Headphones
AKG K 701 White
The long-time leader in recording studio headphones have given us the AKG K701, a top-of-the-line full-size headphone with fabulous punch, an up-front presentation and competence across the audio spectrum. These cans are nowhere near their potential out of the box; patience and a long break-in period will be well rewarded with a head full of snappy tunes. A top-notch and world class headphone.
Product Features:
- Outstanding detail and impact from close tolerance aluminum voice coil design.
- Lightweight and comfortable, durable and well built.
- Optional re-cabling for standard and balanced operation available.
- Easily replaceable ear-pads for extended user life.
- Very well engineer by this excellent headphone maker.
- 2 Year Warranty
What's In The Box:
- Storage Cradle
- 1/4" to 1/8" stereo adapter
Applications:
AKG Acoustics in Austria has brought their considerable audio engineering skills into sharp focus on their high-end dynamic headphone designs and produced an astonishingly superb-sounding pair of cans in their flagship K701 model. Getting it absolutely right at this demanding level of reference-grade audio performance is tough and the K701 gets pretty darn near perfection. These cans deliver a dynamic and punchy sound, articulate and clear over the full audio spectrum. Precise musical detail lovers should appreciate the clean punch and tightly focused bottom-end control of these headphones. Classical and acoustic music fans will likewise love the fact that the dynamic control moves right on up the frequency range to distinctly articulate every finger pluck and rosin-on-gut string texture in the sound mix. About the only thing that we can possibly say bad about these headphones is that those who like a very laid-back, mellow-sounding, or heavy bass presentation might want to look elsewhere since these are certainly highly refined, audiophile-oriented headphones that deliver a deeply expansive soundstage image along with a textural detail and a liquid immediacy that demands your attention. And oh!...what a lovely musical demand it is!
We highly appreciate when a headphone manufacturer does a nice job evolving their products and in this case AKG has done more than just a nice job. These cans have a number of unique features that create a pretty dramatic improvement over previous AKG 'best-of-category' headphones. Their audio response is directly improved by a brand-new proprietary AKG Varimotion diaphragm that is designed to provide better pistonic motion and acoustic control. In addition, a revolutionary flat-wound voice coil design allows for greater concentrations of the magnetic field within the voice coil, thus driving the element diaphragm with more authority, which delivers a cleaner, ultra-articulate sound. Our HeadRoom experience with the K701 is that it requires a REALLY extensive chunk of burn-in / play-time to fully 'relax' sonically & sound its very best, so please assume a MINIMUM 300 hours of play-time before the full audio pleasure of these cans is completely realized. The new 'ergonomically-perfect' earcup ear pads are a soft velour-type material, very comfortable, and are designed to point the driver at the ear for a more correct listening angle. The high-end oxygen-free copper headphone cable is 'bi-wired', which we assume means the return channel for each driver remains separate until it reaches the common ground connection on the 1/4" plug. We think the K701's white color scheme is quite striking and visually effective. And if you don't particularly like the color, you'll still love how amazingly light and comfortable these headphones feel on the head with their well-designed, albeit slightly oversize ergonomics. An absolutely world-class A-1 audiophile headphone and heartily recommended! GREAT job, AKG!
FYI: For listeners wishing to use the AKG K701 with portable audio players like iPods, MP3 players, & PC/laptop computers, a dedicated headphone amp of some sort is a must for maximized audio performance due to the K701's VERY low sensitivity -- despite its fairly efficient 62-ohm impedance rating. Our entry-level HeadRoom 'Mobile Line' portable headphone amps ($99-$159usd) will do the trick nicely but the more powerful, accurate, and dynamically-quick HeadRoom 'Micro Line' series of products come very highly recommended for this superb headphone.
Specifications:
- Cord Type: Straight Left-Side
- Coupler Size: Large
- Manufacturer Warranty: 2 Years
- Cord Length: 10 ft. (3 m)
- Weight: 235 g (8.3 oz.)
- Sensitivity: 105 dB SPL/V
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- Detachable Cable: No
- Connector Type: 1/4" with 1/8" adaptor
- Noise Cancelling: No
- Microphone: No
- Wireless: No
- Warranty: 2 Years
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 62 ohms
- Ear Coupler Type: Full-Size
- Acoustic Seal: Open
- Headphone Type: Full Size
Additional Resources:
Average Customer Rating: by space_jaggy from Atlanta, GA on 2010-01-21
Pros: Sound Quality, Design, Absence of Manufacturing Flaws, Driver Matching
Cons: Durability, Power Handling, Burn-In Period, WoooOOOO sound when you walk with them on (read below)
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I have no plans on making this a long review.. But somehow i did.
