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Massdrop x AKG K7XX Red Edition

Massdrop x AKG K7XX Red Edition

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Product Description
Last year, we teamed up with AKG on the K7XX, a Massdrop-configured edition of the highly regarded 65th Anniversary K702. Featuring its predecessor’s legendary sound and build quality—with a bass boost, matched transducers, and improved comfort—the K7XX was a big hit with the Audiophile Community Read More

Customer Reviews

4.3
(288 reviews)
5star
(167)
4star
(80)
3star
(19)
2star
(14)
1star
(8)
80% would recommend to a friend
By Feature
Build Quality
2.7(3)
Sound
4.0(3)
Comfort
4.3(3)
Music GenresPopular among reviewers
ActivitiesPopular among reviewers
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SirBobSwarley
12
Apr 9, 2018
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So, I might not be a true audiophile by any stretch, but I have always wanted a truly high quality set of headphones. I heard so many good things about these and how they punch way above their weight class and so after a particularly large pay check, I took the plunge.
And I haven't regretted it for even a second! The sound quality is truly wow inspiring. It's like my favorite songs matured into beautiful ballads with the sole intent to make sweet sweet loving to my ears.
My favorite tunes evolved into new entirely new experiences, subtlties coming out amongst the notes that I hadn't known before exposing themselves to my chagrin.
Songs like We Can Make The World Stop, Sail, Bohemian Rhapsody, Super Love all taking on new personas, as if I'm listening for the first time. I can't speak to specifics or specifications, but hot damn these things with ear bang you into blissful drooling submission. Add in an Amp and some customized sound output and be prepared to truly lose yourself in the music. Damn glad they include such a long cord because the beat takes you and won't let go.
If you're new to this audiophile game like me, buy these. If not, probably still buy them, I don't know. All I can say for sure is that these truly wowed me and that's the highest compliment I can give at this time.
codlor
30
May 29, 2018
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Overview: A solid performing headphone that checks all the boxes for an open headphone: wide soundstage, no lack of a low end, detailed mids, comfortable out of the box, and even a detachable cable. To seal the deal they are hard to beat at $200 and probably only beaten by other drops, namely the HD6xx and maybe the HE4xx (waiting for mine to get here).
Comfort: An exceptionally comfortable headphone that breathes easily thanks to its open design and velour pads and could easily be worn for hours. The unique headband requires no adjustment. My head is on the smaller side and yet it still doesn't move around. The diameter of headphones, which uses a symmetrical design (including pads), is very large and some might have issue with it.
Build Quality: Pretty much the whole thing is made of either plastic or leather/fabric. The housing is made of plastic that seems like it will last for a long time, especially considering the headphones are not likely to be used in a portable configuration. The pads and the headband are the best parts of the headphone when it comes to quality materials. The cable is the worst, while not useless it doesn't live up to the rest of the design. Luckily the cable detaches. Uses mini-XLR like the other editions. The headband's unique design does use some elastic bands which I don't know what the life will be on them, but probably would fail before anything else.
Amp/DAC: I've run these out of my computer, out of my Pixel 2 (using it's USB C dongle), Fiio Q5 (through USB and Bluetooth), Schiit Magni/Modi stack (first gen), and my vinyl setup. My vinyl setup is Pro-ject Carbon Esprit -> Cambridge Audio pre-amp -> Yamaha A-S701. These headphones are efficient to run from just about anything. As usual they benefit from proper amplification and a dedicated DAC, but the law of diminishing returns applies here. As you'll see in the sound section they are not detailed monsters, so no need to go big here. The biggest difference between above setups is its ability to make use of the AKG's massive sound stage. I won't make recommendations on pairings as there are plenty of forums on this. I'm just going to say that additional equipment is recommended but not needed for casual listening, and that I don't recommend spending more than a couple hundred dollars on an Amp/DAC. I don't have any tube amps, but these headphones are on the warm side already.
