Beyerdynamics are also much cheaper in the UK, bar the new lineup. It must be due to it being closer?
6 лет назад+2
Yes, 164 £ UK pounds today, 14 June 2018. uk.camelcamelcamel.com/AKG-Reference-Open-Back-Over-Ear-Headphones/product/B00DCXWXEI?context=search Probably AKG outsourced manufacturing from Slovakia to China. I will say something when mine arriving to Portugal (from Spanish Amazon).
6 лет назад+4
Received mine K712 Pro from Amazon Spain (181,95€ net). Selead box with tight plastic, visible the writen "Made in Slovakia", nice (nothing against the chinese workers).
I really like the fact that you include a section just for gaming, you should keep doing it as it is really valuable for some people who both game and listen to music.
Hi! Interesting and concise review, even though I have a major issue with it. No offense, but your point of view seems to show that you are not mixing music, so I would ask you to stop making recommendations for mixing headphones, because you don't seem to get what is really needed. To be fair, you are not the only one with this issue. Metal571 makes the same, I confronted him as well, even hough I hold his reviews in very high regard. This headphone is one of the best I am aware of for mixing in tonality, detail retrieval and dynamics. First of all the bass extension and particularly the bass detail is WAY batter than any open headphones I am aware of at this price point, and maybe even higher. Significantly better than the HD600, which is said to be a mixing reference (I my point of view it is not). In your comments you compared it to the M40x, which is comparing apples to oranges, but even then the K712 delivers significantly better bass texture than the M40x. It has no problems at all down to 50 Hz, and unless you produce solely electronic music, it is quite satisfactory. Besides, a lot of people cannot really separate subbass response, as in many, many bass heavy headphones it is masked by a midbass hump. The ONLY headphone I am aware of that has great, clean subbass response it the Ether C Flow/Aeon Closed and the TH-X00/TH-900. Second its tonality is fantastic, quite closer to a studio monitor sound than the HD 600. You will laugh but the headphone that has the closest response to a pair of 18k PMC reference speakers, which I used in the school was the M70x! The only issue the K712 has, that it is a little bumpy around 2k, which makes you mix rock music a bit safely, but that can be easily checked on other systems. The treble is not really forward at all, in fact it is quite on the spot for being a mixing reference. The HD 600 is way too polite in that area. Third, I cannot understand your issue with the imaging. This has one of the best imaging I know of, particularly that it can deliver nuanced image in the middle! When I listen to Kalafina, a japanese female vocal group I can tell where the girls are panned even though they are just within the middle 10 degrees. Its instument separation is excellent with huge ambient spaces around them. Fourth, the detail retrieval is phenomenal. I have 15 headphones at home, generally mid-fi stuff, but other than my Stax (which is kind of more expensive and on a whole other level) this delivers the most details. Fifth, and this is something I see people rare talk about, because they are not mixing: it has very impressive dynamics! Snare and kickrum beats punch out your eyeballs, which makes dynamic decisions (compressor) all that easier. This headphone has incredible fast drivers! And last but not least: you don't do mixing loud!!! Ear fatigue is a major factor when using mixing in headphones, so you dont turn the volume up just to hear more details. At least not constantly. On the thing I agree with you, is that the build is kind of cheap for 400 dollars. And there are other good headphones for mixing as well, tastes may vary. Bottom line is, it hass good bass and treble extension, a relatively flat but tastefully colored sound, tremendeous detail retrieval, a great soundstage with good imaging and instrument separation and a very impressive dynamics. Add to that, it is comfortable for wearing hours on end. And it costs around 200 Euros here! What else do you need for mixing? So writing it down overall as a headphone unfit for mixing, is showing some kind of incompetence from your part in that regard. And it is a bit of a shame, because otherwise your review is solid, and I see potential in you!
At the beginning of the review, he says he doesn't like one-sided input headphones and he prefers two-sided input, that would probably affect the objectivity of the review because he is kind of affected by this issue. this is something to be aware of.
