***AKG Q701 Official Owners Thread***

After a little while of listening with the Q701's, I'm not sure what to think really. The vocal soundstage is fantastic, some songs make you feel like you are in the front row at a live performance, but I'm finding the highs to be a bit shrill and incredibly fatiguing. I don't find them anywhere near as relaxing as the X1.

When listening to something like cosmic love by Florence and the machine or this is war by 30 seconds to mars I find myself turning the volume up to enjoy the vocals, and then turning it down again when the instruments kick in because it is headache inducing.

Using an Essence STX, no EQ's or effects, just clean sound. All the music is lossless and being played through Foobar or Songbird with no EQ's or effects.
 
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^JP^ said:
Would be nice to see some Schiit for sale at OcUK :)
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I would love to stock it all too.

Sadly no body trusts or likes us in the Audio world. They like large margins and keeping the profits to themselves.

Or so it feels Amazon are our biggest problem with some of these companies.
 
Acme said:
After a little while of listening with the Q701's, I'm not sure what to think really. The vocal soundstage is fantastic, some songs make you feel like you are in the front row at a live performance, but I'm finding the highs to be a bit shrill and incredibly fatiguing. I don't find them anywhere near as relaxing as the X1.

When listening to something like cosmic love by Florence and the machine or this is war by 30 seconds to mars I find myself turning the volume up to enjoy the vocals, and then turning it down again when the instruments kick in because it is headache inducing.

Using an Essence STX, no EQ's or effects, just clean sound. All the music is lossless and being played through Foobar or Songbird with no EQ's or effects.
Click to expand...

STX on stock OpAmps? The stock ones leaned toward the bright for the highs to my ears hence one reason why I upgraded all 3 for a warmer sound for the times I did use the HP out as opposed to my then NAD amp.

Directly via the NAD D 3020 now though and no more STX, the NAD sound is very much better all round. I would say the modded STX comes close but the overall feel is just nicer and more relaxing from the dedicated DAC/Amp.
 
Acme said:
After a little while of listening with the Q701's, I'm not sure what to think really. The vocal soundstage is fantastic, some songs make you feel like you are in the front row at a live performance, but I'm finding the highs to be a bit shrill and incredibly fatiguing. I don't find them anywhere near as relaxing as the X1.

When listening to something like cosmic love by Florence and the machine or this is war by 30 seconds to mars I find myself turning the volume up to enjoy the vocals, and then turning it down again when the instruments kick in because it is headache inducing.

Using an Essence STX, no EQ's or effects, just clean sound. All the music is lossless and being played through Foobar or Songbird with no EQ's or effects.
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Well put them in the MM I'll happily reimburse your costs for them ;)
 
maj said:
This. I only know of one UK Schiit retailer.

I have something waiting for me when I get home from work:D
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...and also quite expensive. Essentially the US prices but in £GBP :(

I know this is often the norm but I'd probably just order from the manufacturer directly and pay VAT/Duty when they hit the UK. Shame OCUK can't stock them but understand the difficulties.
 
mrk said:
STX on stock OpAmps? The stock ones leaned toward the bright for the highs to my ears hence one reason why I upgraded all 3 for a warmer sound for the times I did use the HP out as opposed to my then NAD amp.

Directly via the NAD D 3020 now though and no more STX, the NAD sound is very much better all round. I would say the modded STX comes close but the overall feel is just nicer and more relaxing from the dedicated DAC/Amp.
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As far as I'm aware it has the stock OpAmps, it was used when I bought it. What OpAmps did you buy? They are supposed to be really easy to switch aren't they?
TwsT said:
Well put them in the MM I'll happily reimburse your costs for them ;)
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I might do, but I haven't decided 100% yet.
Timber said:
...and also quite expensive. Essentially the US prices but in £GBP :(

I know this is often the norm but I'd probably just order from the manufacturer directly and pay VAT/Duty when they hit the UK. Shame OCUK can't stock them but understand the difficulties.
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If you bought direct from the manufacturer it would probably work out considerably cheaper too.
 
Acme said:
If you bought direct from the manufacturer it would probably work out considerably cheaper too.
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Possibly, although shipping, VAT and admin fees would make it a close run thing. But it's more the principle, in that I bet their margins would allow them to sell cheaper.

Tbf though looking back at the UK retailer it isn't always a straight 1 to 1 $:£ conversion so maybe that comment was a little unfair. I don't know I just expected slightly cheaper.
 
Acme said:
As far as I'm aware it has the stock OpAmps, it was used when I bought it. What OpAmps did you buy? They are supposed to be really easy to switch aren't they?

I might do, but I haven't decided 100% yet.

If you bought direct from the manufacturer it would probably work out considerably cheaper too.
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STX uses 3 OpAmps, 2x are part of the I/V stage and the single one is for the buffer stage.

- The I/V affects the headphones output.
- The buffer affects the RCA output.

I bought this for the buffer and this for the I/V.
 
Not better or worse, a different signature. Warmer, more musical and less harshness in the highs. A perfect balance if you intend on EQing too or manually adjusting tone controls. To my ears anyway!
 
What genres do you tend to listen to? I listen to most things and it would most likely make some "better" and some "worse". I don't tend to EQ anymore but I'm not adverse to the idea.

Ranging from classical, blues and jazz, to electronic [various]step, to alternative and indie, to death metal, thrash metal, rock, grunge etc, and lots of other things in-between. :p

For £15 I guess I could play around :)
 
mrk said:
Everything except death metal/any metal and grunge. Can't hear/understand a single word being "sung" Lolllll :D
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I'll be honest, my favourite group of that type is Children of Bodom (melodic death metal, they call it) - and I can't understand a word being "sung" most of the time.

I googled the lyrics to one of the songs after a few years of listening to them and it was like a revelation. Some of the lyrics are surprisingly good but you can't make them out :rolleyes:
 
Timber said:
...and also quite expensive. Essentially the US prices but in £GBP :(

I know this is often the norm but I'd probably just order from the manufacturer directly and pay VAT/Duty when they hit the UK. Shame OCUK can't stock them but understand the difficulties.
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Site I know of sells the Vali for £105 and the Modi for £90. Seems decent enough to me but then not seen anyone else selling them to compare.
 
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