Sound: If I was to put it in one statement it would be, "upgrade to my HD598." A note before continuing, these are the only headphones from AKG that I've listened to. Let's start with the soundstage, it's the widest I've heard apart from my ATH-AD900x cans, which I use mostly for gaming. Sometimes it comes off as artificial. However, the imaging almost keeps up with it, which I think is a positive. Example, the AD900x has imaging on par with it's soundstage which makes them always sound artificial (still love those headphones though). The AKGs effectively mask the excessive width it's imaging, which is probably from the roll off on the highs. The highs to me are similar to my HD598s, where they are present but tamed. Compared to my DT880s these are very warm. Basically the highs are there for adding detail and imaging. Now the low end on the AKGs are low and detailed, and perhaps a tad slow. I say that as my main headphone right now are the TH-X00 ebonys, so all headphones pale in comparison when it comes to bass. I feel like the bass on the AKGs is right where it needs to be, unless you're a basshead. Leaving the mids for last because this is what the AKGs do best. Very detailed mids that don't get bothered by the lows and flow nicely into the highs. Vocals are excellent, so get these or the HD6something if vocals are your thing. If i was to choose only one of the three classics, I would still choose my DT880s over the AKGs and the HD6somethings. However, I would take the HD650/HD6xxs if they were my only headphones I had. Well, maybe if I got a closed pair of cans as well (DT770s are great all around closed cans for the price).
Note: I don't own a pair of HD6something yet, but I've heard them many times. I'm currently in Massdrop limbo on the HD6xx. Bought a pair and the drop ended, someday they'll get here.
Music pairing: As with most headphones coming from the big brands and in this price range these will work with anything but really shine in a few genres. As expected from the wide soundstage and detailed mids, these cans work best with acoustic, jazz, live, alternative, etc. Rock, EDM, metal, and other bass heavy genres are not these headphones forte. Oddly I'm not super excited about classical on these headphones, especially works that are not chamber or solo works. I would say its from the soundstage again. I prefer my DT880s here.
Misc: Another thing that comes to mind when comparing these to beyers is fatigue and recording quality. Since these are on the warm side they don't fatigue as much as detail monsters. Same goes with recording quality, my DT880s are horrible with tracks that are recorded badly and the AKG's warm nature masks it (sadly, not completely). Won't mark anything off for this as I was expecting it, but don't expect anything fancy in the box or the packaging itself. Same goes with shipping times, it's months in waiting and two weeks in shipping, but I was expecting that and doesn't take anything away from the headphones themselves.
I would give this headphone a 4.5/5 if Massdrop allowed non-whole star ratings. The half star off would be for the included cable being sub-par compared to the rest of the design. I would give a review of 4/5 if these were priced higher (closer to the regular editions), due to its competition.
jemery
0
Aug 3, 2022
codlorWhat would you recommend for a bass head?
codlor
30
Aug 3, 2022
jemeryI've been using EtherCX for about two years now for desktop music listening, HD6XX for other desktop use due to it being open, and for portable use either some IEMs, panda, or DT 177x. Mostly IEMs for portable as covid made most of my portable use long drives. EtherCX are incredible at bass but for a bass head they need an eq boost for anything below 90ish hertz, which while nice makes me always need to have an eq present. I haven't tried the closed Aeons but they look like they might fit the bill without eq. I've come to grips that it's hard to have great bass on open headphones; open headphones may have a large bump that may work well for rock music but more and more music easily pushes down towards 20Hz and opens really struggle down there. I have also not heard the E-mu teaks but they appear to be similar to the fostex series but cleaner highs, so that is another one to look at. E-mus are semi-open just like the Fostex; they may say closed but I'd say they are closer to semi-open than closed.
jerlad
79
Apr 6, 2018
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This is one of the most comfortable cams that I own. I like their fit better than my HE-560s, HE-400s, and SD-6xx. The ear cup is large enough to go around my ears, so there is no pressure on the ears. I’ve outfitted then with the Dekoni ear pads, which was a very good upgrade for me. i like the pads texture more than the stock pads.
my listening experience with these cans is also favorable and I believe, for the money, they’re an excellent value. I have repeatedly recommended them to others just beginning to get into higher fidelity. I’m of the opinion that these are the only cans that one *needs*. (I’ve got a lot of gear because this is a hobby)
They’re easy to drive and pair well with my AK240, Pomo Player, DragonFly Red, and Geek Pulse DAC. Heck, sometimes I plug them directly into my Mac when I am watching a streaming presentation. They work fine there too. I’m of the opinion that one needs a headphone amp. Period. A quality amp makes all the difference no matter what’s in your ears. If you’re trying to figure out if you should get new cans or an amp. Get the amp first. If you’re listening to digital, you need a good DAC/amp combination. Good audio starts at the source.
