AKG Q701 - Roughly £100 before duty

[Psycho Sonny]

Any recommendations on a microphone for the Q701, possibly one you can attach to the side.

antlion mod mic - it's expensive though at about $50 for a mic but it's the best of the best for gaming.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

double post

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I like a punchy bass that is driven and firm but not overpowering, the type that is at the forefront but not the center stage.

You could get Q701's and then use an equalizer. The comfort issue is something that is looking to be a problem though. At this price though you can buy and sell them on for a profit no doubt.

You looked into Beyerdynamic? DT770, DT880 or DT990?

 

[Psycho Sonny]

It's a shame they don't have the AKG K702 65th for a lower price. They are that perfect mix of Q701s detail, staging etc but with the Sennheiser HD650/600s warmth and lush mids and smooth treble plus lovely bass.

They have also sorted the headband bumps out woth the 65th!

The price on them is ridiculous.

Since you have owned the Q701's iirc, can the headband be removed easily for modification?

It's something I will want to do if I find it uncomfortable (shaved head).

 

[Psycho Sonny]

You can do a mod for the bumps (foam in between bumps). There is also a mod to improve bass too on head fi (both mentioned on the page linked below).

http://www.head-fi.org/t/582276/q701-appreciation-thread/4065

http://www.head-fi.org/t/607019/akg-q701-simple-mod-increase-bass-and-decrease-soundstage-a-little

http://www.head-fi.org/t/660408/reversible-akg-k701-bass-mod

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Hmm, just found the AKG K702 on sale at the rainforest for £165, after duty on the Q701 I'm looking at about £30 or so more - tough choice...

duty won't be that much.

£40 more expensive at minimum for the K702. If you miss customs then it's £70 more expensive to buy the K702.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I think I might pick them up for under £100 just for the sake of comparing against the X1. I trust my ears over all else!

Edit*
I've watched a few reviews now of the Q701 and one thing seems to crop up, they're fast and sharp headphones with a slight tendency to show some sibilance. The X1s have no sibilance in any area in any type of music I have in my collection or have listened to online. A few of those reviews mentioned bass too, because they're reference headphones they're flat so if multimedia is what you're using them for (movies, gaming) where guns, explosions etc are playing then maybe these aren't the right headphones.

I'm going to try them out anyway but personally everything I've read so far doesn't give me the impression that they will be better than the X1. I'll run them in for a week or so just to be fair and if they do indeed turn out to be better then I will keep them otherwise I'll sell them in pristine condition for minimal or no loss in cash

Edit2*
The one thing I love about the X1 is the bass, as Raven has mentioned the bass is tight, deep and well controlled. I love it to bits in tracks like Hugh Laurie's The St. Louis Blues for the first 2mins 30secs where the bass and low instruments kick in, you can "feel" the sound and not just hear it. It's simply amazing.

Q701 are well known to be one of the best COMPETITIVE gaming cans on the planet.

thererfore they would never have the bass the X1's have because in competitive gaming bass drowns out footsteps.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

comparing a basshead can like the x1 to a q701 would be like comparing a 4x4 with a convertible, they are both designed for completely different things you just cannot directly compare them.

the Q701 has a RRP in the UK of £400 the X1 of £300. You can get the X1 for £150-£180 which is a saving of £120-£150. the Q701 is on offer here for £95 (excluding customs charges) on amazon it's price is £200 for the white and £300 for the lime.

value for money wise nothing really touches this deal. for £95 in the UK you would be looking at buying a CAL 2 or something like that.

i don't think anyone can disagree this is a very good can available at a ridiculous price. i haven't heard it personally but there is a huge thread on head fi your welcome to read and MLE rates it as one of the best gaming cans in the world.

I just don't know how I'm going to drive the thing using my mixamp, it needs to be double amped using my topping NX1 most likely. which is going to be a right pain. i just hope the topping doesn't degrade the SQ much.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Double amping is squiffy at the best of times

i've heard that if the original source is clean then it's not such a big issue

in fact i'm sure MLE double amps his AKG's when using a mixamp.




if anyone wants to convert these into the 65th annies then you can

http://www.head-fi.org/t/626971/akg-k702-65th-anniversary-edition/780

http://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/1h885z/

"Fun: I want to give them an 8 for fun, and they do deserve that most of the time, but there are times when you can tell that sub bass is lacking. Don't get me wrong, they can be bassy at times, but its leaning more towards mid bass punch, rather than the ambient/mood setting bass that I prefer. Still, they can get very fun at times, and anyone looking for a well balanced can that can perform great overall, make these a great choice.

