K702 headphone replacement

[nuht]

After ~5 years my K702 just died (I spilled water by accident) and I'm looking for a replacement.
I'm around these 3:
- HD600
- Hifiman edition xs
- Another K702 (I love their sound without EQ and with a little EQ in the bass is a win)

I never had the opportunity to try HD600 and edition xs, that's why I'm asking for help here

PS: I use the EQ provided by the ADI-2 DAC, so other headphones at 400 euros that could be better with EQ are welcome.

 

[HoJ76]

The K702 has a large soundstage - if that's one of the things you like about the 702, I'd probably just buy a new one of the same type.

 

[nuht]

The K702 has a large soundstage - if that's one of the things you like about the 702, I'd probably just buy a new one of the same type.

Hey, tks for the reply, just request a new K702, at the end I could save ~300 bucks

 

[Viper780]

Why not the K712 or Hi-X65?
The HD600 sounds a bit different to your K702 and are more comfortable

The Edition XS is very different but I've loved the sound as a seasoned AKG user (started with K271 30 years ago and many more followed) but doesn't fitted my head very good..
The similar sounding Arya Stealth has a better fit.

 

[OK1]

I have also owned an AKG K702 for 10 years. It has been a prized possession, and I still cherish it. Mine have had their pads replaced after 10 years.

I've been on a journey with IEM's over recent months, and here is my subjective opinion, I have no measurements to prove anything I say. That's not me, I am not an audio scientist.

From my recent experience, technology has moved on, and the huge question will be who is doing great hearing tech today.

2nd question is - do you still need a large, expensive Over Ear Headphone, in 2024?

At this time, I'm using a 7Hz Zero 2, which costs typically $20 or less, and it totally supersedes the AKG K702. Yeah its just so much better. Takes a lot of humility to admit that this $20 IEM, sounds so much better than a HiFi/Professional Audio Classic from yesteryears. But that is my experience.

That is my suggestion, 7Hz Zero 2., and save yourself a lot of money.

 

[A Surfer]

Yuck, pushing things inside the ear canal. Some potential issues with that like wax being forced deeper inside, introduce bacteria and having a sound source so close to the delicate hearing structures?

I may be misremembering things, but I could have sworn reading that there is evidence of more hearing damage being attributed to in-ear speakers versus over-ear. Perhaps I am misremembering. In any case, for me pushing things inside the ear canal is a no go.

 

[OK1]

Yuck, pushing things inside the ear canal. Some potential issues with that like wax being forced deeper inside, introduce bacteria and having a sound source so close to the delicate hearing structures?

I may be misremembering things, but I could have sworn reading that there is evidence of more hearing damage being attributed to in-ear speakers versus over-ear. Perhaps I am misremembering. In any case, for me pushing things inside the ear canal is a no go.

Let's look at it this way. It has become common practice, for all kinds of people in the performing arts, and broadcasting, and in the security forces, to use in ears. From the Secret Services personnel who guard the US president, and other American important people, to almost everyone in broadcast news, to all the singers, musicians, theatre performers, all over the world.

That's a lot of people who wear these things, for many hours a day, and have done so for many years. If there were an occupational hazard, we would have known about it, cos there are so many users, who make a living, needing to use in-ears.. almost daily.

On the contrary, I would suppose that being so close to the ear, and having occlusion, the absence of external sound, due to a good tight seal, the listener is able to hear music/audio at very low levels, furthermore, in almost all case, the user has direct control of their own volume. Which would help preserve their hearing.

They can be more affordable, are much smaller and lighter than headphones, easy to transport, less visible, unobtrusive, you definitely do not want a giant headphone for outdoor listening or when on public transportation.

And may I add the millions of people, who regularly use wireless in ear devices, of one description or another, for meetings and social online gatherings, every single day, who are NOT musicians, or in the performing arts.

I accept that yes, there are hygiene issues to be addressed, but one does not throw the baby out with the bathwater. IEM's are a viable alternative to headphones.

 

[roladyzator]

I've got a HE400SE and after two evenings of comparing back and forth with K702, I decided to sell the K702 I've been using for 4 years.
Without EQ, the K702 mids were too shouty for me.

With EQ, the HE400SE won because of less issues in the midrange / treble with other aspects of the sound reproduction being close.

If you haven't tried the K371, it would also be a good idea. Those are my personal favorites.

The 7Hz Zero 2 are very good as well.

Another contender would be the Aune AR5000, I suppose.
I haven't heard them, but it seems they're very lightweight and with a neutral sound profile, which can give you some soundstage goodness without the shouty mids of K702.

 

[nuht]

I have also owned an AKG K702 for 10 years. It has been a prized possession, and I still cherish it. Mine have had their pads replaced after 10 years.

I've been on a journey with IEM's over recent months, and here is my subjective opinion, I have no measurements to prove anything I say. That's not me, I am not an audio scientist.

From my recent experience, technology has moved on, and the huge question will be who is doing great hearing tech today.

2nd question is - do you still need a large, expensive Over Ear Headphone, in 2024?

At this time, I'm using a 7Hz Zero 2, which costs typically $20 or less, and it totally supersedes the AKG K702. Yeah its just so much better. Takes a lot of humility to admit that this $20 IEM, sounds so much better than a HiFi/Professional Audio Classic from yesteryears. But that is my experience.

That is my suggestion, 7Hz Zero 2., and save yourself a lot of money.

Hello,
I feel the IEM is very uncomfortable for long usage. In my case, I use headphones the entire day for music and work (meetings, etc.).
But for the price, I will give 7Hz a try, it could be a good combo for the Nintendo Switch

 

[Viper780]

From my recent experience, technology has moved on, and the huge question will be who is doing great hearing tech today.

