All this time, I never bothered to take off the earpad, but once I did, I found TWO layers of substantial foam between the driver and the mesh. My camera is MIA, but one is a round piece of foam, and the other is another round piece with a small hole in the middle.

These are what gives K701 that strange sensation of detailed yet kind of detached sound b/c once you take the foams out, K701 almost approaches the immediacy of high-end Grado's.

Taking both foams out was a bit to much and stark, and I wouldn't recommend it unless your setup is quite dark and distant.

But just taking out the foam with the hole has left me with a nice balance in my own setup; of course, one could take out the foam without the hole if you desire even more treble to come through.

Between this little foam removal "mod" and recabling, K701 is a nice little addition to my stable of K1000 and HE60

P.S. The earpads come off very easily. Just grab the pad looking down on the mesh grill, then twist counter-clockwise about 1 cm until it unlocks and pull out.

I had tinkered with the two foam layers back when I owned a pair (probably over a year or so ago now) and I always felt that taking either layer out made the treble brighter and taking both out made the treble almost unbearable.

I tend to agree with both of you. The sound becomes hyperdetailed, if not a bit harsh. I listen to the HD650 defoamed, but defoaming the K701 takes it, IMO almost to Grado-like territory.

Jon L, what S/N is your K701? My pair didn't have two layers of foam.

When I had a K701 on extended loan a while back I thought about pulling the foam, but then I recalled what happened when I did the same thing to my Senn 580. To me at least, the treble on the K701 was bright enough as it is and I knew from the 580 that foam removal would make it even brighter. So I didn't bother, besides, they weren't mine.

Jon L, what S/N is your K701? My pair didn't have two layers of foam.

I can't believe I'm quoting myself. Anyway, I think I can remember the denser foam ring. Nvmd about my question.

I can't believe I'm quoting myself.

I wouldn't worry until you start having a lengthy conversation with yourself, and begin referring to yourself in the 3rd person...

you know, he really likes your signature... \

Oh yes I do

Yeah whatever. I'm going mad.

I'm going slightly mad

I'm going slightly mad

It finally happened - happened

It finally happened - ooh oh

It finally happened

I'm slightly mad

Oh dear

you know, he really likes your signature... \

I can't even begin to count the number of times I've clicked on that link. You'd think I'd remember it by now.

Would any of you want to send me a pair of rings, by chance, for a small fee?

And are the K701 pads supposed to be thinner on one side?

And are the K701 pads supposed to be thinner on one side?

Yes they are, the thicker side goes to the back of your head.

I just tries taking out the foam discs (had only one layer in my S/N ~16500 phones). And yes, now there is EVEN MORE treble, making listening a little more fatiguing. Don't know if I will keep it that way yet.. With the rings, I can turn the volume to a little higher level, giving me a fuller sound.

Yes they are, the thicker side goes to the back of your head.

I just tries taking out the foam discs (had only one layer in my S/N ~16500 phones).

Huh, my K701 serial is 26xx, so I guess it's true AKG changed from 2 layers to 1 layer of foam somewhere before the 16500 serial. Does your foam disc have a hole in the middle or not?

No wonder people keep complaining K701 sounds too bright; it most definitely would be with many setups with only one foam layer inside

No wonder people keep complaining K701 sounds too bright; it most definitely would be with many setups with only one foam layer inside

This is very interesting. I've definitely read that some K701s were brighter than others. For example, Filburt's seems to be of the warmer type.

Mine only has one foam, and it has a hole in the middle.

Huh, my K701 serial is 26xx, so I guess it's true AKG changed from 2 layers to 1 layer of foam somewhere before the 16500 serial. Does your foam disc have a hole in the middle or not?

My two layer one had a serial number in the 1xxxs. My foam disc had a hole in the middle.

BTW, the new AKG website is pretty darn sexy. There are some saucy hi-res glamour shots of the K701 too.

My two layer one had a serial number in the 1xxxs. My foam disc had a hole in the middle.

BTW, the new AKG website is pretty darn sexy. There are some saucy hi-res glamour shots of the K701 too.

I wish they'd put up more hi-res pics of different angles and stuff though. And maybe even the box.

Huh, my K701 serial is 26xx, so I guess it's true AKG changed from 2 layers to 1 layer of foam somewhere before the 16500 serial. Does your foam disc have a hole in the middle or not?

yes, one layer disc, dark grey shiny foam, with a hole the size of the inner mesh of the driver in it.

There really seem to be differences throughout production. I remember a much fuller bass than my MS1, when I was listening to another guy's K701 before I bought mine. I will ask him about his s/n.

I have 701 pads on my K501 and pulled the donut foam. With it, the bass was muddied and overall shitty. With just the single layer of foam, it sounds just right.

My two layer one had a serial number in the 1xxxs. My foam disc had a hole in the middle.

BTW, the new AKG website is pretty darn sexy. There are some saucy hi-res glamour shots of the K701 too.

lol you said sauce.

Just checked with another forum: One guy has a S/N ~1500 and another one has ~1900. Both have only one thick ring. One tried taking that out and confirmed the lack of bass / increase in treble.

One tried taking that out and confirmed the lack of bass / increase in treble.

For reasons which I have no explanation for, the same thing happens when you defoam the HD580/6x0 series.