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 |
But that’s not what they’re for, right? They’re aimed at people mixing and mastering, so they can get their presentation just right. I suppose they’re inadvertantly be good for video games, maybe even movies, picking out those intricate sounds, widening the soundstage.
But for listening to commercial music… No.
Reason? Commercial music is mastered predominantly for mobile devices. Mobile devices have volume limiting. So, to get around this the engineers compress and jack the sound levels. Everything is mixed bright because most bass headphones or IEM’s are muddy as hell in the mid/upper regions. Problem when you listen through reference headphones is that you hear all that artificial cranking and expanding. It can be ear tearingly awful. A lot of people criticise the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro’s because of how tearing the sound can be. The AKG K702s are even more ear tearing than the 990s, because they have slightly more dominant mid/highs. It’s not an issue with the headphones. Listen to something mastered with a degree of craft – many older masters before this modern destruction of sound – and the music is incredible. It’s like butter gliding over ice. The layering, the crisp vocals, the almost 360 degree soundstage, that pinpoint separation of instruments in the space. It’s all perfectly presented here. At times, I was actually in shock at how music I’d listened to hundreds of times should really sound. Bass is evident. It’s not sub-bass. Leave that to those crazy X-Bass style IEM’s and headphones. This is a more accurate representation of bass. Sometimes, it goes deep. But it only goes deep when it supposed to (not quite as deep as the Beyer DT 990’s, however). If your ears have become accustomed to artificially EQ’d bass, whether it be in IEM’s or other headphones, forget it. You may be tempted to buy these because you’ve read “reference”, “studio”, “precise” and “perfection”. But this probably isn’t what you’re after. The average consumer’s ears have been trained to accept hot mixes. Headphones like these will mercilessly expose this (what’s the point of Hi-Res audio when the tracks have been mastered so badly?).
Bottome line: these are brilliant headphones. Reference, for sure. I still give the nose to my Beyerdynamic DT 990’s because of that little bit extra bass presence (the 702’s are possibly slightly more bass accurate, however). Many people looking to master audio appear to boil their decision down to whether to buy the AKG’s 702s or Beyer DT 990s. If you can, buy both. They’re both similar, being open back, but also have different characteristics. If your mix sounds great on both of these phones, you’ve probably nailed it.
These are just as you expect, really well-made headphones with an amazing soundstage for the price.
I’m not knowledgeable enough to give an in-depth view on how these sound but to me, they are amazing.
also, a nice bonus that the service manual is freely available online with a full parts list with part numbers
Nachdem ich mal eine Audioanlage mit Lautsprechern um ca. 10.000 hatte und so Klang relativ gut beurteilen kann, hab’ ich Kopfhrer gesucht. Hab’ mir mehrere kommen lassen zwischen 100 und 600. Diese waren mit Abstand die besten und die rumlichsten, jedoch mssen sie im Bassbereich korrigiert werden, also Bsse an der Anlage behutsam anheben, dann sind sie gewaltig – und ehrlich. Also keinen BumBumBassBeat erwarten, das geht mit trendigen Beats besser, aber fr Klassik, Stimmen bzw. um “echte” Instrumente zu hren perfekt.
I’m a music producer and I’ve owned these headphones for about 5 years and used them every single day for many hours, and they are still sounding great but of course there’s long term wear/dirt on them now and they look old now so I decided to treat myself to a new pair and I bought the exact same model again, literally the same headphones because I just love them.
At this price it’s a no-brainer in my opinion. Amazingly engineered product, I can’t think of any other brand that would produce such quality at this price range, maybe only Sennheiser.
They are as comfortable as headphones can be and with nearly zero ear fatigue, and the frequency response is very flat which is what you want if you’re mixing/mastering/performing. For listening purposes, there’s a lack of bass compared to other commercial models that tend to boost low frequencies. That might be noticeable if you use them on their own, but they can be used with an amplifier to tackle this.
Stay away from other brands that burn 50% of their budget on marketing and have nothing to show for it, while brands like AKG actually focus on delivering quality, even at the expense of a less stylish or cool looking product.
I admit I bought these because they were orange and matched the screen of my Topping DX3 Pro.
I never quite got on with them – OK but not my favourite set.
Then I upgraded to a THX AAA 789 amp with an SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK Dac and these cans have come alive. Now I get what everyone is raving about.
I admit I bought these because they were orange and matched the screen of my Topping DX3 Pro.
I never quite got on with them – OK but not my favourite set.
Then I upgraded to a THX AAA 789 amp with an SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK Dac and these cans have come alive. Now I get what everyone is raving about.
TLDR: good quality, good-great sound stage depending on what you do, comfy soft ear cups, long cable, a okay at best headband,
the bad: leather headband was a bit stiff and uncomfortable at first, pictures where different to what i got. Is now M.I.C has not made any difference to quality yet so not be taken as bad just soso.
On to the good stuff sound stage is great for games if you have a decent sound card though the jack size is a bit off a sod but the cable is long so doesn’t matter imo. ear cups are nicely padded and have decent auto adjustments to your head. It’s light sturdy and my ears don’t get to warm, it is open back so you know the cons if not best to look up before you buy.
Good performance, but wish I got the closed-back version. Works very well, but open-back design does not work well in noisy areas.
a good sound. feels like they’re putting out what comes in, in a largely uncoloured manner.
An sich ein guter Kopfhrer nur tritt immer wieder mal ein fortlaufenden Rascheln / Knistern auf, sobald der Bass oder auch die Lautstrke etwas zu hoch wird.
