AKG K 701 - Open-Back Reference Class Stereo Headphones with Varimotion and Flat-Wire Voice Coil Technology

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I use this product as a reference check while mixing.

These headphones are especially good for hearing midrange and high frequency issues in the mix. Any sibilance problems will stand out clearly with these headphones. A very useful tool for hearing unwanted artifacts that result from compression, EQ, vocal tuning, reverb, etc.

A small minority of folks may find these headphones pleasing for casual music listening, but I would not recommend these headphones for that purpose. They are far too detailed and critical. Not necessarily the flattering type of listening experience. Rather, they are a useful tool for a recording engineer or producer who needs to hear subtleties within the complex layer of music.

Headphones such as the K701s are just about necessary for the artist who wants to create professional quality, artifact-free recordings.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I use this headphones on a daily basis and they are plug into McCormack micro headphones drive (basically, a 5-Watt per channel amplifier with a IC gain stage and discrete bipolar output stage)The good thing is that there is a lot of details, which are presented very natural without being thrust at you. On the negative side, those headphones are not musical as the Sennheiser 600 and the 650 - probably as a result of a very lean upper bass and lower midrange. The music just don't have drive as a result of that frequency response.also, they are a little too tight on the head - again, compare with the Sennheiser's

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

the midbass on these headphones is like nothing i have heard before. Quite detailed with a non-fatiguing overall signature.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I recently bought a new pair of these from B & H Photo.
The last time I bought these, a couple of years ago, I did not like these at all.
They sounded overly thin, lacked body, sounded too harsh and bright in the upper mids/lower treble, dry, the bass sounded thin, weak, and rolled off. Needless to say, I quickly sold them. My Sennheiser 650's literally smoked them!
At that time, I did not have a good CD player, and a lousy amp.
This time around, I am VERY IMPRESSED with the 701's! I now have a Marantz CD5003 cd player, Headroom Micro Amp, and have over 300 hours of break-in on my 701's.
Totally different animals to say the least!
Now they are now truly Reference Class.
They now sound exceptionally open, fast, detailed, spacious, clean, and clear without being bright, peaky, or harsh. The soundstage [headstage] is amazing.
I now have no complaints with the bass. It is very extended, smooth, accurate, and powerful.
It now competes head-to-head with my HD650's.
Most of the time, I actually prefer the 701's now!
Sometimes the 650's can sound a little too laid-back, boomy or muddy in the bass, and rolled off on top compared to the 701. I also have to turn the 650's volume up more to get them to open up, compared to the 701's.
I now HIGHLY RECOMMEND the K701's...but only if you plan on using a good source, headphone amp, and good program material!

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I've owned a lot of headphones in this price range, and the only ones I've ever felt comfortable using in desperate mixing sessions have been the Sennheiser HD600 and, very recently, the AKG K701. The K701 rolls off some of the low bass and has a noticeable peak around 8KHz, but post-EQ it sounds very nice with a crisp, clear sound. It cannot be used as a recording monitor of course, as it's an "open" design. Being a circumaural model, the K701 can be worn comfortably for hours. If you can live with or correct its 8K hump (via EQ), I'd recommend it. Otherwise try the more neutral HD600s.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

These things are totally awesome, they look awesome, they feel so awesome when you have them on. Most comfortable headphones out there. Only reason I gave them 4 stars is because they are light on the bass. If you have them loud you can still hear bass editing down low, but if you are producing in them you might miss out on picking the right bass heavy sounds. But for EQ'ing and mixing down they are a freak's dream. I compared these to the Beyer Dynamic 880's and the 880's have a crapload more bass but sound more muddy. Like I said listening on these is like sitting on cloud nine for the mids and highs. These are perfect for putting on at the end of making a song and tweaking things into the right place, U WILL HEAR A A DIFFERENCE and put things in the right place if u have these things on, even in the low end. These are like having a $10,000 treated studio on your ears, just without all the bass. If your monitors already have good bass then these R 4 U

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

Overall it is a fantastic sounding headphone for the price and it is extremely comfortable. The nice thing is that it will sound great on almost anything but if you want to get crazy with the amps and sound cards you can get even better sound.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

These are fantastic headphones once you get them broken in. I use them daily for audio editing and some mixing. They are extremely comfortable and have very clean, clear sound that allows me to pickup on edits or problem frequencies better than when I monitor through my mains, though they won't beat a good room and good monitors for mixing.

