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Headphones
- Best value full-size headphones Grado SR60i *Est. $80
- Lightweight headphones Sennheiser PX 100 *Est. $50
- Budget headphones Koss KSC75 *Est. $20
- Best noise-canceling headphones Bose QuietComfort 3 *Est. $350
- Pro-quality headphones AKG K702 *Est. $400
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Pro-quality headphones
- Excellent overall music quality
- Build and design quality
- Work well with low-power devices
- Bulky
- Expensive
- No carrying case
Experts say that the Austrian-engineered AKG K702 headphones offer the most detailed sound among under-$1,000 headphones. Some feel the Sennheiser HD 650s (*Est. $500) have a slight edge in the low end, while others argue that the AKG K702s are unmatched by headphones that cost twice as much. The K702s are a new version of the AKG K701, and offer the same exceptional build quality with a few improvements, such as a detachable cord and an attractive dark blue finish (the K701s are white). Reviewers say sound is exceptionally balanced, making them a professional-quality headset for the home enthusiast. Reviews say the K702s are comfortable and work surprisingly well with iPods and other mobile players, although as full-size headphones, they're not very portable. Also, they don't come with a carrying case.
Because the K702s have appeared quite recently, not many reviewers who have looked at the K701s have yet weighed in on the new model. Those who have, such as CNET and HeadRoom, confirm that the differences are slight, and the same nearly unequivocal praise found for the older versions at GoodGearGuide.com, OnHeadphones.com and iLounge.com applies to the new AKG K702 as well.
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Our Sources
1. CNET
Steve Guttenberg says sound quality on the AKG K702 is excellent, and the headphones are also very comfortable. "Build quality, fit, finish, and durability are all first-rate," he says, adding that only headphones like the Sennheiser HD 800 -- which cost three times as much -- beat the K702's "near state of the art" sound. The lack of a case is his only complaint.
Review: AKG K 702 Open Back Dynamic Reference Headphones, Steve Guttenberg, April 2, 2009
2. HeadRoom
Although HeadRoom only rates headphones it sells, editors provide useful overviews based on technical testing. They're impressed with the detail of the new AKG K702 headphones, like the small improvements over the K701, and describe the K702's features in great length. In sum, the reference-grade audio performance of these cans is categorized as "pretty darn near perfection."
Review: AKG K 702 Black, Editors of HeadRoom
The AKG K701 headphones are named best open headphones in Australian site GoodGearGuide.com's "Top 5 Headphones" article, and reviewer Andrew Kliem praises their sound as "airy." While bass is very good, he feels that the overall balance is "more suited to styles such as jazz, acoustic and classical than rock and roll." The AKGs work best with a dedicated amplifier, though Kliem admits they will certainly work with MP3 players as well.
Review: AKG Acoustics K701, Andrew Kliem, Sept. 7, 2008
OnHeadphones.com provides ratings with pros, cons and a bottom-line summation. Editors are impressed with the AKG K701's level of detail and smooth tonal balance, calling them a "benchmark in headphone design" and naming them an Editors' Choice. However, they note that it takes inordinately longer to break them in acoustically (called "burn-in" time) than other high-end headphones.
Review: AKG K 701 Headphone, Editors of OnHeadphones.com
5. iLounge.com
iLounge.com reviews iPod and iPhone accessories, including headphones and earphones. In his brief review, site editor Jeremy Horwitz gives the AKG K701s an A grade for sound quality and comfort, thanks to touches like velvet-covered earpieces. The K701s are his top pick for at-home listening, either on an iPod or full stereo system.
Review: Review: AKG Acoustics K701 Premium Class Reference Earphones, Jeremy Horwitz, Nov. 1, 2005
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