I’ve a LOT of experience with headphones. I’ve over 150 IEMs over time and over 50 headphones. Open backs I’ve had the Senn HD650, HiFiMan he400s, Philips Fidelio 2, Shure, Yamaha, Koss. I’ve had closed backs from Soundmagic, Sony, Meze, Denon, PSB and many more. To start with I really enjoy the K701, but I know a lot of you won’t and for mostly the same reasons as you’ll read everywhere else. The low end (bass) region is rules flat, at times lacking severely.
Build – beautiful, and exceptionally comfy. I’ll end it there lol.
Sound
AMP – These will not play well from a laptop or phone or even a DAP. You will think they’re broken most likely. They will also not sound great from all types of DAC or AMP sets. When I use a FIIO M6 DAC with new Sabre DAC as the source fed into an amp, it’s extremely detailed but lacks punch and is overly thin.
Using a SMSL with AKM high-end AK 4493 DAC fed into a Music Fidelity setup, it adds much needed warmth and power. The Sabre DACs i find are brighter than the warmer AKM equivalents. the MF amp is also quite warm and powerful. this combo allows for a more rounded and thicker sounding experience. It takes nothing from the stunning levels of detail and helps to add weight to the low end.
As everyone says, these are sublimely detailed. They are easily the most detailed headphone I’ve ever heard. More so than the hd650 and he400s. They are slightly brighter, if you come from a warm sounding or smooth headphone or IEM you might find them too thin or bright, but it’s easy to adjust to. Treble is crisp and extended but never sibilant from my exeprience, again the setup i use may hlep there. Mids are big, very open and have great bite and tone. Instruments are very well placed out and accurate. Lots of air. Vocals are a bit thinner for male vocalists, but again when you adjust you appreciate the articulation and realness. Female vocals sound great.
BASS – So these don’t lack bass. You do hear bass notes clearly, they do hit the right depth, but tit is VERY quick decay. Lovely detail and resolution, but it’s in and out in a flash at times. For a lot of music this won’t be a problem. Jazz, orchestra/classical…. even rock and pop it’s fine… but certain songs you’ll be really disappointed. I’ll give you an example. On Thrift Shop by Macklemore, these are horrible. Flat and lifeless and lack any bass definition. Some bass lines are actually non existent. Go to Lorde’s Royals (a great song to hear bass weight and depth) and you’ll be pleasantly surprised you can hear the depth of those originally pulsating bass lines… but it’s thinner than normal. There’s no big energetic punch to it. Under Pressure by Queen and DB, those bass lines are there… but not all of them are as audible as they normally are. BUT the song still sound good as percussion is crisp and totally accurate, vocals are nice and prominent. Go to Andrew L Webber musicals, the orchestra score floats in the background effortlessly. Jazz sounds energetic and upbeat and highly enticing.
These are a wee bit like HiFiMan he400s, they also lack the same bass extension in terms of weight. The difference is they are totally smooth and the k701 more energetic and at times in your face.
Soooo, takes these for what they are… not for every genre, but a great listening experience. Especially if you want to hear microdetail or have that “i never heard that before” moment over and over again. Again, you need the right source to drive them. Anything less and you’ll think there’s something wrong with them. The FIIO M6 I literally had at full volume, my phone couldn’t start to drive them.
Great comfort, great sound. Nice stereo image and very pleasant frequency curve. No unwanted bumps or harsh frequency boosts. Enjoying these for casual listening. Very much useful for mixing.
Frequency curve sounds similar to k240 studio, but with great bass and great detail. Just buy. No regrets.
I am not really an audiophile, but I enjoy music and right now I listen to a lot of classical and jazz. I bought these because I wanted some good headphones, wired and dedicated to listening to music. And I wanted them to be comfortable.
They sound truly awesome. I will be honest and thought they would not sound appreciably different than any number of pairs of gaming headphones I have around the house (often owned by my children). But they are strikingly different. I lack the audiophile language, but they do not sound like I am listening through headphones, but rather as if the entire room is filled with sound. It is a new listening experience altogether. The instruments sound like they are right there, playing just for me.
They are also so comfortable. They look a bit odd (I admit) but they are designed to be worn for a long time and to be mostly forgotten. The huge but super light ear cushions and the wide adjustable head band almost vanishes. OK, after wearing them for 10 hours I start to notice …
I hope this does not undermine my credibility but I listen to music on my iphone. I chose lossless audio. Does that make a difference? I don’t know … but listening to my iphone with these headphones has changed my life.
Owned since 27 November 2020. When I first used them, I thought they sounded odd and thin, I thought to myself oh no not another useless pair of headphone. One thing I noticed straight away though was just how damn comfortable they are to wear, like I literally got up and went to walk away cos I forgot I had them on. I stuck with them and after about 2 weeks, a couple of mixes made using them, I suddenly realised these are the best headphones I have ever had. After my beyerdynamic DT 770 started cutting out a little, I thought I take a chance on something new, I did love the beyerdynamic DT 770 but the AKG K702 has blown them out the window for me. I guess headphones are a very personal thing really but these have restored my faith in mixing with headphones, the sound detail and separation is an absolute revelation to me. No looking back for me, on these. I’m sure there is better ones out there but these just work for me and at this price point, can’t go wrong and I would buy again, never really felt that with over headphones Ive had over the years and Ive had my fair share.
The AKG K702 headphones are stunning! They look great and sound amazing. Reference headphones are supposed to create flat, transparent sound and these are like glass! Listening to Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust each instrument are clearly audible and not mushed together. Nick Drake’s Pink Moon album now reveals the dull, unchanged strings on his guitar but his voice sounds crisp and breathy. These match my old Sony amp wonderfully and the volume doesn’t need adjusting unlike every other headphones I’ve ever owned.
Apparently these need a long time to “burn in” but already they sound perfect.
