K 701 Ultra Reference Class Stereo Headphone Level 1

By far the most comfortable headphones I have ever had. The self adjusting aspect is very good. They sound great and the micro fiber ear pads are wonderful. I am using them mostly for my ham radio station where they do everything I need them to do. The plug is a bit backwards in that the line has a 1/4" plug and the adapter takes that to 1/8" which is backwards from what I'm used to but it works fine. At this price they are a real bargain .

Bought them for the sound quality, online without a chance to listen or compare. I used to have a set of AKG 101 30 years ago and remembered them for incredible definition mid and high rangen, but spongy bass. These headphones are way better than those earlier ones which were already great for the money. Incredibly clear mids, highs and dynamic response. Many people will look for more bass but it is very clean and also well defined. I bought a headphone amp without which you don't get the full quality of the headphones because of their high impedance. With these headphones you really start looking for your best recorded music to enjoy it (and you discover what's not been well recorded). They wear well for a long time (usually my ear suffer with headphones, but not these). I take care not to throw them around or put things on them. They have a 3 meter cable which is nice and long. Gold connector, nice. They adjust in size easily, at least for me, just put them on without ratcheting around.

I upgraded from my Audio-Technica ATH-M30 (cost about 60$ to 80$) to a pair of AKG K701 headphones ($550 at launch, about 200$ to 250$ now) and so far, I'm not disappointed. A word of caution however: They are known for a potential (but mostly fixable) defect (more about that at the end of this review). Overall sound quality: The K701's offer a well balanced and clear sound, with a very flat frequency response and a wide soundstage. The high frequencies are clear and the mids are well present. The basses are what you would expect from proper monitoring headphones: They are not "boosted" or colored at all. For some people, it might be an issue, especially if they are bass lovers. I would recommend to check out the bass mod on the Internet, it's just a matter of removing a piece of felt that is covering the bass port in each ear cups. This mod is reversible and makes the basses more "punchy", sort of like making the attack quicker on a ADSR envelope. My M30's sound kinda muffled when compared to the K701's, but they have more bass than the K701's. Build quality: Made of plastic, with some metalic parts (mostly the decorative parts). I would not recommend these headphones if you plan to travel or go outdoor with them. The plastic is quite thin and glossy. My M30's are build tougher than the K701's in comparison. Comfort: Clearly, the best headphones I ever had in term of comfort. They are super light and the ear pads are soft but not too soft, so they keep their shape and no plastic rests near your ears. I should mention too: These headphones use an elastic mechanism that automatically adjust the headband to the proper setting. I was not sure about this system at first, but it works very well ! In comparison, my M30's would hurt my ears after an hour or so of use because the ear pads were too soft and thin. Now, the potential issue you might face with these headphones. AKG K701's are known for disconnected wire(s) in the ear cups. There are many reports about this issue over the Internet and a video on how to fix it. Basically, some solders are weak and tend to break, so you might lose the sound on one or both sides. Sometimes, wire might still make a contact when the ear cup is in a certain position and you will get sound, but you will lose it when moving the ear cup. This issue is usually fixable by taking apart the headphones and soldering the wire correctly. It's easy to do if you know how to follow instructions. Just be careful to not damage the little decorative grids, you should always turn counter-clockwise to remove them ! It doesn't seem to be an recent issue, since you can find reports dating as far as 2011. Recent K701's are made in China, the AKG logo on the headband is now simply "AKG" (no more "three hearts" logo) and the box is different from the original I think (it as a full-size window at the front instead of no window). Overall, very satisfied by these headphones even with the (fixed) wire issue.

I've been listening to my Grado Prestige Series SR325is Headphones for most of the year and have no complaints, other than the initial comfort factor. But I really wanted another mid-to-high end set to keep from moving the Grados from one room to another (I know, lazy, huh?). I almost went with the Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones , but I've already got a smaller pair of Sennheiser HD 238 Open Aire Stereo Headphones Optimized for iPod/iPhone/MP3/and Music Players and wanted to try the K701s because of the excellent reviews. On first listen, I wasn't impressed. The music didn't seem to have any depth to it, like it was all coming to you on a flat plane, if that makes any sense at all. I knew these headphones need some break-in time, so I kept listening. Mainly I plugged them into my home theater and played some Dead Space 2 on the PS3. Slowly but surely, they turned around, and now they're my go-to headphones (I still love you Grado, but you're going into a drawer for a little while). The detail and clarity is spectacular; the bass is just right (I don't find it at all lacking as some others have noted); comfort level is fantastic. My only complaint: I really liked the thick cord on the Grados and wish the cord on the AKGs felt as sturdy. That's more of a comparison than a complaint, though. As far as amplification goes, I don't know how these sound without it. I've only used them on a newer Pioneer 1120-K (late 2010) receiver and, in my bedroom, a Peachtree Audio Decco2, which is both a headphone amplifier and DAC in one (and a wonderful piece of equipment, I might add). I stream audio from MOG (supposedly 320 kpps, the highest rate available to my knowledge) to either an Apple TV MC572LL/A (NEWEST VERSION) or Apple Airport Express MB321LL/A [NEWEST VERSION ] and then into, respectively, the Pioneer receiver or the Decco2. Both have DACs, so I feel like I'm getting a good source going into a good output, and that truly makes these headphones shine. A quick word on DACs: I purchased a small portable DAC earlier this year and returned it. I could tell no difference in the sound. But the DAC in the Decco2 really fills the music out and makes it sound so rich and detailed. If you're going to invest good money into headphones, please consider the source going into them. I suspect if you simply plugged these headphones into your iPod with no amplification or conversion to analog, you might wonder why you spent so much money. But with the right equipment, you'll fall in love with your music all over again. And one last thing! If you're playing video games using a home theater system, i.e. you have a console hooked up to a receiver and surround sound speakers, these headphones are truly fantastic for gaming. I've mainly been playing Dead Space 2, and the detail and directional effects are amazing. I can't imagine any of the Ear Force or Astro headphones besting these AKGs. UPDATE JULY 2012: I've been back and forth between these cans and my Grados for the past few months, with most of my listening through Grado. But I m sitting here now listening to Scissor Sister's new album on my AKGs, and I often forget how great these sound, so detailed and full and lush. They're more impressive now than when I first purchased them. Highly recommended. If I had to chose between the AKG and the Grado 325, I'd probably still go with Grado, just because the build is so sturdy and they're Made in America. But there is nothing wrong with the AKG at all. Excellent stuff all around!