I will say that they are very large. Much larger than the Sennheiser HD600. One reason I got these headphones is that they are much easier to drive from normal pro equipment when compared the HD600 and HD650. I no longer need to carry a headphone amp with me just to do some basic editing. Most audio interfaces seem to do a good job driving the K701s.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

[...] I was glad to see some airbag cushion and the box factory sealed. This way I know I'm not getting a used, fake or refurbished product. Overall they are great. There are tons of reviews all over the internet on these, so I won't repeat what you can read elsewhere. Just note you need a good source, good headphone amp and good dac to get the best sound out of these. They are not made for and will not sound good with portable players or the weak line outs found on typical consumer laptops, etc. To truly do them justice they need a few hundred hours of burn and proper amplification. If you are using a computer as a source make sure your files are lossless. They are open back so you can hear what's going on around you.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

clear tight sound
nice bass
very good headphones

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

These Austria made AKG's are pretty nice to have and Ive wanted a pair for quite a while and couldn't resist when I found them at B&H. Very nice way to monitor and mix without the room affecting the sound. They are lightweight and have a more plastic feel than I figured they would by the picture but if they are taken care of should last many years. The sound is the most important thing and they have a nice uncolored sound, especially after breaking them in. Good stuff.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I listen to organ music which has a huge range of dynamics. The lows ( 16 htz) are clean and clear with no drop off. I was going to invest in an expensive audio system but these are better.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

Great sound right out the box. Powerfull but detailed bass, highs not harsh and a lovely midrange. Better after run in period. Very high quality materials and awesome looks.

I will buy it again if needed.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I use these headphones with my pc as well as my home stereo system. Great for everything at home: video editing, music, movies. They isolate yet leave space for sound reproduction, and they look great. Occasionally the head band rubs the top of my head wrong after hours of use, but I think this is more attributable to how I was wearing them initially, plus the fact that I have been keep my hair cropped short. Best pair of headphones I have ever owned.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

As a composer, recording artist and 20-year veteran of big recording studios, I had been looking for a reliable headphone to use during the mixing and mastering process in my new home studio (I have great reference speakers, but I like to mix at night, and this helps keep peace in the neighborhood).

Yeah, I know — and I've read in every magazine and online source — that "you can't mix with headphones." WRONG.

The K 701s provide superbly reliable reproduction of instrumental music during tracking and mixing (bleed during tracking can, of course, be an issue with the 701s...if your mic is close to your headphones during recording, you need a closed-back headphone...I use my Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones for those kind of tracking applications).

But mixing and mastering is where the 701s are worth more than twice the price. Finally...reliably true sound (no phony extra bass, etc.), no ear fatigue (even after a 6-hour mixing session), and the price, especially from B&H, is on the money.

I buy all kinds of recording gear from MIDI controllers to outboard effects processors, etc. Nothing I've ever purchased has made me feel as good about spending my hard-earned money.

If you are a WORKING (home) studio musician and you want your next CD to sound professional...mix it using these, and it will.

PS: I'm a struggling musician and recording pro, NOT an audiophile. I like things that work, that last and that sound good. That's why I like my 701s.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I used these to mix/reference on, I sat for about 5 hours without getting fatiuged or irritated with something on my head and ears like other headphones.

Nice smooth flat sound, the tops are nice and crisp, and you dont get a false idea of the low end like with closed back headphones.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

I am a radio announcer, and like to be able to hear myself and listen to the on air sound. These headphones are extremly open, with a smooth wide range. I can wear them all day without fatigue. I've wanted a pair for years, and couldn't believe how much cheaper they were at B&H. When I saw the price, I didn't hesitate to buy.

Comments about AKG K 701 - Reference Headphones:

Easily the best sounding headphones I've ever owned. Not to mention the most comfortable as well.

There are NO gaps in these. The highs are nice and clear, and the lows aren't muffled and distorted like in so many headphone (even in good ones).

The only slight drawback ( and I hesitate to even mention it ), is as a lot of you know, the ipod doesn't really drive headsets like this very well. It lacks the power to do so, so if you want to use these with a ipod, or similar device you should consider a amp of some sort. I would reccomend the inexpensive but high quality amps from Sonic Impact.