The AKG K702s are a pair of open (arguably semi-open) headphones. They let you hear the music without boosting any specific frequency range. Most headphones boost the bass frequencies as many feel this makes their music sound better, and offer other tweaks to the mid and high frequencies. The K702s don’t add anything so compared with many headphones you might find the bass response disappointing – even though you are actually hearing the music as recorded.
These headphones are really geared towards a studio setting as the flat frequency response is preferred for mixing and mastering. With the studio in mind the headphones come with a 3m cable that allows a lot of movement from whatever you have plugged it into, but which is ridiculously long if plugged into your phone in your pocket. The open back delivers a spacious sound stage but leaks more sound than the more typical closed back headphone so they are only really suitable if you are listening alone in a room.
The sound they provide is pristine, if you take into account what I’ve said above. They are very comfortable and suited to extended listening. However, despite only having 62 ohm impedance they are quiet compared to many headphones. Mine are plugged into a Presonus audio interface which should be able to handle such impedance however even at full volume the level is not loud – loud enough for my purposes but if you want to listen to music at high volume with these you’ll also need a headphone amp.
So they are very good at what they do but probably not a headphone for the general consumer.
But I didn’t use them as Reference Studio Headphones so they didn’t really work for me, unsurprisingly.
I used them for gaming mainly and music / tv and although the open sound is fantastic and they are light and easy to wear, there were too many compromises for what I was trying to use them for , especially given the high price.
Used for their intended purpose I’m sure they would be superb.
But I didn’t use them as Reference Studio Headphones so they didn’t really work for me, unsurprisingly.
I used them for gaming mainly and music / tv and although the open sound is fantastic and they are light and easy to wear, there were too many compromises for what I was trying to use them for , especially given the high price.
Used for their intended purpose I’m sure they would be superb.
Pros:
Amazing sound
Low clamping force
Great sound staging
Really well balanced, I like bass heavy headphones and these aren’t that, but there’s so much space in them that it really doesn’t matter to me
Cons:
They come with a horrible plastic film on the sides of the headphones that leaves a gross sticky residue that takes a while to clean off
Ear pads could be slightly softer but they’re still super comfy
Pros:
Amazing sound
Low clamping force
Great sound staging
Really well balanced, I like bass heavy headphones and these aren’t that, but there’s so much space in them that it really doesn’t matter to me
Cons:
They come with a horrible plastic film on the sides of the headphones that leaves a gross sticky residue that takes a while to clean off
Ear pads could be slightly softer but they’re still super comfy
Pros:
Amazing sound
Low clamping force
Great sound staging
Really well balanced, I like bass heavy headphones and these aren’t that, but there’s so much space in them that it really doesn’t matter to me
Cons:
They come with a horrible plastic film on the sides of the headphones that leaves a gross sticky residue that takes a while to clean off
Ear pads could be slightly softer but they’re still super comfy
Pros:
Amazing sound
Low clamping force
Great sound staging
Really well balanced, I like bass heavy headphones and these aren’t that, but there’s so much space in them that it really doesn’t matter to me
Cons:
They come with a horrible plastic film on the sides of the headphones that leaves a gross sticky residue that takes a while to clean off
Ear pads could be slightly softer but they’re still super comfy
K712 Pro is a good headphone in this price range, but not the best one. With a Sony PHA-3, the bass still act like a plain water, and you have to use a equalizer to let it have some bass.
I purchased these headphones after watching reviews online and honestly can’t believe the difference between these and my iem’s. Not necessarily to say they are better but simply have a different sound, a wider soundstage and a different bass. I like them.
Bought for my son as a surprise and he has nothing but praise for them superb sound looks great and very comfortable well worth the cos
Really good audio quality, a bit power-hungry but they work fine without an amp.
Very comfortable even for someone with glasses.
I got these back in 2015 and have been using them a lot… I m into film scoring and sound design so I am extremely picky when it comes to headphones. The soundstage that the K712 pro offer is nothing short of amazing.
If you are into orchestral music and value an accurate sound without the annoying pre eq that most headphones come with then look no further. No fake bass, crisp highs and clear mids.
At this point, I have to mention that after doing my research I bought the ones that were “handmade” in Austria but AKG has moved the manufacturing process for the K712s to a different factory in China. Not sure if the quality has been affected by this ( some claim that there is a difference)
These headphones are ber comfortable and sound immense. Very transparent, easy to drive (iPod no problem), have lightening fast bass and the amazing ability to put you right in the recording. Highly recommended.
These headphones are ber comfortable and sound immense. Very transparent, easy to drive (iPod no problem), have lightening fast bass and the amazing ability to put you right in the recording. Highly recommended.
I wasn’t sure which headphones to purchase, as I haven’t used any for years. Having read the reviews here, I decided to purchase the AKG701 headphones, but had an alternative set ready to purchase if I decided these were unsuitable.
They arrived in a large presentation box, and everything about it shouts PREMIUM. It really does look the business. The headphones were a little larger than I was expecting, but very comfortable for moderate use, though they do seem to be quite tiring if worn for long periods at a time.
I’m absolutely delighted with the sound quality, though like other open-backed headphones the sound will leak and can be overheard by others if the volume is turned up.
If you’re not too worried about the sound being heard by others (or being picked up when recording), then I would whole-heartedly recommend these.
Bought these as an alternative pair, alternative to a big Bavarian brand (no names mentioned : Beyer DT880pro), for mixing and mastering.
They are nice and comfy with the AKG standard self-adjusting headband but made of leather. Feeling very plush around the ears with the soft cup material being nicely non-irritating. Over longer periods (four hours plus) I found them to start to feel slightly heavy on top of the head but of no massive problem – if you haven’t a natural ‘sharkfin’ at top back of skull then I wouldn’t have thought this would affect you – and don’t squueze your head in like some lesser (?) ‘phones can.