Josh! I really enjoy how you give a lot of examples and dumb down the technicalities for us newer wannabe audiophiles. I enjoyed this review a lot!! Great job
Dude I swear everyone who tries these (AKG 700 series) hate them the first few weeks. Then they experiment a tiny bit with sound. Then they fall in love with them because of the immense soundstage they get.
@@KKKKKKK-sr1fz maybe I used the wrong word. Experience? People tend to initially dislike it. Then get used to the wide soundstage, then realize they can actually pick up on directional sounds easier in games. English isn't my first language.
@@KKKKKKK-sr1fz these are analog headphones. They don't have any software associated with them. If you want something like that you need to use other software or a seperate DAC. For example I have them hooked upto my GoXLR. And I can turn on mic monitoring. Which essentially is the same thing as sidetone.
@@vulpix9210 but is it delayed or pretty 1:1 fast ? I need side tone because I play games team work you need to talk a lot I don’t want to scream and can you recommend me any amplifier with this feature which is good and decent price ? Or budget ? Please
To summarise, these headphones for me are incredible for watching movies and online content, they are mega for gaming and they are very fun for listening to music, with huge amounts of detail and spooky large soundstage. The bass is decent and even punchy it just rolls off naturally. The highs are detailed and never aggressive and the mids are detailed, textured, rich and natural. I'd argue to my ear there is second harmonic distortion with these creating some sweetness to sounds. In the UK you can pick these up for £200 or less and there isn't anything that gets near them for that price. Yes the HD600 is way more intimate focused and detailed for vocals but they sound like a closed back and cost nearly twice as much. The Hifiman Sundara are probably better for critical listening but cost 50% more in the UK... The AKGs have bigger soundstage than both and are more ethereal and emotive sounding. The light weight is also a major plus. Super light and comfortable, you hardly notice them on your head. For me these are endgame since I mostly use them for watching movies / anime/ TV shows and listen to music through speakers these days mostly. However when I do listen to music with these you get all the detail whilst sitting a couple of rows away from the band, it is smooth and fatigue free. They do it like no other and that is what makes them special... Anyhow, excellent albeit slightly harsh review, I am amazed how well you nailed the description of how these things sound though 👏
I've listened to planars, spent thousands on headphones over the years and even listened to headphones that cost in the thousands for extensive periods... guess what my most used headphone is, and my favorite? the k712 pro. Nothing about it fatigues ever, it perfectly reaches all details with no pain, bass extends natural and deep. Mids are not backward or forward it's like you said, perfectly natural. Separation and soundstage are absolutely insane with it being able to maintain the best low/mid/high balance of all time. There are tons of headphones that resolve better (slightly) but cost thousands, but they don't have the same balance the k712's do. Planars of course beat them in speed but that becomes irrelevant quick where the k712 ends.
Single player games? I am looking for cans that are warm, laid back but still maintain details with a good soundstage and imaging, I am indecisive between this and the sundara
I'm using these currently with the Burson conductor V1 and these are not bass shy and the build quality is fine. They are very detailed and do not like poorly recorded music. For the price you can get these for they are pretty nice.
I really love my K712’s and I think the issue may be the amp and no doubt, I believe they’re amp particular. But driving them with my SPL Phonitor 2 I find they do great and the bass is extended and detailed. I even use them with my Monolith 887 (bedroom setup) and again, they do great.
Hey Josh, I like your reviews, but I just got a used pair of these about a week ago and disagree with almost everything you said about these. They are easy as hell to power, I'm using a fiio k1 at 60 % and getting plenty of output as I write this. I use them out of my phone, Note 8 I can get enough volume in a quiet environment. They seemed to be very accurate too everything was exactly where it should be in the Soundstage, and found that it was not exaggerated like you concluded. I completely agree with your opinion on the gaming uses. Incredible range of sound ie, footsteps. They definitely sound better with male vocals. The bass on these was better than any akg I've heard though, extends low with little to no muddyness. Don't get me wrong they are not god teir phones, they are very good though. Keep up the good work I like your reviews. Don't be afraid to change the format a little. People like the same in a variety of flavors, like headphones. Lol
@@imferrer well try to aim in mid fi segment of tube amps, dont be afraid of china amps I got Little dot mk3 its well made and you can always buy better tubes
@@imferrer k5 pro is amp/dac so you dont need motherboard, never had that device so I dont know if it can power k712 properly but if you dont listen to music on high volume maybe it will do
I paid mine 700$can a couple years ago. I was also a bit confused at first with the sound (and bought them for mixing and mastering), but after a couple hours of listening, they are brillant.
