AKG Q701
"The analysis tool"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR183si5p_0"The analysis tool"
Price: 200$
Technical Specifications:
Frequency Response: 10Hz - 39.8kHz
Maximum Input Power: 200 mW
Input Impedance: 62 ohms
Sensitivity:105 dB SPL/V
Cable: 3.00m & 6.00 m
Connector:Hard gold-plated jack plug and contacts
Weight 235 g
Build Quality and Materials 10/20
"It is plastic and it's not fantastic..."
The Q701 look better made than they actually are. The first touch is enough to realize that you have to do entirely with plastic parts. At the top we have 2 ..hmmmm ..... How to describe them? Curved antennas? Forming the backbone of the headset. They are thin, made of plastic and I personally do not have much confidence in their durability in a case of an accident . The headband uses an automatic suspension system that adjusts itself and adapts on your head automatically. Akg claims in the box that the headband is made by "cushioned genuine leather". Yeah and I am made of sugar thats why I am so sweet. What I feel is a stiff possibly faux leather. For the "cushioned" part I should start now... More on that on the comfort section. The side "bridges"have a metallic color but surprise surprise they are plastic... Yes plastic is the magic word. To say the truth though I have dropped them many times but they have not suffered a scratch. They look like new. Sometimes plastic works...
Comfort 19/30
"Οwn goal"
When you firstly put them you think these are pretty comfortable. They are lightweight. The pads feel like velour and even though they are not the softest pads around they have a decent feeling and are large enough to accommodate the majority of the ears. Opening size:
Vertically approximately 6.3 cm ,horizontally around 6.9cm and a depth of about 2.2 cm.
Yeah the could be a tad softer and more breathable but on the other hand they retain their shape, they clamp well and seem durable. The suspension system does its job of distributing the weight, the clamping force is moderate not too tight nor too loose, and the stability of the headphone on your head is ok. Just don't jump around . They are not made for it.
So what's wrong? Under the headband...Akg decided to put some small cushions under there. The problem is that they are stiff and hard. Not only they don't provide any extra "plushiness" if you will but they cause discomfort after about half an hour as you feel them rubbing your skull. Come on AKG don't you guys try your headphones before you push them to the market? Those things have absolutely no reason to be there. Such a shame for an otherwise comfortable headphone!
Comfort 0 - Bulges 1 Own goal!
Features/Extras 10/20
"Size doesn't matter"
The cable is detachable which is very nice to have. In the box you will find two cables. The short one is 3 meters long... And the long one 6 meters long. Time to open a studio right? For home use though I'd rather have a shorter second cable. Longer isn't always better. It's how you use it...Professionals will prefer the longer cable will home users the shorter one. Unfortunately the cable uses a mini xlr connector which is not very versatile for aftermarket solutions.
The pads are replaceable.
As for accessories other than the extra cable you only get a 3,5mm to 6,3mm adaptor. No case.
About portability which I always consider an extra feature. No.. These are made to be used indoors (either in the studio or at home) They leak a lot and they are bulky to carry around.
Amping and matching
"You are not yourself when you're hungry"
Don't be confused by the 62 ohm impedance that you read in the specs. Those are more insensitive than President Trump. (Please Mr President don't bomb us after that...) Τhey demand serious and quality amplification. They may be even more power hungry than the HD600s which have an impedance of 300ohms...
Using them with mobile devices and you will need to push the volume to the maximum to get the loudness levels you want. Quality wise the sound will be dead with anemic bass, tiny treble and thin mids. Just remember those words when you read reviews around... A lot of people don't amp them sufficiently.
The ifi Micro iDSD is more than enough power wise and can even drive the to more than acceptable levels while being in eco mode. I recommend the normal mode though. Quality wise it does a decent job but maybe you'd like something thicker and warmer for a better match. Same goes for the schiit Jotunheim...
In general try to match with smooth sounding fullbodied slightly warm dac amps.
Sound Intro
OK I always wanted to try an AKG headphone and when theprice was right (about 180) I jumped on these. So here are my thoughts.
Bass 6,5/10
"Looky but no touchy"
There is a general idea that these have no bass.This is far from accurate and has to do with personal tastes and/or insufficient amping. On the other hand I would not recommend them to bass heads of course...The bass is slightly weaker than I would like it to be but I would not characterize it anemic under any circumstances. It is actually close to neutral . Just don't expect and head shaking or your skull rumbling. If that's what you want look elsewhere. The speed, the response to the the transitions of the bass notes , the tightness and the general clarity of the bass are good. Especially when we are talking about music genres with true natural bass instead of electronic.
