AKG K712PRO Open-Back, Over-Ear Premium Reference Class Studio Headphones, Sophisticated Open Technology, Revolutionary Flat Wire Voice Coil, Broad and spacious soundstage, Comfortable Desig
AKG K712PRO – Open Back Headphones
Professional Reference Studio Headphones
The K712 PROs are reference, open, over-ear headphones for precise listening, mixing and mastering.
Unearth all the detail
Revolutionary Technology
Combining revolutionary technology and carefully-selected components, the K712s breathe new life into music with their spacious soundstage, precise sound, and premium comfort.
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Master the sound
Hear things that you’ve never heard before. The AKG K712 PRO Open-Back Headphones are a dream come true for studio-dwellers and audiophiles alike.
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Discover Your Sound
There’s a lot that goes into music. It’s not just a few small sounds thrown together to make a slightly bigger sound and with the K712s you’ll hear every detail.
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Sophisticated open technology
Whether you’re a musician, mixing or mastering engineer, or a lover of high-fidelity sound. The K712s accurately reproduce every nuance with outstanding clarity.
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Maximum Comfort, Minimum Fatigue
You’ll never want to take them off. The AKG K712 PROs envelope you in pure sonic bliss and luxurious comfort.
Comparison
Open-Back | Headphone Type | Open-Back |
| | Detachable Cable | |
62 Ohms | Rated Impedance | 120 Ohms |
235g | Net Weight | 662g |
10 – 39800 Hz | Audio Bandwidth | 12 – 39500 Hz |
Open-Back | Headphone Type | Open-Back |
| | Detachable Cable | |
62 Ohms | Rated Impedance | 62 Ohms |
235g | Net Weight | 232g |
10 – 39800 Hz | Audio Bandwidth | 10 – 39800 Hz |
Open-Back | Headphone Type | Open-Back |
| | Detachable Cable | |
62 Ohms | Rated Impedance | 62 Ohms |
235g | Net Weight | 231g |
10 – 39800 Hz | Audio Bandwidth | 10 – 39800Hz |
- AKG K612 PRO
- AKG K701
- AKG K702
The AKG Legacy
Inspiring Greatness for Decades
For more than 65 years, AKG has helped create the iconic sounds of some of the world’s most well known recording artists, engineers and producers. Our designers and engineers have made it their life’s passion to find new ways to deliver breakthrough experiences for artists of all levels.
| Weight: | 1 kg |
| Size: | 4.76 x 7.83 x 4.45 inches |
| Dimensions: | 11.3 x 19.9 x 21.2 cm; 1 Kilograms |
| Model: | 2458X00140 |
| Colour: | Black |
| Colour: | Black |
| Origin: | Slovakia |
| Size: | 4.76 x 7.83 x 4.45 inches |
The headphones are large and would be suitable for those with a large head or large ears. Perhaps not the best for those with a small head.
To my mind the sound is only acceptable for the price. e.g. I prefer the sound of Grado headphones (but I find Grado phones do not last an acceptable time).
I have had a few heaphones all costing me around 100 mark. This has been my favourite of all time. I wish it had a detached cable, but thats my only issue. Do your research well. I was looking for something 1-comfortable, 2- good sound quality, 3- to be able to listen to other external noises (amp sound or monitors) but still have all the nice quality of what I am playing through them.
I also have closed headphones for other purposes.
I have had a few heaphones all costing me around 100 mark. This has been my favourite of all time. I wish it had a detached cable, but thats my only issue. Do your research well. I was looking for something 1-comfortable, 2- good sound quality, 3- to be able to listen to other external noises (amp sound or monitors) but still have all the nice quality of what I am playing through them.
I also have closed headphones for other purposes.
Soundstaging is very good,with excellent bass response.I wear glasses, and ,unfortunately ,this causes discomfort and motion squeaking .I find the leather headband unyielding and uncomfortable.This may ease with use however,hence only 4stars.The earcups are very large and totally ear covering,not condusive to comfort for spectacle wearers.Removing my glasses solves that problem,but then creates another visual problem,alas.
Bought these after looking at many reviews and to replace a pair of Philip’s Adagio x2
which I couldn’t get on with.
The 702’s go louder but lacking the deep base that I got with the Adagios.
But saying that the Adagios tickled my ears on higher volume, the 702’s don’t.
Sound staging and instrument placement also better on the 702’s.
What I do miss is the comfort of the Adagios. The most comfortable headphones I have used. Ear cushions are harder on the 702’s and they don’t sit on the head as well.
I do recommend the 702’s but have sacrificed comfort for loudness.
Bought these after looking at many reviews and to replace a pair of Philip’s Adagio x2
which I couldn’t get on with.
The 702’s go louder but lacking the deep base that I got with the Adagios.
But saying that the Adagios tickled my ears on higher volume, the 702’s don’t.
Sound staging and instrument placement also better on the 702’s.
What I do miss is the comfort of the Adagios. The most comfortable headphones I have used. Ear cushions are harder on the 702’s and they don’t sit on the head as well.
I do recommend the 702’s but have sacrificed comfort for loudness.
Bought these after looking at many reviews and to replace a pair of Philip’s Adagio x2
which I couldn’t get on with.
The 702’s go louder but lacking the deep base that I got with the Adagios.
But saying that the Adagios tickled my ears on higher volume, the 702’s don’t.
Sound staging and instrument placement also better on the 702’s.
What I do miss is the comfort of the Adagios. The most comfortable headphones I have used. Ear cushions are harder on the 702’s and they don’t sit on the head as well.
I do recommend the 702’s but have sacrificed comfort for loudness.
Bought these after looking at many reviews and to replace a pair of Philip’s Adagio x2
which I couldn’t get on with.
The 702’s go louder but lacking the deep base that I got with the Adagios.
But saying that the Adagios tickled my ears on higher volume, the 702’s don’t.
Sound staging and instrument placement also better on the 702’s.
What I do miss is the comfort of the Adagios. The most comfortable headphones I have used. Ear cushions are harder on the 702’s and they don’t sit on the head as well.
I do recommend the 702’s but have sacrificed comfort for loudness.
The only problem I’ve had is that they do leak enough sound to be picked up by my modmic 5 every so often, but that comes with the territory of open backs and these cans are good enough that I’m considering using a different mic to fix that problem over just getting equivalent closed backs.
These are great for studio work but they use elasticated cord to keep the head band snug, and some rather thin plastic parts so they’re not going to last a long time. Elasticated cord deteriorates after a few years, so even if you are very careful with them they do seem to have an expiry date.
