AKG K 701 / 702

I owned the AKG K 701 years ago and I currently own the AKG K 702 headphones. If you can get yours for a much lower price than the MSRP, then it is a great value and it is a solid headphone. The AKG K 702 features a user replaceable headphone jack and cord which is useful in case you damage the cable. They sound a bit bright and they can certainly hit low bass notes with timbre accuracy and definition, but they have a cool, laid-back, and polished sound signature that makes it perfect for classical, acoustic, jazz, and opera to a certain degree. These do compete with four figure headphones. AKG released the AKG K 712 Pro and AKG K 812 Pro which is their current flagship reference audio headphone. I have not heard the K 712 or 812 Pro yet.

Compared to my Sennheiser HD-800 headphones, I found out that the AKG K 701 come within 90 percent striking range. Still, the HD-800 have a much wider frequency response which results in deeper bass notes and higher treble octaves. Furthermore, the HD-800 are more neutral and accurate in that they maintain a consistent and more coherent sound signature especially during the much more complex passages in certain types of music. The HD-800 have a much wider out of head sound stage with far more precise imaging that retains the accuracy and faithfulness of the pre-recorded music in terms of timbre and tonal accuracy. The other major difference is that the HD-800 have lightning fast dynamics that retain the full dynamic range of pianissimo and forte sounds in music and it can switch between the two at the drop of a hat. In terms of comfort, the HD-800 is far more comfortable and it has the largest 56 mm ring dynamic transducers to reproduce the feeling of top of the line loudspeakers in a headphone.

That said, the AKG K 702 are one of the best bang for your buck pair of reference grade audiophile headphones. If you can get past the discomfort of from the padded headphone strap, then they are near perfect. They produce a more intimate reproduction of the music without getting in your face like some of the Grado headphones. They are well balanced and well controlled with few sonic compromises at their price point. One of the best aspects about the AKG K 702 is that owners can trust it to reproduce music faithfully with few sonic compromises. These are some of the best headphones ever produced.

 

I've always enjoyed my 701's.

 

I've never heard the k701/k702 phones, but I have k501s and they are my most unique phones. They definitely project the most enveloping sound stage. I used to think they were bass light, but I no longer do. Did they finally break in or did my tastes change?

 

I can't answer that question for you. HeadRoom Corporation told me that I needed at least 500 hours to burn in the AKG K 702 Pro so I decided to give them six months of normal play time and I must have put 1000 hours through mine. The changes were soft and subtle. I don't subscribe to the burn in theory for headphones regardless of what manufacturers and audio dealers say. I do think that I adjusted to their sound signature over time. The K 702 Pro has bass definition and pretty deep extension, but there's not much impact because they're headphones. They aren't tuned for strong bass response. They are bright, but it's not a nasal sound in the treble octaves. The sound stage depth and out of headphone effect is considerable which makes them sound like small range loudspeakers on your ears. I've swapped out the stock cords for aftermarket cables a few times and I didn't notice much of a difference. The AKG K 812 Pro uses the same stock cable. The only con is the padded headphone band with its bumps. These make them uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time even though the headphones are light weight. The other thing is that these are not the headphones that you want to rock and bob your head around as they have a light to medium clamping force. I wouldn't choose these for travel headphones because the 62 Ohm impedance is not suited for USB DACs without a built-in headphone amplifier. The other thing to note is that they are fairly soft sounding if your headphone amplifier isn't powerful enough to drive them so they are picky. The HD-800s are very picky and it's difficult to find the right synergy with upstream audio components. If you want a precision instrument to reveal almost everything in your music, then these are a good choice for those on a budget. They are accurate and neutral enough for studio work.

I found that most of my family members and friends don't like the AKG K 702 Pro. They complain that they can't feel the bass impact in their music. They also say that it's uncomfortable to wear for more than 30 minutes.

 

Exactly. My AKG phones are the ones that make me miss speakers the least.

