AKG Q701 - Roughly £100 before duty

rickh · 26 Sep 2014 at 13:08

Psycho Sonny said:
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.

How do you find the Q701 compared to the hd25's?
I have the same setup as you (ipod, lod, topping, hd25) but am looking for something with a wider soundstage.

Psycho Sonny · 26 Sep 2014 at 15:25

rickh said:
How do you find the Q701 compared to the hd25's?
I have the same setup as you (ipod, lod, topping, hd25) but am looking for something with a wider soundstage.

Completely different.

I mainly use momentums now when I'm out but I will be modding my HD25-1 II's at some point using the mass loading kit custom cans sell.

You won't find anything as good as the Q701's which is portable, the best you could get away with is possibly DT770's or something like that.

There is no such thing as a open portable can.

Akagi · 26 Sep 2014 at 15:40

I walked through town and sat on the train with my Q701's on the other week. I must have looked like a right idiot, but when you pause the music, you can hear everything around you.

rickh · 26 Sep 2014 at 16:41

Thanks for your thoughts - I assume you prefer the Q701's to the hd25's whenever noise pollution & portability are not a concern?

Psycho Sonny said:
Completely different.

I mainly use momentums now when I'm out but I will be modding my HD25-1 II's at some point using the mass loading kit custom cans sell.

I became instantly skeptical of that modification after reading their sales pitch:

This kit makes an ideal paring with our audiophile cables

Leesey · 26 Sep 2014 at 21:00

So if I skip the portable and keep these in my room and still to my sound magic buds for my phone.

So would a Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2 Award Winning Portable Headphone Amplifier be a good shout?

Psycho Sonny · 27 Sep 2014 at 01:24

Acme said:
I walked through town and sat on the train with my Q701's on the other week. I must have looked like a right idiot, but when you pause the music, you can hear everything around you.

it's no different to someone being on public transport blasting music out their phones loudspeaker instead of wearing IEM's like every normal person

rickh said:
Thanks for your thoughts - I assume you prefer the Q701's to the hd25's whenever noise pollution & portability are not a concern?

I became instantly skeptical of that modification after reading their sales pitch:

I use different headphones for different things.

I prefer my HD600's for vocals and music, Q701 for gaming, HE400's for movies and bassy music.

Leesey said:
So if I skip the portable and keep these in my room and still to my sound magic buds for my phone.

So would a Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2 Award Winning Portable Headphone Amplifier be a good shout?

You need a DAC too if your buying an amp.

If you will be gaming then buy a decent sound card, just for music then buy a DAC/AMP.

Leesey · 27 Sep 2014 at 10:22

How are the external sound cards, looking at OcUK I've got a choice of these;

YOUR BASKET
1 x Creative X-Fi HD USB Soundcard (70SB124000005) £88.99
1 x Asus Xonar U7 Echelon Edition 7.1 USB Soundcard and Headphone Amplifier £83.99
1 x Creative X-Fi Surround 5.1 Pro USB Soundcard (70SB109500007) £65.99

Will be used for a mix of gaming, music and films.

How could these be linked up for use with a PS4 also?

Psycho Sonny · 27 Sep 2014 at 16:36

forget all the above then.

if you want to use them with a PS4 then you need a mixamp they are made by Astro and retail brand new for around £130. you could then use that for PC as well then and they require a clip on mic as well as a Turtle Beach chat cable or a Astro USB chat cable

Leesey · 27 Sep 2014 at 16:53

I doubt they will ever get used on my ps4 to tell the truth. So I'll just look at a external sound card for the computer.

Craterloads · 28 Oct 2014 at 15:48

Guys these are back up on the drop, just put in an order for 1 black and 1 green

TwsT · 28 Oct 2014 at 17:13

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-q701-audiophile-headphones

Twirlywoos · 28 Oct 2014 at 17:43

aaah what colour do I go for. I did say lime green last time lol

RavenXXX2 · 28 Oct 2014 at 17:50

Don't hang about they only got 50 and 47 have been purchased.

Twirlywoos · 28 Oct 2014 at 17:52

only lime left, wanted white

another chance missed

RavenXXX2 · 28 Oct 2014 at 17:53

Yeah I wouldn't touch lime either.

Craterloads · 28 Oct 2014 at 18:01

And gone

Ive got both black and the lime green ones ordered, don't mind either so happy to hook somebody up with either.

RavenXXX2 · 28 Oct 2014 at 18:03

Craterloads said:
And gone

Ive got both black and the lime green ones ordered, don't mind either so happy to hook somebody up with either.

I might try them again until the X2 drops in price, I'll keep an eye on MM.

Begbie · 20 Nov 2014 at 14:22

Just noticed that site, is it worth waiting for it to go back down?

Or is there anywhere else cheap enough?

Cookeh · 20 Nov 2014 at 18:41

Craterloads said:
And gone

Ive got both black and the lime green ones ordered, don't mind either so happy to hook somebody up with either.

If you still have a spare set of these please drop me a pm, more than happy to relieve you of a pair.

Begbie · 21 Nov 2014 at 18:46

Craterloads said:
And gone

Ive got both black and the lime green ones ordered, don't mind either so happy to hook somebody up with either.

As above, also intrested.