I purchased these here about 2 or 3 years ago, and after some troubleshooting they unexpectedly turned out to be simply superb headphones. Bought with a headroom "mini" size desktop amp.
Arrived in perfect condition, no manufacturing flaws. First time listened to them in a hurry before going to class. I was listening to a crappy 192k mp3 encoding of Crystal Method and it was absolutely horrid... So im thinking, Ive listened to this track a 100 times on my other headphones and it sounds decent, so i listen to some other recordings and I am just outright disappointed. Every track I had in my mp3 player was accompanied with bass distortion and the sound resembling that of aluminum shavings falling steadily onto a marble floor. I call headroom and I say what is this ****, so they all send me a new pair, so I get it and wtf.. same thing is happening so I get a cd and I turn everything on and listen to it. Aluminum shavings are gone but the bass distortion is still there. I try other cds and they turn out much better. After hearing what some other reviewers had to say all over the internet I now understand that these headphones are simply too good to be listening to bad recordings on. I am not that savy on sound stuff but now I just know that these cans pick apart every song and force you to hear the best and the worst of it like nothing I've ever heard in my entire life.
Clarity is amazing, first a little surprising with just how much treble you can hear but eventually I just realized that everything else sounds like total crap compared to these. I fooled around a lot with some equalizers but anything I did made it sound worse, so I conclude (in my opinion) that the frequency response in these is perfect as it is, and should be left alone.
Bass is... lacking a bit in the beginning sounding like you're listening to big speakers in a very small room, but changes noticeably every single day you listen to the damn headphones. I finally decided to burn them in for about 250hrs success quickly followed, the sound is a LOT better and doesn't change as much anymore, especially now that its been a few years.
They still sound absolutely great, the only con is that I had to buy a big hard-drive and re-rip most of my CDs into uncompressed wavs. Some cds still sound terrible, but it's most likely because of whoever recorded them was either a terrible engineer or had terrible equipment in the studio.
One final point - When ever i put these cans on and walk around I hear woooOOO. I don't know if its the fact that they are open back and the enclosures are tuned to a certain frequency or whatever else but whenever there is any wind going by you you WILL hear a weird low moaning/ howling tone. Not necessarily a con simply because there are not very many people who would take a $400 pair of headphones for a morning run, but just something to note.
Sound Quality
Audio is superb with a good uncompressed track and a good sound card like my currently owned HT Omega Claro Plus. Terrible with mp3 players, you can hear EVERYTHING that's wrong with the track.
NOTE: Sound is different depending on how you wear them, wear them forward - a little less treble, a little more comfortable too, wear them centered over your ears - they sound great, wear them too far back and they sound only ok.
Comfort
Lacking initially. Putting them on a a bit uncomfortable for anyone who is picky, however, once they are on they are very comfortable to wear even for long periods of time which came as a surprise. So they are ok to wear for short periods of time, but that stays the same for long periods too as opposed to most headphones from which I get a headache.
Look and Feel
Manufacturing quality is Good to say the least, perfect maybe to some of you, I wanted them to be heavier but that is just my preference. Gread design, somehow makes me think of ear testing at a clinic. Look a bit like some medical instrument more than headphones - which appeals to me somehow.
Dirability
Not so great, keep these clean and away from hazardous areas such as beaches, cars and ext.. Construction itself is durable but the design is somewhat prone to problems. Particles are not a huge problem with these because the drivers re somehow protected on the inside, but with so many holes in them I didn't want to take any chances. Be careful putting them on, gently raising the headband by the sides with your fingers is probably a good idea to avoid stress to the wire-band and the elastic strings that tighten the headband.
NOTE:
About 8 months ago I discovered tiny TINY cracks (0.5 mm to 1 mm long) in the places where the wire-bands were attached. The wires themselves are most likely not attached at these areas and go down deeper into the cups which means that there is no impact of actual durability, just the look (which is still barely noticeable) but it was a little annoying to find the cracks.
I hate to end this review on a bad note, keep in mind that I move around a lot and my pair and I went through a lot of trips together over the course of 3 years so some wear is to be expected.
Overall these are top notch cans, my only other reference are the Sennheiser HD650 which are a lot more powerful but do not have the same clarity as the k701.
Notes:
Burn in Period: 240 hours before the sound stopped changing so much.