Soundwise they are nicely accurate, clean and with decent bass extension but I found the upper mid to be a little forward and this I notice largely over longer periods whereas it seemed to get slightly harsh although overall are actually great headphones, as I have found most AKG’s to be, in-ear and headphones. They will show up notso recordings or low bit-rate copies but thats their thing and I wouldn’t let it put you off.
The bottom line is that the sound is great. Some caveats though. You’ll need a good dac to amplify the sound otherwise it will be too soft. Secondly, install APO equalizer + Peace software and apply a sound profile (Google Oratory’s k702) to get the best sound from these headphones.
They say there is no bass – this is not true, but the sound signature is bass light. These headphones do need breaking in to make them sound good. The sound stage is wide and impressive – this is where these headphones shine. Amazing soundstage. They are light on the head and very comfortable but they do look and feel a little flimsy.
Just had these for over a day as I write this review and I’m very happy with them. For years I’ve always preferred AKG headphones and use K240 Pro’s in my radio studio, which are OK but these are so much more comfortable and the sound is so much more brighter. By the way at the moment I’m only testing them on my home PC, not through the mixing desk. Enjoying so much that I stayed up over 3 hours past my usual bedtime last night just enjoying the music to my ears.
Just had these for over a day as I write this review and I’m very happy with them. For years I’ve always preferred AKG headphones and use K240 Pro’s in my radio studio, which are OK but these are so much more comfortable and the sound is so much more brighter. By the way at the moment I’m only testing them on my home PC, not through the mixing desk. Enjoying so much that I stayed up over 3 hours past my usual bedtime last night just enjoying the music to my ears.
Just had these for over a day as I write this review and I’m very happy with them. For years I’ve always preferred AKG headphones and use K240 Pro’s in my radio studio, which are OK but these are so much more comfortable and the sound is so much more brighter. By the way at the moment I’m only testing them on my home PC, not through the mixing desk. Enjoying so much that I stayed up over 3 hours past my usual bedtime last night just enjoying the music to my ears.
Just had these for over a day as I write this review and I’m very happy with them. For years I’ve always preferred AKG headphones and use K240 Pro’s in my radio studio, which are OK but these are so much more comfortable and the sound is so much more brighter. By the way at the moment I’m only testing them on my home PC, not through the mixing desk. Enjoying so much that I stayed up over 3 hours past my usual bedtime last night just enjoying the music to my ears.
Having been introduced to the wonderful world of monitor headphones I wanted a set with open back for a bit of extra width in the soundstage and reading many reviews plumped for these.
On first firing them I was underwhelmed to say the least as the headphone amp I was using (DOUK P1) really ought to have driven them well, but didn’t.
Getting use of a headphone amp with a bit more power though, they really came to life. The soundstage was there, decent bass, mids and treble giving a thoroughly musical sound. Instruments and vocalists that sound like they’re in the same room make them a worthwhile investme
They’re good, but they aren’t anywhere near as good as the DT990 which were the same price, around 110ish.
Very glad that I decided on these. Was considering other reference cans such as Sennheiser HD600/650 but probably due to Covid/Brexit was unable to obtain them in the UK at their usual price. The 712Pros are 40% cheaper than the Senns and there ain’t no way they are 40% inferior. I have them powered by a Topping L30 headphone amp connected to the line out from my integrated amp (which has no headphone socket) playing flac files through my Rega DAC and they sound awesome. Every nuance of the music is discernible. They are spacious and plenty bassy enough for most music genres. They are supposed to be neutral – ideal for sound engineers & mixing but they are audiophile cans make no mistake. And a bargain. To confirm the answer to a common question – as per this photo of their box, as of 26 January 2021 they are made in Slovakia, not China, not that that matters.
I bought a secondhand Akg k702 on Ebay that had an intermittent righthand channel that after a few days gave up completely seller didn’t want to know. When it was working these headphones were some of the best most informative I have heard without paying silly money. Used with a hires music player and a valve pre amplifier sound quality is phenomenal.
These are a quality set of headphones, had them 3 years now. Very comfortable.
They have a polished sound with mid/high end clarity. However, they do lack bass and emphasis is more on the treble. Some people might prefer this sound and it’s nice for listening, but for mixing I find them not ideal and usually overcompensate the bass because it is lacking. I have a pair of HD650s which are the opposite with a lot of bass/lower in the treble, so in a way they complement each other as reference headphones, since I wouldn’t solely rely on these.
My first open back headphones I have tried, I have heard good things about these headphones and boy they were right, best headphones ever, Amazing sound, great for gaming and excellent comfort. As an audiophile, Highly recommend this to everyone who is looking for balanced clean sound.
Simply awesome. These outperform headphones I’ve paid similar or more for. You will most likely want a DAC/AMP to get the best from them. My iPhone and laptop do compromise the sound quality when using my DAC/AMP although my Surface Go does a surprisingly good job without. However you just can beat a separate DAC/AMP, with this I have been going back through my music collection to hear the tracks on these. As for gaming I use these without virtual surround sound, it’s just better in my view and show virtual surround sound to be a gimmick.
Simply awesome. These outperform headphones I’ve paid similar or more for. You will most likely want a DAC/AMP to get the best from them. My iPhone and laptop do compromise the sound quality when using my DAC/AMP although my Surface Go does a surprisingly good job without. However you just can beat a separate DAC/AMP, with this I have been going back through my music collection to hear the tracks on these. As for gaming I use these without virtual surround sound, it’s just better in my view and show virtual surround sound to be a gimmick.
Simply awesome. These outperform headphones I’ve paid similar or more for. You will most likely want a DAC/AMP to get the best from them. My iPhone and laptop do compromise the sound quality when using my DAC/AMP although my Surface Go does a surprisingly good job without. However you just can beat a separate DAC/AMP, with this I have been going back through my music collection to hear the tracks on these. As for gaming I use these without virtual surround sound, it’s just better in my view and show virtual surround sound to be a gimmick.