They tend to favor the upper midrange a bit so that guitars, pianos, and drums tend to sound a little bit thin when I compare it my other gear, including the Audeze iSine20 IEMs, which totally rock! (If you can afford these and you have a good amp/DAC - wow!)
I only wish they had a balanced connection and I’m aware of the mod you can make to convert these. I am also wary of the elastic threads that connect the headband to the cups. I’m careful to hang them from the hoops and not the band.
RDoug
27
Apr 9, 2018
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I’m happy to have these headphones in my collection. I appreciate how easy it is to swap cables and ear pads. Playing with different amps (Schiit, Nuforce, DFR) and ear pads changes the cans’ character in fun ways. They’re light and comfortable and my kid thinks they look cool. The sound is airy and open and neutral with the stock pads and a little warmer and more thumping with the dekoni hybrid pads. I listen to these cans a lot. They pretty much live plugged into my Vali 2 (with the bass tone control on the Loki turned way up ;) ). I like ’em with electronic and symphonic music especially; they’re fun with music with lots of stereo effects and wide staging. For deep beats I go elsewhere, though, like my HiFiMan or Fostex cans.
max1337
64
Dec 15, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Not very good gaming headphones.
I am not sure why people think these are good gaming headphones. The sound stage is wide sure, but the imaging is not accurate at all. Tried pairing with JDS Atom, iFi Micro iDSD Black Edition, Creative SoundBlasterX G6. Did not help with the lack of imaging in game. I am an ESEA Ranked A player for CSGO, but using the 7xx I was more confused about enemy positioning than I was using the 6xx or 58x. These are not good gaming headphones. If you want gaming headphones, you should look into Audio Technica ath-ad500x, ath-ad700x, and ath-ad900x. Music sound quality wise, I think it is a hodgepodge mess of harmonic distortion. Build quality is basically not there, very very cheap plastic, squeaky headband mechanism, etc. Other than the pads being not bad.
Recommends this product? No
max1337
64
Jan 12, 2020
You are completely right. I wasn't expecting the Aiva to be good for CS going in. And, I can't say the Aiva is a great gaming headphones, since the soundstage is pretty narrow. But, it worked out ok for CSGO, being a bit more treble heavy for details, it might actually quite a bit more details that is kinda distracting. Which is a surprising characteristic for planars, since I thought planars are usually darker, coming from Audeze. Imaging wise, it is great for left/right positioning, decent from the front, but things coming from the back sounded a bit more muddy and unclear, but I think not too much of an issue for competitive play, since most times I am holding 45deg~90deg angles or making aggro pushes, and getting flanked doesnt really happen too often at my level. However, I am a bit torn since, I was debating about returning the Aiva for the same reason, being tapped after the holidays and its recessed upper mid is kinda annoying for some vocals. But now its performance in CSGO and aesthetics are causing me to reconsider. haha.
DKizzy
12
Apr 2, 2020
max1337Which audiotechnica cans do you like the most for CSGO? Like daily usage.
cell201135
101
Mar 27, 2019
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I would like to preface this review by saying that I'm still fairly new to audio, but I'm learning more everyday as i expand my horizons. I have played around with Sennheiser HD 6XX, Hifiman HE4XX, and these AKG K7XX all run off of either a Massdrop O2, or the Calvalli Tube Hybrid. With comparisons with the other two the K7XX definitely has way more sound stage than the other two i listed, which makes it great for gaming IMO. I believe it I is also superior in fit and feel as it has the least amount of clamping force of the three and with the excellent pads it makes for a very comfortable gaming experience. The only reason i took a star off however is due to the squeakiness of the headphone cups when they arrived. At first they were almost unusable for me due to the squeak, but i resolved this issue by continuously running a number 2 pencil around the seam of the cups. I did this for about 30 minutes on each side. I layered on the graphite all around the seam and worked it into the cups by flexing them repeatedly until the squeaking stopped completely. It was a pain to do so i assure you but it was well worth the effort IMO because they are a very good pair of cans they just need to be worn in either through use(if you can stand to do that) or through an artificial means like i did. FYI: graphite lubricant probably would also work, but i think it would be a huge mess and might ruin the pads or the drivers so I think that a graphite pencil is the best option to not apply more than you need and to apply it only to the places that need it the most. TLDR: if your K7XX squeak to much out of the box apply graphite to the seam using a number 2 pencil. It is well worth the effort IMO.
