AKG K702 Open-Back Over-Ear Premium Studio Headphones, Reference Grade Sound, Airy and Spacious Soundstage, Precision Crafted


AKG K702
AKG K702 – Open Back Headphones

Clear sound in the studio and beyond

The K702’s are reference, open, over-ear studio headphones for precision listening, mixing and mastering. They combine an extremely accurate response with agility and spaciousness, a high-performance cable completing these pro level reference headphones.

AKG K702 Hotspot
  1. AKG K702

    AKG Varimotion membrane

    Varimotion from AKG is a unique technology that allows AKG to precisely tune the capsule for the highest level of performance to provide powerful, accurate, clear and feedback-free sound.

  2. AKG K702

    AKG flat-wire voice coil technology

    AKG’s flat-wire voice coil technology is what gives the K702 reference headphones the transient response that delivers amazingly accurate and spacious sound.

  3. AKG K702

    Phenomenal Comfort for Complete Immersion

    Unique 3D-Form ear pads and an ergonomic padded genuine-leather headband ensure that you remain pain-free and comfortable, even during the longest of sessions.

  4. AKG K702

    Professional Build Quality – Long live the music

    All AKG K702s are individually checked and serial-numbered before being sent out. This gives you the peace of mind that ever unit has met AKG’s strict quality standards.

AKG K702

Comparison

Open-Back

Headphone Type

Open-Back

Detachable Cable

62 Ohms

Rated Impedance

120 Ohms

231g

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

231g

Net Weight

235g

10 – 39800 Hz

Audio Bandwidth

10 – 39800 Hz

Open-Back

Headphone Type

Open-Back

Detachable Cable

62 Ohms

Rated Impedance

62 Ohms

231g

Net Weight

235g

10 – 39800 Hz

Audio Bandwidth

10 – 39800 Hz

  1. AKG 612 PRO
    K612
  2. AKG K701
    K701
  3. AKG K712 PRO
    K712
akg legacy
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: 231 g
Size: K702
Dimensions: 11.3 x 19.9 x 21.2 cm; 231.33 Grams
Model: K702
Colour: Black
Colour: Black
Size: K702

240 Responses

  1. ravechild says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing sounding headphones
    I wanted a fun cheaper end headphone to add to my collection. I see a lot of discussion about the EU or china made ones but thankfully my set are made in the EU.

    Currently also own the Audeze LCD X & Sennheiser HD 700 and running the Zen Stack for dac/amplification

    Build: They feel like a cheap toy to be honest however for the price I cant fault it too much, the pads are very comfortable and my ears fit nicely without any touching into the pads. The strap on the top does touch the top of my head and was a little annoying at first however I have gotten used to it and overall I am pleased with how they sit on my head.

    Sound: They are a very well rounded headphone, everything just fits together very cohesively without even an EQ applied. The soundstage is very impressive and you can hear notes extend very wide, they rival my Sennheiser HD 700 in terms of soundstage. However it isn’t as good when the music is going left to right very quickly but they do the job. The midrange is very pleasant and vocals are very clear, I actually much prefer vocals on these than the HD 700’s. There is just a right amount of bass I feel with these cans, I do have the Xbass button on the Zen Cans so they do help bring up the bass as some have noted its very light however with the Xbass its more than adequate. Some tracks had a very bright highs and I had to turn the volume down however this was only for certain tracks like “More bounce to the ounce”.

    Overall: Very pleased with the sound. very enjoyable and fun to listen to especially for the price and gives me a good alternative to listen to. I had the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 pro’s and I remember hating them but the AKG K712’s are a great all round headphone. The biggest knock against them is the build however the sound/comfort are more important in my mind.