Burn in Method: Pink Noise low ~50hrs med ~50hrs hi~50hrs / white noise med~100hrs
Overall Satisfaction: 90% to 95%
Value: Worth it (nothing more, nothing less)
Best: Sound Quality
Worst: Durability/Power Handling
Kindest Regards
space_jaggy
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by warpdrive from Ontario, Canada on 2010-01-18
Pros: Good soundstage, solid midrange, great design
Cons: bass lacks impact, upper mids a bit peaky, comfort
Would you recommend this product: Yes
The K701 is the headphone that makes you think: this could be the one. The minute you put it on, you feel the soft comfy earpads, the mids allow you hear your favorite vocals with a sort of ease you would expect from a company who's earphones are found in many studios. Nothing stands out as being flawed in terms of detail and the overall balance is very "audiophile", not too much of any one thing. However, the bass seems just a tad bit restrained, but what's there, it conveys tightly. This is not a headphone you want to groove with as much, as the bass sounds fairly rolled off unless you have extra bassy music. The upper mids can sound a tad bit peaky, which gives the headphone a slightly edgy quality which makes some female vocalists sound a bit more scratchy than other headphones. This is a headphone that requires a decent amp, but on a whole, it seems to work well enough with most amps in terms of sonic match. Many have said tubes work best but I found the sound enjoyable with a few solid state amps including Headroom's own. The only other nit is that the leather headband has these knobby protrusions on the underside and they bother me after about an hour. This is the only drawback to its comfort, otherwise, the clamping force and soft earpads are just right.
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by crossfire from Egypt on 2010-01-15
Pros: Incredible value,super duper comfy,Amazing soundstage and details,deep tight punchy Bass
Cons: They recquire ALOT of burn in,they need strong amplification,they need well mastered recordings.
Would you recommend this product: Yes
The K701 is without a doubt one of the best Audiophile headphones in the planet.They look extremly classy,they come in a simple but elegant package,when you look at their finish and durability,they scream quality.overall top notch appearance.
These headphones need quiet a bit of time to burn in at first,the best way is by leaving them playing music for a a week or so so they sound their best.you also need a quality headphone amplifier because the k701 is power hungry and need a strong assistance to push them to their full potential,and in my case it is the Headroom micro amp.i plugged my k701 to my micro amp and was completly lost in the music.i set it on high gain and raised the volume knob to about 8-9 oclock and played Alfie Boe CD and i was astonished.it felt as if i was in the music in the studio with him,everything is crystal clear,the k701 is brutally(in a nice way)detailed they reveal every little nuance in the recording,every breath,every blow in a saxaphone,every turn of page,every smack of lips will be beautifully blent in the music and presented to you in a real pleasurable way.The bass is deep and punchy,never uncontrolled or bloated and has just the right amount.These headphones dont have rattling bass or powerful bass ONLY QUALITY bass that is very punchy and well coherent with the beautiful liquidy midrange.The whole music presentation of the k701 is 3D and holographic,the amount of air flowing in the music and around the instruments is insane,very spacious soundstage with great depth and consistence laterally and horizontally.impressive.My only grip with the k701 is that the treble can be a little hot or fatiguening over a long listening session(Read 3-4 hours) but this problem can be eliminated by switching on the crossfeed on the micro amp.It make the bass more punchy and powerful and tames the Highs a bit but the cons is that the little micro details will be harder to notice although they are there but just harder to detect.The crossfeed also makes the whole presentation more spacious and laid back and instruments are diffused at the back of your head in space in a precise accurate position that can be easily detected.
Overall,the AKG K701 is very transparent,very light,extremly comfortable,never boring,it will always keep a smile on your face and make you feel that you are in a different imaginery world,that will not only amaze you but will keep you relaxed wheenever you enter it.
REMEMBER:you will need one of headroom's headphone amps to trully be satisfied with the AKG k701.Moreover,this Headphone is best suited with classical music,jazz,ambient,acoustic,country,pop,Movies soundtracks,live music and chamber music.
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by 7764803 from Humenne, SK on 2010-01-29
Pros: Sound, Design, Value, Build quality.
Cons: Uncomfortable head bridge
Would you recommend this product: Yes
AKG K 701 is one of the best headphones. It has very good sound, that is very neutral. You can listening every kind of music. You need about 200 - 300 hours to burn in, but after it is perfect. Other perfect thing is, that it looks perfect. For me it is most beautiful headphones worldwide. And the best thing in the end, price. They cost only $299. For this price you never buy better headphones.
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by VinnieVidi from NYC on 2010-01-25
Pros: Crystal clear and expansive soundstage
Cons: Really need to pair it with a powerful amp
Would you recommend this product: Yes
Most other reviews for the K701 have been very technical and informative. My opinion on the K701 sound, burn-in, best genre of music etc. will not deviate from these. What I will stress is the need for a good dedicated amp.
