Our Verdict
Poor for mixed usage. The AKG K701 are best used for critical listening. They're a bit too big and bulky for casual use and their open designed means they won't be suitable for outdoors. This makes them poor for office, sports and commuting but they deliver a great and spacious sound quality that's suitable for critical listening.
- Excellent audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Very sensitive to ambient noise, by design.
- Open-back design, so they leak a lot.
- Big and bulky headphones.
Great sound quality for neutral listening. The K701 are super comfortable and have a great audio reproduction. Bass mids and treble are well balanced, and the large and open ear cups give these headphones a spacious and immersive soundstage. They're treble can be somewhat inconsistent a bit sharp but overall they have a good sound that will please most neutral listeners.
Poor for commuting. The open-back design purposely doesn't block any ambient noise, so even at high volumes, you will still be able to hear the hustle and bustle of a busy commute.
Not made for sports. They're bug bulky, and unstable. They will quickly fall off your ears if used for exercising or working out.
Poor for office use. They're open headphones that purposely leak a lot which will be distracting to those around you, and they do not block any noise. You will be able to hear most of the noise in your office environment.
Mediocre-at-best for gaming. They do not have a microphone and have no active features or customization options that would make them more suitable for gaming. On the upside, they're comfortable, breathable and have a good sound. Also, since they're wired they have no latency which would make them a decent choice if you do not care about having a mic.
Changelog
- Updated Mar 24, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
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The AKG K702 are slightly better headphones than the AKG K701, but overall are very similar. The K702 have a detachable cable that is easily replaceable if damaged, which makes them a bit more durable and better built, but that's about it. Most people won't hear a difference between those two models.
The AKG Q701 are AKG’s collaboration with record producer Quincey Jones (of the AKG K701 model). This means they are practically identical, but with slight improvements like a detachable cable to make them more durable. Their frequency response are practically the same, so most people shouldn’t hear a difference between these two models. The Q701 have a lime green color scheme that is a bit flashier, but that’s about it.
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