AKG K 701 Ultra Reference Class Stereo Headphone Level 1

Bought them for the sound quality, online without a chance to listen or compare. I used to have a set of AKG 101 30 years ago and remembered them for incredible definition mid and high rangen, but spongy bass. These headphones are way better than those earlier ones which were already great for the money. Incredibly clear mids, highs and dynamic response. Many people will look for more bass but it is very clean and also well defined. I bought a headphone amp without which you don't get the full quality of the headphones because of their high impedance. With these headphones you really start looking for your best recorded music to enjoy it (and you discover what's not been well recorded). They wear well for a long time (usually my ear suffer with headphones, but not these). I take care not to throw them around or put things on them. They have a 3 meter cable which is nice and long. Gold connector, nice. They adjust in size easily, at least for me, just put them on without ratcheting around.

I've been listening to my Grado Prestige Series SR325is Headphones for most of the year and have no complaints, other than the initial comfort factor. But I really wanted another mid-to-high end set to keep from moving the Grados from one room to another (I know, lazy, huh?). I almost went with the Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones , but I've already got a smaller pair of Sennheiser HD 238 Open Aire Stereo Headphones Optimized for iPod/iPhone/MP3/and Music Players and wanted to try the K701s because of the excellent reviews. On first listen, I wasn't impressed. The music didn't seem to have any depth to it, like it was all coming to you on a flat plane, if that makes any sense at all. I knew these headphones need some break-in time, so I kept listening. Mainly I plugged them into my home theater and played some Dead Space 2 on the PS3. Slowly but surely, they turned around, and now they're my go-to headphones (I still love you Grado, but you're going into a drawer for a little while). The detail and clarity is spectacular; the bass is just right (I don't find it at all lacking as some others have noted); comfort level is fantastic. My only complaint: I really liked the thick cord on the Grados and wish the cord on the AKGs felt as sturdy. That's more of a comparison than a complaint, though. As far as amplification goes, I don't know how these sound without it. I've only used them on a newer Pioneer 1120-K (late 2010) receiver and, in my bedroom, a Peachtree Audio Decco2, which is both a headphone amplifier and DAC in one (and a wonderful piece of equipment, I might add). I stream audio from MOG (supposedly 320 kpps, the highest rate available to my knowledge) to either an Apple TV MC572LL/A (NEWEST VERSION) or Apple Airport Express MB321LL/A [NEWEST VERSION ] and then into, respectively, the Pioneer receiver or the Decco2. Both have DACs, so I feel like I'm getting a good source going into a good output, and that truly makes these headphones shine. A quick word on DACs: I purchased a small portable DAC earlier this year and returned it. I could tell no difference in the sound. But the DAC in the Decco2 really fills the music out and makes it sound so rich and detailed. If you're going to invest good money into headphones, please consider the source going into them. I suspect if you simply plugged these headphones into your iPod with no amplification or conversion to analog, you might wonder why you spent so much money. But with the right equipment, you'll fall in love with your music all over again. And one last thing! If you're playing video games using a home theater system, i.e. you have a console hooked up to a receiver and surround sound speakers, these headphones are truly fantastic for gaming. I've mainly been playing Dead Space 2, and the detail and directional effects are amazing. I can't imagine any of the Ear Force or Astro headphones besting these AKGs. UPDATE JULY 2012: I've been back and forth between these cans and my Grados for the past few months, with most of my listening through Grado. But I m sitting here now listening to Scissor Sister's new album on my AKGs, and I often forget how great these sound, so detailed and full and lush. They're more impressive now than when I first purchased them. Highly recommended. If I had to chose between the AKG and the Grado 325, I'd probably still go with Grado, just because the build is so sturdy and they're Made in America. But there is nothing wrong with the AKG at all. Excellent stuff all around!