You're describing them the way I did when they weren't broken in. I did an A/B comparison with broken in ones that I've had for years vs brand new one because i wanted a second pair.
I've got a really old pair, back when they were made in Austria. It's like #2000 or something and it sounds incredible. Honestly I don't know what the Slovenian made ones sound like, I heard they were worse
I love them. I first got mine around their release. So... Maybe 6 years. Still going strong if that gives you an idea of longevity of the build quality. But yes... They are power hungry.
Hi Josh, I have the K702 and I hated them so much until I plugged classical music. These are exceptional for that type of music, all the brightness and harshness are gone and you can play them at higher levels. Otherwise I agree they sound anemic
I have the K7XX, HD650, and LCD-2 right now. I listen to the K7XX the most as the lightest and most comfortable of the 3, and an excellent overall sound signature. I don't have much experience with the K712 but I don't remember them lacking bass. They are only 62 ohms but they need a lot of power to sound right. I agree on the awesome soundstage and accuracy with the K7XX, but the bass is very good for an open can. Good review.
I have a pair of LCD X headphones and was wondering how much bass these put out. I'm looking for something lighter for my long sessions. I saw you have LCD 2 headphones. Are the 712 pros punchier and more slam then your LCD 2 headphones ?
I'm not sure if something wrong with me but I got the LCD-2 Classic and a few mid high-end headphones but for some reason I keep coming back to the K712 Pro. Honestly, it's very comfortable on my head and for some reason, I do prefer the sonic sounds of the K712 Pro over many more expensive and well known ones. Although I do use a vacuum headphone tube amp though.
I find it odd people always say the build quality on these is bad while Sennheiser’s HD series gets a pass. When they launched people said they were cheap feeling. Anyway plastic doesn’t by default mean cheap.
The suspension mechanism on these is doomed to fail, unfortunately. The elastic will eventually snap and those dodgy plastic clips break very easily. Mine are still going fine 7 years on, but I feel like I have to handle these extremely carefully.
These sound amazing for VR gaming and music, digital out, through an SBX DAC set to low gain and system volume at 100% for absolutely everything. The first time I really sat down and listened to music like this I listened to The Mother We Share by Chvrches. A song I listened to in my teen years. And I legitimately cried. It was so loud and I thought it should sound terrible. but it was amazing. Laurens voice was clear, and I the bass was detailed. I could hear every synth on it's own, and it didn't sound like a crackly electronic mess like it would on Beats or Bose on full volume. It was more like being at a concert. And in VR you forget that you have headphones. You hear no sense of there being 50mm drivers an inch from your eardrums. Quiet subtle sounds like the breathing of an enemy in Half Life Alyx just sound like they're coming from the room that the enemy is in.
For anyone saying these need a lot of power, no they don't. My FiiO K5 outputs 1'5W into 32Ohms and at high gain I cannot go past 10 o'clock. At 11 it becomes total earrape. I actually recommend an amp for these that outputs 1W into 32Ohms (Atom would be awesome). My Senns 6XX need just a touch more power than these actually. Also in EU these are a no brainer (mine were 210€ only) and an easy recommendation over anything sub 350. These are not worse than Senns 6X0, just different. They have better bass and bigger soundstage (GIANT SOUNDSTAGE actually), but are a bit shallow in the mids. I like these oh so much more than Senns 6X0, they just have a big "WOW" factor to them, while with the Senns it's a bit whatever.