  2. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Excellent for headphone mixing
    Open backs are arguably the best choice for headphone mixing and these are one of the best you could buy in about twice the budget.
    As usual with AKG their sound hits well above their weight. They present a natural response with good granularity and clairty in the mids, clear crisp highs and unmuddied bass – although the sub bass range may be lacking for some depending on application.
    I find them very light on the head and ears and can wear these indefinitely.
    When mixing, which is why I bought these, I can often hear things that would go unnoticed on more inferior headphones.
    In addition, in many of the headphone correction plugins available, the 702 correction curves are often included making these a good choice for proffessional or home studio headphone mixing duties.
    I ordered these just under 2 years ago and they are still going strong.
    Highly recommneded.

  3. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Much of Your Commercial Music Will Be Unlistenable On These
    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.

  4. MiaJacquez says:

     United Kingdom

    Wonderful
    My son, who is a musician, was advise to buy these for his home studio and he says they are just wonderful in every way. Very good value for money compared with similar quality items.

  5. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Best price/quality ratio on the marke
    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.

  6. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Excellent cans ... need a good amp
    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.

  7. ClaudioStroud says:

     United Kingdom

    Excellent cans ... need a good amp
    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.

  8. Robert Knight says:

     United Kingdom

    The headphones you can’t hea
    These are headphones that you “don’t hear” they have NO characteristics of their own, they are a true reference to the original sound. They are open backed so you can also hear everything that going on in the room around you as well. Many say these headphones are more like listening to loudspeakers in your room.

  9. linshoes43 says:

     United Kingdom

    The headphones you can’t hea
    These are headphones that you “don’t hear” they have NO characteristics of their own, they are a true reference to the original sound. They are open backed so you can also hear everything that going on in the room around you as well. Many say these headphones are more like listening to loudspeakers in your room.

  10. WarnerPatti29 says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    balanced convincing sound quality
    a good sound. feels like they’re putting out what comes in, in a largely uncoloured manner.

  11. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing, but you might need a DAC
    Best headset I’ve ever owned, first audio focused equipment I’ve had as usually I’d have bought gamer branded/marketed stuff. Only issue is the quality is so good that I had to buy an external DAC to fix some static noise, lol. First world problems.

  12. Mary Hance says:

     United Kingdom

    Great sounding but not for everyone
    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.

  13. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Great sounding but not for everyone
    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.

  14. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    The best headphones I have listened to
    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.

  15. MikelBourque says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersImperfect, but I love them
    Let me start with the cons:

    1. The top end can get rather harsh and can become uncomfortable to listen to on long sessions.
    2. There is no deep bass.
    3. They really are open back – a lot of sound escapes from them and a lot of external sound can get in.
    4. They are not that efficient – this means that the output from mobile devices may be quite low in volume. Ideally, use them with a headphone amp.

    The pros:

    1. They create a wonderfully wide soundstage, which means one can start hearing instruments which can otherwise get lost in the mix.
    2. They are very light and I have found wearing them for long sessions no problem.
    3. With a bit of EQ adjustment, the top end can be easily tamed to something incredibly sweet.
    4. Some EQ adjustment can help with the lack of low end bass, but just pumping up the low end frequencies will ruin the sound. Just accept that these cannot give real low end weight but on the other hand basses sound tight and fast, with the beginning and end of the notes coming through.

    Despite their imperfections, when I really want to get lost in a piece of music, or if I am coming to something fresh and want to really analyse it, then these are the headphones I put on.

  16. HellenBPMtz says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing
    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.

  17. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing
    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.

  18. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing!
    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.

  19. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Reference headphones for mixing and mastering
    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.

  20. GiselleAQGG says:

     United Kingdom

    Probably perfect for their intended use…
    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.