Great sound quality, although after a month it cracked in on speaker but seemed to fix itself thought it blew, comfy wouldn’t know im wearing anything use with soundblaster ae9 soumdcard easy to get lost in the music or in a game. Mtx50 i got is more bassy and sound isolation they all good tbh
hey don’t sound their best straight out of the box, and they don’t come with a case to store them in. but leave them running a few days and then listen to them and they sound much better, they will continue to improve over the first few weeks so don’t judge them and return in the first week.
hey don’t sound their best straight out of the box, and they don’t come with a case to store them in. but leave them running a few days and then listen to them and they sound much better, they will continue to improve over the first few weeks so don’t judge them and return in the first week.
These sound great and are comfortable as all hell. But the supplied cable is crap and will likely break within a few months. Replacement cables cost around 30
Very good build quality, got them without any issues i read about on Internet.
Stock pads are really comfortable, really one of the most comfortable headphones I ever used.
Sound characteristics exactly what I was looking dor
Bass isn’t too overwhelming, anyone who needs more bass can easily do the bass mode, just Google it, very easy to do it yourself.
Very good build quality, got them without any issues i read about on Internet.
Stock pads are really comfortable, really one of the most comfortable headphones I ever used.
Sound characteristics exactly what I was looking dor
Bass isn’t too overwhelming, anyone who needs more bass can easily do the bass mode, just Google it, very easy to do it yourself.
Normally use earbuds, so thought I would treat my self to some headphones for the evening when my wife doesn’t want the hi fi blasting the house out.
These sound super detailed which I like, clear, airy, good separation, bass tight and controlled and not overblown.
Speech is particularly good, sounds very lifelike, makes youtube sound eerily present
Comfy on the ears as the pads are larger than my ears and self adjusting.
Listening to Joy Division Passover live recording, gives a very clear rendition, also doesn’t have to be loud to sound good, can hear the sounds as they fade away, its good for quiet passages too.
Out of interest compared them to a pair of Bose qc35. The Bose sound a lot deeper and aren’t bad at all to be fair, but in comparison the Bose always sound like you are listening to them down a tube if you know what I mean.
So if you want light sounding, detailed headphones, then I would go for them, no buyers remorse.
Used these almost daily for about half a year now and can say easily these are the best headphones I’ve owned. I use them for music listening and gaming for my PC and I power them using a fiio e10k. As stated in other reviews, the sound is SUPER neutral and it sounds a bit weird at first, now I can’t go back to any other headphones that don’t sound as neutral as this.
For bassheads there’s still plenty there but you will have to mess around with some EQ settings to get that experience which these headphones can deliver. Did use them for my phone one time and they didn’t go very loud and sounded a bit weak which is why I recommend getting a DAC/AMP to power these.
As for comfort, the earcup material is probably the best I’ve placed on my skull, headphones are also really light and adjustment is non existent as there’s no notches, you just place it on your head and you’re done. You won’t even notice they’re there even after hours.
These are open back headphones so it does have a wide soundstage. However this does inhibit their use for gaming if you live with family/roommate or an especially loud PC or console (or just even having the fan on in the summer) since these will not isolate you from noise. These make almost no difference. However if you do live in a quiet enviroment (or you’re a night owl) then you’ll love these headphones.
Absolutely fantastic pair of headphones. Recommended!
Definatelly worth the money, they are perfect for music production and mixing. My mixes translate very well. Very detailed and wide soundstage, perfect for stripping down elements of complex compositions.
They are very flat, analytical, true and without any colouring. The bass is not too pronounced and I find it perfect that way. I drive them with Fiio E10K.
Definatelly worth the money, they are perfect for music production and mixing. My mixes translate very well. Very detailed and wide soundstage, perfect for stripping down elements of complex compositions.
They are very flat, analytical, true and without any colouring. The bass is not too pronounced and I find it perfect that way. I drive them with Fiio E10K.
I use these to listen to my mixes. I compared these to the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X,
Beyerdynamic 770 pro and the 770 but these came out on top with a sound that was more neutral and a listening experience that is nowhere near as fatigueing in comparison to the others.
I would completely ignore theAudio-Technica ATH-M50X & the Beyerdynamic 770 pro because the base has nowhere to go in the closed cups which makes them both very fatigueing. The standard Beyerdynamic 770 were very very nice though. I would have bought the 770’s if I had not discovered these.
Headphones sound amazing – imaging and soundstage are great. They are power hungry headphones meaning your typical phone or Laptop will not do them justice. I use a portable headphone app or use them through an old FM receiver or audio interface. Really comfortable, you barely notice you have them on. Great for music, bot good for blocking out noise around you.
My studio is in an old cottage and therefore the work involved in making it sonically dampened is just too much. So I write and record listening to monitors but need a good pair of flat response headphones to mix. These are perfect. Bear in mind they are open backed so not quiet if others are around but really clear and true tone. And they are really comfortable – I was a bit dubious about the plastic parts given the price but that reduction in overall weight really makes a difference when you are wearing them for long periods of time. Recommended.
My studio is in an old cottage and therefore the work involved in making it sonically dampened is just too much. So I write and record listening to monitors but need a good pair of flat response headphones to mix. These are perfect. Bear in mind they are open backed so not quiet if others are around but really clear and true tone. And they are really comfortable – I was a bit dubious about the plastic parts given the price but that reduction in overall weight really makes a difference when you are wearing them for long periods of time. Recommended.