Hey Josh, I picked up the akg 7xx recently and am liking them for gaming. The sound stage is wide but accurate. Sometimes when enemies are below or behind me I don’t hear them, it could be the game or the headset. Not sure. I also get the same problem with the head set falling off my head sometimes but it’s not a deal breaker. The memory foam ear pads are a nice touch. Right now I’m using a micca oriGen G2 amp/dac combo off amazon. ( I wanted something cheap and the reviews looked good). What is your #1 setup recommendation for pc FPS gaming specifically - amp/dac and headphone combo? I heard tube amps can open up the sound stage even more but does that make the imaging worse? I have a few more weeks available to return both my headphones and my amp to try other setups. I’m gonna pick up BF5 when it comes out and am playing fortnite right now. Any advice would be helpful, thanks!
out of interest what are you using to power them? ive had them and play mainly fortnite since about the time you made this comment and they are just terrible to me i cant track people at all. i can be chopping up a wood stack and i guy can run right up the stairs and next to me and shotgun me dead and i had no idea he was approaching i felt safe with the audio i was hearing. it could be the game as i dont think it has the best audio but ive never really seen that happen to streamers so im thinking it is my setup. my dac/amp ive discovered recently is not good enough at all so it could be that or it really could just bet he headphones arent suited to fortnite
If you need to choose between Audio Technica ATH-AD1000X and AKG K712 Pro then which one would you pick?...Please let me know in detail how do you compare these 2.
Excellent review my man. I have been considering these for quite some time. I am thankful you included a section for gaming, the only other person who kinda does that is Zeos. Love his channel.
I got the dt990 32ohm they are not great for close directional audio ( can't tell which floor the enemy is on ). Just bought the k12 pro are these any better ?
@@mikaiyelmiah8538 You will have to get the volume right. But Beyers are still better for Fortnite knowing where everyone is. You might have to look for people a bit more now👀
Forgot to mention this was on apex. With dt990 the soundstage is good I can tell how far the enemy is and which direction the noise is coming from however Close range imaging sucks epically in buildings (all directional noise is meshed together). Can't tell how many enemies or how close they are left or if they are right above me or behind me All I know is they are there.
2024 /I have the 712pro and the hd660s ,after 5.6 years of ownership i have to add my view of this 2 headphones: Akg k712 pro 1. Very comfortable, very low pressure 2. Very very hard to drive they need at least 30% more power than hd660s 3. Very high detailed highs /treble , way better than sennheiser 4. Larger soundstage 5. More detail in the sub bass , less mid bass than hd660s 6. Very lightweight Sennheiser hd660s 1. I like the eggshape and the fit way more 2. Clampforce is harder 3.midrange focused , its all about the midrange , is like 20%bass 60% midrange 20% treble , the akg is more like 30%bass 40%mids and 30% treble
How do you comapre these to the HE-4xx for gaming? I loved HE-4xx on BFV i tried from a frineds system. Bass and the impact was amaizing, I was missing a bit the wide sound stage. But it was awsome.
Btw i was worried that plastic build quality too when i bought this... But im used these two years now. No problems. These are so light and comfortable and i get these for 199 euros! IF they broke i try to find second pair. And that leather will soften when you use them.
I bought these a while back and commented on this post a while back, I can say one thing that is tough about reviewing headphones, is they have break in or burn in time. Mine after about 8 months maybe longer really came alive on the low end. It didn't mess with gaming at all. I use a gaming DAC Creative sounds blaster GC7, it powers them actually quite well. Overall I would bump them up for audio quality when it comes to music. I was more a 6.5 out of 10 for these now I'm closer to say a 7.2 out of ten. They improved and the comfort is topnotch for me. For gaming I had tried some big cans like the Sennheiser 800s and hd the Beyer 1990 pros and numerous other gaming sets. These still are my favorite by far. The 1990s actually were really nice as well. The 800s we're good better than gaming headsets but they aren't really a headset that imo shined in gaming as much as the 712s. Music the 800s are better although they aren't my favorite music. Prefer Arya's
I was recently able to listen to the K712 for a while. The criticism is absolutely right, the parts lack substance in the bass and the treble is very direct. I already have a K612 and have always put the K712 aside to listen to music and play games with my K612. As an end user, I prefer the K612. The K612s sound more pleasant because their treble is not so intrusive and their bass is much broader, deeper and full. For those who play more narrative games, the sound is simply more natural and immersive. The localization of sound sources is not as on point as on the 712, but it's not much different. The 612 is also far ahead of the 990 from Beyerdynamic. You can also use the 612 on mobile devices, but you need enough power to fully extend it. Actually, a FiiO K7 is enough, but for classical music I added another amplifier. I also fitted my K612 with leather ear pads, which boosted the bass slightly and made them sit even more relaxed on my head. The leather ear pads had no noticeable positive effect on the sound of the K712. I would only prefer the K712 if I only need and am looking for headphones specifically for competitive video games and a tactical advantage in video games is more important to me than immersion and powerful weapon sounds. As soon as this is not my most important need and I am generally looking for open headphones, the K612 would be right at the top for me under 300€. The only disadvantage is that their stage is too big for a few pieces of music. The vast majority of music benefits from this large stage, but with NuMetal I sometimes miss the directness. For these cases and when my devices don't have that much power, I still fall back on a Tygr from Beyerdynamic. However, in almost all cases it performs significantly worse than the 612 and, like the 712, doesn't have the fullness of sound. Although its bass has more punch, it doesn't go as deliciously deep and wide. The 712 also feels a bit like the 612 and Tygr have a baby. The question is, do you want to buy a single 712 for the same price or a 612 and Tygr together?