I upgraded from my Audio-Technica ATH-M30 (cost about 60$ to 80$) to a pair of AKG K701 headphones ($550 at launch, about 200$ to 250$ now) and so far, I'm not disappointed. A word of caution however: They are known for a potential (but mostly fixable) defect (more about that at the end of this review). Overall sound quality: The K701's offer a well balanced and clear sound, with a very flat frequency response and a wide soundstage. The high frequencies are clear and the mids are well present. The basses are what you would expect from proper monitoring headphones: They are not "boosted" or colored at all. For some people, it might be an issue, especially if they are bass lovers. I would recommend to check out the bass mod on the Internet, it's just a matter of removing a piece of felt that is covering the bass port in each ear cups. This mod is reversible and makes the basses more "punchy", sort of like making the attack quicker on a ADSR envelope. My M30's sound kinda muffled when compared to the K701's, but they have more bass than the K701's. Build quality: Made of plastic, with some metalic parts (mostly the decorative parts). I would not recommend these headphones if you plan to travel or go outdoor with them. The plastic is quite thin and glossy. My M30's are build tougher than the K701's in comparison. Comfort: Clearly, the best headphones I ever had in term of comfort. They are super light and the ear pads are soft but not too soft, so they keep their shape and no plastic rests near your ears. I should mention too: These headphones use an elastic mechanism that automatically adjust the headband to the proper setting. I was not sure about this system at first, but it works very well ! In comparison, my M30's would hurt my ears after an hour or so of use because the ear pads were too soft and thin. Now, the potential issue you might face with these headphones. AKG K701's are known for disconnected wire(s) in the ear cups. There are many reports about this issue over the Internet and a video on how to fix it. Basically, some solders are weak and tend to break, so you might lose the sound on one or both sides. Sometimes, wire might still make a contact when the ear cup is in a certain position and you will get sound, but you will lose it when moving the ear cup. This issue is usually fixable by taking apart the headphones and soldering the wire correctly. It's easy to do if you know how to follow instructions. Just be careful to not damage the little decorative grids, you should always turn counter-clockwise to remove them ! It doesn't seem to be an recent issue, since you can find reports dating as far as 2011. Recent K701's are made in China, the AKG logo on the headband is now simply "AKG" (no more "three hearts" logo) and the box is different from the original I think (it as a full-size window at the front instead of no window). Overall, very satisfied by these headphones even with the (fixed) wire issue.

By far the most comfortable headphones I have ever had. The self adjusting aspect is very good. They sound great and the micro fiber ear pads are wonderful. I am using them mostly for my ham radio station where they do everything I need them to do. The plug is a bit backwards in that the line has a 1/4" plug and the adapter takes that to 1/8" which is backwards from what I'm used to but it works fine. At this price they are a real bargain .

Love the sound, love the comfort. I also like how they don’t artificially pump up the bass. I typically use them to listen to small group jazz - quartets, piano trios. They provide a detailed sound and I can wear them for hours without discomfort. I would have like to see a cord that can be detached and replaced, but I’ve had no issues.

I was able to snag these for 190USD which at the time of purchase is 60% off. At their normal pricing of ~460USD they directly compete with the Sennheiser 650s which were my previous go-to headphones. However, after owning these for about a week (letting them "burn in" so to speak), I have to say I somehow prefer the K 701s. It is a bit more of a bright sounding pair of cans than the 650s but the amount of space I hear with the 701s is just...I'm having a hard time fathoming how it's possible. I sincerely love the 650s and I do think they do low end better than the 701s...but with something like a SubPac on my chair giving me the bass definition that the 701s lack, this IS the best headphone experience I've ever had. And don't get me wrong, the low end of the 701s is not bad, it's just not very punchy. Like in EDM and heavy metal music with very low tuned guitars you can clearly hear very low notes quite clearly. It just seems to be lacking the punch of the low end which is not necessarily a deal breaker. Most headphones go too hard on the low end, it's just if that does matter to you, the 650s will be a better pick in my opinion. The biggest thing to take away from this though is this; even if I bought these at full price, I think I'd pick them over the 650s. The fact that I got these on sale for 60% is just...it has to be the greatest deal I've ever scored. The only thing I really wish these cans had was a removable headphone cable. Something tells me I will break these in the coming years and it will be a horrific experience.

