The colour isn't for everyone, which I assume is partly the reason for the low price. This specific model (Quincy Jones signature) went out of production a couple of years ago.
I'm a bit suspicious of the price, but from what research I've done, there isn't really a market for counterfeit Q701's. I paid with PayPal just to be sure.
Despite being 62 ohms 105 SPL/V, these are apparently fairly difficult to properly drive. Amp required.
Amp required. Does that mean I can't hook them up directly into the laptop?
You can, but depending on your onboard audio, you may not get enough volume out of them. And even if you get enough volume, these won’t sound anywhere near as good as they would with proper amplification.
No idea why i get negged for a legit question. Can you recommend an amp that is half decent and doesn't cost an arm and a leg?
Schiit Fulla. Yes, that's the actual name. It's a fantastic amp and DAC all in one, can get it for around $150ish
Schiit Fulla
Good job those names weren't reversed,or I would have said you were Fulla Schiit
What’s your budget mate?
@Ahbal: Sorry mate, I’m not sure of the specs of the sound card so can’t say, but these will definitely sound better with a decent amp.
@Ahbal: PCie soundcards are exactly the same as any other good DAC but the amp may sound different.
Often you can change amp sound using op amps on soundcards.
@Ahbal: You can use any PCIe sound card as long as you use the one with the built-in headphone amp. I am using the FiiO Olympus 2, which is the same as a sound card except it is USB, therefore, making it suitable for laptops as well.
Check out this if you want added benefit of bluetooth, some people have run HD650's using it with good results and those are harder to drive than the AKG
EarStudio ES100 - 24bit Portable High-Resolution Bluetooth Receiver/Headphone Amp/DAC with AAC aptX aptX HD (BLACK) https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B078H4YD2L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i…
any thoughts on Dragonfly black?
@OneTrueTatsuya: spend the extra on the Red version, it sounds pretty good, but there are better options out there for the price. Benefit of DF is that is can be used with most mobile phones incl iphones (use a USB dongle)
the general consensus is that DF Black is rubbish
@Mr Mrrtn: what are the other options? was thinkin of getting around 150ish with kinda all-round (pc, phone and tablet)
this one has a surprisingly good headphone output and also power amp to run speakers
https://hifigear.com.au/products/topping-mx3-amplifier-with-…
my nephew got it and it is much better than i anticipated it would be.
review here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jemvuUU_knA&t=660s
I have a pair of K7XXs, a variant of the Q701 design, which run fine straight from my phone/laptop. I also have a Dragonfly Black v1.5, a pretty well regarded budget DAC/amp, and the difference between that and my normal laptop output isn't really that noticeable for me at least.
I was just researching them and Techobuy has them for $82 - $8 voucher on signup but for orders over $180 - Didn't know I needed them but got 3 pairs for $253 shipped:-
https://www.tecobuy.com/en_AU/akg-q701-over-ear-headphone-gr…
Yeah, I saw that before posting. TecoBuy are owned by the same group as TobyDeals, but there’s no free postage (when buy one pair), so they’re $97 delivered. 3 pairs? I can only guess where at least two of those are likely to end up :/
Not sure why I got negative votes on this! I have a few pairs of isk headphones which are good copies of the AKG's for flat response while recording - I expect these will be better…if anyone is buying multiple pairs it works out slightly cheaper!
I just got a refund from tecobuy… No notification or reason as to why…
I guess they had no stock 😥
Did you order Saturday, Sunday or Monday (out of interest)?
I haven't had a shipping notification yet, order still showing as processing, but guess anyone who hasn't had the order ship already is probably inline for a refund… shame.
These were Saturday 7pm or so - just after the notice was put up I did a few mins research then bought 3 pairs via Tecobuy - I record guitar/bass a bit so having spares is very useful… I emailed them to question why it was cancelled.. Their email states the below but none of the 3 is true - I had no contact from them:
The refund of your order # *********** is being processed, as either we have received your refund request or due to following reasons: 1) Unable to complete order security check verification; 2) Incomplete payment; 3) No response from you regarding order issue(s), include but not limited to stock, shipping address
I got another update just now:
Thank you for your reply
We regret to inform you that your order has been canceled as the the stocks we have received are damaged.
As such, we have contacted our supplier and do not have specific date of replenishment was communicated to us.
Please be informed that the product may still appear on our site as the update may occur within 48 to 72 hours.
Since we value you as a customer, we do not want you to wait any longer as such we have now canceled your order.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
@evanssm2jp: Sad but hilarious - what goons:
"Since we value you as a customer, we do not want you to wait any longer as such we have now canceled your order"
This is subtext for, we wanted lots of new customer sign-ups so we used this item as bait and had no intention of selling to you at this price.
If they valued their customers they would give the customers the option of waiting for a re-stock.
Did anyone, other than the OP, get a shipping notification?