Kiefofpolice
171
Sep 18, 2019
cell201135Amazon has very nice ear pads in a variety of materials and thicknesses with over 20,000 5 star reviews specifically saying they used them for these headphones as well as the several others you mentioned. (I'm not extremely knowledgeable about every little thing about all the different headsets, but as an avid gamer and music listener I can def vouch that spending an extra $15-25 for a new set can completely change your opinion on any type. After buying a new set of ear pads for my Hyperx Cloud 2 they are like using a $200 + pair
aether_tech
30
Jan 9, 2019
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Frankly, this is an overhyped product. At $200 it's merely OK. But I wouldn't call it great. It has some good aspects, and a few flaws. Lets start out with the good:
  • Light-weight
  • Wide soundstage
  • Easy-ish to power
  • Decently comfortable
Lets do the cons:
  • Weird memory foam in the earpads take a while to settle into place when I put them on. And though they remind me of my X2, they are no where near as comfortable (other than being lighter in weight.) I'd call it some slow-moving memory foam. No better way I have to explain that...
  • Somewhat muddy bass. Which is an issue I've heard from others. Not totally deal breaking, but compared to the competition in the price-range, and under, it is unacceptable. I've listened to the 702, which the 7XX is based off of. Massdrop/AKG should have just stuck with that sound, instead of trying to V-shape it. Highs and mids are still very good. Ever so slightly sibilant on the higher frequency horns - possibly a resonance issue inherent to the all-super-light-weight plastic construction? I don't recall the 702 having that issue.
  • Plastic construction quality creeks a bit. Just feels....weak overall. The 58X feels premium compared to the 7XX.
Overall, I'll give them a 7-8/10, but I think the 6XX, 58X, 4XX, and other cheaper options are better value. I may play with EQ on them, due to their wide soundstage, and try to turn them into footstep detecting treble cannons....
TheoKa
2
Jul 24, 2021
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Great sonic after broken in
These cans test your patience for breaking in. It had very weak bass and grainy treble when I received them. I almost sold these after 6 months initially on 3 different headphone amps, but fortunately no one offered a reasonable price so I kept them. I got rewarded a year later, after suffering for about 200 hours. The bass came out and the treble calmed down. Now it has become a very balanced set with very wide soundstage. A very comfortable and lightweight set to wear all day long.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
Arundel125
3
Oct 13, 2020
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Sound quality was ok but major flaws
Sound quality was decent but I will be choosing to focus on the design flaws in this product and drops failure to cover them. First, the earcups literally squeak with any movement. It sounds like cheap plastic on plastic grinding together. Good luck enjoying your music when your cheap plastic headphones are squeaking over it. Headband sucks, period. It's just a leather strap with no padding. While the headset is adjustable it doesn't sit tight at all and feels loose and sloppy. Now for my biggest issue. As I've touched on earlier these headphones are extremely cheap plastic. So I dropped it 1 time from about a foot to 2 feet high and the connector in the earcup literally snapped out and a wire came unsoldered. So naturally I reached out to drop because such a minor impact should not cause such substantial damage. Plot twist, they told me I'm stuck with this broken headset because it's not a manufacturing defect. I beg to differ as there is no logical reason an expensive set of headphones should fall apart from a minor drop for any reason but a manufacturing defect. Just goes to show how cheap this headset is and how poor drops customer service is. Take my advice and buy elsewhere.
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Recommends this product? No
dewp
1
Jun 29, 2020
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Good sound, poor quality
I have these headphones paired up with the modi/vali2 for about a year and they have amazing sound staging for games but, the build quality is poor. Maybe 2 months into owning them there was a squeaking noise from plastic on plastic rubbing. After about 6 months in the left driver started having intermittent static about every 30mins and eventually at about a year the left driver all together died.
Recommends this product? No
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