Dislike: big for my head (but very lightweight).
Dislike: big for my head (but very lightweight).
P.S Will update the review in few months.
The sound quality is the best based on the price I paid for it considering Sennheiser studio headphones cost min 167 (145 on offer) and around 300 for proper studio headphones. It sounds better than expected BUT it only works if you pair it with decent quality D.A.C/amp like E10k foii 61. Also you need to tweak the windows 10 sound to only 96khz, 96khz studio quality, and untick “let application take control of the device”.
The packaging is quite nice and the headphone comes with very long 3.5mm headphone cable. However, I was dissappointed that once you attach the cable you cannot detach it from the headphone. So be very careful with cable management & not let your chair rollover the cables on the floor, otherwise there goes your 100 in few months. I would glady pait up to 20 for replacement cable for 40-50 for different model with detachable cable…
Comfort wise it is lot better than previous headphones I have used on the past, only thing I can think off is that the sponge on the memory foam is quite tough, If could be better if it was a bit softer.
Good headphones, very clear although sub-bass is almost non-existent and bass frequencies lacking. It also has an unflattering upper mid-range in some areas. Using Sonarworks Reference 4 headphone edition to modify the headphones EQ curve took them from a 7/10 to a 9.5/10 (I really recommend this software). Despite my reservations, I have no doubts this is about as good as it gets in this low price range.
These are lightweight headphones and comfortable to wear. They sound good and clear however if you intend to use them with a smartphone or tablet I recommend you invest in a headphone amplifier to benefit their true potential. I purchased these for Studio use for mixing and mastering but I was disappointed to discover that they are in fact made in China. I was under the impression that they were made in Austria as per the Amazon Description.
If you’re a drummer this would be the best headset for you, you can hear every part of the drum seperated without trying to distinguish them from everything else.
If you’re a drummer this would be the best headset for you, you can hear every part of the drum seperated without trying to distinguish them from everything else.
Tested with DnB and Hiphop, the Bass is not overblown nor boomy, but well presented and tight. I will still have to burn them in a little longer as the 612’s seemed a little bit tighter. Real heavy bassheads be weary; even with the additional advertised boost in bass comparatively to something like a DT990 it will seem lighter. Treble is accurate and well presented but not harsh. These are revealing headphones and will react accurately to what they are fed. Great productions sing and terrible productions hurt.
If you are looking for headphones that bear a more natural signature with plenty of detail and have a bit of a sweet spot for bass, these come highly recommended.
Die klanglichen Qualitten dieses KH stehen meines Erachtens auer Frage. Er spielt ausgesprochen rumlich, breite Bhne, feinste Differenzierung. Um da noch eine Schippe draufzulegen, muss man schon erheblich tiefer in die Tasche greifen.
Die Klangsignatur ist eher ausgeglichen – fr mich genau richtig. Ich hatte zum Vergleich den Shure 1440, der sehr prsente obere Mitten hat. Der Gesang ist dadurch wesentlich heller und klarer, fr mich aber auf die Dauer zu aggressiv. Deshalb habe ich mich fr den AKG entschieden, der ein ausgesprochen warmes Klangbild hat, in den Hhen jedoch eben zurckhaltend agiert.
Die Verarbeitung macht auf den ersten Blick nicht viel her. Er sieht ausgesprochen einfach aus. Entscheidend ist aber die Haltbarkeit, und die zeigt sich natrlich erst mit den Jahren.
Den Tragekomfort empfinde ich als sehr gut. Mittlerer Anpressdruck, gute Gelpolster, viel Platz fr die Ohren, die nirgends gequetscht werden. Ich habe mir noch ein 1,2m langes Kabel fr 15 dazubestellt, da ich die langen Kabel beim Herumlaufen in der Wohnung als eher hinderlich betrachte.
Insgesamt ein exzellentes Gert.
I really owe a favor to Amazon, which led me to leave a comment.
This product really is what we were told of when researching the area of headphones.
consumers are not manipulated or anything.
You heard about this product as great,
extensive in soundstage, great in vocal, and isolation.
Those are how exactly will be with the headphone.
This is it. One of the three reference headphones.
If you were to have a headphone, then this is not the best suit for you
but if you were to have headphones, this, is almost to an one of the essential
that can extend the song to its finest in this model can provide but no other can.
I believe from this product, there is no true upgrade but preference.
The high end on these is so crisp that when I flip back to my studio monitors I feel like I’ve gone slightly deaf :-). I have started to mix almost exclusively through them, occasionally checking the levels on my monitors. It’s impossible to be truly objective and say that they are flat, but my mixes have drastically improved when listened to through car speakers, on my phone and with other devices so I would say that they are definitely more accurate than what I am used to. The most notable improvement I’ve had has been with the bass elements of my mixes, which I’m guessing is because they don’t colour the sound as much as what I’ve previously used.
They are reasonably well made, but I wasn’t blown away by the build quality to be honest, after a few months of daily use they seem like they should last if your’e not transporting them around all the time. They are comfortable after you get used to them (I also wear glasses), but I don’t notice I’m wearing them even after 2-3 hours.
I don’t have the cash for high end studio gear, but to be honest I would have no desire to upgrade these right now anyway, I think that they do a great job.
The high end on these is so crisp that when I flip back to my studio monitors I feel like I’ve gone slightly deaf :-). I have started to mix almost exclusively through them, occasionally checking the levels on my monitors. It’s impossible to be truly objective and say that they are flat, but my mixes have drastically improved when listened to through car speakers, on my phone and with other devices so I would say that they are definitely more accurate than what I am used to. The most notable improvement I’ve had has been with the bass elements of my mixes, which I’m guessing is because they don’t colour the sound as much as what I’ve previously used.
They are reasonably well made, but I wasn’t blown away by the build quality to be honest, after a few months of daily use they seem like they should last if your’e not transporting them around all the time. They are comfortable after you get used to them (I also wear glasses), but I don’t notice I’m wearing them even after 2-3 hours.
I don’t have the cash for high end studio gear, but to be honest I would have no desire to upgrade these right now anyway, I think that they do a great job.
30 years ago, I bought a set of AKG’s — the K 280. These are called parabolic and have two speaker coils in each ear. Always liked these but I decided to treat myself as technology has moved on a bit since then.
I am in my 60’s so ears not so good. Kit is an Arcam rHead, iRdac II, A39, CD37, Heybrook TT2 deck. Various music both CD and vinyl.
