slinch Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-q701-audiophile-headphones Awesome deal. Best headphones for the price, period. Tardcore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Nice. I have been considering getting a set of open-back headphones to upgrade my ATH-M50s. These seem to be strictly better and they look comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drownmeinestrogen Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Why must I be poor right now? These seem to be exactly what I need in headphones at exactly my price-point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 I have the k701, which are tonally almost identical, though those who own both say that the q701 have a slightly better low end. I have found no reason to upgrade. I tried pretty much everything there is to try in the sub $500 price range, and though for example the senn hd600 or hd650 are better in some areas, I foun them to be more of a step sideways than a step up. The first next thing I'd buy is the senn hd700, but I don't enjoy headphone listening enough to drop that kind of cash. Note though that this stands true for me and my personal preferences. Some might even find the q701 disappointing. I prefer lighter, more nuanced and detailed bass to a heavier, less detailed one, which seem to be the two most common sides before wandering into the absolute high end gear. I also prefer a tiny boost in the high frequencies, somewhere above the 5k mark. So for me, these are near perfect, especially considering the price. Another thing to note is that these won't work much better than any other headphone in the same price range unless you have a proper machine driving them. A really solid soundcard or better yet a standalone amp is pretty much a must. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 so tempting. looks like black are sold out but white/green are still available. I have been trying to avoid making impulse purchases while I am bored at work, but if these are still available when I get home, I may pull the trigger. I wonder if the headphone output on my Marantz PM6004 or Emotiva XDA-2 are sufficient to drive these. Otherwise, I have been cosidering getting a dedicated headphone amp/DAC for my PC. Any recommendations for a coiled cable replacement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted June 19, 2014 Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 Do it While you probably wouldn't get the absolute maximum possible out of them, the Marantz should drive them very well. No idea about the Emotiva, but Marantz puts suprisingly good headphone outputs in their integrateds. I cannot tell you anything useful regarding headphone cables though, honestly I never really cared enough. All I know is that what an average head-fier considers a solid cable usually costs more than the headphones themselves. Since I see headphones in general as the last resort when I absolutely cannot listen through speakers, I didn't really see the point in spending time and money on different cables. I'm not saying they don't matter, they just never mattered to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 I'm not a cable queen. If I don't have a coiled cable, it tends to get tangled up on the floor and rolled over by my desk chair and that makes me sad. I'm still torn. I had been eyeing the HiFiman HE-400s @ $300. Any expierience with those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 From the time I spent with them, I'd say the HE400 are pretty much on-par with the Q701. The sound signature is quite different though. I'm not really a fan of the "color and temperature" adjectives people usually like to use when describing sound, because they can mean different things to different people. For my personal preference though I'd choose the Q701 over the HE400 if they both cost exactly the same. Seeing the AKGs cost only half as much, I wouldn't even think twice. But if you have the possibility, I strongly suggest you go out and listen to them first. $150 is still a lot to drop on something that can only really be evaluated subjectively. Maybe search head-fi for some comparisons between the two, multiple opinions from a wide range of people might give you a better insight on which of the two could better suit you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 pulled the trigger. it's summer and my ears need open-back relief. If I don't care for the sound, I can always flip them on Ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Got my AKG Q701s a few days ago. They are very different from my ATH-M50s. At this point, I am not prepared to say that I vastly prefer one over the other. It may come down to different cans being more appropriate for different applications. I will say that the bass sounds poor in comparison. debating whether a dedicated headphone amp is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 after spending a few weeks with them, I do reach for the Q701s 90% of the time. I am accustomed to the lighter bass now. The non-coiled cable is driving me insane. I roll over the cable with my desk chair at least once a day. I will probably have to invest in a replacement coiled cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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