I am enjoying these earphones. Sound is very recognisable AKG sound. They need an amp in between iPhone and phones.

These headphones are nothing short of incredible. I'd definitely recommend pairing with a DAC/amp to get the best quality and balance but these still sound great being driven by a Macbook audio port. Before buying, I saw some complaints about these being light in the bass range. Although it's not artificially compensated (like many Beats products, for example), these still deliver an appropriate and balanced amount of bass for the song. In terms of mids and highs, these are just as terrific here. When it comes to comfort, these are incredibly lightweight and breathable, although I wish they used more metal instead of plastic (see below). Ear cups are soft but firm enough to stay in place. Now that I talked about the good, I'm going to mention a couple less amazing points. Firstly, I wish these weren't made with as much plastic. For this price point, I'd like to see better materials. Still, this doesn't affect the audio quality. Another point I'd like to mention is how our music culture has become so accustomed to artificially bass-heavy music and how volume and bass response have become the main selling points of many mainstream audio products. These K701s sound natural....like the artist is giving me a personal concert in my own home. Switching back to other products such as Beats, AirPods, etc. after using these just further exposes the flaws in mainstream products. Although this isn't some life-changing cause, it's important to note that you likely won't enjoy cheaper headphones as much as you did before.

I was choosing a new pair of headphones and immediately ordered a dozen models. Including several from AKG, namely the K612, K712, K701 and K371. Let's start with the K371. Although they are the cheapest, they are a very decent device. They don't press on the head, and the soft ear cushions allow you to wear the headphones for a long time. The device stays on the head very securely, you can easily take it outside for a run, a bike ride or just a walk. The rather strange design raises some questions. It's unclear how fragile it is. Judging by many reviews here: very fragile. The headphones sound decent for their price, a little bassy. The K612, K712 and K701 headphones are of a completely different type: they are open-back and significantly larger, you can't take them outside, and there's no point. A detachable cable is only available on the K712, and that's a shame. I believe that absolutely all headphones more expensive than ~$100 should have a detachable cable. But there are detailed photo instructions on the Internet on how to add and solder a connector yourself. They all sit on the head perfectly, albeit with slight differences. The K712 is the "older brother" of the K612, so the ear cushions are slightly improved. They are a little thicker, softer and made of a different material (memory foam, it seems). So the K712 is a little more comfortable than the K612, but that doesn't mean that the K612 themselves are uncomfortable. There are practically no differences between the K612 and K701 in terms of comfort. Sound. Personally, I liked the K612 the most for its clean, "unbiased" sound. In them, you can focus on all the instruments or vocals, and none of them "stick out" too much. The K712 are generally considered a more bass-heavy version of the K612, but I only partially agree with this: there is a difference, but it's very small. At the same time, it seemed to me that the K712 lost some clarity and purity compared to the K612. The K701 are a completely different pair. They have very strong high frequencies, and the low frequencies are, on the contrary, weakened. While the K612 and K712 are easily suitable for simple and enjoyable music listening, the K701 might seem "boring" due to the unexpressive bass, but they are very detailed! You can hear all the nuances of the composition, and that's really cool. I also think they would be well suited for FPS games. Regarding reliability. Things are bad here. There are many bad reviews with photos of the K371 regarding the reliability of the construction. The K series headphones have known problems with the quality of soldering of the thin cables inside, which often leads to the sound disappearing in one of the headphones. I personally encountered a similar problem twice: the first pair of K701 I received had a non-working left earphone, and in the K712, during testing, the sound started to cut out. Also, in the K series, the black headband is held by four thin elastic threads, two on each side. They constantly pull the headband down, allowing people with different head shapes to wear the headphones comfortably. However, over time, these threads degrade and deteriorate, like office rubber bands, which means the headband will always be in the highest position, making it difficult for people with smaller heads to wear the headphones. One of the pairs I received had exactly these worn-out elastic bands, and I could only wear the headphones because my head is quite large. In the end, I returned all the AKG headphones and kept a pair from a completely different brand, but if it weren't for the build quality issues, I would have kept the K612 for home listening, I really liked them. Or the K371 for the gym and cycling trips. I hope this short review will help someone make a decision and find their favorite pair of headphones.

I have been following the AKG K701, K702 and recently the Q701 for a while and finally made up my mind to get the K701's. They are supposed to be the "same" internally and spec wise with the main differences in color, detachable cord and headphone cradle. I went with the K701's as they really look striking and the headphone cradle looked like it would be unique as well. When I received the headphones, I was impressed with the packaging and apparent build quality - very nice presentation. Well, right out of the box, they sound great plugged into my vintage Sansui without a headphone amp. I was also impressed with how light they are and the comfort - you can literally wear them for hours without any discomfort - the adjustable headband works very well. I know they need to be burned in for 100+ hours but the clarity and soundstage is spectacular. I can't imagine how they will improve but understand that they will! All in all, I feel that I made a good decision and I am very happy with these headphones and would highly recommend. I also understand that if your primary source is a PC or CDP that a headphone amp is in order to do these headphones justice.