I got the K712’s first. The sound was definitely an improvement on the K280, but not the upgrade I expected. Also, not too keen on the pads — like a foam material that could damage easily. They fit well and are comfortable so I could wear these all day.
The sound was engaging – good soundstage and separation of instruments, and bass was much better than I thought it would be. Much much better than the usual headphones with funky names that people wear on the train! I would say these are a good HiFi set of cans for ‘serious’ listening.
However I wasn’t totally blown away with these so looking higher up the tree I decided to get a pair of K812’s that Amazon had as open boxed for 520. If the reviews were right then this would be the upgrade I wanted, and I have 30 days to send the K712’s back.
So, the K812’s turned up and the box looked tatty, the headphone pads looked a bit ‘second hand’ so I took pictures just in case I went them back and they thought I had misused them!
Now came a couple of days using both sets with the rHead; which has two headphone sockets so comparing between the two was easier.
First thing I noticed was the K812’s sound louder 36 Ohms vs 62 Ohms for the K712 means they will. That makes comparisons difficult so I figured where on the rHead volume control gave the same level then went at it again.
How difficult it is to compare the two. Old ears and the fact that the hearing plays tricks unless you are in exactly the same headspace and playing exactly the same music! I have had to spend hours drinking just enough red while listening to loads of newish music and my old sounds (Floyd, stones etc).
I can’t give a scientific analysis but the K812’s wins out in every piece of music — not by a huge amount but the difference, if you can afford it, is worth it. The subtleties that are in music seemed effortless (or should I say more noticeable / clearer) with the K812’s. The rHead is a fantastic class ‘A’ headphone amp that lets me hook the CD or the turntable straight up — with the AKG’s it is perfect. Be aware though a couple of times I thought the coils might be off but it was simply flaws in the recordings. Once I knew what to listen out for the flaws showed up in other headphones on cheaper amps as well, just not so clearly.
I am delighted I can still appreciate good headphones at my age, I know the frequency range my ears are good for has dropped, but the frequencies I can hear are well served by both of these headphones.
The K812’s does a better job (for a bigger price) so I am going to send the K712’s back but I have a sneaky feeling I am going to have to audition a set of B&W P9’s before I am satisfied I have the ones for me.
These headphones have relatively high impedance and low sensitivity. They are very fussy about the amplifier and sound awful with some electronics. Even the headphone output of my HiFi amp sounds poor. Surprisingly, they sound great when driven directly from my old PC sound card. There’s no doubt that a top quality headphone amp is best, I built one for this purpose and it sounds excellent but of course commercial headphone amplifiers are available and the good ones are well worth it. Don’t be disappointed if you get this product and it sounds poor – just try some different devices or amplifiers and you will be rewarded with very fine sound indeed.
Sound wise they extremely detailed, neutral and the presentation is good.
Don’t pair them up with motherboard audio, a Soundblaster Z or a Fiio E10k you are wasting your hard earned cash. You’ll only see the quality paired with a DAC like an SMSL M6 or greater. If you think paying for these gets you other perks like comfort…they are light but many cheaper cans are more comfy.
Paired mine with the SMSL M6 and the sound is sublime.
All in all a bit more controlled when a large orchestra goes full throttle- then i find the 701 can sound a little strained and harsh at the treble end and a little less clear in the mid range when, say a Mahler or Wagner orchestra comes to a massive crescendo.
The k712 is also a better all rounder than the K701, being adept at rock and pop music.
The 712 is also less fatiguing for longer listens.
For all the above reasons i think the 712, at its current price, is worth the extra money over the still very fine 701 (which is now a stone cold bargain if you want a highly detailed, neutral open ear head phone).
Be aware that they need a headphone amp to be properly driven and sound their best.
These are currently selling for 140- they were AKG’s flagship consumer reference model when launched and sold for hundred’s of pounds more at the time. At the current price they are remarkable value if you are looking for a detailed, largely neutral headphone.
If you are looking for a warm or smooth sound these are not what you need, nor are they ideal for rock and pop recordings- but if you primarily listen to classical music, they are phenomenal, and at the current, much discounted price, a real find.
Listening to mainly acoustic covers (Live lounge etc) the AKG702’s are excellent. Powered by my Naim Unitiqute and Nap100 they out perform my closed back Bowers & Wilkins P7 and open backed Grado MS2 with superb detail (hear notes and sounds invisible on more bass hungry headphones) and the soundstage is wide (almost as enjoyable as my ATC SCM7 loudspeakers).
My iPhone 6 struggles to power them alone and a headphone amp is likely needed for on the move use (not something they are designed for being open backed). At 115.00 they are an absolute bargain! 5/5
I bought these after going through a pair of Sennheiser HD 518 and 558’s respectively. The sound quality on the former two sounded veiled and muddy in the mid notes. This pair however are clear, balanced, and comfortable. I am by no means an educated audiophile or musician, and despite these being recommended for ‘monitoring’, they seem to work well for general audio. The one thing I have noticed is that positional audio comes through very strongly, which is good.
The sound quality is better than my previous pair which were very bass heavy, however there is a lot of sound leak, but this is to be expected due to the open backed design, so be mindful of what you listen to on these. The line in cable for the PC/amp is a 3.5mm jack with an adaptor supplied for use with a 5mm jack which is nicer than being the other way around like on the Sennheisers.
I do recommend these and have zero complaints.
These headphones are also great with films and tv shows. Watching The OA on netflix with these on takes it to another level.
They are big,the cups go right over your ears and they are open backed adding to the airy,spacious sound these give. You can wear them for hours they are so comfy. I did actually forget I was wearing them a few times.
I got them at a great price and am thinking of getting a second pair for gaming/movies.
My bro in law says hey I got these new ‘beats’ headphones, check them out…. Pshhh really? If overhyped bass,earache and bright colours are your thing then fine, but I’m sticking with these AKG’s mate. The best headphones iv ever had.
Ended up getting these pretty cheap and shipped to AU. Shipping was impressively fast from the UK so happy with that.
The K702s are a very nice set of open-back headphones. Their impedance isn’t overly high, meaning they’re a bit more versatile if you wanted to use them in a phone/tablet/laptop. That said, as per most pairs of high-end headphones they will benefit from an amplifier. I am running mine off an Asus STX Essence sound card which has a built in DAC/Headphone amplifier (probably at the higher end of mid-range dacs/amps) and they sound great.
I’m no audiophile, but the sound signature is rather “flat” meaning all frequencies are represented at an equal level of loudness. This really allows you to separate all the different sounds – no one sound is obscured by another (unless the song is poorly mixed). The flat signature can take some getting used to for a lot of people but in the end it sounds great! Music sounds lovely and even gaming is nice with them – the wide soundstage assisting in FPS gaming for positional audio feedback.
