Focal Hadenys vs AKG K701

Buy the Focal Hadenys for everyday listening on a phone or laptop: at 26 ohms and 100 dB it runs loud from weak sources, the cable detaches, and it carries a 3-year warranty. Buy the AKG K701 for analytical listening and studio work: its 50 mm drivers, 10 Hz–39.8 kHz range and flat-wire voice coil give a wide, precise soundstage, but 62 ohms and a fixed 3 m cable suit a desk, not a pocket. Owners of both praise open, airy sound; the Hadenys is the more forgiving and portable of the two, the K701 the more revealing and the more demanding of an amp.

• Choose the Focal Hadenys if you want open-back sound that a phone or laptop can drive, a detachable cable and a long warranty.
• Choose the AKG K701 if you listen at a desk or mix, want the widest soundstage and detail, and can give it a decent amp.