So according to Fostex, they are demoing these headphones at the Portable Audio Laboratory meet in Japan today. A comparison with the TH-X00 will certainly be interesting...

I'm joining the chorus here, but as an owner of G109's cousin the V100, I will say that the amp offers a very satisfying sense of ownership. The aluminum front plate and volume knob feel nice to the touch, as does the specially coated top cover. And these are backed by a clean, neutral sound...

Oh and of course they sound the same  

I guess I should stop nitpicking. If my previous post came across as bitter, that was not my intention. In fact I like it so much that I got another pair, a black one, as I figured the black would hide any cosmetic imperfections better. Now that I had the chance to closely compare the two color...

Ok for comparison I've added K712 as well:      

Really? I guess I ended up with a bad batch then. I agree their sound quality justifies the 200 USD price tag, but I wouldn't have minded paying a little bit more for an Austrian-made pair if I knew what I would be getting now :P

Thanks for the reply. Yes mine is probably from the latest batch, and it said they were made in China. Not a dig against Chinese quality; they could be made in Slovakia or elsewhere for all I care.

True, Q701s are much cheaper compared to HD600/650s and even DT880s. But once you see the gap, you can't unsee it. If AKG increase the price of Q701s by 50 USD and fix the build, I wouldn't mind paying for it.   The bumps don't bother me. Actually I think they are better at keeping the...

Bought a new pair of Q701s recently. These sound great; coming from K712s, they made for a refreshing change. Definitely sound airier and more expansive.   However, I was not impressed with their build quality. The most glaring issue was the gap between mesh grille and outer black ring. I have...

I wonder how the tours will provide an environment for serious auditioning ... like leaving you alone with the system in a quiet, private room? Never been to one so I don't know how it works.   I can't wait to hear the impressions.

Wow, that's actually awesome. No, I'm not envious.

So which one of the high-rolling Head-Fi'ers will buy this and share his/her experience with us plebes?

Focus Camera has the first-gen beyerdynamic T1 for 625 USD... they are an authorized reseller so it's legit. I'm torn because I've been eying the HD800s but this deal is really good.

I haven't tried either of them so can't be of much help, but my USB-powered HP-A4 can drive the K712s just fine. As you mentioned, the Valhalla 2 page on the Schiit site does encourage you to run it with AKGs.

Wait you heard that the HD800 sounds a lot like the K712? And I was considering it as my next upgrade...   Between the HD800 and the T1, I wonder which one sounds more different from the K712...