As for comfort, these are excellent! They have sufficient clamping force to stay on your head but you can barely tell you’re wearing them. Perfect for long listening sessions.
Ended up getting these pretty cheap and shipped to AU. Shipping was impressively fast from the UK so happy with that.
The K702s are a very nice set of open-back headphones. Their impedance isn’t overly high, meaning they’re a bit more versatile if you wanted to use them in a phone/tablet/laptop. That said, as per most pairs of high-end headphones they will benefit from an amplifier. I am running mine off an Asus STX Essence sound card which has a built in DAC/Headphone amplifier (probably at the higher end of mid-range dacs/amps) and they sound great.
I’m no audiophile, but the sound signature is rather “flat” meaning all frequencies are represented at an equal level of loudness. This really allows you to separate all the different sounds – no one sound is obscured by another (unless the song is poorly mixed). The flat signature can take some getting used to for a lot of people but in the end it sounds great! Music sounds lovely and even gaming is nice with them – the wide soundstage assisting in FPS gaming for positional audio feedback.
As for comfort, these are excellent! They have sufficient clamping force to stay on your head but you can barely tell you’re wearing them. Perfect for long listening sessions.
These headphones however do need properly driving. Some people think that simply having the headphones going to a suitable volume means thry are being driven to there fullest. To tell the truth i thought the same until i started messing around with different amps. The ones i used are: dragonfly black, project headbox s and the arcam rhead, aswell as my iphone.
When running from the phone the volume was ok but the overall presentation was bass light and “lacking”.
(For the headbox and arcam rhead i have the feed coming from titanium HD sound card (130)
The dragon fly and the headbox s did a far better job of driving these headphones (both of which are around the 90 mark) there was a whole other layer of depth to the music. Which was great!
The rhead however did a superb job these headphones sounded fuller and far more enjoyable to listern to. Long story short: burn in and decent souce mixed with good clean amplification and i think these are some of the best home use headphones for the price on the market.
The only slight issue I have got is a few YouTube video’s by my favourite creators show some serious flaws in their attention to detailed Audio Quality. This is like going from a SD to HD TV, you suddenly notice the flaws. Very Impressive. From the reviews ive seen they take a day or so play to really warm up and break themselves in. Cant wait.
The only slight issue I have got is a few YouTube video’s by my favourite creators show some serious flaws in their attention to detailed Audio Quality. This is like going from a SD to HD TV, you suddenly notice the flaws. Very Impressive. From the reviews ive seen they take a day or so play to really warm up and break themselves in. Cant wait.
I highly recommend this product as it was good and that’s what this review is for.
However, I had to get them replaced the day I got them. I was sent a used product where not only was one ear cup obviously damaged and scratched up, the left ear cup was broken. Shameful really that the company would do something like that, I can forgive it as first time buyer but I do hope it never happens again.
Love these headphones. I use them for DJ-ing and making mixes mostly, and whilst they are not specifically dj headphones, they work well. As most people have said, if you are not listening to high quality audio, then these will show up the lack of audio fidelity. MP3, is the lowest quality audio codec there is, so if that’s what you want them for, then might be best with something else. These headphones are made for audiophiles who care about sound quality. If you listen to MP3’s, then sorry, but you don’t care about sound quality, so buy some beats.
I’ve been on the look out for a decent pair of headphones for a while now to replace a much more expensive set that died a death.
I was a little skeptical of the k612 pro series as some of the reviews elsewhere question build quality (fixed cable etc) however I am so pleased that I took the plunge.
Comfortable, relatively lightweight and with great sound I was very very happy.
I use these at home or in private in hotel rooms or offices as they are open backed so there is some noise leakage. That said this is nowhere near as bad as I have experienced with other models.
If you are planning on using these with a phone or other low powered device by an in-line amp or you really won’t get the benefit of quality cans like these.
I’ve been on the look out for a decent pair of headphones for a while now to replace a much more expensive set that died a death.
I was a little skeptical of the k612 pro series as some of the reviews elsewhere question build quality (fixed cable etc) however I am so pleased that I took the plunge.
Comfortable, relatively lightweight and with great sound I was very very happy.
I use these at home or in private in hotel rooms or offices as they are open backed so there is some noise leakage. That said this is nowhere near as bad as I have experienced with other models.
If you are planning on using these with a phone or other low powered device by an in-line amp or you really won’t get the benefit of quality cans like these.
The surround effects while watching movies is amazing and constantly has me looking left and right like an idiot, there that good, i tried that virtual barber shop vid on youtube and i swear, towards the end of the vid where the guy whisperers in your left ear i felt his breath hit my ear, freaky as hell.
I have the mod mic also so converting them in to a gaming headset takes all of 5 seconds to do, comfort wise is amazing, super comfortable, you could wear these thing all day without any problems, 5 minutes in and you forget your even wearing them
They are certainly good, but if you just want a good pair of headphones look elsewhere. They aren’t your typical bassy headphones, more about the clarity of the sound, and this does take some time to get used to. Comfort wise, they feel very nice no issue with long periods of listening however ideally for home use as they let out and let in a lot of noise and they are quite big so look odd. Overall, still a bit unsure, I won’t be returning them but do not them use them as much I thought I would.
These have a very neutral sound with amazing levels of detail and clarity along with a very wide open sound that brings out massive amounts of detail to the point where you can hear every instrument down to the sound of the guitar string being plucked and piano key being struck.
These are very much indoor headphones and need a fair bit of power to get the best from them; don’t expect to get the best from them using your mobile phone.
Lots of people complain about the lack of bass; it’s true they are not bass heavy headphones but I think that the levels of bass are exactly where they are supposed to be.
These have a very neutral sound with amazing levels of detail and clarity along with a very wide open sound that brings out massive amounts of detail to the point where you can hear every instrument down to the sound of the guitar string being plucked and piano key being struck.
These are very much indoor headphones and need a fair bit of power to get the best from them; don’t expect to get the best from them using your mobile phone.
Lots of people complain about the lack of bass; it’s true they are not bass heavy headphones but I think that the levels of bass are exactly where they are supposed to be.
Only just got these today.
Will be reporting back….
Oh my …. burned these in over night, and these are really coming alive.
Using with Tidal flacs and a Fiio E17 docked to the E9 with USB otg from phone or laptop.
Using just the E9 gain with the E17 and souce at around 40 percent volume, can’t go past 12 noon on the volume control on the E9.
