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AKG

AKG K 701 Ultra Reference Class Stereo Headphone Level 1

    • Based on 1,531 reviews
Condition: New
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Availability: 11 left in stock
Fulfilled by Amazon
Arrives Thursday, May 16
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Features

  • Revolutionary flat-wire voice

Description

%3Cfont size%3D%222%22%3EWhether you prefer the holistic approach or like to listen analytically%2C the K 701 will turn perception into pure enjoyment%2EAKG is the first manufacturer in the world to use revolutionary flat%2Dwire technology in headphones%2C namely%2C the K 701%2E The result is a truly dramatic sound that places every musician at their correct location with pinpoint accuracy%2E This kind of agility%2C spaciousness%2C brilliant highs%2C and velvety%2C punchy bass is simply miraculous%2E These superlative open%2Dback dynamic headphones provide an outstandingly accurate sound and excellent imaging%2E Try the K 701 and find out what ingenious headphone engineering can do for you%2E%3C%2Ffont%3E


Item Weight: 8.2 ounces


Product Dimensions: 4.45 x 7.83 x 8.35 inches


Item model number: K701


Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No


Date First Available: June 17, 2003


Color Name: White


Material Type: Plastic


Linux System Requirements: pc


Mac System Requirements: pc


Windows System Requirements: pc


Unix System Requirements: pc


Wattage: 40 watts


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A Music Lover's Nirvana at an Affordable Price
By way of background, I'm a retired sound engineer/recording studio owner who was looking for a new set of high fidelity reference headphones for home use. While the product field is rather large, few headphones have or come close to providing the flat frequency response curve that's the mark of true reference headphones. I narrowed my prospects to the AKG K701s, AKG K702s and AKG K712s; the Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro Headphones (250 ohm), and the Focal Spirit Professional headphones. Of that short list, the K712s and the Focal Spirit Professional headphones cost more than I cared to spend, and the frequency response curve of and DT-880s were not as tight as the AKG K701s and K702s. Both have a flat frequency response over the majority of the musical spectrum, great reviews, and a very reasonable price for that level of audio quality. The K701/K702 is aimed not at the iPod generation but at AKG's studio market (found on AKG's "Professional Audio Solutions" web site, "The K702's are reference, open, over-ear studio headphones for precision listening, mixing and mastering."). The K701/K702, being flat and neutral analytical reference headphones (i.e. 30Hz-10kHz +/- 3dB), only reproduce the content of the source, for better or worse. If you have the K701/702 cans powered adequately and the music source you are listening to using AKG K701/K702 cans sounds to you to be strident or muddy, or has a thin bass, or whatever, it's the musical source, not AKG K701/K702 headphones; being neutral and flat, they can only reproduce the true content of the source music. That is the purpose of studio analytic/reference grade headphones. Non-linear headphones are useless for the accurate monitoring/mixing/mastering necessary to create the highest quality artistic decisions about the musical performance. If analytical/uncolored listening is not your goal, then these headphones aren't for you. Seek out a non-linear product that will give you a rewarding listening experience. I chose the "Made in Austria" AKG K701 over the "Product of China" AKG K702 because through sad experience I've lost faith in the long-term reliability of anything made in China ((here's a 2012 example of the Chinese assembly quality of an AKG K242hd headphone: youtube.com/watch?v=Z_fGEK9rokw. Who knows what the interior may look like). At the time of my purchase (January 2014) I was still able to obtain the Austrian made AKG K701 headphones. In March 2014 AKG informed me that *all* AKG headphones are now being designed in Austria and assembled in China. The AKG "Professional Headphones" web page identifies only the K712 and K812 as still "Made in Austria". So it appears the AKG K701s "Made in Austria" will gradually disappear as the remaining stock gets depleted. Using my own original studio masters (covering many genres from rock to classical) as my sound source, I found the reproduction through the K701s to be as precise as I've ever heard those recordings: extremely accurate balance across the audio spectrum, tight bass, superb imaging, neutral coloring, full natural dynamic range, no distortion. And that's straight out of the box, with no burn-in. Enjoy them right out of the box. Playing music or pink noise through them continuously for several hundred hours before using them is silly. They do not require a "substantial break-in period", and any changes that might happen over time, if any, are subtle (see my general comments below on "break-in"). That said, after about 250 hours of use, they did sound a just a tad bit smoother - most likely the result of my ears simply re-calibrating slightly from my vintage Sony MDR-V6 to the AKG K701 headphones. While indeed very similar across the audio spectrum to the venerable and reliable Sony MDR-V6, there's a world of difference in the K701's audio performance. Although sonically almost identical in the reproduction of my masters, the MDR-V6s now feel compact, lacking the refined spatial depth and definition of the K701s. In Beethovan's Symphony No. 5 for example, it's the subtle difference between hearing the timpani rumble (the MDR-V6s) vs. hearing the individual strikes on the drum head as the timpani rumble, just as you would in the concert hall. The K701s are that good. Physically: The leather headband is real, not imitation. They are big - almost 8 inches across and almost 8 inches tall. The cans are oversized and enclose the ear completely. Each ear piece is about 5 inches in diameter. They are comfortable to wear, but a bit snug. By design they are open to the surrounding environment and are not noise canceling. The cable is ten feet long, straight (not coiled) and terminates with a 1/4" (6.3mm) stereo phone plug. A 1/4" stereo female to 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo male plug is included. They weigh 8.3 ounces exclusive of the cable. The full audio bandwith is 10Hz to 39.8kHz. The frequency response +/- 3dB is 30Hz-10kHz. SPL is 105 dB at 1 volt into 62 Ohms. The impedance (SPL sensitivity ) of the K701/K702 headphones is rated in relation to 1 Volt, as are most studio grade cans. The impedance of most consumer grade headphones is usually rated at 1mW. For comparison of the K701/K702 to the consumer headphone reference level, the AKG K701/K702s' 105 db SPL at 1 V into 62 Ohms translates to about 93 dB SPL at 1 mW into 62 Ohms. While my AKG K701s work with my Samsung Galaxy S4's volume set about half