Competitive: I can't directly compare the Q701 and K701 for competitive use, but no one should pass these up for the slight decrease in score. They are essentially just as good, but the K701 lacks a warmth I deem necessary for overall use, so you end up really focusing on details, which is the main strength in the K701. The emphasis on detail retrieval is what makes the K701 just beastly. The Q701 is tuned for more enjoyment FWIH, though they are still detail monsters, just not as glaringly obvious. As far as positional cues and accuracy, they are every bit as good as the K701. Soundstage may be just a smidge smaller, but I attribute that to the fuller sound. Soundstage to me is bigger on headphones that lack a lower end, letting the space breathe more.

Comfort-wise, quite polarizing. A lot of people have issue with the headband's bumps. I won't lie, they take getting used to. However, once you've beared with it enough, your head will get desensitized by that particular sensation. The bumps no longer affect me in the least. I find them decent to good. My main complaint now is that I wish the headband extended just a little more. I have to fully extend them to fit me properly, and it's quite noticeably felt, though it's not a real discomfort.

I need to mention that while the Q701 is a better overall can than the old K701 to me, the difference is not night and day. They essentially sound VERY similar, with a slight tonal difference. The difference was definitely enough for me to say it's worth choosing the Q701. Need to clear that up, in case people are expecting a big difference. Think of the Q701 as a very slightly EQ-ed K701, with added warmth and very slightly more bass.

Like the K701, they desire amping when using voice chat. The sound also scales with amping, but isn't really necessary.

Update 3/5/2013: So it seems that the K702 Anniversary and Q701 are essentially the same sound-wise, the difference being attributed to the K702 Anniversary having memory foam pads that alter the sound. The new sound gives these headphones a warmer, thicker body, with bass that now meets the mids, for an even more balanced sound, though not as immediately airy as the Q701 pads.

If you happen to already own the Q701, you might want to invest on some K712 pads which will bring the sound to a new level, one I personally feel is superior in bass, balance, body, and fun. The K712 pads will still allow the Q701 to be very detailed, and amazing for competitive play, but with the added benefit of being more fun.

Which is better? Well, now that they're known to be essentially the same with different pads being what harbors the difference in sound, the K702 Anniversary still has the added benefit of a flat headband which is much more comfortable. They are also limited in quantity and aesthetics, if you are into that. Buying new, the Q701 + K712 pads will cost less than $300, while the Annie is ready to go at around $375. If you are brave enough to mod the headband on the Q701, you can also pay for a K601 headband which will be flat and more comfy than the stock headband. Still, I have seen a thread on the mod, and doesn't seem easy. This will further bump up the price to perhaps around the Annie's price anyways. If you have owned the Q701 already, you can basically renew them for around $100 for the Annie pads and K601 headband, which is probably more appealing and cost effective than spending $375 to replace the Q701 for the Annie, barring selling your Q701 to fund for the Annie as some have done."

"The Q701 is basically about 98% as good as the K701 for competitive use. The reason it gets a lower score is because it's not as competitive oriented as the K701, though ultimately, I would suggest the Q701 anyways, as it's more enjoyable all around and still god-mode inducing."

http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad...e-4-17-2014-akg-k612-and-k712-pro-added-edits


K701 review

"Remember how I felt the AD700 did something to me? How it completely change my view on headphones and Dolby Headphone? Well, I got that same feeling again with the K701. In fact, I felt like god had given me the secret to just out right smite my enemies with the hammer of justice. The K701 to me, is pure, unadulterated, SMACKDOWN inducing OWNAGE. The very first time I used them (Modern Warfare 2), I went 2 straight 25-0 games in Free For All. I mean, holy smokes. The K701 was like wearing x-ray vision goggles for my ears. Depth, width, imaging, complete detail retrieval... it had it all. These to me, are the very vision of the perfect gaming headphone (with Dolby Headphone). I'd still place the overall positioning behind the DT770 Pro 80, and AD700, but it's on par with the HD598. We're talking about them being maybe a 9.9 instead of a 10 (which is what the 770s and AD700s are to me). Those two have NOTHING on the clarity and detail-whoring the K701 has. The bass is light, but present enough for it not to be anywhere near a complaint for me. It just works. You want my top pick for a purely godlike hardcore gaming headphone? The K70x is it. Now if only they were easy to drive. Believe it or not, the Mixamp does a good job driving the K70x, as long as you don't mix in voice chat whatsoever. Talking about leaving the game/voice balance completely on the game side. Once you nudge the balance away from game, the volume takes a steep dive, and you will note how badly the things need an amp.

