• Revolutionary flat-wire voice coil technology for extremely accurate sound and transient response
• Patented Varimotion diaphragm for sparkling highs and accurate bass response
• Two-layer diaphragm for wide dynamic range and superior clarity
• High-performance neodymium magnet system for minimum distortion
• True bi-wiring
• High-performance, 99.99% oxygen-free cable
• Professional 1/4" jack plug
• Comfortable, specially shaped "3D-Form" ear pads for perfect fit
• Padded, genuine leather headband
• Complete with stylish storage cradle
• Individually tested and numbered
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| AKG 702 |
Headphone listening is, by its very nature, vastly different than speaker-based listening. On the plus side, room interactions are negated, very little amplifier power is needed for satisfactory levels, other people are not disturbed by your music, and the price-performance ratio is unparalleled. On the negative side, with the vast majority recordings having been optimized for listening over speakers, headphone soundstaging and imaging is not as convincing.
Also, the visceral impact of bass transients is not as fully realized. However, I've come to the conclusion that preference for speakers over headphones does not invalidate the other, and vice-versa.
After conducting some research on all the developments I've missed in the world of headphones over the past eight years, I decided to begin my journey with the AKG K702 headphones. AKG was founded in Vienna, Austria in 1947. In the years since its inception, AKG has become a key player in the realm of professional audio, with its headphones and microphones found in major studios around the world. With the discontinuation of the K1000 a few years ago, the K702 represents AKG's flagship headphone.
The K702 utilizes a dynamic transducer, but employs two novel technologies. The first is the unique and patented Varimotion dual-layer diaphragm. The Varimotion diaphragm varies in thickness, progressively becoming thinner out towards the perimeter. This is said to imbue the driver with better control and high-frequency reproduction at the center and greater elasticity and excursion for bass transients at the edge. The second is the flat-wire voice coil, which AKG also employs in its microphones. Utilizing flat wire instead of the more commonly-used round wire enables AKG to build very rigid voice coils with minimal weight, which is said to result in an increased magnetic field and improved pulse response.
The K702 closely resembles AKG's K701 headphone, the differences being a different color aesthetic and the provision on the K702 of a detachable headphone cable. The AKG 702 is open-backed, and boasts a frequency range of 10 to 39,800Hz (no tolerances specified). Sensitivity is given as 105dB at an input of 1 volt, with an impedance of 62 ohms. Maximum input power is said to be 200 mW. The headphone comes with a three-meter 99.9% OFC cable, connected to the left earpiece, with gold-plated 1/4" and 1/8" connectors. The K702's color scheme is stylish, done up in silver and black, with velour earpads and leather headband. Packaging and instructions included are adequate, if not quite in the same league as some of its more expensive competition. AKG's warranty for all its headphone products is two years.
The AKG K 702 is a substantial headphone, being circumaural in nature with large earcups, but is not as heavy as expected due to its reliance on lightweight plastics in its construction. Weighing in at 235 grams without its cable, the K 702 disperses its mass evenly across the listener's head. I found the K 702 to be very comfortable for long listening sessions, but occasionally, I noted some pressure on my scalp from the ridges present on the underside of the headband. As mentioned, the circumaural earcups are large and deep, leaving my ears unencumbered. The height adjustment is done via elastic straps and has more than enough range for my medium-small head.
Once break in was completed, I was surprised at how much better the AKG sounded. Now I was hearing a transducer of remarkable neutrality and subtlety. This neutrality, especially in the all-important midrange, was the one consistent sonic trait I discerned throughout the review period. Voices and other midrange instruments sounded very lifelike, with no driver or mechanical resonances to color the purity of reproduction. Listening to Even in the Quietest Moments (A&M Records 069 493 348-2) by Supertramp, I was quite taken with the natural reproduction of Rick Davies' vocal on "Lover Boy." Likewise, his piano playing on "From Now On" sounded full and rich, without any undue coloration. And hearing Paul Desmond's alto saxophone on Dave Brubeck's classic Time Out (Columbia/Legacy CK 65122) was a revelation, with the K702 rendering his playing with the requisite bite and dynamic shading.
The K702's treble performance was also superb from the upper midrange to the mid-treble, with a purity and airiness that was beguiling on percussion instuments. Talking Heads released their final album as a group, Naked, in 1989. A myriad of international influences informed David Byrne's songwriting and the band's playing, including American jazz and Caribbean Zouk, and these influences can be heard on the record, with multiple percussionists assisting the core group's efforts on many of the tracks. Listening to the CD (Sire 25654-2) over the K702, I could clearly hear and delineate Manolo Badrena's shakers and triangles playing alongside Chris Frantz's cymbal brush work on songs like "Mr. Jones" and "Mommy Daddy You and I." However, I did occasionally note some truncation in the highest treble, which could lead to a touch of dryness, most notably on the Time Out CD noted above.