When I first purchased the K701 I had them plugged into a Rotel preamp and occasionally into a Yamaha home theater receiver. They sounded nice and punchy but (without EQing) were still missing some weight in the lower registers when compared to my Grados GS1000 and Sennheiser HD600. Both the HD600 and G1000 sound fantastic directly out of the Rotel (the Yamaha to a lesser degree) so I never considered buying a dedicated headphone amp. After some reading I decided to pick up a Little Dot solid state amp... the K701's bass response was like night and day. For the K701 to honestly compete with the aforementioned headphones, they needed to be plugged into an external amp (or a preamp/receiver that has an excellent headphone stage). Thus, I would highly recommend factoring the cost of an amp into your decision (if you don't already own one) when looking into the K701.
Comfort-wise, the ear pads are very plush and spacious. The headband is good but not for long periods of time. The padded bumps on the headband which rested on my head started to hurt after a while and I found myself constantly adjusting their position. I also owned a pair of K702 which spaces the pads differently—it made only a slight difference.
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by dointhefish from NYC on 2010-01-25
Pros: Great soundstage, comfortable, accurate from midrange up.
Cons: Lacking low end.
Would you recommend this product: Yes
These cans were great after a long break-in but they positively come alive after re-cabling! The low end is much more active with the addition of some Cardas cable. Mine were changed to balanced but I imagine single ended would have a similar effect.
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by Eric0 from Canada on 2010-01-23
Pros: Accurate sound, nice soundstage, comfortable
Cons: HD800, Edition 8s, T1 on the market
Would you recommend this product: Yes
For almost 4 years, these headphones have been praised. My conclusions won't deviate much from what is already out there. Sound is accurate but not dry, jazz and classical sound great, vocals have depth but could maybe use a bit more sparkle. Bass is present and quite controlled.
My words of caution would be to not consider the ~$300 price as final. Definitely budget a few extra $$s for amplification and possibly a DAC. I tried the K701s with my iPod (with lossless music) and was disappointed with the level of detail. The same would probably go if you were planning on powering the AKGs directly off your computer sound card.
My durability rating is only 4 stars because the string "rails" that attach the cups to the band seem relatively fragile.
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by Rocket Richard from San Diego, CA on 2010-01-21
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I was surprised when I heard these for the first time how much I disliked them. I recognize that they are high quality and many swear by them. I found them almost painful to listen to. That "fabulous punch" felt more like pounding on my eardrums. Perhaps I would adjust to them over time, I don't know. I much preferred the sound of Denons or Sennheisers in this price range. Or Beyerdynamic. Just making the point here that different headphones suit different people's preferences, and there is no substitute for auditioning them yourself. If you haven't heard these but are wondering about getting them, I might suggest ordering a pair from another manufacturer in the same price range at the same time, so you can make your own comparison.
I'm recommending them only because they're high quality, not because I would buy them.
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by cbick from golden, CO on 2010-01-15
Pros: Awesome
Cons: Need good and high-enough-powered amp
Would you recommend this product: Yes
What else can I say? They are open-back so do not buy these for an environment where anybody else might be annoyed. Give them a good amp with enough power to provide the bass you want to hear (or, and this is actually not a bad idea for most headphones, get a subwoofer to go with them).
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by Wilhelm from NJ on 2010-01-12
Pros: Good value, amazing detail, non-fatiguing
Cons: Headband is uncomfortable, long burn-in
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I'm using these great headphones with HeadRoom's Micro stack and they sound incredible. The crossfeed on the Micro Amp really adds that extra bass to balance the overall sound. Without the crossfeed turned on the do sound a little bright but the bass still goes very deep and is well controlled. The soundstage on these headphones is epic and it only gets better. With more and more burn-in they keep on improving and I'm loving it. The details just get better and better and are enhanced by the improving soundstage. And, no matter how long I listen to music with these, I don't get fatigued at all.
For me the bumps on the headband were uncomfortable and I could only listen for a couple hours maximum before I had to take them off. Reading about some others doing it, I cut off the bumps and it really helped, I can wear these all day now. They're a little goofy looking on my small head but these are for private listening so it isn't a big deal. Overall these headphones, driven with the proper amp, sound amazing. The detail, instrument separation, and soundstage truly put me in musical heaven. Definitely recommended, especially for jazz/ska.
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by drewjp from Michigan on 2010-01-10
Pros: Comfortable, Very well-built in Austria, Snappy, transient sound with tons of detail, Great value
Cons: May not have enough bass for some, Requires a loooong burn-in period
Would you recommend this product: Yes
I always thought my friend's Grado RS1s were the best I've ever heard, until I heard these babies! The detail seems so effortless on these; as one review put it, you could hear a mouse sneeze in a church recording with these headphones! Soundstage is great, you can pinpoint each performers location in the studio. They are also very lightweight and comfortable for extended listening sessions. These are not bass-inclined units, however. Those who love Sennheiser sound may be left wanting here; however, those who like Grado sound will fall in love! I have not yet heard the HD800s, however I doubt they sound $1k better than these.
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