AKG Q701 - Roughly £100 before duty

shaffaaf27 · 20 Sep 2014 at 14:49

What would be the best cable with a mic so once can use it with a smart phone or for gaming with

rids57 · 20 Sep 2014 at 16:37

a phone won't be able to drive these headphones and as they use mini-xlr jacks on the headphone end I doubt you'll find one with a microphone.

shadow_boxer · 21 Sep 2014 at 11:14

Wish I'd got a pair of these. Hopefully they'll come up again at some point.

mrk · 21 Sep 2014 at 11:44

rids57 said:
a phone won't be able to drive these headphones and as they use mini-xlr jacks on the headphone end I doubt you'll find one with a microphone.

Note 3 drives them just fine. They don't go as loud as with my desktop amp but they're loud enough to be loud. Comfortable "loud" volume is 2 notches below max. Any other phone with a decent DAC/Amp built in will also drive them fine.

^JP^ · 21 Sep 2014 at 12:02

Same with iPhone, the amp and dac in them is very good.
Just read this http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/iphone-5/audio-quality.htm

rids57 · 21 Sep 2014 at 16:35

I sit corrected then

mrk · 21 Sep 2014 at 16:36

You will stand, not sit :mad:

rids57 · 21 Sep 2014 at 16:41

I'm actually quite surprised that any phones can drive them to high enough levels - either that or our idea of high levels differs considerably

Kanifee · 24 Sep 2014 at 15:27

Well after the fiasco of the missing house number resulting in my Q701's being returned to the USA, then having no parcel arrive back at massdrop to be then told by the excellent people over at MD that they would send me a replacement pair i finally have mine in my hands.
It's been quite a long haul, original pair shipped july 18th, second pair delivered sept 23rd. I am not disappointed. everyone has pretty much covered what needs to be said about these cans so i wont add anything but im seriously considering moving on my X1.

One thing i will say is the positional sound in Counter strike go is so on point, the placement is pretty much perfect. Very impressed.

rids57 · 24 Sep 2014 at 15:29

Glad you got it sorted...................... eventually

mrk · 24 Sep 2014 at 15:49

Finally

Even to this day the Q701s amaze me with their sound quality.

Not so much the build quality mind but hey ho.

Psycho Sonny · 24 Sep 2014 at 21:00

Kanifee said:
Well after the fiasco of the missing house number resulting in my Q701's being returned to the USA, then having no parcel arrive back at massdrop to be then told by the excellent people over at MD that they would send me a replacement pair i finally have mine in my hands.
It's been quite a long haul, original pair shipped july 18th, second pair delivered sept 23rd. I am not disappointed. everyone has pretty much covered what needs to be said about these cans so i wont add anything but im seriously considering moving on my X1.

One thing i will say is the positional sound in Counter strike go is so on point, the placement is pretty much perfect. Very impressed.

I have new mobo, gpu and monitor to upgrade my new system which was only upgraded a while back. I've had issues with CS:GO and CSS freezing never had issues with my old system using the same GPU, so I'm hoping new gpu and new mobo fix it.

If they do I will also be using these for CS:GO and no doubt get addicted to the game again. i've missed using a kb and mouse for fps

Kanifee · 25 Sep 2014 at 01:36

I was spectating a team mate on cache A site and the enemy was approaching, i could not only tell he was behind red but exactly where and when he would step out to with perfect precision. impressive.

I reformatted my system and didn't use the driver cd, instead downloaded all the drivers direct. I had the game freeze loop constantly. i then got told to install the Intel(R) Management Engine Interface i think, problem sorted.

Leesey · 25 Sep 2014 at 13:46

Mine came today! £18 tax and £8 Royal Mail handling charges. Kind of wish I had picked the black ones over the green, but they will do.

I need to pair these with a nice portable amp for phone and pc use. Would something like the Filo E7 be ok?

Psycho Sonny · 25 Sep 2014 at 13:55

Get the Cayin C5 it's pricey but you can use it to charge your phone and it's meant to blow anything else under £150 out of the water in terms of everything.

Leesey · 25 Sep 2014 at 18:35

Seem to be having trouble finding one in the UK? Maybe I'm not looking hard enough... Seen 1 on eBay but thats from Hong Kong and £90.

Psycho Sonny · 25 Sep 2014 at 22:56

yup need to order from there or get it if it comes back up on massdrop, check the head fi thread

Leesey · 26 Sep 2014 at 08:42

Would there be alternatives to the Cayin C5? Probably looking up to £100. Also wouldn't mind buying second hand.

Psycho Sonny · 26 Sep 2014 at 11:30

Nothing which is as good that is also portable.

The Q701 doesn't really work well with poor sources, a portable amp works best with a line out signal (not a headphone out signal).

For your PC and phone ideally you want a DAC/AMP like the Fiio E17.

Personally I would not use Q701's with my phone, If I want to listen to music I use my PC. The Q701 isn't a portable set of headphones.

e.g. I have HD25-1 II and Momentums which are my portables. I plug them into a topping NX-1 which is fed by a Fiio LOD which is plugged into an old ipod touch.

HD558, Q701, HD600 and HE400 are strictly for home use only with either my xonar DG, mixamp, Aune T1 or Vali or a combo of those.

In your position I would simply forget plugging them into a phone and buy a decent DAC/AMP or sound card for your PC.

Shamrock · 26 Sep 2014 at 12:23

Quite enjoying these as a change from my usual sound preferences.

Running them, SPDIF > AudioGD FUN > Schiit Lyr > Q701

I definitely prefer them to the Beyer T1 which was the only other open-backed can I've owned with a similar-ish sound signature.