I have a k612 pro and k712 pro. Originally I purchased them just for audio mixing, but later on also used for gaming. For me I found k612 does reference mixing a bit better and yes I totally agree with you about gaming. They are both very good headphones for sure, but due to the differences in pricing I think k612 has better value.
I would even go so far as to say that the K612 is the better choice for end users, and not just in terms of price. The K612s sound more pleasant because their treble is not so intrusive and their bass is much broader and deeper. If you tend to play narrative games, you'll simply get a more natural and immersive sound here. The localization of sound sources is not as on point as on the 712, but it's not much different. The 612 is also far ahead of the 990 from Beyerdynamic. You can also use the 612 on mobile devices, but you need enough power to fully extend it. Actually, a FiiO K7 is enough, but for classical pieces I have added another amplifier.
Not good review. Having another higher tier headphones and working on a Studio, they absolutely WORK in studio environments for reference mix. I mix on monitors, but these are detailed without being harsh (like almost any Beyer) and they aren't veiled (like all Sennheisers below the HD 600/650 quality), far more comfortable than any Audiotechnica and have absolutely better soundstage than most of the competition at 250/300 eur.
@@johnbartender3451 They work really well. I use them as reference alongside with Beyer DT800 Premiums and Soundmagic HP100's. All of them are great and offer different things. The AKG's are the most balanced.
Hi Josh. appreciate all ur videos. I currently own the AKG K712 Pro and power it thru my Earmen TR AMP. I love the sound signature of the K712, especially the huge soundstage and imaging. Not immediately, but in near future, if i need to upgrade my headphones, what would u recommend? I need a sound signature similar to that of the k712, and would prefer an even more holographic soundstage than the k712 (width, depth, elevation) along with more precise imaging (front, rear, up, down). I dont appreciate a bass heavy signature in general. Your opinion would be useful. Cheers buddy - Mehul
can you listen to modern music and electronic with this? will sibilance likely to occur? i had q701 and k7xx and sold q701 away due to piercing highs while k7xx high is just on point for me, im curious about upgrading to 712 too
Hey, you’re getting the hang of this, best review yet. Great description of sound signature and build, nice close-up shots of the item, and the video was the perfect length. They sure look like the K7XX in that colourway!
same thing happened to me. coming from hd650/LCDx i didn't like the k712 at first. then i started loving them after awhile. i use these mostly for gaming/movies and some music listening
Same apply to me. I still have the LCD-2 Classic and some other higher end but these Audeze are really heavy after awhile on my head. Sound wise, I keep coming back to the AKG 712 Pro. It's accompanied with a decent DAC and a vacuum tube amp. Sometimes higher tiers and more expensive is applicable to everyone. If it's for art and build and pretty to look at, I think maybe some of those may very well contributed to the over all cost.
