Those 701s look sharp and comfy and after seeing this thread they are on my short list, I would really like to hear what you guys think of their sound.
I have the 702's (same thing, just in black with detachable cable, I bought them just because I liked the color better lol), and the sound is very analytical, revealing, transparent, flat, neutral, detailed, articulate, and a nice spacious/wide sound stage (for cans at least).
I love them because they play anything well (though they will reveal flaws in lesser recordings just like good speakers) as it sounds without much color, but because of this they aren't the most "fun" cans (in comparison to my Grado 225i's or Beyer 770's for instance). They also have very realistic bass: there when it is called for, not there or over exaggerated when it is not there in the music. Some call them bass "lite" for this reason; I just call them bass "accurate" or lean. They won't over emphasize the low mids and pretend they are bass for instance. But they will hit when necessary and the bass they have is wonderfully articulate.
My favorite cans by far of any I've heard, but I haven't heard any other "mid tier" cans ($300ish street price) besides the Senn 600's which I didn't much care for, much less "top tier" cans.
I let the K701 and my Musical Fidelity V8 run all night. Spent a couple of hours on them and I must say that they are a great match. I tried the HD800 & T1 on the V8, but I kept going back to the K701. The sound is very well balanced. Not too much of anything. Soundstage is wide and they are light on the head. Much lighter than the T1. No complaints after a few hours.
That's what I like to hear, that a good can like the 701/02's, compared to much more expensive cans like the TI and 800, which, while sounding great and probably better overall, still are enjoyable in comparison. It isn't a matter of "I'm not listening to those, they sound like crap compared to the really expensive cans I have!".
I returned the K702 a few months ago. I didn't like the sound, but I didn't have the amps I own now. If I did, I would have kept it. I may pick up a Q701 just to see if there is any sound difference.
I has got to be the amp (which can make or break the 701/02 line imo), they are the same exact can besides color and detachable cable. So is the Q701. Both the 702 and Q701 just have different colors and detachable cable. The Q701 is actually pretty hokey imo, it's just QJ getting money by endorsing "his" version of the 702 and AKG marketing themselves like a low-fi brand and blatantly lying or acting like there is some improved SQ when there is none. Pretty shameful, especially because it costs more. AKG has even admitted that they only changed the color.
(And, yes, I know there are those who think they can hear a very slight difference, but, well, that's expectation/delusion: color does not change sound/specs/drivers/etc. of course lol.)
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