way, I get much better results when using the headphone circuit of my 1980s era Harman/Kardon integrated amplifier (80 Watts RMS per channel; frequency response 4Hz to 140kHz +/- 0dB). I don't think that smartphones, Ipods, MP3 players and computers can produce enough output power into a K701/K702 62ohm headphone load to drive the headphones to their full potential. The K701/K702 will benefit from suitable (not esoteric) amplification to achieve their full potential. I would buy these AKG K701s again in a heart beat. They are a music lover's nirvana at an affordable price. If still in doubt as to the intended purpose and audio quality of the AKG K701/K702 headphones, independent reviews at audiophile sites such as KenRockwell, innerfidelity, headphone, and audiophile magazine will affirm the numerous 4 and 5 star ratings of the K701/702 found here. A word of caution, though: If your only exposure to music has been the hypercompressed, loud, bass-heavy thumping of FM radio and such, and you like that, then you probably won't be happy at all with these exquisite headphones Here's some general background information others have found informative. "Break-in" Period The jury is out on this. The only formal study of which I'm aware was inconclusive and can be found on the innerfidelity web site by searching on "On the Measurement and Audibility of Headphone Break-in".I don't know of any professional audio people who give "burn-in" any credence. The subjective perception of "burn-in" is, in my opinion, the user's hearing being re-trained and adjusted to the frequency response curve of the headphone. Thus a listener coming from a headphone whose response curve boosts the lows and dips the mids (as most consumer cans do) will hear a headphone with a flat and neutral response curve (like the AKG 701/702) as having a shallow bass and a strident upper mid range. As the listener's hearing adapts over time to the uncolored accuracy of the neutral/flat headphones, the headphones miraculously "improve" after having been "burned-in", when in fact it's the listener's hearing being "burned-in" by the headphones. Headphone Impedance: Headphones with lower impedance ratings offer higher volumes at the same level of input, but they need heavier drivers to compensate for the low impedance or risk sounding muddy and distorted. The lower mass of the drivers of a higher-impedance headphone can deliver unparalleled clarity and response, but it takes more power to achieve the same loudness. How We Hear-Consumer Headphones v. Analytical/Reference Headphones: At low listening levels the human ear is most sensitive to the mid range (200Hz -2kHz), gradually loosing sensitivity below and above those points. If you picture the ear's frequency reception at low levels it would look roughly like a frown. At higher listening levels, the lows and highs become more pronounced less out of balance with the mid range. The frequency response of consumer grade headphones typically looks like a smile. At higher listening levels the result is unnatural sound (lows and highs artificially boosted by the headphone's particular design). This makes most consumer grade headphones unsuitable for critical/analytical listening because the amount of boost incorporated by the individual manufacturers can be difficult to assess. Most, if not all, boost the low end significantly (+5dB or more), dip the upper mids by -5dB or more, and sometimes also boost the high frequencies. A few start rolling off the upper mids and just keep going downhill. In very broad terms, consumer grade headphones intentionally alter the audio spectrum in the low, mid, and high frequencies. Also, if headphones are underpowered, you won't hear the low and high ends accurately because of the human ear/low volume factor. Underpowered headphones don't get enough power from the source to allow the ear to hear the lows and highs at a level comparable to the midrange. From a performer/producer/sound engineer's perspective (AKG's target market for the K701/K702), it is the non-linear consumer grade headphones that are lacking. Non-linear headphones are only used by the pros to listen to (not create) the rough mix so they can judge what the typical consumer might hear v. the artistic goal for which the musicians and producer are striving, so that they can tweak the mix without seriously compromising the artistic goal. A sound engineer's job is to faithfully capture the sound of the music produced by the musicians. The ONLY way to do that is to monitor using amplification, speakers and/or headphones that are neutral (i.e. have a flat frequency response) over the entire audio spectrum (we'll ignore physical sound treatment of the control room for the moment). I have never met a professional who wanted to produce a mix geared to the lowest common denominator, nor geared to sound good only on the highest end audio equipment. Recording studios spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to achieve the highest degree of audio accuracy so musicians, producers, and sound engineers can make informed decisions about the mix. If the goal is a bass-heavy musical product, the flat, neutral, uncolored monitor speakers/headphones will tell the producer when the mix achieves that goal. The working mix is also played over typical consumer equipment, in car stereo systems, MP3 devices, etc. to see if it works on what the average consumer will be using. Those with high-end and esoteric stereo systems will derive the full benefit of the musicians', producer's and sound engineer's artistic efforts. Those without will still get an enjoyable product. Studio grade analytic/reference headphones provide that flat frequency response required for artistic accuracy. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2014 by Grandma Pat
    • 9 years and still going strong!
I have had these headphones for 9 years now and they still sound fantastic. I do recommend taking off the little sticker inside the ear cups that limit the bass response. (Google for "k701 bass mod"). The rubber bands for the headband are a little worn out and I think replacing them is no easy task, so I'm leaving them in place as it's pretty much adjusted to my head perfectly. I had to re-solder one of the wires in the right cup about a year ago, but pretty straight forward, and there is plenty of documentation online. While I was at it, I replaced the lid on one side. The headphones are white plastic and will take on a yellow tint if you leave them sitting in the sun too much - so find them a shady spot. AKG customer service is excellent and will send replacement parts quickly and for cheap if you need them. I would buy them again if I had to. Luckily, mine are still working great. Worth the money! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2023 by Jurgen
    • Finally, a worthy contender
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! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2012 by sdc30161

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