I was choosing a new pair of headphones and immediately ordered a dozen models. Including several from AKG, namely the K612, K712, K701 and K371. Let's start with the K371. Although they are the cheapest, they are a very decent device. They don't press on the head, and the soft ear cushions allow you to wear the headphones for a long time. The device stays on the head very securely, you can easily take it outside for a run, a bike ride or just a walk. The rather strange design raises some questions. It's unclear how fragile it is. Judging by many reviews here: very fragile. The headphones sound decent for their price, a little bassy. The K612, K712 and K701 headphones are of a completely different type: they are open-back and significantly larger, you can't take them outside, and there's no point. A detachable cable is only available on the K712, and that's a shame. I believe that absolutely all headphones more expensive than ~$100 should have a detachable cable. But there are detailed photo instructions on the Internet on how to add and solder a connector yourself. They all sit on the head perfectly, albeit with slight differences. The K712 is the "older brother" of the K612, so the ear cushions are slightly improved. They are a little thicker, softer and made of a different material (memory foam, it seems). So the K712 is a little more comfortable than the K612, but that doesn't mean that the K612 themselves are uncomfortable. There are practically no differences between the K612 and K701 in terms of comfort. Sound. Personally, I liked the K612 the most for its clean, "unbiased" sound. In them, you can focus on all the instruments or vocals, and none of them "stick out" too much. The K712 are generally considered a more bass-heavy version of the K612, but I only partially agree with this: there is a difference, but it's very small. At the same time, it seemed to me that the K712 lost some clarity and purity compared to the K612. The K701 are a completely different pair. They have very strong high frequencies, and the low frequencies are, on the contrary, weakened. While the K612 and K712 are easily suitable for simple and enjoyable music listening, the K701 might seem "boring" due to the unexpressive bass, but they are very detailed! You can hear all the nuances of the composition, and that's really cool. I also think they would be well suited for FPS games. Regarding reliability. Things are bad here. There are many bad reviews with photos of the K371 regarding the reliability of the construction. The K series headphones have known problems with the quality of soldering of the thin cables inside, which often leads to the sound disappearing in one of the headphones. I personally encountered a similar problem twice: the first pair of K701 I received had a non-working left earphone, and in the K712, during testing, the sound started to cut out. Also, in the K series, the black headband is held by four thin elastic threads, two on each side. They constantly pull the headband down, allowing people with different head shapes to wear the headphones comfortably. However, over time, these threads degrade and deteriorate, like office rubber bands, which means the headband will always be in the highest position, making it difficult for people with smaller heads to wear the headphones. One of the pairs I received had exactly these worn-out elastic bands, and I could only wear the headphones because my head is quite large. In the end, I returned all the AKG headphones and kept a pair from a completely different brand, but if it weren't for the build quality issues, I would have kept the K612 for home listening, I really liked them. Or the K371 for the gym and cycling trips. I hope this short review will help someone make a decision and find their favorite pair of headphones.

Made in Austria, SN: 8****. Headphone prices have gone up, and I'm glad I bought before the price increases. This headphone has a very neutral "audiophile" sound, there is no part of the frequency spectrum that sounds overly forward, that is, the bass is balanced with the midrange, and the treble is not overly prominent or dominant. I do feel the bass is a tad bit light. If the recording is bass light, these headphones might sound a bit thin. The depth of bass is very good, the headphone has good bass response down to 25Hz as I verified for myself by running test tone sweeps, so the bass is there, just not as much "in your face". The midrange sounds excellent, and the headphone does vocals really well, especially female voice, with good body, airiness, and clarity. The headphone does a reasonably good job of handling sibilance, without emphasizing it unduly. This is the headphone's primary strength, clear luscious and fluid sounding midrange, it seems to work well for female voice and recovers the detail and texture in the singer's voice. If your recordings are harsh sounding, the headphone doesn't try to hide it, the headphone isn't really well suited for low quality MP3 listening. Unlike some of the Sennheiser headphones like the HD600, I find this headphone to have a more "airy", "lively" sound with cymbals with a more convincing metallic shimmer, but without too much treble energy that gives me a headache after long periods of listening. It's somewhere in between the Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic models for treble presence. Strings and acoustical instruments are very well rendered, with good details that lets you here every nuance of the music. Piano sound very realistic, carrying the richness of the harmonics very well.

