AKG is an Austrian manufacturer to build and design some top-quality headphones and microphones for professional and personal use.
They were founded in 1947 and are now to this day still synonymous with good sound and innovative designs. AKG has established its name for having some of the best headphones for audiophiles on the market.
From the offset, the AKG K701 AND K702 may look like exactly the same headphones, but there are small minor aspects that differentiate one from the other.
Today we’ll be comparing the two popular headphones from the AKG brand and finding out which one is best
Check out our brief comparisons in our table below.
Comparison Table of General Specifications
Comparison | K701 | K702 |
Purpose of headphones | Gaming, mixing, and mastering | Gaming, mixing, and mastering |
Type of headphones | Open Back | Open Back |
Audio Frequency Bandwidth | 10Hz-39.8KHz | 10Hz-39.8KHz |
Sensitivity of headphones | 105dB SPL/V | 105dB SPL/V |
Power Input Maximum | 200 mW | 200 mW |
Effective Resistance | 62 ohms | 62 ohms |
Available colors | Maroon, Grey & Silver | Black, Blue & Silver |
What comes included?
It’s always good to know that you’ve got everything you need to use your headphones straight away upon them arriving out the box.
Extra accessories are such a bonus and prevent you from having to buy them yourself.
AKG K701:
When you receive your AKG K701 headphones you will also receive a ¼ to a ⅛ inch adapter.
AKG K702:
When you receive the AKG K701 headphones you’ll also receive the ¼ to ⅛ inch adapter like the K701’s, an audio cable, and also a carry case to store your headphones.
Design
AKG K701:
The AKG K701’s are quite large and bulky headphones, but despite their size, they’re very comfortable and lightweight enough to wear on the head for long periods and can often go unnoticed during long periods of use.
The size of these headphones will certainly make you stand out when walking down the street, but even in saying that, we wouldn’t recommend these types of headphones for outdoor use, especially exercising.
The materials feel very durable, although you should always try to avoid dropping or throwing headphones of this caliber around.
The headband is adjustable to suit different head shapes and sizes. The AKG K701’s are available in maroon, grey, and silver and are often just one tone all over the headphones.
AKG K702:
The AKG K702s are completely made out of plastic apart from the black velour earpads on the inside and have a slightly more retro style to them, almost as if you’re a 80s music producer.
They’re also lightweight, weighing the exact same as their almost twin-like model the K701s. Just like the K701, the headband is adjustable, so you’ll be able to adjust it to fit your head perfectly without too much pressure, especially helpful if you plan on sharing these headphones with someone you live with.
The K702s are available in blue, black, and silver and often feature two tones throughout the headphones.
One of the major design advantages that the K702 holds against the K701 is the detachable cable and replaceable ear pads.
The detachable cable is so convenient if you need to repair or replace it, as well as the replaceable ear pads, it saves you from buying entirely new headphones and only means you have to spend money on the parts.
Neither of these headphones comes with a built-in microphone so they’re best used for mixing. You can use them in gaming still as you’ll be able to hear the sounds from your console, but you won’t be able to chat via a headset option with these headphones.
Sound Quality
Both these headphones are built for gaming, mixing, and for serious hi-fi listeners, which means the sound quality on both these headphones do excel but it can be quite hard to differentiate the quality between them both.
Nevertheless, here’s the lowdown on how we found the sound quality on the K701 AND K702 headphones.
AKG K701:
These headphones have good sound quality for neutral listening and everything seems well balanced. The large ear cups offer a large soundstage for the listeners.
The bass isn’t anything to shout to the heavens about, so if you are someone who’s looking to mix or listen to hip hop or a genre with massive lows then these might come up to scratch for you.
The treble is decent and the highs are nice and crisp.
AKG K702:
There are not too many differences between the two headphones in terms of sound quality. The K702 also offers good resolution and well-balanced listening.
The vocals are bright and the mid-range that helps make acoustic music more prominent. However, the AKG K702 has better low bass than the K701.
Both headphones will work well for most genres of music and unless you are dedicated to one particular genre, then you’ll come to appreciate the ranges and balances that both the K702 AND K701 can offer.
The headphones work well for gaming and will be able to give you an immersive sound experience. However, these headphones shine when being used for mixing or listening to hi-fi.
Connectivity
You’ll be able to connect these headphones to laptops, phones etc... If you have the correct amp/DAC to make them work and sound great.
Neither headphone offers wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.
Microphone
Neither the K701 nor K702 headphones offer a built-in microphone with the headphone. So you will be unable to chat online whilst gaming with these headphones.
You could use an adapter and connect your own microphone.
Noise Proofing & Sound Leakages
Both of these headphones have open-back designs so will not completely block the sound from the outside out.
Both are intended to leak noise to enhance a more expansive sound stage. For this reason, you should use these headphones in an environment that has minimal noise or for mixing and gaming.
Warranty
The K702 and K701 are backed by a 2-year parts and labor warranty from AKG.
However, there is a specialized warranty card included with each pair of headphones to specify what is and what is not included in your warranty cover.
Pros & Cons of AKG701 vs K702
Pros of AKG K701:
- The leather headband is adjustable, sturdy yet comfortable
- Good for mixing
- Good sound quality for neutral listening
- Bass mids and treble are well-balanced
- Spacious soundstage
Cons of AKG K701:
- Not very portable due to bulkiness
- Can’t use for sport or exercise
- Low bass lacks impact
Pros of AKG K702:
- Removable cable
- Replaceable ear pads
- Immersive soundstage
- Crisp sound
- Well-gripped yet comfortable headband
Cons of AKG K702:
- Bulky
- Not for outdoor use
Final Thoughts & Which Ones Should You Buy
In reality, it seems like these headphones are pretty much the same and hard to compare.
Apart from the detachable cable and replaceable ear pads (super handy though!), there are no particular differences to draw between them.
The K702 seems to be an upgraded version of the K701 regarding features but the sound quality seems to be hitting the same marks.
If we had to pick a winner, it would be the K702, the convenience of being able to replace or repair the cable if something happens to it is so much less of a faff than having to send the headphones off to be repaired by the manufacturer, it also saves us having to buy a new pair if they’re beyond the warranty.
The replaceable ear pads are also a bonus. With extensive wear over time, ear pads lose their shape, start to scuff, and even rip open or start malting leather.
Being able to buy new ones to pop on is so handy as we’ll be able to continue using the headphones for as long as we want and there’ll be no need to replace them.
You can buy the AKG K701 headphones here
You can buy the AKG K702’s here
