or extended boom here just a glorious rhythmic musical nirvana.
If I want a Rock & Roll Romp I can switch over to the 780's but I have not been able to leave the sweetness of the AKG's they are just lush.
More to come after some break in.

[vouk]

Hey Jeff,

Wholeheartedly agree with your first impressions on the AKGs. I ran the 702 (which I believe are virtually identical to the Qs) through a MF X-Cans head amp - the result was sublime and as you describe it. IMO, they were certainly better, in many ways, than my Senn 650s.
My only issue with them was a comfort one - since it does not seem to affect you, you are in for a treat.
Do, however, consider a change/upgrade to the standard cable, as it did make a difference to my ears: Cardas is one option but, as I recently pointed out to you, the VD cable is a remarkably good and cheaper alternative.
Would love to hear your thoughts on your 701s once they are properly broken in.:cool:

[Mr Kipling]

They are £260 on Amazon. Is that a good deal? Still beyond me.

[vouk]

They are £260 on Amazon. Is that a good deal? Still beyond me.


There seem to be a lot on offer on the Bay (US). Going for as low as 160 pounds.

[sq225917]

I own a pair and still find them a little bass light, other than that they are very good, but the missing bass nags.

[goraman]

The Q 701 has a little more bass and is smoother than the K 701 I have heard both and actually had a loan of the K701's for two weeks but they where a little bright at the top end for me and the lower end was a little weak,the Q 701's are a little tamer on top and they have a deeper bass.
I Did manage to build a very nice cable using Canare L4E6S it is such a massive cable fitting into the mini XLR is nearly impossible,there is just no room inside the tiny plugs body for so much cable.
An inner pin broke on the first 2 when screwing the two haves together the 3rd one made it.
I also have a 7 meter Van Damme cable coming via Royal mail,sounds silly but I have this image of Jhon Cleese coming to my door and saying something like " Her Majesty's mail service has a parcel for you sir".
I know Silly huh but humor me I'm American.
Here is a look at that cable,you are right a good cable is needed to get the most from these cans. Way better sound stage and a divine smoothness.
I don't find a lack of bass, in fact the bass is rich and layered just not over stated as with so many modern headphones trying to please bassheads.

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=23470

[goraman]

I can show a graph of the Q and K 701 second graph 1st. is k702 vs. Q701 The last Graph is a headphone shoot out.

[goraman]

Well I'm sure the burn in is complete and using them with a class A tube headphone amp with little global feed back the stock cable is less than stellar,very long and thin.
It may work ok with a SS headphone amp for controlling bass but it would likely still be a bit grainy when compared to a better cable .

Last night I listened to a little bit of everything over 3 hours, the sound stage is un beatable, separation between insterments, vocals dosen't get much better than this.

My first impression was that they where slightly tipped up and the focus was on the top end when guitars and cymbals are played, then you get the impression with vocals that the focus is on the mids ,then with tracks like Led Zeps Moby Dick or Tom Waits or anything with deep bass you can really hear into it, not head thumping bass but fits in well with the rest of whats going on with out taking over the show.
At some point it dawned on me that this is really the point of truly flat response.
They are big but they are light for there size and I had to find the comfort zone for my own odd head shape but it didn't take to much fidgeting and I was in business.
With a better cable these are the best I have ever owned and listening through headphones is no longer a comprimize for me.
If you are looking for some very smooth cans that do everything but rap really well they may just be your Huckle berry.

[TobesEtc]

Several people have mentioned an upgraded cable. As I own a pair of these headphones I'd be interested to know where you can get a replacement...or do you have to make it?

[goraman]

Several people have mentioned an upgraded cable. As I own a pair of these headphones I'd be interested to know where you can get a replacement...or do you have to make it?

I would contact Mark Grant a member of AOS , I made my own but it was not so easy as the mini XLR is the limiting factor.
To see the cable I made click the link on post #6 above.