My studio is in an old cottage and therefore the work involved in making it sonically dampened is just too much. So I write and record listening to monitors but need a good pair of flat response headphones to mix. These are perfect. Bear in mind they are open backed so not quiet if others are around but really clear and true tone. And they are really comfortable – I was a bit dubious about the plastic parts given the price but that reduction in overall weight really makes a difference when you are wearing them for long periods of time. Recommended.
excellent soundstage, absolutely phenomenal instrument separation and amazingly clear sound all round, with a nice neutral frequency response. light headphone set for long wear sessions and a detachable cable.
the downsides are that the cable isn’t a widely available standard, and it locks into the headset eliminating the reason to have a detachable cable in the first place. the other thing, that has also been mentioned in the other reviews, is that the wiring over the headband has an intrinsic weakness and the signal has failed at the right speaker on 2 pairs already. AKG has little to no support for buyers of this listing here kn Amazon, but Amazon provides their own warranty for 2 years which has kept these in service.
If you’re a producer and you’re looking for a pair of headphones to mix and master with, as well as create your music in general, buy these. There isn’t a huge amount of low end but once you get used to them you can detect it, but absence of the low end gives you an amazing clarity of the high end like no other. Any AKG headphones should do the trick: I’ve got these and it’s produced some great mixing and mastering of tracks, my friend has a later model and they’re great. Pair these with a set of speakers that really access the low end and you’re good to go. Don’t listen to the bad reviews on AKG headphones if you’re concentrating on production. If you want something to have day-to-day listening through, I’d suggest something else, but these are definitely the headphones to get for detailed listening and analysis, and are the pair of earphones you need for producing.
I have just bought my first pair of AKG headphones and having had LCD3,HD800,Focal Clear,Beyer Top-end and Laylas,Kaisers and Shures I can say these are incredible for 185!
Never heard such good imaging and controlled bass and enjoyable/lifelike treble
I have given up on the treble of Sennheisers/Focals and Beyers and began to doubt there was anything for me
These are truly exceptional-get your money on these fellas
Edit: I have had these for some time now and I thought it worth updating this review. The main reason being the time it take to bed these headphones in to get the best performance from the drivers. The above review was written at around the 40 hour mark, a fair time to hear the best they had to offer I thought. But I was wrong. It is only after 100+ hours that these headphone truly come into their own. Both the highs and lows just continue to improve. I can not recommend these highly enough.
Edit 2: I’ve been using these headphones as my main drivers every day for well over 2 years now. I was doing a bit of mastering this week and switching between different speakers and head phones. I have recently added some KRK Rokit G4’s to my speaker sets. Even though both the AKG 712’s and the KRK G4’s sell them selves as flat neutral monitor / studio devices they both know to have a “sound”. This makes them nicer for general usage but has its down sides in the studio. But switching between the two they have an identical sound to my ears. So for those wondering if these are right for them, If you like the KRK sound you will really like these and if using these to master with, treat them in the same why you would treat a pair of KRK speakers and use a lot of extra reference sources.
Still my very favourite headphones with the only down side being the need for 50+ hours running in required to get the best out of them. If I ever need to replace I would run them two days straight on the stand before ever putting them on my head. 10/10
Well, well. A good friend of mine who is an audiophile recommended these as they give a totally flat image. I have had them for a few months now after burning them in and now they have come alive. I am hearing things now that I couldn’t before with other phones. I am in a band and we record our own music, so I need a headphone with a totally flat sound and these give that. Proper studio reference cans. Brilliant.
Nr 1. headphones for Gaming (amazing soundstage) and they are good for most music genres. But take into account that you’ll need to burn them in for quite a while to smoothen high frequency area, and you might make a bass mode to get more bass, if you feel they lack it (just google how to do it).
Ich hre ber den AKG K712PRO die Feuerwerksmusik in einer Aufnahme der Academy of St. Martin in the Fields unter Sir Neville Marriner aus 1993 — und mir laufen die Trnen ber die Wangen. So derart beeindruckend klar und realistisch ist das gesamte Klangbild. Auch in groe Lautstrken hinein. Es ist maximal beeindruckend und berhrend wie die Musik dank dieser Kopfhrer ihre gesamte Kraft und Wirkung entfalten kann! An keiner Stelle stren spitze Hhen oder schrille Blsergruppen. Basstragende Instrumente kommen prgnant und klar zur Wirkung und tragen die vollen und voluminsen Mitten.
Es ist unglaublich wie detailliert ein Orchester in seinen einzelnen Instrumenten wahrnehmbar sein kann, ohne dass die Ausgewogenheit des Gesamteindruckes verloren geht.
Eine Offenbarung.
Best gaming headphones I’ve ever purchased.
The sound stage is so wide, makes it great for FPS Gaming, making the sound awareness truly amazing.
Music is amazing too, nice amount of bass not too heavy but nothing the EQ can’t sort.
Top purchase and at steal at 109 delivered in April 2020.
Great soundstage, perfect bass, around this price you usually end up with a biased bass,
I’ve been making music around 10 years now and at this price there isn’t a better headphone believe me I’ve tried most of them!!
And these headphones don’t include the painful treble after a few hours like most headphones do at this price.
I moved from the Audiotechnica ATH-M50x
If you are look for good sound, lightweight and well priced headphones (at time of my purchase)
Then look no futher, these are super comfort and light. Besides the wired to the pc I forget I am wearing it!
Great for long sessions, I have used these for mostly music, gaming and VOIP and they are great.
To get the most of these you will need a DAC system, I have the FiiO K3 Type-C USB DAC Headphone Amp and had no problems
After moving from a wireless gaming headset, this and a good micphone is a much better setup for quality and comfort but is more expensive.
If you are look for good sound, lightweight and well priced headphones (at time of my purchase)
Then look no futher, these are super comfort and light. Besides the wired to the pc I forget I am wearing it!