Now I already know how volume =/= driving force, but for gaming with dolby headphone, you WON'T think about that or notice. Trust me, the Mixamp is enough for the K701 if again, you don't add voice chat. If you do, you WILL need to attach an amp to the Mixamp's headphone out, just to juice the K70x and voice chat audio. Yes, they do scale with good amping, but for the purpose of gaming, I don't deem it necessary, asides from when you're in need of voice chat.

Comfort-wise, quite polarizing. A lot of people have issue with the headband's bumps. I won't lie, they take getting used to. However, once you've beared with it enough, your head will get desensitized by that particular sensation. The bumps no longer affect me in the least. I find them decent to good. My main complaint now is that I wish the headband extended just a little more. I have to fully extend them to fit me properly, and it's quite noticeably felt, though it's not a real discomfort."

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Ironic that someone who doesn't listen to reviews is bothered to write one for other people

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Well I don't think so many positive reviews means they can be crap but I do agree hype can take over. It's the same with anything. Smartphones get hyped up so much they are a disappointment when they are released. Same happens with movies, video games, etc.

I don't tend to really listen to movie reviews as most of them are overly critical. I judge movies on my own likes/dislikes of what I am looking for and wanting out of a movie.

I use headphone reviews as a gauge of quality. These have always been highly reviewed and expensively priced. AKG are a well known high quality brand within headphones much like Sennheiser. In fact AKG have a much bigger and better reputation than Phillips when it comes to headphones. Phillips surprised a lot of people with their full Fidelio range.

I have no idea what these sound like but I know that they should be good. AKG are used by music producers, etc. In fact these are named after one "Quincy Jones".

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Have you viewed the official site?

http://eu.akg.com/akg-product-detail_eu/q-701.html

The headphone looks really nice IMO. I went for lime green myself just because it will stand out from all the black headphones I have atm and if I don't like it resale value should be a lot higher than the others.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Wow I'll steer clear of 701s then. Had a look the k812...I think those are beyond my rave ruined ears

I might pump for the Phillips x1. They'd suit my preferred music genre better.

You could always use an equaliser. Simply keep the bass at neutral and lower the other frequencies to compensate.

That way you can control exactly how much bass the can has.

That way you save yourself £70-£90 by buying these over x1's. If you can't be bothered doing that then get X1's.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I am really liking the look of Ox and Bull Silk Cuff Link Set, shipping is expensive though for what seems to be a little plastic tube with some silk and a cork on top.

I suppose that's normal with it being on the other side of the world.

What would have been cool if someone had organised a mass buy on here (so they all shipped to their address) and then shipped them to us using cheap royal mail postage.

Far too late to organise something like that though.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

DT770?

If your ears sweat (or get hot) with the K550 then they will with the X1 and even worse because it's memory foam in the padding.

memory foam soaks up heat like nothing else. i had to get rid of my memory foam mattress it was bad. it gave me heat rash and woke up in a pool of sweat in the summer at times.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Money gets taken when the order is finalised with AKG.

Now we have to wait for AKG to get nearly 1500 headphones to massdrop before they then individually package and post them.

I just hope AKG or massdrop don't have issues dealing with such a large order. It's been a very successful deal.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

There are bass mods.

You guys are crazy to cancel on such a cheap deal. You could have sold it on for a profit had you not liked them.

Mint condition like new Q701's would go for £150+ easy at auction especially if you tell them you bought them, tried them and didn't like them so are selling them on.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

when they arrive in 3 weeks time (estimated), everyone want to post their impressions in here or start an official thread?

 

[Psycho Sonny]

T1 is USB only

RCA in as well

it's a USB DAC only

I think PS4 supports USB sound but I personally have not tested as of yet. I shall do at some point though.

I am currently in the process of possibly sending it back as the transformer is faulty (producing a rather loud hum which can be heard from up to about 12 feet away).

 

[Psycho Sonny]

It's £75 cheaper than a Q701 to buy in the UK going off a certain retailers site.

not worth looking at if you got the Q701's.