Built to deliver the most accurate and precise sound, the AKG K700 series headphones are one of the most notable headphones in the market for their expansive sound stage and balanced sound signature. The AKG K701 are headphones loved by music and studio recording professionals alike for their exceptional sound quality. With that being said, we are proud to bring a diverse lineup of replacement earpads to the table to help fine-tune your listening experience, all while improving comfort and noise isolation.
The replacement earpads we have available include our Elite Sheepskin, Elite Fenestrated Sheepskin, Elite Velour, Elite Hybrid, and Platinum Protein Leather. We not only make these replacement earpads for the AKG K701 but for numerous other AKG headphones with the same earpad form factor. Check out our Verified Fits list to learn which headphones are compatible.
The frequency response measurements of the stock earpads compared to our Elite and Platinum replacement earpads were recorded using the AKG K701 headphones. Let’s take a look at how our pads perform with these headphones.
First up, we have our Elite Sheepskin replacement earpads. We use a very soft and natural sheepskin material with our high-density memory foam to enhance overall comfort. Our solid sheepskin material measured the largest deviation from the stock earpads. As you can see in the above graph, there’s a noticeable increase in bass content starting off at a 5 dB increase at the 10 Hz range. As we move up in the lower frequency range towards the mids, the increase decreases a bit until it matches the stock dB range at around 300 Hz. We recorded an overall decrease in dB and presence in the mid to higher frequency range with a large dip at around the 3-4 kHz range. As we enter the highest frequencies, we can see a gradual increase in the dip, until it matches the stock pads at around 11 kHz but fluctuations still exist going further into this range. Overall, the listening experience will most likely include more bass with less presence in the mid-range. Though, keep in mind that the large dip in the midrange between 1 kHz and 5 kHz is likely due to having an uncompensated graph and our sensitivity to vocals and the midrange, in general. You should still expect a v-shaped sound with emphasis on treble and bass.
Interested in Elite Sheepskin replacement ear pads for the AKG K701? Click here!
Next, we have our Elite Fenestrated Sheepskin replacement earpads. Fenestrated is another word for windowed or perforations, meaning our Fenestrated Sheepskin pads come with tiny holes along the interior and exterior of the earpad. The added perforations were designed to reduce the amount of reflected sound inside the earpad, allowing for a more airy and open listening experience. There’s also a reduction in the amount of heat stored inside the pads with the included perforations, which creates a more breathable and relaxed listening experience. Similar to our solid Elite Sheepskin pads, there’s an increase in the bass extension in the lower frequencies. However, besides the low-frequency content, the Fenestrated Sheepskin earpads are almost audibly indistinguishable. The mids and highs maintain a very similar frequency response to the stock earpads.
Interested in Elite Fenestrated Sheepskin replacement ear pads for the AKG K701? Click here!
Our Elite Velour replacement earpads are made with a much higher thread count and tighter weave than typical velour pads. Even with these pads' immense softness and breathability, they are still able to maintain the foundational bass with even a similar increase as the leather material pads. Contrary to most velours which lose low-end and high-end pitch presence, our velour pads are able to deliver a much different listening experience. In fact, the Elite Velour earpads trace very similarly to the Fenestrated Sheepskin pads with just slightly less presence in the mid-range. This is actually a great opportunity to choose between cloth or leather, based on your personal comfort preferences.
Interested in Elite Velour replacement earpads for the AKG K701? Click here!
Our Elite Hybrid replacement earpads are made up of all the Elite materials including Elite Fenestrated along the inner face, Elite Sheepskin wrapped around the outside face, and Elite Velour as the material that hugs your ears. With this combination of ear pad materials, we found a similar increase in the bass response, however with a slightly larger increase at the 10 Hz range going forward. The Elite Hybrid pads also match a similar dip in the mid-range as the solid Elite Sheepskin earpads, however, with a slightly less dip in dB. There is less contrast between the 4 kHz and 6 kHz range compared to the Elite Sheepskin and stock earpads. Overall, we found there to be a similar frequency curve shape as the stock earpads but with an increase in bass and a little less amplitude in the mid to higher frequencies.
Interested in Elite Hybrid replacement ear pads for the AKG K701? Click here!
Lastly, we have our Platinum Protein Leather replacement earpads. While our Platinum Protein Leather earpads for the AKG K701 have been discontinued, you can find these available for a number of other popular headphones. Our Platinum earpads are made with high-quality vegetarian synthetic leather and also come with our ultra-slow, high-density memory foam to increase the seal and comfort of your headphones. Our Platinum earpads follow a very similar frequency response to the Elite Sheepskin earpads due to a similar leather material and tighter seal. However, we did notice a larger bass emphasis and extension in the Platinum earpads, creating a more noticeable v-shaped sound signature. Our Platinum Protein Leather earpads were manufactured with eggshell protein instead of being procured from animal hide. This means they have a more even grain structure and are much thinner than other leather pads, which will allow less heat to get trapped inside the pads. Again, we've discontinued the Platinum earpads for the AKG K701 headphones, but if you're looking for a similar pair of replacement earpads, we'd recommend the Elite Sheepskin earpads as they offer a similar feel and tweak to the sound signature.
Never forget how important the subjective factor is for determining whether or not headphones sound good. If they sound good to you, then they’re good! With the comfort of your headphones as a top priority for us, we also strive to deliver a sound signature that complements the enhanced comfort. We design our earpads so that they can give you fun and unique sound signatures as opposed to tarnishing the stock sound signature. With all that being said, if any of the above replacement earpads for the AKG K701 and more — such as our Elite Sheepskin, Elite Fenestrated Sheepskin, Elite Velour, and Elite Hybrid — interests you, don’t hesitate to check them out here.

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