2nd question is - do you still need a large, expensive Over Ear Headphone, in 2024?

Why not both?
To me it is a very different hearing experience.

I've just got Let Shuoer S12 and I like them. Had to change the Ear Tips and still experimenting with the best fit (and seal). But quality und what I hear is different.

I feel the IEM is very uncomfortable for long usage. In my case, I use headphones the entire day for music and work (meetings, etc.).

Try different ear tips, I love Spinfit and FiiO HS20
But maybe some foamies like Comply may be a better Fit.

But for the price, I will give 7Hz a try, it could be a good combo for the Nintendo Switch

The zero 2 are good, but I would upgrade to the S12 or Timeless

 

[OK1]

Why not both?
To me it is a very different hearing experience.

I've just got Let Shuoer S12 and I like them. Had to change the Ear Tips and still experimenting with the best fit (and seal). But quality und what I hear is different.

Try different ear tips, I love Spinfit and FiiO HS20
But maybe some foamies like Comply may be a better Fit.

The zero 2 are good, but I would upgrade to the S12 or Timeless

I agree one needs both.

The sad aspect of this hobby/interest in audio reproduction tools, is obsolescence. Things are getting better. Our understanding of materials, far more people now use head worn listening devices - so there is a lot more opportunity to invest in research and development, a lot more competition - especially with the influx of lower cost products designed by Chinese original manufacturers - some of which are very very good, much bigger market, far better distribution - via online sales. So every few years, one has to check in and see what's up?

Otherwise it's so easy to live in the past, on outdated glory. I will never sell my AKG K702's, they were great for their time, but they are history, now I have heard better from IEM's, I can hear what I perceive to be distortion, in the K702's. Better is the enemy of good.

Budget, stops me from "experimenting" any further with higher value IEMs, above about $50. I have to stop somewhere. Highly interested in Planar Magnetics, was so thrilled by the ARTTI T10, for a few months, until a critical listening comparison, with Zero 2's threw up the challenges with the T10, and gave me cold feet for planar magnetics. Not saying the issues are due to the technology of planar magnetics. Just not willing at this time to shell out any serious money, unless I can 1st hear the IEM, before I buy. The S12 2024 has received universal acclaim, and I wish I could buy that, but I also abhor marketing pressure like limited editions - just an ethos I do not gravitate towards.

It has been a progression of one more impressive than the last, starting with a CCA CRA, that totally took my small device listening to another level, compared to some Sony and JVC ear buds, and the Apple EarPods. Was a revelation. Then KZ ZVX, ARTTI T10, got a KZ EDC Pro - which is better than the ZVX - but not better than the ARTTI T10, and now the 7hz Zero 2 - best I own so far, in small devices.

It's getting harder to justify why I should spend more, on anything. Hard to imagine - how much better could it sound?

Yes there are times, I do wish I did not have to stick something into the ear. One terrible development of using in ears, the ears become very sensitive to every small change in sonics, due to positioning of the nozzles - depth, rotation, angle. And any difference in hearing between left and right, is "amplified". I read somewhere that for In ears, many do not have the same frequency and level of hearing in both ears, due to slight differences in the shape and length of the ear canal, so one adaptation I have had to learn is adjusting the depth in each ear, until I can hear a MONO signal, dead center, and in some cases needing to add a bit of stereo imbalance in software on the playback device.

Headphones are more tolerant of hearing variations between the left an right ears, and speakers a whole lot more tolerant.

That's one bonus of headphone, far less need to be pedantic about stereo positioning.

But on that note, I then discover having done all this work to center the mono image on an IEM, that so many lead vocals, on music I have heard for many many years, are mixed off center - just a bit off to one side or the other. Of course some are dead center. This level of accuracy, is not something I have experienced on Over the Ear Headphones, or Speakers. So sometimes, the level of information provided in an IEM, like the Zero 2's can be a lot, so many revelations, from music one has been listening to for decades. You remember all the cues, but now, the Zero 2 pinpoints in far greater detail, the position in the stereo field, of each element in the mix.

Thinking about the HifiMan HE400SE (Stealth version) or the FiiO FT1 Pro. Not encouraged anymore to stick with good old tech like the HD6XX family of Over Ears. Happy to consider newer kids on the block.

 

[OK1]

Why not both?
To me it is a very different hearing experience.

I've just got Let Shuoer S12 and I like them. Had to change the Ear Tips and still experimenting with the best fit (and seal). But quality und what I hear is different.

Try different ear tips, I love Spinfit and FiiO HS20
But maybe some foamies like Comply may be a better Fit.

The zero 2 are good, but I would upgrade to the S12 or Timeless

I agree one needs both. At least one decent IEM, and one decent headphone.

 

[OK1]

Why not both?
To me it is a very different hearing experience.

I've just got Let Shuoer S12 and I like them. Had to change the Ear Tips and still experimenting with the best fit (and seal). But quality und what I hear is different.

Try different ear tips, I love Spinfit and FiiO HS20
But maybe some foamies like Comply may be a better Fit.

The zero 2 are good, but I would upgrade to the S12 or Timeless

Indeed, some time spent tip rolling, I've found to be great. I've settled on the TRI Clarions - not expensive, Wide bore, delivers an open sound. Some of the stock eartips, and this common across many IEMs, tend to mask the sharpness in the upper frequencies, almost as if the designer knows they are there, and has decided to use eartips to deal with the issue.

The change of eartips to the TRI, helped me hear the difference between IEM's, more easily, and the fit/isolation is better than the stock tips. Not expensive the TRI Clarions. Just saw them, nice low cost, let me try these out, and they have taken IEM listening to another level., or showed me flaws I was not hearing, with stock eartips.