I've had these 7 years for PC gaming and music on a Mayflower Objective 2 rev B. 24bit/96kHz on Windows (always set to 50% volume). Never had a problem driving them. I adjust volume with program slider or DAC knob. I also have an Antlion Modmic on them for multiplayer gaming. I love these for Jazz, but all music genres sound great. They have a warmer sound and better low's than my HiFiMan Sundara's on PC with this Mayflower DAC/Amp. I do bump up Bass Boost 3dB on occasion with the AKG's, especially for dance/EDM. Highs sound great IMO and don't bother me, except some horns on a FLAC file, but still tolerable. I got them for $344 from Adorama, through NewEgg and they run $640 from AKG (Edit - $660 as of 7/23). There are some coming in from China, so be aware of knockoff's for those commenting finding them under $200. If it sounds too good to be true, etc etc. The only complaint I have is the suspension system. It began to fail after 7 years. I keep them on a headphone hanger, on the leather headband which is probably a mistake. Hang them by the orange frame. I found a hack on Reddit using small diameter tubing, cut and placed on the orange frame, between the two suspension parts....once cut to your desired length and put into place it will give a non-adjustable, permanent fit that will never fail. My Sundara's are strictly for my PS5 on a Mayflower ARC MK2 and sound great there, providing more bass in Callisto Protocol than it did on PC with music. Both headphones sound good for their intended use.
This review is somewhat confusing. I do use these as a reference for mixing in my home studio as well as the AKG K550, which provide a more neutral FR with filled in sub bass. They do provide an intimate representation of sound. Studio headphones aren't meant to sound narrow or whatever you're suggesting. The K712 have a good balance of sound stage size and accurate imaging and they maintain it pretty well when instruments pan around. Both of my AKGs beat my $450 studio monitors for detail and sound intimacy, so they're more useful for critical listening than monitors. Are the highs too bright? Perhaps. They're kinda similar to the HD800 but not quite as bright. They don't really bother me. The highs sound about right. Still not as bright as some studio monitors. As for listening volume, you're meant to listen to music at a comfortable listening volume that allows you to hear details in music. Don't crank shit up no matter what the FR is. It's unnecessary and it will cause hearing fatigue.
Hey, Josh! I'm looking to get into the open-back world and I've set my eyes on these. I'm currently daily driving (and will probably continue to do so because the majority of the music I listen to is in the office) the AKG K550. I want to experience what OB has to offer. In terms of sound signature, I've found that I like a slight V-shape, with emphasis on the treble and subbass (which I know is hard to find in dynamic open-backs). Is there anything at or around the price of these that you'd rather recommend over them? Thank you!
Lacking bass??? You may want to try a new pair, because these have WAY better bass than the 7xx's. I even prefer these over Senheiser 6xx's. In fact I'd even go so far as to say the bass on mine is ALMOST as good as on my Audeze LCD-XC's, which are an $1800 set of headphones. The K712's being MUCH more comfortable and lighter than the XC's. I also don't find mine bright at all, and about the only complaint I have on these are the sound-stage is almost to good if that makes sense....maybe to wide I guess. Maybe amp choice makes a difference? I prefer mine on the Vali 2 tube/hybrid (all the way up, on low gain), even over my Asgard 2, which is almost never the case. Without and amp, these are un-listenable. I guess everyone has a different ear, but I find myself using these more than any of the others I've mentioned here which I own/owned.
I would say yes! After you spend $500 it's diminishing returns big time. Don't get me wrong the XC's bass is amazing, but is it $1300 more amazing than the K712's? I'd say......no.
Lacking bass was a bit of a surprising line for me too. It may not be as omnipresent and it won't reproduce extremely low frequencies and as loudly (you need a subwoofer or a subpack for this), but they do reproduce the smoothest bass I have heard so far. The fact they are open-back also adds why the bass is not as booming. I can't tell much about brightness as I'm afraid I am used to this pair. I did get a whole lot more brightness and detail when I went to Scarlett 2i2 from Xonar U5.
So amazing ! I think a blind man can use these and get kills. I feel like Daredevil. I'm hearing very well. Footsteps easily trackable. Much better than my Astros, artics, hd650's, game ones, and turtle beaches.