The AKG K702 is a truly outstanding headphone, possessing remarkable levels of neutrality and openness. Its airiness and large soundstage combine to convincing effect in ameliorating the typical in-your-head claustrophobia of headphone listening. While not the last word in bass extension and impact, listeners who don't need to plumb the depths while enjoying their dub reggae will find much to love in the K702's presentation. And, I've saved the best for last—with easy-to-find discounting on its retail price, the K702 is an unparalleled bargain, providing high-end sonics at entry-level prices.
After conducting some research on all the developments I've missed in the world of headphones over the past eight years, I decided to begin my journey with the AKG K702 headphones. AKG was founded in Vienna, Austria in 1947. In the years since its inception, AKG has become a key player in the realm of professional audio, with its headphones and microphones found in major studios around the world. With the discontinuation of the K1000 a few years ago, the K702 represents AKG's flagship headphone.
The K702 utilizes a dynamic transducer, but employs two novel technologies. The first is the unique and patented Varimotion dual-layer diaphragm. The Varimotion diaphragm varies in thickness, progressively becoming thinner out towards the perimeter. This is said to imbue the driver with better control and high-frequency reproduction at the center and greater elasticity and excursion for bass transients at the edge. The second is the flat-wire voice coil, which AKG also employs in its microphones. Utilizing flat wire instead of the more commonly-used round wire enables AKG to build very rigid voice coils with minimal weight, which is said to result in an increased magnetic field and improved pulse response.
The K702 closely resembles AKG's K701 headphone, the differences being a different color aesthetic and the provision on the K702 of a detachable headphone cable. The AKG 702 is open-backed, and boasts a frequency range of 10 to 39,800Hz (no tolerances specified). Sensitivity is given as 105dB at an input of 1 volt, with an impedance of 62 ohms. Maximum input power is said to be 200 mW. The headphone comes with a three-meter 99.9% OFC cable, connected to the left earpiece, with gold-plated 1/4" and 1/8" connectors. The K702's color scheme is stylish, done up in silver and black, with velour earpads and leather headband. Packaging and instructions included are adequate, if not quite in the same league as some of its more expensive competition. AKG's warranty for all its headphone products is two years.
The AKG K 702 is a substantial headphone, being circumaural in nature with large earcups, but is not as heavy as expected due to its reliance on lightweight plastics in its construction. Weighing in at 235 grams without its cable, the K 702 disperses its mass evenly across the listener's head. I found the K 702 to be very comfortable for long listening sessions, but occasionally, I noted some pressure on my scalp from the ridges present on the underside of the headband. As mentioned, the circumaural earcups are large and deep, leaving my ears unencumbered. The height adjustment is done via elastic straps and has more than enough range for my medium-small head.
Once break in was completed, I was surprised at how much better the AKG sounded. Now I was hearing a transducer of remarkable neutrality and subtlety. This neutrality, especially in the all-important midrange, was the one consistent sonic trait I discerned throughout the review period. Voices and other midrange instruments sounded very lifelike, with no driver or mechanical resonances to color the purity of reproduction. Listening to Even in the Quietest Moments (A&M Records 069 493 348-2) by Supertramp, I was quite taken with the natural reproduction of Rick Davies' vocal on "Lover Boy." Likewise, his piano playing on "From Now On" sounded full and rich, without any undue coloration. And hearing Paul Desmond's alto saxophone on Dave Brubeck's classic Time Out (Columbia/Legacy CK 65122) was a revelation, with the K702 rendering his playing with the requisite bite and dynamic shading.
The K702's treble performance was also superb from the upper midrange to the mid-treble, with a purity and airiness that was beguiling on percussion instuments. Talking Heads released their final album as a group, Naked, in 1989. A myriad of international influences informed David Byrne's songwriting and the band's playing, including American jazz and Caribbean Zouk, and these influences can be heard on the record, with multiple percussionists assisting the core group's efforts on many of the tracks. Listening to the CD (Sire 25654-2) over the K702, I could clearly hear and delineate Manolo Badrena's shakers and triangles playing alongside Chris Frantz's cymbal brush work on songs like "Mr. Jones" and "Mommy Daddy You and I." However, I did occasionally note some truncation in the highest treble, which could lead to a touch of dryness, most notably on the Time Out CD noted above.
The AKG K702 is a truly outstanding headphone, possessing remarkable levels of neutrality and openness. Its airiness and large soundstage combine to convincing effect in ameliorating the typical in-your-head claustrophobia of headphone listening. While not the last word in bass extension and impact, listeners who don't need to plumb the depths while enjoying their dub reggae will find much to love in the K702's presentation. And, I've saved the best for last—with easy-to-find discounting on its retail price, the K702 is an unparalleled bargain, providing high-end sonics at entry-level prices.
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