The poster above ordered when the post went up - orders were still being made Sunday and Monday - no stock but still taking orders. TobyNoDeals is one shameful dude.
Thanks OP bought one
Edit - I hope these are not fake. Also, do we have to pay GST on top?
I'm more interested in what Tobydeals are like? Has anyone bought from them before in the past?
There’s been heaps of deals from them posted on Ozbargain and I’m pretty sure they have a rep or two active on Ozbargain.
Thanks mate. I've been eyeing these off for a long while, and at this price its a no brainer. Ordered and paid with paypal.
Seems like a good deal. I'm still content with my ATH-AD900X though so I can't justify buying another one for kicks.
They're generally known for lower bass volume so you will probably need to equalize them if you're after more of a rumble.
They are open back so naturally they will be lacking bass. Also reference cans by design are intended to accurately represent whatever is coming from the source - this means they often sound flat to operators used to enhanced sound.
The headband is extremely uncomfortable. But it's a good price nonetheless.
Depends. I've had the k701 q701 k702 and k601 and I didn't have a problem with the headband of any them.
Are they similar to K702? If so amazing value at this price.
Bought one , thank OP . I do not mind the color .
Don't forget 1.4% cashrewards cash back.
Is this still made in Austria like the pic says? I have my doubts as akg's are now made in china. Not saying it would be bad if it's made in china just saying that the ad might be deceiving potential buyers.
Q701 are made in China. K701 are made in Austria
Picture on Toby's Deals shows these as Q702 and made in Austria. Does that make them fakes?
Q701 were at one point made in Austria but were shifted to China. Probably not fakes as it'd seem like a lot of effort to be making neon green AKG Q701s to sell when they could've copied the normal black versions which people would be less aversive about. Likely excess stock imo.
@muzzakus: That's always a possibility but it's just unlikely given their MO is moreso about dumping the fakes ASAP before people figure it out (i.e. Shure SE215 line that flooded the market for $20-30 and being resold by scammers for $100). Although, that is changing considering Chinese HiFi audio products seem to be doing well and people care moreso about the audio quality than the looks (except Beats hence why they continue to be counterfeited nonstop). Something like the SE215 is quite garbage for the price they ask for compared to the equivalent Chinese IEMs (applies to both the real one and fake ones, Shure is overrated). Plus, we'd see them on Taobao and Aliexpress/Alibaba first with huge discounts for bulk purchases but all I can find right now are cables, wool headband covers (lol), and earpads.
These were already in production when AKG moved most of their production line to the Chinese facility, so the early batches were made in Austria, but later made in China. These would al ost definitely be Chinese made, the photo used in the listing would be an older photo. Not even HeadFi could discern any difference in sound or build quality between the Austrian produced Q701 and the Chinese Q701. I think some minor changes were made to the headband for the Chinese production to address many of the complaints about the headband (bumps were softened).
These are fairly neutral/flat, reference open back cans. The headband is a bit of a bugger - many can't wear them for extended periods because of it. Personally I like them but they're not for everyone.
Do you have a link to the serial number verification page? When you contact akg they generally give you a generic "buy from an authorised seller" email…
I don't, and I think I may have been referring to old information. I've removed it from the description.
What a lot of Q701 owners did was buy headband cushions to alleviate uncomfort from the bumps. I remember seeing a number of complaints of indents after wearing them for a long duration.
EDIT - found some about the bumps:
https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/2vy98q/my_head_…
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dents-in-my-head-from-k701-h…
You are also able to improve bass if you pick up the K7xx/K712 earpads which are memory foam pads but AKG sells them for like $90 for a pair of earpads (go figure). Otherwise, there's the bass port mod you could do.
Can confirm it gave me bumps.
Paid $799 for a k701 back in the early 2010's….
Bitcoin price in June 2011 was $1. Could of had 799 bitcoins less transaction costs. Today’s nominal value would be $12.5 million AUD.
Interesting, but irrelevant.
Unfortunately they charge a remote area surcharge of ~$33. Good price if you can get it free though, or are within a reasonable distance of somewhere not "remote" with a ParcelPoint.
Probably a good thing for me anyways as I really shouldn't buy more cans….
"Sure, why not?"
Wowsers cheap!
Many thanks OP!
That's an horrendous colour. That is the epitome of vomit green.
Yeah I'm going to paint mine
These are open type cans.. Don't think anyone would be using them in public
Ordered. Can't have enough headphones
After reading their Return or Exchange policy, just be aware that it specifically excludes Headphones and earphones from being returned unless its faulty or DOA, I believe I'm reading it correctly.
Here is the line from their policy.
Exclusions
Headphones, Earphones and Personal Care Products like Shavers are not covered under this policy due to health and hygiene issues.
I have a pair of DT770 Pros that I use for gaming/discord purposes, I always talk too loud though so I am giving these serious thought. Anyone use them for gaming purposes? The Beyerdynamics are hard to beat for gaming, the closed back makes the bass in games from explosions etc really punchy.