Mine are ultra comfortable. They require a prodigious amplifier (I use a Heed Canamp or Wheatfield HA1). I can easily believe that other family members would not hear their greatness. Forgive my analogy, but it's like light-roasted third wave coffee. It takes more than a few sips to realize how great the flavor is!

 

The AKG K 702 Pro and Sennheiser HD-800 are very close to each other. I learned a long time ago that quality headphones have a greater value of diminishing returns for every extra dollar that I spend on more expensive headphones. I'm a source first audiophile and I've invested $7,500.00 USD for my Resolution Audio Opus 21 music system; it delivers the greatest return on investment in terms of sound performance. Transducers are equally important and quality headphones offer smaller levels of sound performance as you go upscale. The AKG K 702 Pro really does compete with the Sennheiser HD-800 for a fraction of the price. I don't hear too much of a difference between either of them when playing either my FLAC loss less high resolution albums and L.A.M.E. 3.99 V0 variable bit rate MP3 albums. They are more like identical twins than fraternal twins. You can get a new pair of AKG K 702 Pro headphones from Amazon for less than $221.0 USD with free delivery and state sales tax right now. I paid very dearly for my Sennheiser HD-800 headphones, but it was a must have product. I've been lusting for the HD-800s since CES 2009 when they were first introduced to the world.

I still listen to the AKG K 702 Pro and it's still magical. The Sennheiser HD-800 are like my Etymotic Research ER-4S in-ear monitors without the -42 dB passive sound isolation and a much wider frequency response spectrum with more balanced and deeper bass impact and articulation. They are also much larger and more comfortable. The AKG K 702 is more like the Etymotic Research HF-3 which is one step below. They come up a little short in terms of macro dynamics and responsiveness, but they offer enormous micro detail retrieval and resolution for a fraction of the price. They also come up short in terms of the width and depth of the out of head sound stage compared to the HD-800, but they make up for that small loss by offering similar precision imaging.

I knew this from the get go before I purchased my Sennheiser HD-800 headphones, but that was a long term dream of mine that I had to fulfill for myself. I'm not saying that they are a terrible value for the sound performance; they're perfect sounding to my ears. It's just a question of value proposition. Chasing the last 1.0 percent in this crazy audiophile hobby is super expensive.

 

Head-Fi.Org members write that the newer AKG K 712 Pro headphones fix the minor design and sound flaws of the older AKG K 702 Pro headphones by introducing a flatter and more comfortable headband and more bass impact without deviating too far from the AKG reference house sound. They cost $349.99 USD from Amazon with free shipping and state sales tax. I have no experience listening to the AKG K 712 or 812 Pro headphones. Be that as it may, the new sweet spot in the AKG K reference grade headphones is the AKG K 712 Pro. It costs less than one third the price of the flagship AKG K 812 Pro headphones and it obviates the need for modifications to the headband to get a comfortable and secure fit for most people. The AKG K 701 and 702 are the value priced leaders and I expect this to remain the case for the foreseeable future.

If I were you, then I'd find a local authorized AKG dealer and tell him to get a pair of both the K 702 and 712 Pro in the store for extended demos at home. I would recommend that you spend the extra money for the AKG K 712 Pro because the headband is more comfortable alone. If a pair of headphones or earphones don't fit you well, then the sound performance and features are moot issues.

I'm not telling you how to spend your own hard earned money for a pair of reference grade headphones, but I stand firm with my observations about the AKG K 702.

Do not spend $1,500.00 USD plus shipping fees and state sales tax for the Sennheiser HD-800 headphones. These are one of the most revered and expensive headphones in the world. Most people will never be able to afford them.

However, you can get 90 - 95 percent of the sound performance if you get the AKG K 712 Pro based upon my extensive research on Head-Fi.Org. They're a bit wacky and young, but they are the most experienced audiophile headphone community in the English spoken language worldwide.