Se cercate una cuffia di qualità ad un prezzo ottimo non potete non prendere in considerazione questa cuffia della AKG. Io l'ho acquistata a febbraio e dopo diverse ore di ascolto sono assolutamente soddisfatto del mio acquisto. La cuffia si presenta in una elegante confezione, una volta aperta la scatola troviamo all'interno: la cuffia, una base dove appoggiarla ed un jack adattatore. La cuffia è rifinita bene con materiali di qualità, si tratta di una cuffia aperta con padiglioni circumaurali pertanto non sarete isolati dai rumori esterni (nè chi vi sta attorno sarà isolato da voi). La cuffia è comoda, i padiglioni in soffice velluto grigio circondano completamente le vostre orecchie ed anche dopo molti minuti indossarla non è un problema. Il cavo è lungo a sufficienza per trovare una posizione comoda accanto al vs. impianto Hi-Fi, fuoriesce da un solo padiglione e questo è decisamente comodo per evitare l'aggrovigliarsi del filo, manca però la possibilità di sganciare il cavo direttamente dalla cuffia. Per l'ascolto l'ho abbinata al mio vecchio impianto Hi-Fi che tante soddisfazioni mi ha dato e continua a darmi: amplificatore integrato Sansui AUX-501, piatto Thorens TD320 con testina Stanton 681EEE-MKII-S, lettore cd Rotel RCD965BX. Personalmente non ho avuto problemi di amplificazione, pertanto mi verrebbe da dire che se avete un buon ampli anche se non dedicato all'uso della cuffia non dovreste avere problemi. Come suona? Premetto che per poter dare un giudizio corretto bisognerebbe poterla comparare con altri prodotti di fascia alta, ma non avendo questa possibilità dovrete accontentarvi di un giudizio parziale. A mio avviso la cuffia suona in maniera neutra, nessuna enfasi particolare, a volte sembra un pò avara di bassi, ma con altre incisioni vi accorgerete che non manca nulla, nè la timbrica nè il punch. Se vi concentrate durante l'ascolto potete percepire i minimi dettagli del brano in esecuzione e la scena sonora non è mai piatta. Io l'ho trovata estremamente piacevole nella riproduzione delle voci degli interpreti, soprattutto se femminili, e di alcuni strumenti (pianoforte, fiati), ma anche con l'elettronica ed il pop classico non delude. Per darvi un'idea più precisa ho ascoltato Michael Jackson (Thriller), Amy Winehouse (back to black), Tracy Chapman (diversi brani), Adele (21), Pink (The truth about love), Depeche Mode (alcuni singoli), The Police (Reggatta De Blanc), Edoardo Bennato (Sono solo canzonette), David Bowie (The next Day), ed il risultato dell'ascolto è stato sempre piacevolissimo. In definitiva io la consiglio senza problemi, purchè tutta la Vs. catena di ascolto sia valida e le tracce siano di ottima qualità, ovviamente se potete provatela prima dell'acquisto perchè nell'alta fedeltà la percezione ed i gusti di ognuno sono quantomai diversi, se non potete farlo non abbiate timore nell'acquistarla è comunque un prodotto di qualità.

Reference headphones are not the most friendly for general listening, but absolutely necessary in the recording studio. If you want headphones to listen on the bus or train these are not for you. If you want sharp transparent perception of your mix, you need these. I use them to supplement with reference monitors to fine tune the stereo balance and find high spots in the EQ. Being open back they do not provide any real isolation from background noise, but this is not a problem in a studio or private litening room. Importantly they are some of the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn.