I also use 770 pros (brilliant headphones), and just bought these to complement them.. The closed backs on the 770s are starting to become an issue; I can't hear anything of the outside world when I'm gaming!
I have a pair, not a good pick if you are after bass. These have no punch even with a headphone amp (partly due to the open back design, and party as they are supposed to be reference phones). Fantastic price though.
You can set your mic to 'listen to this device' on windows.
This will help in the sense you will hear yourself so you'll be able to regulate better, however it takes a bit of getting used to hearing yourself in your own headset.
Try an open pair of Beyerdynamic, or other brands… or this deal.
You won't ever game on closed again.
I have DT990 Pro which are the open version, i'd suggest those.
Yes use them for gaming. They do need an external AMP to drive. I use an Objective 2 amp. I also use software surround (https://sourceforge.net/p/hesuvi/wiki/Help/) processing to get 5.1 surround.
Great positional audio.
Comfy once you snap the plastic buttons holding the headband on and reverse it (I reversed the curve in mine by using a cramp in the sun. I then used some short stainless flathead screw / nuts to reattach the headband and stuck on a replacement memory foam liner (sennheiser from HD598's or something)
Thanks. Bought a pair for practicing guitar.
I have these. Don't sound that great. I bought them for the aesthetic (I have black & white version) which matches my PC. The open nature annoys my partner.
For reference I'm running them from an Essence STX.
Unfortunately for everyone else (but not me) my comparison is in a totally different price range (unique melody miracles - yes they are canalphones but they are amazing) and that makes me a bit negative of all others.
For this price, if you can deal with the green and open design, they truly are a bargain though. But you may move on to something better making it a nice distraction but ultimately a waste of money.
The open design isn't a negative - it's a feature. They should never be compared with closed backs as they serve different purposes. Eg I use partially open cans when mixing in some environments as I need to hear what else is going on in the room. Other environments I use full open cans for a greater soundstage. Others I use fully closed to keep external noise out and my audio in.
I get that. But I dont think open back serves the majority of users. Hence the way I wrote it.
How is this compare to the Sony MDR1A-M2?
If you plug these directly into an AV receiver to listen do you still require a DAC/Amp to get the most from them?
Your AV receiver is a great amp.
My question sounds a little silly now! 🤣
Thanks.
Not silly at all.
Most AVRs will not drive these with anything near sufficient volume.
Talking from experience with K712 and K701.All 62 Ohms.Pioneer AVRs.
If these Q701 are the real deal,that is a fantastic buy ; bumps, low bass and all.
Great sound stage and detail.
Topping NX2s are a good portable amp. $109.99 from Amazon Oz. Own two of the previous NX2.
A lot of AV receivers have surprisingly subpar headphone output
Another question - anyone know who this outfit use for shipping? Will it arrive via Aussie Post or do they use various couriers? Just wondering whether to use my Parcel Locker.
Don't worry folks - ordered for delivery to work just to be safe. Hate doing the courier dance so opted for that in the event they don't hand on to AusPost.
Great price, but I'm getting $34 shipping with a "remote area surcharge" :(
Yeah - that's a bugger. Do you have a mate in metro area who can receive for you?
Not from what I can see. $15 standard shipping on that one takes it up to $97.
Not delivered as the one from the OP, unless you want to collect in Asia the one in the deal turns out cheaper.
not so once you add shipping
yeah - I got negatives for posting that earlier - but based on 3 it works out cheaper!….still assuming they aren't fakes the price is fantastic!!
What are these headphones like for watching movies and gaming?
I have the Yamaha YHT-S401 soundbar with built-in amplifier that has a headphone socket.
I've been looking for a decent set of headphones for a while.
I'll mostly be using these late at night so I don't piss off my neighbors.
Any advice would be appreciated…
yea these would be amazing for gaming because its open back and has a huge sound stage
Good for movies too?
My sound system is basic but adequate.
Some audiophiles claim that a good pair of headphones are superior to basic sound systems.
I generally watch most movies on my own and I enjoy 5.1 sound but I can't pump it out too loud late at night as I live in a unit…
yeah I think if you are looking for 5.1 sound, for the price, you can't do better. It seems to be very well received in the audiophile community. See here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/q701-impressions-thread.5822…
E
Headphones will never beat speakers.
If you're used to a system with a sub, then any open back or "analytical" headphone will lack bass.
Most audiophiles are full of sh*t tbh, drinking too much snake oil. I would always watch movies on my logitech speakers compared to a Beyerdynamic T1. Imaging is just not the same on headphones,the people talking are in front of me, not on the top of my forehead.
That being said, for a hundred AUs pesos, there's probably not gonna be any better headphone out there.
Yes, very cheap given previous bargains here have all been over $200. Even Tobydeals regular price is only $127.