 

I spent $350.00 USD plus UPS priority overnight shipping fees for my AKG K 702 headphones from HeadRoom Corporation a few years ago when the AKG K 712 and 812 Pro were not available yet. Today, you can get the newer AKG K 712 Pro for the same price from Amazon which saves you $150.00 USD off the $500.00 USD MSRP. That's high value! Even if you get the AKG K 702, then you'll still wind up with a better deal than a new pair of Sennheiser HD-800 headphones. You win no matter how you slice the pie.

 

After I got my Sennheiser HD-800 headphones, I compared them to my AKG K 702 and I couldn't tell an immediate difference between the two headphones. Later, my 10+ years as an headphone audiophile experience kicked in and I knew what to listen for carefully. The differences are minor like comparing a 8K FUHD screen to a 4K UHD screen, but they are still there. To be blunt, I just had to have the Sennheiser HD-800. Now, I just have to have the Sennheiser HD-DVD 800 digital headphone amplifier and 24 bit 192 kHz DAC with a USB 2.0 port because they are a matched pair together. This will cost me more than $3,500.00 USD together by the end of this year in December 2014.

I am crazy. It's a medical fact.

Yet, the AKG K 702 would be my go to backup full sized open design headphones and I'm keeping them. They are that good.

 

Read this Head-Fi member's review of the AKG K 712 Pro: http://www.head-fi.org/t/685629/akg-k-712-pro-review

 

I paid $219 for my 701's and love them.

 

I upgraded from 701s to 712s and can confirm that they're everything the 701/702 aren't. They have slightly more pronounced bass and the bump less headband makes comfort a non-issue. Highly recommended.

Bill

 

As I noted in your other thread I have the AKG Q701s and love them and at around $200 street they are a steal. (I really wish Senn would bring down the HD 600 and 650 more in line with the AKG street prices and I would own those as well.) They can be a little bright and frankly I would like a little more bass impact and volume, although the quality of the bass is very nice and tight. I think the Senn HD 800, while having similarities and being a logical step up, are significantly better (from memory at least as I do not own them) in many respects. But most importantly I do not find myself wanting more bass from the Senns (like I do with the AKGs) even though you can get better bass response from a number of planar magnetic cans such as Audeze.

 

Would love to demo the K712 but no stores near me carry them.

 

Notice that he was 'banned'?

 

I like both brands, but have tended towards AKG phones. I own k501s and k601s, nothing beyond. I'll have to try the newer ones, although my two already vie for my attention. I have finally decided to wear the 501 phones in the summer and the 601 phone in winter, simply because the 601 pads are warmer, the 501 pads cooler.

 

Had a pair of 702's but sold them- too bright ultimately. Now have a set of Sennheiser HD-600's. Deliriously happy with the HD-600's

 

I also have my AKG K701s paired with a Heed CanAmp. For me, they are the perfect combo.

 

I love the HD 600. Just wish they sold new for around $300. I have been looking at some higher end cans, but if I forgo that expense for now then I will be acquiring a 600 Or 650 (most likely the 600) in the near future.

 

I have owned a pair of 712s since April. I like them, with the caveat that they seem to require a bit higher SPL to get good sound (driving with either Schiit Asgard 2 or Grace Design M903). But I always find myself going back to my trusty HD600s.

I want to give a little shout out to the OP. While I agree that some posts are perhaps a little gratuitous in the technical details, it's nice to see headphone threads coming from a "headphone centric" (as opposed to "speaker centric") worldview.

 

The great thing about the crazy audiophiles is they change out their gear quite a bit quicker than the average joe.
That being said, I bought a pristine pair of HD650's for $100 less than on amazon (which isn't a bad price to begin with - including shipping).

When I bought my 650's I also picked up a pair of the Q701s for comparison. I thought the Senns had a more fluid sound to them and not as much of an emphasis on bass as the Q701s. Not that the AKGs were bad, just different and not so much to my taste (but no where near those horrible Dr. Dre's). Later I heard the K702s which I enjoyed quite a bit more than the Q701s (that was using a different source though).

The HD800s are killer sounding when you have everything right - meaning source/headphone amp/right amount of pixie dust in the air. They just seemed too temperamental in their needs for day to day use in my eyes.