There is of course the expected sub-bass roll off that starts to become evident under the 60hz but it is not that bad. In fact it does better than I expected. It is an open back headphone after all.
In General the bass is of relatively good quality, pleasant and clean but not for many. I find myself enjoying my EDM on these but when I start to think "I want this bass drop to hit just a little harder" I get left in cold. Look but don't touch! Story of my life...
Mids 7/10
"Lower mids vs Upper mids"
The mids have two main characteristics. Firstly there is a small coloration with a bump at 2khz and secondly there is a slight lack of lower mids. The 2khz bump gives a pleasant forwardness and energy to the female vocals but on the other hand the the slightly weak lower mids give a feeling of lack of warmth and body. Especially in the male vocals where I would like them be fuller and lusher. (that sennheiser magic...) In general, the mids are somewhat flat sounding tending to the lean dry side by missing some warmth and fullness. Οn the contrary they never get congested and very detailed.Trade-offs...
Treble 7,5/10
"Energetic airy presentation"
The treble is very well extended , energetic, airy and revealing. I like the enthusiasm and the feeling of clarity that this brings. What I don't like so much is that I'd want it to be just a touch smoother, sweeter and friendlier to your ears. I guess there are some slight peaks that can take away from the maturity and refinement I want. It's a matter of taste if you'll like it or not.
Neutrality/Balance 7,5/10
"The analytical side of neutrality"
There is no flat in this world...What we have here is an effort to present neutrality using the analytical way of thinking. Or to put it in less philosophical words the tuning here tries to match a diffuse field curve instead of the harman target response curve.Τhe result is a close to flat sounding headphone which tends to the analytical/bright side of things. It is a revealing tool for analysis that will be loved by professionals or audiophiles who like to analyse their sound. It is not completely flat though. Lean sound is not flat no matter what they say to you..
Sibilance/Smoothness 5/10
"Tοols reveal everything. Good or bad"
A tool must be able to reveal things. Smooth and revealing are contradictionary terms though..So smoothness comes second here. Not only we have a slightly lean/bright sounding headphone here but it is very revealing.Which simply means that you use low quality sound files or the recording themselves have issues being poorly mastered then the Q701s don't forgive. Give them bad material and they will chew it and spit it in your face. Give them some quality recorded flacs and they will sing.
Soundstage 8/10
"Το infinity and beyond"
The best characteristic of the headphone for me.
Width is amazing. Depth is decent. Lots of air and great instrument separation. You will be able to pinpoint every individual sound in space floating around which is a magical experience. And an amazing trait for FPS gaming. My only gripe is the center image lacking. In simple words sounds that are supposed to be presented forward in your face tend to be pushed to the sides. All in all a great experience though that reminds me a mini Sennheiser HD800. Not of course at the same level (especially at imaging) but for a mid-fi price...It is phenomenal.
Detail 8/10
"To the surface"
Same qualities here. Detail retrieval is great for the price. Compared to other mid-fi headphones it not so much the cliche "Oh I heard things I haven't heard before". It is that those things get pushed to the surface and get easier noticed. So if you like to hear everything in your music you won't be disappointed here for the price.
Conclusion 88,5/140
Τhe Q701 is a special headphone. I am sure that people will love it. And people will hate it...
Other than those unfortunate comfort issues (just buy an after market headband cover) or the plastic materials what we have here is a very capable, "crystal clear" analytical headphone that gives you a "sense of clarity"and an awesome soundstage. It does lack warmth and body but for the price you find it now it is solid Value For Money for those looking an analytical spacious sound or a great gaming headphone for fps gaming. As for those who look for a relaxed intimate sound... Steer clear!
Performance Index 63,2%
Positives: Soundstage, airy sound, detail, clarity, price(<200$)
Negatives: Tragic headband bulges,Build materials, lack of body and warmth, bass impact, center imaging, unforgiving
Τhe best :Τhe soundstage! Size and separation that you will hardly find anywhere else under 500euros/dollars
And the ugliest: Lean sounding/sometimes can be tiring
Who buys it? Fans of analytical sound that tends to brightness
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