I really like these. Compared to the 702 and the Fidelio X1 phones they just sound clearer…..not too much bass and they are really light and comfy.
Only downside is the build quality is…..somewhat fragile….so take out a 5 year warranty with your favourite warranty extender company as accidental damage won’t take any prisoners…!
The AKG phones are very comfortable to wear so should be no problem for extended studio use.
Sound wise they are awesome, defined punchy low bass, crystal clear mids and sizzling highs, you can pick out everything so clearly with great stereo separation, I use them for home studio work and they are incredible in giving confidence during late night mixing.
highly recommended, dont buy the slightly cheaper 701′ or 702’s if you like bass!!
I am thin on top so I need a head band to be comfy and this very nice leather one is very comfy. I listen to Spotify a lot while my wife watches the telly, so I’ll be getting a lot of use out of these excellent headphones. I’m very glad I bought them now and I highly recommend them.
I like these. I’m using them to make music on with logic. I have a problem with a new neighbour , I have a expensive pair of PMC speakers , very detailed but due to my new neighbour I can barely use them , hence … Some headphones. I read the reviews and went with these as they are cheap at 130. I do to music for the voice / big bro ‘ Americas got talent and like to think I know a good mixdown , it’s prob my best skill. When I got them I played them immediately on a laptop and thought they were tinny and bass was low. I put a song on a loop for 4 hours with bass boosted at max volume with a sound card. and let them burn in , they sounded better afterwards . They are good because the panning is v evident with them , the highs are clear and bass is fine, if the bass were really strong like some headphones , ie pumping , your ears will get knackered after an hour , your eardrums can’t handle it. My way of working is I make a track through the speakers of my 50 inch tv , then I move to a pair of monitors to check stuff then I use the headphones for the main part due to my neighbour prob, then I go back to the speakers to get it right. The headphones are comfy tho are heavier than a normal pair as they are huge , lot of sound bleed which is no prob as that’s what they are for. They sound flat , ie not enhanced , you can spot stuff you can’t on speakers and mine cost 3k and these are actually better, at least at low volumes you can. I couldn’t do a track with these alone , but my process of making it for 5hrs on a tv then 5hrs on speakers then 25 on headphones for a track works well. I would recommend them for music making , kind of like the ns10 of headphones , I think if a headphone has been around a while then it’s got to have something good about it . I like it when I see they were 400 and now only 130 , I’ve never owned pro headphones so please take my review as an uninformed one of headphones as I have never used 1k headphones, but in my opinion I’m very pleased with them and I imagine if I get used to them then I will stick to this model if this one ever fails.
Beautifully put together and very high quality, going to sound the same as the 700 series (the 600 just has fixed cable and slightly different voice coil). I am an audio engineer for 28 years, discount my opinion if you want. I had an old Sennhieser HD40 budget on ear type headphones and they are not pretty but sound much better than these! Obviously for me sound is No 1 on the list. Its not a taste thing, the AKG sounded as good or better than a lot of phones on the market – They look great (in your own house, not as street fashion accessory. They are super comfortable. But not for me….
I bought these to accompany a Soundblaster ZxR soundcard in my PC.
Took a while to ‘break in’, but when gaming the immersive experience has increased ten fold when using these compared to me M audio studio monitors.
Comfy on the head (although the leather strap can mess up your hair style). The build quality is good and the cans are comfortable for extended sessions. As they are open backed you will find sound escape into the surrounding room. I have a dedicated office so it’s not a problem for me, but be aware if you are using to isolate sound. These probably won;t be for you.
I expect to enjoy many years gaming with these headphones and would certainly stay with the AKG brand for all headphone needs.
I bought these to accompany a Soundblaster ZxR soundcard in my PC.
Took a while to ‘break in’, but when gaming the immersive experience has increased ten fold when using these compared to me M audio studio monitors.
Comfy on the head (although the leather strap can mess up your hair style). The build quality is good and the cans are comfortable for extended sessions. As they are open backed you will find sound escape into the surrounding room. I have a dedicated office so it’s not a problem for me, but be aware if you are using to isolate sound. These probably won;t be for you.
I expect to enjoy many years gaming with these headphones and would certainly stay with the AKG brand for all headphone needs.
Sounds like any other headphone out there compared to m50 technicaa
m50 technicaa has more boosted mid range and slight more boosted low end but to me sound quality wise sounds almost the same . . Had these for few weeks now, But only thing i mostly Find these headpones better they are very comfy to wear for long hours and does not hurt your ears at all or even in the hot summer my ears dont really sweat as much, also you can listen for hours and your ears dont get bad fatigue could listen to loud music least 12 hours straight and my ears wouldnt pop..
I will explain in a better way now.
So I plugged this into my Galaxy S5 and was like, oh, it is alright for the money, although I was expecting more sound out of these AKGs and later I found out that these will be blasting if you use headphones amplifier but my purpose is piano.
Now the main bit of me saying WOW…… what a sound.
Turn on my piano and started playing without the AKGs. 5 min later, after I got my fingers stretched, plugged the AKGs and guess what, they are not working…….. Noooooooooooooooooo
Take them of and out of frustration put them on the piano to hear the sound coming out of the AKGs. What? Put them back on and f…….. me, they do work. It is the sound so real to the original source that made me think that the are not working. It is me did not understand that the sound AKGs producing is sooooooooo accurate to sound of the piano.
How the hell this is possible ????? Just WOW……….
So like I said if your in the market for a set of reference headphones, give these ago.
Ps my nephew is really pissed, he is a professional drummer and has used AKG for studio sessions for years he purchased the same model when they first hit the market and paid top price.
So like I said if your in the market for a set of reference headphones, give these ago.
Ps my nephew is really pissed, he is a professional drummer and has used AKG for studio sessions for years he purchased the same model when they first hit the market and paid top price.
The AKG 702’s which came out some time before these now ‘must haves’ that our youth are now forcing their parents to buy them, these were not cheap but the price fell with the competition. The build of these are far better and as with all quality headphones they do need a good run in time allowing the electronics to acclimatise. They rest so comfortable on the head you can forget they are there and the sound in my view is in a league of there own within this price range. Regarding the bass on these a number of people have criticized them as having low or no bass at all, I feel again people have jumped on the bandwagon as I find the bass fine, saying that if you want to collect your pension using sign language maybe the bass isn’t for you but I find it pretty good.
At the price these are now they are an absolute bargain, AKG have numerous followers in the pop and rock world including Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Anastacia and so on.