I have just purchased these out of pure curiosity because they were on sale at just £108 plus a £10 further discount voucher on Black Friday, that was too much for me to resist taking a gamble. BUILD: These will definitely be talking points and I really like their retro look when sitting on their stands, I'd say they are "headphone art". The build quality seems decent enough although nothing out of the ordinary either, fairly solid with a nice comfortable fit and surprisingly light. The ear cups are very large and they do take a bit of getting used to. But like going from a Ford to a BMW, you know you've moved up a step or two but the BMW is still unfamiliar and it takes time to settle into it and enjoy it properly. SOUND: These are quite different to my Grado SR60i's that I've enjoyed for many years and will continue to do so, I am very familiar with the Grados sound so I will try and give some comparisons with those as a point of reference. Firstly the 701's are much less emphasised in the bass, in other words they are flatter in frequency response, when there is bass present they will show it but they are not designed to initially impress in the bass department, instead they are very accurate of the signal presented to them. I can say the same across the rest of the audio spectrum. At first this makes them sound a little strange because the Grados clearly have more bias towards the lower end, but the lower end is more "muddy" on the Grados, I supposed you would call it added warmth. This added warmth works well on stuff like Spottify / TV and other such devices. It also helps drown out harshness on poor recordings etc. However, you can easily add some equalisation to these at the low end if you desire more "artificial warmth" Having said all that, I believe the 701's are a headphone that just gives you what is there and some may find that strange, I would say that giving yourself time to adjust to this and also listening to some well recorded Jazz, classical, acoustic will show just how good these head phones can be, they are more open, cleaner and dynamic than the Grados on well recorded music of any genre. But there is still a place for the Grados and that is on ipods, mobile phones and some pop / rock that needs added colouration to make it palatable! One thing I would like to stress, there is a lot of nonsense in Hi-Fi and no two individuals will hear things the same, I recently bought an Asus Xonar One Muses Edition Pre/Dac and I can honestly say that comparing the headphone amp on that with my PCI Asus DG sound card at the same volume level, I could not honestly tell any difference in sound quality when running the 701's. People will argue with me but I'm afraid it's true, as much as I didn't want it to be! Price doesn't always equate to performance in Hi-Fi, beware the marketing hype! There are very few "bad" out there these days, everything is adequate, it's nothing like the difference in spending £1000 on a turntable compared with spending £50 because a turntable is all about precision engineering and you do hear big differences. But headphones? not! They are all pretty decent above the £70 mark, we are talking about a diaphragm housed in a case that's it! They are simply different and a matter of personal taste, I will be using the 701's for critical listening to well recorded music and keep the Grados for general use, films and the like. Anyway, I can guarantee that using a properly installed Asus DG soundcard with the gain set to +64 in the impedance in the Audio centre software, plus a pair of these you will have made a significant improvement in your PC sound which will be over 90% of what you can achieve by spending £1000's more so don't bother! Asus DG is only £23 on Amazon at moment but make sure you install the drivers carefully and set up the supplied Audio Centre Correctly, this card also sounds great with the Grados by the way. I asked AKG for their opinion about the concept of "running in" because according to many reviews, these need 300hrs use before sounding right, here is their reply... "I think you are referring to the "burning-in time" of the headphones, as it is regarded on the Internet and other media. However, I would say that this is just folk law. The headphones are tested and set to perform at their peak level straight out of the box" Make of it as you please. Good listening! Edit 03/03/2016: Having now used these for a good few months, i have decided they are not for me and i'm back on My Grado Sr60i's. The reason is that I find the flat response of the AKG's a bit boring, I also started to find the massive ear pads a bit uncomfortable and I found the sound to be a little detached or "distant" from my ears and having to increase the volume to try and get me excited. Having said all that, my son likes them (he's 19 and does a lot of music mixing). For him the clarity is what he needs, but for me, they just don't exite me and don't have that warmth and fullness of the Grado's. Good phones no doubt but just not for me!

Tras 5 días de uso (unas 4 horas diarias) puedo decir que estoy encantado con ellos. Antes de la compra leí muchas opiniones. Las hay a montones. Tanto poniendo los auriculares por las nubes como criticando aspectos negativos. No soy un experto y puedo decir barbaridades, pero mi experiencia ha sido muy positiva hasta ahora. Los he probado conectados directamente a la tarjeta de sonido del PC, a un Sony Xperia Z Ultra, a un amplificador de auriculares Matrix M-stage HPA2 USB conectado al PC por USB y usando el DAC del Matrix y conectados a la salida de auriculares de una cadena de música Kenwood del 97. Y los he comparado con unos in-ear de Sony y unos Sennheiser HD 218. Aquí no hay color. Simplemente la comparación sobra. Están muy por encima. Y finalmente, la música que he escuchado es principalmente clásica. Orquestal o cámara. Buscaba algo que fuese muy bien con esta música y lo he encontrado. También he escuchado jazz, pop, rock... y no veo que suenen nada mal. El objetivo final de esta opinión es comentar que, en mi opinión/experiencia: 1. Suenan muy muy bien. La escena, el detalle, el timbre de los instrumentos e incluso los bajos. 2. No los he encontrado tan necesitados de amplificador dedicado como comentan. 3. La escucha a través del PC horrible. 4. A través del amplificador Matrix muchísimo mejor. Pero pierden escena, se vuelve más pequeña y extraña. Y suenan mucho menos naturales. Si no hubiese encontrado algo mejor, probablemente pensaría que esta opción era muy buena. 5. A través de la cadena de música, correctos, nítidos, buenos graves. Muy disfrutables. Más naturales que con el Matrix. 6. Con el Sony Xperia Z Ultra la sorpresa ha sido mayúscula. Los mueve. Cerca de la amplificación máxima del móvil, eso sí, pero sin llegar al máximo. Pero sobre todo, suenan mejor que a través del Matrix! Los detalles se aprecian mejor. La escena es buena. No lo entiendo bien, pero es así. También suenan los bajos. Supongo que para muchos poco, pero yo los veo en su sitio. El ClearAudio+ de Sony me gusta. Levanta los medios y separa mucho los instrumentos, diría yo. En definitiva, los estoy disfrutando con el móvil. Cosa que no esperaba!! Como contras: 1. Tumbado con la cabeza en una almohada molestan. Llegan más atrás que mi cabeza y presiona hacia delante. La solución, una camiseta doblada en la nuca. Un rollo, pero entonces dejan de presionar y es muy cómodo. 2. No son tan cómodos como me hubiese gustado. Cómodos, pero no como si no llevases nada. 3. Para uso con el móvil el cable es aparatoso. No es su uso natural, supongo, pero como es lo que mejor me funciona... 4. Me quedo con la duda de cuanto mejorarían con un amplificador "de los buenos". Desde luego no he encontrado que el Matrix les vaya, pese a que es una combinación muy recomendada.