Great for long sessions, I have used these for mostly music, gaming and VOIP and they are great.
To get the most of these you will need a DAC system, I have the FiiO K3 Type-C USB DAC Headphone Amp and had no problems
After moving from a wireless gaming headset, this and a good micphone is a much better setup for quality and comfort but is more expensive.
Headphones arrived from Barcelona within three days. All original sealed packaging without so much as a scratch. These are beautifully made headphones and extremely comfortable to wear. They have been a revelation to me, I shall be selling my Stax and Sennheisers. Seemed a little too bright at first but after a week’s heavy listening they have calmed down beautifully. Nothing is missed, the dynamic range is huge as is the sound stage.I am hearing things in quiet passages of music that even my Stax ear-speakers miss! My principal listening is classical, orchestral, choral and organ.
The head band feels a little loose, but that might just be the design.
The cable that connects to the left earphone is a little annoying, when you turn your head.
you get a nice bag and two different types of cables. straight and coil.
I am not used to quality sounding audio equipment so when I got these things you can imagine my surprise. I have been using crappy pair of 4 inch monitors with a freq response of about of 70hz-20khz and since getting these headphones I have noticed just how much I have missing. They headphones are great for music production, very good for EDM a good sub bass reproduction Well worth the investment..
My AKG K702’s are first class reference studio headphones which you will be hard put to turn away from. They also arrived next day delivery. I was very impressed.
And for pure joy I recommend buying the FiiO E10K USB DAC to use with these headphones. Because this really has to be mandatory to be able to enjoy this incredibly high quality headset because it made the sound much, much better! And listening is truly believing. Also, more cleaner than on my computer and the FiiO’s little button to boost the bass a bit is just perfect in combination with this headset that the DAC will greatly enhance the headphone’s bass and increase your music enjoyment 10-fold.
My AKG K702’s are 62 Ohms which means they drive very easily, and the FiiO DAC also has a handy volume control knob, bass increase and gain so we can be among great music tracks all night, and all because the AKG’s headband feels very comfortable on one’s head.
These AKG 702 headphones are outstanding good value! They are comfortable, their velvety ear muffs are easy to clean, and the headphones being ‘open backed’ will allow me to hear the doorbell or someone talking to me.
AKG make higher quality, more expensive headphones for sure, but mine seemed to have been reduced in price, thus making even a far better bargain. Their sound range is 10-39800 Hz, weight 235g so not heavy and honestly I think these would make a super present to oneself. 5 Stars!
One very happy piglet.
Great open back headphones for studio mixing. I’m only giving 4 instead of 5 as I think the cable is a tad thin. I’ve had no problems with these. Comfy too.
These headphones are so good – sound quality is excellent, and they are supremely comfortable to wear. As the headphones are quite big, one would think they are heavy on the head, but they feel amazingly lightweight. The cord is quite long, so you can move around easily as well. I have quite a big head and big ears, but these fit fine and cover my ears almost completely.
I wouldn’t use these for commuting, as they do leak quite a bit of sound. Also, might not be best for bass-heavy music. I’ve used these for gaming as well, and have been satisfied. I’ve seen many pictures where headphones have a “Made in Austria” marking, mine do not have that, so I assume these are NOT Austrian-made.
These headphones are so good – sound quality is excellent, and they are supremely comfortable to wear. As the headphones are quite big, one would think they are heavy on the head, but they feel amazingly lightweight. The cord is quite long, so you can move around easily as well. I have quite a big head and big ears, but these fit fine and cover my ears almost completely.
I wouldn’t use these for commuting, as they do leak quite a bit of sound. Also, might not be best for bass-heavy music. I’ve used these for gaming as well, and have been satisfied. I’ve seen many pictures where headphones have a “Made in Austria” marking, mine do not have that, so I assume these are NOT Austrian-made.
These headphones are so good – sound quality is excellent, and they are supremely comfortable to wear. As the headphones are quite big, one would think they are heavy on the head, but they feel amazingly lightweight. The cord is quite long, so you can move around easily as well. I have quite a big head and big ears, but these fit fine and cover my ears almost completely.
I wouldn’t use these for commuting, as they do leak quite a bit of sound. Also, might not be best for bass-heavy music. I’ve used these for gaming as well, and have been satisfied. I’ve seen many pictures where headphones have a “Made in Austria” marking, mine do not have that, so I assume these are NOT Austrian-made.
These headphones are so good – sound quality is excellent, and they are supremely comfortable to wear. As the headphones are quite big, one would think they are heavy on the head, but they feel amazingly lightweight. The cord is quite long, so you can move around easily as well. I have quite a big head and big ears, but these fit fine and cover my ears almost completely.
I wouldn’t use these for commuting, as they do leak quite a bit of sound. Also, might not be best for bass-heavy music. I’ve used these for gaming as well, and have been satisfied. I’ve seen many pictures where headphones have a “Made in Austria” marking, mine do not have that, so I assume these are NOT Austrian-made.
They are not for those who want deep bass. But they find the hidden instruments lost on cheaper headphones. They are really for indoors. Being large, but light and comfortable. They are hifi quality and different. What the difference is, you will have to find out for yourself.
If you’re looking for reference headphones for mixing and mastering, with their open back design (giving you a better sense of listening in a room rather than in your head) and near-flat frequency response up to 30khz, these are perfect. Better still is the fact that if your a user of the Waves Abbey Road Studio 3 mixing plugin, there’s already a preset setting for them.
They’re also incredibly comfortable to wear, like your favourite cat snuggling up to your head in bed — my only regret with them is that being open back they’re not really suitable for using to listen to music out on public transport, because everybody else can hear them too.
whats the deal with the 100ft cheap cable instead of the coiled ones you used to get with these a few years ago???
solid studio cans but the new cable is sh173
Being hearing impaired I don’t hear stereo but mono . The reason that I rated these high is because of the clarity ,meaning every comes out clear crisp.