For less than 140 have the best and forget the rest!!!!!
By comparison with the Grados, the K702s are heavier, but a bit less substantial. They are also significantly larger than the Grados, which makes them less easy to handle. The K702s cover the whole ear, and I found this lead to too warmth accumulating under the headphones. The Grados sit lightly on the ear. Sound, ultimately, is what matters. The Grados are very musical, so are the K702s. I’d give the edge to the Grados. The K702s I think have edge on ultimate clarity, lack of distortion, and control over the lower frequencies. I’d call it as an overall-draw depending on what you like to listen too.
Reference headphones are a totally different ball game altogether. If what your listening to hasn’t been layed down high end then you’ll think there is something wrong with the AKG K702’s. In addition you need a decent amp to power them. Ive been using a Fiio E7 dac headphone amp, (excellent product) which is an an exceptional match with the AKG Y50’s at 55.00 and the Soundmagic E10’s but not with these as its just not loud enough. Bear in mind what amp your going to use with them. That said I would not part with these as the clarity is exceptional. If on a budget get the Y50’s and a Fiio E7 for the same cost.
The sound quality is fantastic. Very reasonable reference grade headphones.
If you’re looking at these you already know what open vs closed back entails, the virtues of valveless headphone amps, and proper DACs, I’ll not bother talking about them here.
I’ll get the competing HD650s at some point to compare subjectively. If you want objective numbers, check out nwavguy.
Do remember not to show off that you own these on 4chan headphone threads; they’ll take the mick out of you for liking anime. Joke’s on them, fun things are fun.
So, to the title; “broken after two years.” The right can started dropping out a little bit, then conked completely. IT was based on movement, so my guess is a loose/disco’d wire in the can itself. I looked for a video on disassembly, and it showed a wire disconnected exactly as I imagine my problem to be. The author soldered up the wire with relative ease and it was implied that it worked fine afterwards.
I recently got a pretty fully featured soldering kit, so I’ll try it out when I get the necessary tools to crack open the K702s. Some paperclips I think.
I’ll report back after I’ve made my attempt.
The sound quality is fantastic. Very reasonable reference grade headphones.
If you’re looking at these you already know what open vs closed back entails, the virtues of valveless headphone amps, and proper DACs, I’ll not bother talking about them here.
I’ll get the competing HD650s at some point to compare subjectively. If you want objective numbers, check out nwavguy.
Do remember not to show off that you own these on 4chan headphone threads; they’ll take the mick out of you for liking anime. Joke’s on them, fun things are fun.
So, to the title; “broken after two years.” The right can started dropping out a little bit, then conked completely. IT was based on movement, so my guess is a loose/disco’d wire in the can itself. I looked for a video on disassembly, and it showed a wire disconnected exactly as I imagine my problem to be. The author soldered up the wire with relative ease and it was implied that it worked fine afterwards.
I recently got a pretty fully featured soldering kit, so I’ll try it out when I get the necessary tools to crack open the K702s. Some paperclips I think.
I’ll report back after I’ve made my attempt.
The sound quality is fantastic. Very reasonable reference grade headphones.
If you’re looking at these you already know what open vs closed back entails, the virtues of valveless headphone amps, and proper DACs, I’ll not bother talking about them here.
I’ll get the competing HD650s at some point to compare subjectively. If you want objective numbers, check out nwavguy.
Do remember not to show off that you own these on 4chan headphone threads; they’ll take the mick out of you for liking anime. Joke’s on them, fun things are fun.
So, to the title; “broken after two years.” The right can started dropping out a little bit, then conked completely. IT was based on movement, so my guess is a loose/disco’d wire in the can itself. I looked for a video on disassembly, and it showed a wire disconnected exactly as I imagine my problem to be. The author soldered up the wire with relative ease and it was implied that it worked fine afterwards.
I recently got a pretty fully featured soldering kit, so I’ll try it out when I get the necessary tools to crack open the K702s. Some paperclips I think.
I’ll report back after I’ve made my attempt.
The sound quality is fantastic. Very reasonable reference grade headphones.
If you’re looking at these you already know what open vs closed back entails, the virtues of valveless headphone amps, and proper DACs, I’ll not bother talking about them here.
I’ll get the competing HD650s at some point to compare subjectively. If you want objective numbers, check out nwavguy.
Do remember not to show off that you own these on 4chan headphone threads; they’ll take the mick out of you for liking anime. Joke’s on them, fun things are fun.
So, to the title; “broken after two years.” The right can started dropping out a little bit, then conked completely. IT was based on movement, so my guess is a loose/disco’d wire in the can itself. I looked for a video on disassembly, and it showed a wire disconnected exactly as I imagine my problem to be. The author soldered up the wire with relative ease and it was implied that it worked fine afterwards.
I recently got a pretty fully featured soldering kit, so I’ll try it out when I get the necessary tools to crack open the K702s. Some paperclips I think.
I’ll report back after I’ve made my attempt.
Warning! They will need an amp, most on-motherboard soundcards will not have enough power to run them at a good volume, although its quite possible dedicated soundcards will be fine. I don’t believe they will work well on phones or portable devices without an amp. Personally I’d recommend the “SMSL SD 793II DAC” Headphone Amp, which is a great little DAC/Amp you can find for about 45. It needs a power point, so its not portable but this amp paired with the headphones gives a really fantastic sound.
These are also open backed headphones which helps create the open soundstage these headphones have, it also means they leak sound, people will hear your music! And you can also hear what other people are saying, which isn’t a bad thing, depending on the environment you are using them in.
Bottom line: These are good audiophile quality headphones at a really affordable price. Take a look around the web for reviews, you’ll find almost nothing bad said about them.
Pros: Outstanding sound quality and comfort, very good price, removable cable that only connects on one side.
Cons: Leaks sound very badly, so useless for recording or if you might disturb other people in the room, for example in an office or in bed at night.
The sound is crystal clear but more on the analytical and bass-light end of things compared to something like the Denon D5000s, so they’re better suited to classical music or modern pop recordings, as they doesn’t warm things up like some Denons or Grados. I found listening to old jazz and blues recordings much more pleasant on my Denons for example, but the K702s are as good or better for classical and modern recordings, and give you an amazing soundstage. The Denons leak so little than I use them for recording without any problems, whereas the AKGs leak so loudly they are utterly useless for recording, and the tinny noise they emit would annoy someone sleeping next to you or the person at the next desk in the office.
Pros: Outstanding sound quality and comfort, very good price, removable cable that only connects on one side.