I discovered AKG headphones (hereafter 'cans') essentially at random. I saw a display with a set of very nice cans on display. they were expensive, but I'm picky about music, so I figured "why not give these a listen? I had been of the school that had as accepted wisdom that Sennheiser was really the pair for anyone who had any sort of reasonable budget, and in fact I had a pair getting old back at home hooked into my MIDI system. As a younger guy I'd tried all the big names of the '70s, and onward. I never considered myself an expert, but I certainly felt I could give a friend reasonable advice. I did a little comparison and was so startled by the lovely sound and true comfort of the set of K271s I was auditioning, I walked out with them right then and there. The other ones I passed along to a friend who owned no reasonable cans - just earbuds. THEN, I was passing the same shop, this time with some intent (as any audiophile will understand), and saw another pair of AKG cans on sale: these were K712s. These remain my gold standard cans - I have heard you can spend huge funds a get yourself an actual head-orchestra, but for those of us who do need to be reasonable, I can say nothing other than if you have not had the pleasure of the K271, save up and treat yourself. You'll be one seriously happy camper! (I hope they still make these!) Finally, to the K701s, which are resting VERY comfortably on my head as I write this. They arrived by post yesterday - a package was sitting nicely by my door. Firstly, if you want cans that punch your head with bass response (distortion, in my view), forget it. These are, how to put it? Very Gentlemanly or Lady-like? My first impression was of a gentle, cool and open appearance, judging by the colour alone. The earpieces are made of that superbly comfortable suede or suede-like material, and gently surround my entire ear. The openness of the cans is immediately, and pleasingly apparent. And how do they sound to me? The K701s cover all bases, and in my view, well. The high end is clean and clear as glass. No pinching, or brittleness at all. The midranges all sit well in place (I listen a lot to orchestral music, and this is an important consideration). When I listen to Bowie this is also important when it comes to his singing and saxophone work, as well as his often complex arrangements. I also had fun listening to some YES and Zeppelin, and the K701s came through really, really well. The bass response is probably the most interesting and surprising of all. At first I felt this was the weakness of these cans. However, I am a very big fan of the 'flat response', and although I have no graph to look at, audibly these cans perform at the bottom end with a clean, warm, commanding and altogether satisfying way. No, they are most certainly NOT the most impressive in this regard: the K712s are superior in every respect. NOW the big ask. Should you buy these? If you are listening to almost any other headphone that comes to mind, and can't stretch sensibly t the K712s, I can STRONGLY recommend the K701s without hesitation. Your ears may take a day or two to get accustomed to the glorious clear vistas these cans offer. They do a very fine job of staging an orchestra of a rock mix, and that matters. Most important of all for any pair of these devices: they are incredibly comfortable, and comfort cannot be emphasised enough for anyone who intends to listen for hours, if not all day, to something attached directly to your head! I have given these K712s 5 stars because they deserve them. I just can't whine my way around to removing a star because they are not my beloved K271s. Nope, 5 stars it is: brilliant and comfortable design, extreme comfort when worn, wonderful, wonderful sweet clarity of sound reproduction - have I sold them to you yet? Enjoy the K701s in good health!