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Elnrik
69
Sep 8, 2016
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Can the AKG K7XXs dethrone the Fidelio X2s as kings of my computer gaming rig? Or will they be replacing the Fostex T20RPs as the 6+ hour per day "don't bother me" office cans? Can they out-slam the Beyerdynamic or VModas in a bass death match? We are going to find out!
Elnrik
69
Sep 9, 2016
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YoniTubulInitial impressions:
They're not going to win any bass competitions. Sorry bassheads. With that said, the bass is adequate, especially on tracks that really emphasize it. DJ Shadow's song "Three Ralphs" for example - the K7XX doesn't distort it, but it doesn't quite pound the nail all the way in either. (Very strange song. Fun bass. That lowest note has to be right at about 25Hz.) The kick drum in AC/DC's Thunderstruck just doesn't have much energy. Same with the bass guitar in Ted Nugent's Stranglehold. I'm left feeling that the X2's just do bass a lot better. On the flip side of that coin - the k7xx reach much lower than the Fostex T20RPs. The lowest bass note in the aforementioned DJ Shadow song barely comes across on the T20's with any quantity. Those poor planars just can't go that low. The VModas can reach that low, but kind of make a sloppy mess of it in comparison. So... I'd say B+ for bass.
The mid range has me confused. I haven't decided if I like the mids on the K7XXs or not. There is nothing immediately screaming something is wrong, but going back to the X2s, they seem to be a little relaxed. It also seems to depend on what you're listening to. Nils Frahm's song Hammers is rendered very well, but Nina Simone's vocals in the song Baltimore aren't conveyed with the same sense of clarity, or even energy. Brian Setzer's song Scatman Jack just seems flat. However, if I bump the 3 to 6 kHz range up 4 db, they sound almost identical to the X2s, but still seem to lack a certain energy. I'm picking nits here. They're both fairly close, and the 7XXs are far from being bad. It could be the AKGs are more neutral, and I'm used to the X2 sound? Jury is out on this one.
I think the treble is good. Lots of energy, and they don't often cross the line into being piercing. (They do once in a while, but I have a penchant for being treble sensitive.) Clear and detailed. No complains at all.
So... generally speaking, I find that they sound a lot like the Fidelio X2's (which is a compliment in my book), but are a bit more flat/neutral right up until you hit the mid-treble region. Then they kind of take off. They are not quite as energetic sounding as the X2s. I dread imagining how I would try to describe how they sound vs the T20RPs. They sound wildly different: Dynamic vs planar-magnetic / open vs closed. Yeah, I'm not even going to attempt it.
They are very light. The ear cups are cavernous and comfortable. The leather headband is stiff, and I had to work it a little to soften it up. Once I did that, it was acceptable. They seem to be very accepting to EQ adjustments. The sound stage is WIDE. -W-I-D-E-
So, yeah... More burn-in required before I pass final judgement. (If there is such a thing.)
The mid range has me confused. I haven't decided if I like the mids on the K7XXs or not. There is nothing immediately screaming something is wrong, but going back to the X2s, they seem to be a little relaxed. It also seems to depend on what you're listening to. Nils Frahm's song Hammers is rendered very well, but Nina Simone's vocals in the song Baltimore aren't conveyed with the same sense of clarity, or even energy. Brian Setzer's song Scatman Jack just seems flat. However, if I bump the 3 to 6 kHz range up 4 db, they sound almost identical to the X2s, but still seem to lack a certain energy. I'm picking nits here. They're both fairly close, and the 7XXs are far from being bad. It could be the AKGs are more neutral, and I'm used to the X2 sound? Jury is out on this one.
I think the treble is good. Lots of energy, and they don't often cross the line into being piercing. (They do once in a while, but I have a penchant for being treble sensitive.) Clear and detailed. No complains at all.
So... generally speaking, I find that they sound a lot like the Fidelio X2's (which is a compliment in my book), but are a bit more flat/neutral right up until you hit the mid-treble region. Then they kind of take off. They are not quite as energetic sounding as the X2s. I dread imagining how I would try to describe how they sound vs the T20RPs. They sound wildly different: Dynamic vs planar-magnetic / open vs closed. Yeah, I'm not even going to attempt it.
They are very light. The ear cups are cavernous and comfortable. The leather headband is stiff, and I had to work it a little to soften it up. Once I did that, it was acceptable. They seem to be very accepting to EQ adjustments. The sound stage is WIDE. -W-I-D-E-
So, yeah... More burn-in required before I pass final judgement. (If there is such a thing.)
semaj8james
21
Sep 13, 2016
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ElnrikCertainly more burn in needed. I'm ashamed to say it, but I sold my HE-500s, got a pair of these and hardly looked back. Sure, the HE's will have better quality across the board, but these are damned impressive, especially at the price point.
Robson
213
Sep 18, 2016
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semaj8jameswhat dac/amp are you using to drive these? very relevant info...
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