Cons: Leaks sound very badly, so useless for recording or if you might disturb other people in the room, for example in an office or in bed at night.
The sound is crystal clear but more on the analytical and bass-light end of things compared to something like the Denon D5000s, so they’re better suited to classical music or modern pop recordings, as they doesn’t warm things up like some Denons or Grados. I found listening to old jazz and blues recordings much more pleasant on my Denons for example, but the K702s are as good or better for classical and modern recordings, and give you an amazing soundstage. The Denons leak so little than I use them for recording without any problems, whereas the AKGs leak so loudly they are utterly useless for recording, and the tinny noise they emit would annoy someone sleeping next to you or the person at the next desk in the office.
For the price these headphones are a class above. Once burnt in (i didn’t even know that existed until i got these) they are truly remarkable. Home recording for me now has stepped up a level. Clarity and comfort. A really really great item, buy with confidence.
On listening to already owned music (some Iron Maiden in my case) it was like hearing them again for the first time, and i heard stuff i had not before, as for my home recordings well they all now need remixing.
Theres a longer better review on this page search for it as that guy has it spot on.
Awesome? I don’t feel that to be a strong enough word.
Amazing? They are that and then some.
I’ll just explain (quickly) why…..
The first time I used these I thought they were nice headphones, pretty comfy and I suffer from a neurological disorder that makes me hypersensitive so I need really comfy headphones and these are pretty good at first but they are slowly getting better as the 3d foam seems to be getting more pliable and the fitting system is excellent as it doesn’t squash your head and just sits on top of your head nicely.
They cover my ears really well and the cable doesn’t get in the way and is soft and not heavy.
But the sound…….it’s almost like I was partially deaf before but now I can hear everything!!!!!!
Just to explain, I was listening to an orchestral soundtrack and everything was incredibly clear, like I was actually sitting I the middle of the musicians and the sound was all around me.
But I could hear a strange scratchy kind of sound every now and again and couldn’t work it out – was it a cable problem or was it the source itself?
No – it was the sound of the musicians turning the pages of their sheet music!!!!
I put my Sony closed back headphones on as a comparison and it was so different, they just sounded like headphones do but the AKG K702’s sound like you are there, in the room with the musicians and they pick up every sound in the room.
Super incredible audio amazement – yeah, that’ll do it.
And so cheap at the moment for what you get its almost unbelievable – I think they are 300 odd cheaper than they were a few months ago.
Lovely reference phones. Super build quality, great sound but much too bass light for ordinary listening. I tried burning in for a week and the sound does improve significantly, including the bass. I am no bass head but it was still way too light for re-creating live performances. A classy piece of kit which went back to Amazon.
These headphones are very comfortable, with plenty of room for my ears. The voices are extremely clear, but the bass is lacking (probably due to the open design).
I’m very pleased by these, and the price seems reasonable.
I bought a FiiO Olympus 2 to drive these, though the headphones are generally loud enough with just my computers inbuilt sound. Though I don’t regret buying the DAC.
The only headphones I have previously owned are the ATH-M50s, which are a closed design, with much more bass, but definitely no where near as comfortable.
The fact that these are open means that I can hear people around me talking, and they can kind of hear me listening to music. Though the sound leakage is not loud enough to be heard through walls.
I bought these from Absolute Music Solutions on Amazon. The delivery was quick, and the box was still in reasonable condition.
The self adjusting headband did not win me over, but it was not too bad. The ear cups are huge and had plenty of room for my big ears. The large surface area also spread the squeezing force around quite well. I could really wear these for hours on end.
Even for open back headphones, these let it in a surprising amount of outside sound. Almost like you’re not wearing any headphones.
Excellent open back headphones. Great for movies, TV and music. Bass especially sounds nuanced and rich. Definite placement, no smearing of sounds across the stereo field.
You will hear sounds/notes and definite placement you haven’t heard before, especially put through a good headphone amp, and as noted by someone else, hear the difference between well mixed and average recordings- there is no hiding! After a time with these phones (wearing no comfort fatigue issues although you will hear external sounds) I love these and my Panasonic are relegated to outdoor iPod use only.
There’s a generous uncurled cable length (which I expanded upon with a perfect match KabelDirect 3m Pro extension) that allows me to move around my apartment with no worries. They seemed expensive but I guess you get what you pay for. Quality all the way.
It took me a few goes to get used to them, but after a while I just cant go back to my closed-back headphones (ATH M50) for anything but tracking/recording.
These offer a far more realistic and almost monitor-esque representation of your music, and can be used for mixing ok but ideally only when proper audio monitors are not available.
These are a simply joy to use for detailed listening or just relaxed listening or even for gaming!
They are not suitable for noise sensitive environments as they would leak enough noise to annoy your co-workers / other people on the bus, but in your own home these are a joy to use.
Ive used headphones 3 times the price of these in the past and these are just far nicer to use.
They are also very comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
I can’t compare them to other similar priced phones because these are the first medium-high range phones I bought.
I think they are good value for the money.
My research was threefold. Firstly I looked at reviews by hifi magazines and websites. Then I consulted hifi forums and lastly I looked at product reviews on sites like Amazon from people who actually had purchased items. All opinions gathered in this way have to be treated with some caution because the views are subjective and, to be frank, some people do have favourite brands. The opinions I took the most notice of were from people who like the same type of music as me, which is mainly classical. These came out heavily in favour of AKG headphones and the Q702s in particular.
I also took price into account. I was willing to spend rather more than the roughly 250 the AKGs cost but there is a law of diminishing returns in hifi and everything I read made me think that, whilst I could get better headphones, I would probably be satisfied with the AKGs.
Read many top reviews on these and others in the price range. I am very happy I got these the sound is very flat indeed perfect for mixing and mastering in my studio. They do need some burn in time to mellow the sound out a bit but loving music like I do that is not a problem had them on since getting them. They really do make everything in the mix stand out you can hear everything the way the producer and mastering engineer wanted it to sound like to the listener. Worth every penny am so glad I made the investment if you love your music then your ears deserve the best listening environment you can give them these are totally amazing
Obviously, being open-back, they’re not really suitable for the office, library and live recording as the sound does bleed, which is reasonable as they’re not designed for these scenarios.
The sound is very crisp and clear and so well balanced. Personally I like good bass and with these headphones I have nothing to complain about. Bass is well controlled and huge but only when it should be like this. These are reference headphones so they do not boost any frequencies. The music sounds just as it should.