Bass quality is irrelevant to this product as they are flat response ‘studio monitors’ so no artificial bass boost. When called upon they model bass as superbly as they model all other frequencies. Super comfortable and light enough to wear all day. Difference between these and ‘gaming headsets’ is night and day. Crystal clear sound reproduction even affects the reproduction of environment in some broadcasts, you can hear the room they are recording in.
Good enough as gaming headphones.
Excel as monitors for music production.
Aunque me gusta componer en Cubase y podramos decir que tengo “buen oido” no soy ningn profesional de sonido, as que solo se trata de la opinin de una persona al que le gusta que las cosas se escuchen bin.
He probado con anterioridad a estos magnficos AKG K712 Pro los Sennheiser HD 600, Audio Technica ATH-M50x, etc …
Actualmente uno unos Corsair HS60 y unos 1MORE Triple-Driver junto a un Fiio E10k (cada uno para cada musica y estados diferentes) y todo bien.
Con los AKG he subido de nivel de manera bastante notable siempre y cuando lo emparejes con un DAC/amplificador.
Graves con buen golpe, medios perfectamente definidos y equilibrados y agudos sin brillo excesivo. En conjunto una pasada.
Sound is extremely subjective and therefore you should always try to directly compare headphones from multiple sources. However, most of us do not have the time or opportunity. So, we have to either trust reviews or research the frequency data/response and know what we want.
In my case I am using these for initial mixing in a studio and I like the clarity and comfort. They seem perfectly capable of playing differing genres of music although some people might prefer a heavier bass for dance tracks. You do have to ‘drive’ them more than my other pairs.
I also check mixes with a terrible set of cheap speakers, different earphones and a reasonable set of monitors but the AKG’s are already my favourite reference for mixing.
I don’t know whether it’s because they are open back or not, but my ears do not tire in the same way as with other earphones and the bass is fairly rich without aggression.
In summary, good comfort and clarity for home listening but not out and about as they are open and you will annoy others and be annoyed by other sounds.
Sound is extremely subjective and therefore you should always try to directly compare headphones from multiple sources. However, most of us do not have the time or opportunity. So, we have to either trust reviews or research the frequency data/response and know what we want.
In my case I am using these for initial mixing in a studio and I like the clarity and comfort. They seem perfectly capable of playing differing genres of music although some people might prefer a heavier bass for dance tracks. You do have to ‘drive’ them more than my other pairs.
I also check mixes with a terrible set of cheap speakers, different earphones and a reasonable set of monitors but the AKG’s are already my favourite reference for mixing.
I don’t know whether it’s because they are open back or not, but my ears do not tire in the same way as with other earphones and the bass is fairly rich without aggression.
In summary, good comfort and clarity for home listening but not out and about as they are open and you will annoy others and be annoyed by other sounds.
On brighter and early digital recordings, a less analytical presentation is sometimes preferable. In those cases, I preferred the Beyer T1.
I found the K812 superior in every respect, on every recording, to the Sennheiser 800.
The headphones are well built (in Slovakia), with no rattles or squeaks after 2 years.
Sadly AKG are no more, so if you want these headphones buy them now. Last chance!
I listened via Chord Mojo and 2qute dacs, with a Lehmann Linear amplifier. Also straight out of an ipod using lossless recordings, which was perfectly viable.
I compared them to similar flagshps (HD800 and TI), also cheaper sets (HD600, 880, K701, Sony MDR Z7).
These headphones are, as has been stated elsewhere, great for ambient and classical music especially (my preferred genres) with their wide but natural soundstage. However, if this is your first purchase of headphones that require a dedicated amp (and they certainly do), just know that you may end up cycling through a couple different products before you find one that works – you don’t need to break the bank (some have said that it’s necessary to spend more than the headphones themselves in amplification, which is absolutely untrue), but if you have no amp and you want passable sound, you will definitely need to spend extra.
Definitley a step up from my previous Philips Fidelio X1’s which were no slouch and make the Focal Listen Pros sound absolutely pathetic in comparison.
I have them plugged into a Marantz stereo amp and it drives them just fine, The headphones are very comfortable for long listening as they are very light and the clamp isn’t tight it’s just right for me, I don’t need to adjust them at all.
The memory foam ear cups are large and spacious and thanks to the open back they are very breathable my ears do not get fatigued even after 6-8 hours straight listening to music playing games etc on my pc or tv.
Best 200 quid I’ve spent on headphones.
This is my second purchase in buying “proper” headphones.
these arent $2000 studio headphones, but as someone who in recent years started appriciating quality audio products i can say they are great.
i bought Brainwavez HM5s before and wanted to try some open backs. after trying several pairs and shopping around i settled on these.
the clarity is great and they are very neutral across the board, i expected more in the bass area, and then expected to not like it when they were more neutral, but i very much enjoy the sound these produce.
currently using these in a desktop headphone amp which is recomended as running straight off a phone jack is not going to them justice.
music wise i listen to classical, rock and metal. so a broad selection. the clarity and sound stage is great for listning to orchestra pieces and the bass can handle metal without being muddy. for someone looking for great headphones at a reasonable price id recommend. (of course taste is always a factor)
Gaming: for gaming i think these are great, the open back realy presents a much wider sound stage and makes positional sound much much better, it handles gunshots explosions beautifully and can realy immerse you in the game when playing adventure/fantasy settings and the clarity allows you to pick up alot of ambient sound.
they are super comfy to wear and i can have several hour long sessions of music or games without the need to take them off. very light and durable band. did not change the soft touch ear pads as they feel great.