  21. CecileDaily says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing headphones, only one complai
    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

  22. MadisonFoy says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing headphones, only one complai
    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

  23. [email protected] Molly Gamble says:

     United Kingdom

    Worth the money
    This is my 1st set of audiophile headphones, and they are great. The fit is very comfortable, you can barely feel them on your head and the ear cups are very soft, so if you wear glasses like me they wont dig into your head. The open back design makes music sound a lot better, and the frequency response is great. you get to hear all the details in songs, especially when listening to FLAC’s

  24. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Review of AKG K712PRO - Very detailed. Wide soundstage.
    I’ve a few pairs of headphones and several IEMs and spend a large portion of my listening this way rather than over the speakers. I use the headphone amp in the Cambridge audio dacmagic plus to listen to computer/HiRes disgital and the headphone output from the Linn Majik for CD and vinyl.
    For comparison I used the Sennheiser HD600s and Momentum.
    Firstly let them burn in, they’re a bit shouty when you put them on, and the high end is very harsh, almost uncomfortable. After a few days they’ll have settled down and you can give them a spin through your collection. What I found was pretty much what every review has said, these cans are detailed, very detailed. The soundstage is wider than the HD600s and this seems to make the placement of indiviual elements much clearer in the mix. I was treated to that “extra, never heard before” moment a few times, and this was on albums I’ve very familiar with, a guitar line I’d never heard before on Beck’s “Mutations” album was clearly revealed.
    The only downside I found was they can be a little tiring for longer listening, and some HiRes stuff sounds too loud and way too crisp. For example Bowie’s “Heroes” didn’t sound great in 24-192 through these, it was much better with the HD600s or on CD or vinyl. The opposite was true for the Prince “Purple Rain Remastered” this was a real treat with the 712s.
    One suprising thing I found was how well they worked with music from my phone using a Cyrus Soundkey, they could be played painfully loud so no problems driving them as had been suggested.
    I would say they are a great option if you can’t justify the cost of the HD600s, if I could only have one pair of headphones I’d be very happy with these.

  25. Kevin Hardy says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    First adventure into headphones
    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.

  26. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    First adventure into headphones
    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.

  27. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    The sound is superb looks good top quality
    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

  28. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersFavourite purchase this year. Nice bass and great with DAC.
    These are semi-open, so not actually supposed to have “noise cancellation” – the openness improves the listening experience. Best headphones I’ve ever owned and frequently seen to be on offer (58-129). Obviously, being open, for home or studio use, rather than sat next to someone on the train 😉

  29. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersFavourite purchase this year. Nice bass and great with DAC.
    These are semi-open, so not actually supposed to have “noise cancellation” – the openness improves the listening experience. Best headphones I’ve ever owned and frequently seen to be on offer (58-129). Obviously, being open, for home or studio use, rather than sat next to someone on the train 😉

  30. BarbaraEck says:

     United Kingdom

    Music to my ears
    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)

  31. Chastit3996 says:

     United Kingdom

    Great detail but very quiet bass
    Great detail in the mids and highs with a reasonably large sound stage. The bass is very low if you’re used to closed backs or in ears so you’ll have to use a lot of eq if you want any bass.

  32. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Audiophile quality
    Very impressive headphones. Audiophile quality soundstage and reproduction. Great build too. I love using them.

  33. Laurind0932 says:

     United Kingdom

    WOW!
    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.

  34. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    WOW!
    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.

  35. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Wonderful
    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.

  36. Hitting the Sauce says:

     United Kingdom

    Quality monitor headphones
    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.

  37. Hayley Everett says:

     United Kingdom

    Great headphones
    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.

  38. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Wonderful Neutral Sounding Headphones
    Great sounding Cans, light weight comfortable fit with Neutral sound.
    Would benefit headphone stage as these are a little quiet on full volume.
    One niggling point, the cable snags and curls like an Eel…

  39. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Great sound but fragile
    I had an issue with one set after about 9 months with one of the speakers suddenly not working. Got a replacement with no additional cost via Amazon under warranty. Amazing sound comparable to headphone monitors at 300 although they are not as robust so need to be kept well. For the money I would certainly buy again if these fail again outside of warranty

  40. Max27Ycenutnpht says:

     United Kingdom

    Great sound but fragile
    I had an issue with one set after about 9 months with one of the speakers suddenly not working. Got a replacement with no additional cost via Amazon under warranty. Amazing sound comparable to headphone monitors at 300 although they are not as robust so need to be kept well. For the money I would certainly buy again if these fail again outside of warranty