It is true that they are hard to drive but for me they still sound great with a good quality mp3 or flac played on my Note 3 or Covon J3 or laptop. The only think is that the music won’t be very loud but you can buy a portable headphone amplifier like Fiio E11 from Amazon for just 54 which will give you extra power.
The sound is very crisp and clear and so well balanced. Personally I like good bass and with these headphones I have nothing to complain about. Bass is well controlled and huge but only when it should be like this. These are reference headphones so they do not boost any frequencies. The music sounds just as it should.
It is true that they are hard to drive but for me they still sound great with a good quality mp3 or flac played on my Note 3 or Covon J3 or laptop. The only think is that the music won’t be very loud but you can buy a portable headphone amplifier like Fiio E11 from Amazon for just 54 which will give you extra power.
The sound is very crisp and clear and so well balanced. Personally I like good bass and with these headphones I have nothing to complain about. Bass is well controlled and huge but only when it should be like this. These are reference headphones so they do not boost any frequencies. The music sounds just as it should.
It is true that they are hard to drive but for me they still sound great with a good quality mp3 or flac played on my Note 3 or Covon J3 or laptop. The only think is that the music won’t be very loud but you can buy a portable headphone amplifier like Fiio E11 from Amazon for just 54 which will give you extra power.
The sound is very crisp and clear and so well balanced. Personally I like good bass and with these headphones I have nothing to complain about. Bass is well controlled and huge but only when it should be like this. These are reference headphones so they do not boost any frequencies. The music sounds just as it should.
It is true that they are hard to drive but for me they still sound great with a good quality mp3 or flac played on my Note 3 or Covon J3 or laptop. The only think is that the music won’t be very loud but you can buy a portable headphone amplifier like Fiio E11 from Amazon for just 54 which will give you extra power.
I essentially got these headphones to listen to and not produce music. They are fantastic and as all the other reviews note, deliver a very precise reproduction of the the sound you are listening to. It is true that where there is bad production value you also hear this with these headphones but what you gain far outstrips this little annoyance. They are very comfortable indeed. Overall (as you can see from the rating) I am really pleased.
Some things to beware:
1. The sound leakage from these headphones is very significant. For example you will not be able to sit in the same room as someone without them hearing your music.
2. They sound pretty poor when being driven by a phone. They really do need an amp to drive them, the difference in sound is really huge.
As I say I think these are things to think about when considering a buy but I would stress how fantastic the quality of the sound is.
I have owned several headphones and all of them I have found deficient somewhere in the frequency range. But it is hard to fault these headphones – they are extremely detailed and clear with no undue emphasis anywhere other than being a little on the bright side (although never shrill). The bass range is very detailed and tight without any boomy overhang so they appear to be bass-light, but this isn’t so. However, I haven’t had them very long – I am still getting used to them.
They reveal all the good and bad points about what you plug them into. They aren’t compatible with iPod’s – they can’t drive them loud enough and you can hear how low quality MP3’s are! I have a Fiio E7 headphone amp and DAC and that only just manages to drive these headphones loud enough. So I am looking around for a headphone amp so that I can use them on my main system. At the moment they are sounding good connected to my Denon RCD-M37DAB mini hifi – the brightness I hear may be due to this amp, time will tell.
They come with a 3m long straight headphone cord. I have seen a coiled replace cable for sale on Amazon is you prefer, but I prefer the straight cable.
They are very comfortable to wear largely due to the clever self adjusting headband system.
I have owned several headphones and all of them I have found deficient somewhere in the frequency range. But it is hard to fault these headphones – they are extremely detailed and clear with no undue emphasis anywhere other than being a little on the bright side (although never shrill). The bass range is very detailed and tight without any boomy overhang so they appear to be bass-light, but this isn’t so. However, I haven’t had them very long – I am still getting used to them.
They reveal all the good and bad points about what you plug them into. They aren’t compatible with iPod’s – they can’t drive them loud enough and you can hear how low quality MP3’s are! I have a Fiio E7 headphone amp and DAC and that only just manages to drive these headphones loud enough. So I am looking around for a headphone amp so that I can use them on my main system. At the moment they are sounding good connected to my Denon RCD-M37DAB mini hifi – the brightness I hear may be due to this amp, time will tell.
They come with a 3m long straight headphone cord. I have seen a coiled replace cable for sale on Amazon is you prefer, but I prefer the straight cable.
They are very comfortable to wear largely due to the clever self adjusting headband system.
These headphones are really quite special. Probably the best I’ve heard and owned.
For anyone looking for overblown, overpowering, phoney bass or something “trendy” and overpriced then give them a miss . Their bass presentation, I would say, is honest. The important midrange is perfect, very detailed with a very wide soundstage and accurate placing of instruments and voices.
They are quite hard to drive and require a dedicated headphone amp or headphone output from a hi fi amp for their best performance. When I first listened to them I was a bit underwhelmed but over a period of a few hours they improved. I suspect further improvement will realise with more hours. I’ve had them continuously fed from a FM tuner when not sat listening to music.
I know this shouldn’t be a comparison opportunity and only a review of the product. However, if I were to make a comparison to Grado RS1i (800+ retail in the U.K.!), which I no longer own, I personally prefer the K702s.
I opted for the K702 over the K701 because of the easily replaceable, sensible length, cable. Build quality is exemplary and it’s a refreshing change to buy something not made in China!
Comfort is very good but I have reservations about the durability of the “self adjusting” headband mechanism – it looks a bit weak and vulnerable to me, i.e. elastic bands?
In spite of that I have to give five stars.
These headphones are really quite special. Probably the best I’ve heard and owned.
For anyone looking for overblown, overpowering, phoney bass or something “trendy” and overpriced then give them a miss . Their bass presentation, I would say, is honest. The important midrange is perfect, very detailed with a very wide soundstage and accurate placing of instruments and voices.
They are quite hard to drive and require a dedicated headphone amp or headphone output from a hi fi amp for their best performance. When I first listened to them I was a bit underwhelmed but over a period of a few hours they improved. I suspect further improvement will realise with more hours. I’ve had them continuously fed from a FM tuner when not sat listening to music.
I know this shouldn’t be a comparison opportunity and only a review of the product. However, if I were to make a comparison to Grado RS1i (800+ retail in the U.K.!), which I no longer own, I personally prefer the K702s.
I opted for the K702 over the K701 because of the easily replaceable, sensible length, cable. Build quality is exemplary and it’s a refreshing change to buy something not made in China!
Comfort is very good but I have reservations about the durability of the “self adjusting” headband mechanism – it looks a bit weak and vulnerable to me, i.e. elastic bands?
In spite of that I have to give five stars.