***AKG Q701 Official Owners Thread***

No and that had no bearing on my thoughts on them. What the Annie pads did was enclose the soundstage too much and the Q701s lost the airy feel and detail in the mids/highs that make them stand out. Vocals and string instruments didn't linger at the tip of my earlobes like they used to - Bass port mod or not since the port mod makes no difference in this area.

I did say the pads would be for those who wanted less of the wide soundstage and had yet to bas sport mod them. Those who like wide soundstage and the finer details probably won't like them on the Q701.

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My Austrian made also creak. Right around the 0:33 mark is what mine do.
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^ Looks like I'm not the only one with a creaker :p
 
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Sounds like it really crushes the sound stage, which is one of the main selling points of the K702/Q701. Personally I can't fault my K702's with the port mod and while they are no longer my "go to" headphone they are still getting plenty of use. I cranked up Dragon Age: Origins with virtual 7.1 today and they sounded glorious, so much so that I kept on looking behind me because the sounds were so realistic.
 
When I put the Annie pads(Original Annie pads, not the K712 pads) on my Q701 they sounded different to both the Annie and K712. The actual Annie has close to the same stage but much thicker notes. The smaller memory foam pads seal better creating a thicker more intimate sound. The actual sounds are the same distance but due to the extra weight of the notes it gives the impression that the soundstage is more closed in as opposed to the thinner notes of the Q701 and more brighter treble.

The Annie has more intimate mids like the HD650 giving vocals a more upfront feel and are more pronounced than the Qs vocals. The Q701 has a peak around the upper mids causing vocals to have a bit of an edgy side and also giving them a bit of an unnatural feel but this isn't a big deal for a £200 headphone. The Annie doesn't have this, instead it's more natural, smoother and more liquid like. The Annie pads on my Q701 gave them a sense of fullness but they didn't have the warmth in the mids of the Annie's and they sounded a bit grainy when compared.

The K712 is that Q and Annie hybrid with more air and the soundstage is more obvious due to the thicker pads. I'm not one of those people who believe the drivers are the same. I notice more warmth in the Annie when the Qs pads were applied but they sounded bad..

If you like a more obvious spacial sound then the MA900 would be worth a look.
 
I think the drivers in the K702 and Annie were the same (same model number) but I think they cherry picked and matched pairs. The K712's have a different driver model number altogether.
 
They are suppose to be but they sounded a bit warmer than the regular 701s with the 701 pads. With 701 pads out the lot, the 712 were the warmest of the bunch so there's def something going on and the part number def indicates that it has differences under the hood. There's also been other reports that the Annie has something else going on but it's just peoples own opinions but I really do hear some extra warmth kind of like how the Qs are warmer than the others before it. Who knows man AKG are a nightmare for disclosure. I do know the Annie is amazing!
 
Yep, on the face of it the Q701 should sound exactly the same as the K701 as the only difference that is more than aesthetic is supposed to be the Q badge on the cups. People say that the badge restricts the back, making them semi-open but this is utter nonsense because I've used my fingers to block the same area and it makes zero difference sonically.

As you say, AKG are a nightmare when it comes to disclosure, they give nothing away, which to me is a really bad way of doing business. I know for a fact that by making the Annies look like nothing more than K702's with memory foam pads, they lost a potential sale to Sennheiser because I wouldn't even entertain the thought of paying twice what I paid for the K702's for, what on the face of it, looks like a pad upgrade.
 
Just stumbled across this thread, I've been racking my brains for a while and have pretty much decided upon the K702's solely for gaming. I've been trying to find out if there are any major differences between the K702 and K701, besides the aesthetics and removable cable. Any feedback on this from you guys would be fantastic.
 
Cheers for the info rids, not sure if you have experience with either of the two models, mainly for likes of gaming in games such as battlefield, but which would you go for for positional accuracy and clarity?
 
Big Boss94 said:
Cheers for the info rids, not sure if you have experience with either of the two models, mainly for likes of gaming in games such as battlefield, but which would you go for for positional accuracy and clarity?
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differences will be minimal if any, just go for whichever is cheaper IMO.

the differences in gaming when comparing something like the Q701 to anything much more expensive will be next to nothing for the amount of cash you need to stump up for a 1% increase in performance.

Put it this way HD595's (£70ish second hand) for gaming are probably the best bang for buck I have used so far. After I mod my HD558 (£80ish brand new) that may change, but stock Q701's (£120 brand new) are end game in terms of gaming. I would need to spend £250+ to get probably around 5% better performance which IMO is not worth it as it would cost me more than 100% more in terms of cash outlay.

AKG are also power hungry do you have a decent AMP to power them? Otherwise stick with Sennheiser (555/595 or 558) or Beyerdynamic (DT770) or Phillips Fidelio X1's those are good gaming cans and the DT770 and X1 also offer good music and movie capability too.
 
For positional accuracy and clarity, the K702 is probably the best bet as it leans slightly more towards sound stage and detail than the Q701 which has a touch more bass and a slightly smaller sound stage. The K702 is also cheaper and doesn't have the torture bumps, both of which are a bonus.

I have the K702 and it's primary use is for gaming (HD 650 for music) and it really is a monster. As Sonny said though, it absolutely needs amping even though it's a 62 ohm headphone.
 
Big Boss94 said:
Cheers for the info rids, not sure if you have experience with either of the two models, mainly for likes of gaming in games such as battlefield, but which would you go for for positional accuracy and clarity?
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Both the Q701 and K702 are the same for positional accuracy but the Qs have a slightly warmer and fuller sound. I would say the Q701 is every bit as good but also doesn't lack as much body for immersive games.

If you want them for just positional accuracy then go for what is cheapest but if you want a more fun, slightly warmer and just as open sound then go for the Q701. The best headphone I've heard for gaming outside of the HD800 is the K712 because it can do it all without missing out on anything but these are more expensive.
 
I should have stated clearer, I meant the difference between the K701 and K702, not the 'Q' model in regards to gaming.

For powering the headphones, I'm gonna grab the Asus Xonar Essence STX II fairly soon so that should have me covered.
 
The K702 for definite then - they are the same price and sound very close but the 702 has a removable cable and no headband bumps. I can say with certainty that the STX II will drive them easily because I drive mine with an STX.
 
Sorry for the confusion Rids, but you've been a diamond, plus you other fellas, been racking my brains over this. I can't spot the K702's on AKG's UK site but their available through a certain online retailer who goes by the name of a rainforest. Just gotta check their returns/warranty conditions but I'll likely make the purchase soon. Cheers buddy.
 
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