K712 require some really great damping factor amplifier to handle low frequency . And I reccomend chages cable . THE STOCK CABLE KINDA SUCK FOR K712. Mid range from stock cable no good enough still a bit hollow. When You got good cable one and great amp k712 will shine alot.
im a headphone noob and i got these for gaming about a year ago and have not been impressed but i think now its because my dac/amp is crap it cost only 60$. it worries me you say even the schiit stack can hardly power them as that stack is highly recommended on the internet so my cheap amp defo wont be enough
What headphone in that price range feels "premium" to you? What about cheaper? Have you ever worked in a recording studio or used phones for mastering? Sounds like you'd enjoy some Beats by Dr. Dre.
Now that the prices have dropped to about 200 euros, how would these compare to the 400 euros senheiser hd-660s ? Which one would you recommend, i avidly game (though more casually then competitively) as well as spend long hours wearing headphones while watching videos, listening to audiobooks, music, etc... Also I currently have a fiio e10k but am thiking of upgrading to a shiit stack. Despite this video being three years old now, I hope you still glance at your comments, thanks in advance :)
I'd like to know this as well. Theyre about $360 AUD, and have been considering the HD560s, 660S, HE400SE's, and Sundaras. I'm coming from a pair of Ultrasone 900 Pro's which I've really liked and have been my only headphones. I'm going to be using these for mostly gaming.
Using them for a year now and I can confirm that they aren't really great when you like to listen to music very loudly, they also will point out bad mixed music and low quality audio files(don't listen to mp3 128kbit or less with these). The bass is weak and the highs can be very bright but over all they are like pointed out in this review very comfortable and perfect for gaming, watching videos/movies and even listening to audiobooks. I agree with the build quality though, it is not perfect and the thin plastic on one side of the earpads broke on me but it doesn't really matter its still fitting perfectly fine. I payed 200 Euro, which was a great deal back in 2018, they cost around 200 Euro right now on amazon as well.
can you listen to modern music and electronic with this? will sibilance likely to occur? i had q701 and k7xx and sold q701 away due to piercing highs while k7xx high is just on point for me, im curious about upgrading to 712 too
Good review, I just ordered a pair to use for Ableton low end (with Sonarworks headphone fixing the signal of course...). Like the T-shirt too dude, respect fae Glasgow Scotland :D
very very good cans! - you just need a good DAC/Soundcard and good audo source quality to drive them with, but with good equipment they sound fantastic, also in music!, also right now they are available for half that price.
I do have a couple questions for you though. Through all your listening through these, do they ever feel like sound is in front of you at all? Even if it's not very accurate. Or is it just side to side and rear like beyerdynamics? You mentioned price @ $400 is too expensive, would you consider $300 a reasonable price for these?
The sounds move around in sides and they can come up front too, as well as behind. Majority of what i'm hearing feels like it's outside my head, but there are instances of kick drums that dig into your head and knock on the base of the skull. And sudden creaks/clicks/shouts mixed to sound as if they're coming from afar really do feel like that. I've bought a JDS Labs Atom for them, it has made the bass more lively and deeper, and improved the soundstage. can't comment on the price. thomann and such sell it at half the price, and for 200 something dollars they're amazing. they're listed at fucking $500 on the akg site tho.
great video! keep up the good work! what headphone is suited for Jazz? i listen to a lot of Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Oscar Peterson, etc. What is ur recommendation? Thank u kindly!
@Joshua Valour, I cannot afford these, but I am getting the AKG K7XX which is 62ohm and 105db sensitivity. I want to use my Sennheizer GSX 1200 Pro AMP/DAC to power these, but after hearing your review of the K712's I do not think they can :( Which AMP do you recommend for use with the GSX 1200 Pro for the AKG K7XX
I agree Joshua the gaming imaging is unreal, I find them musical but a tish bright. I put them on the creative g6 blaster and they are awesome from a gaming headset. That creative drives them really well. I was told to get them for music and a couple other things but bass is pretty reserved as well. I am happy to use them for warzone most BR games. For gaming they are top notch.
I've always wanted to add these to my collection , but i already have the HD600 , will these be a good complementary headphone for funs ? There's a lot of them used for $200-250
Well, kinda, yes. Not much better for bass. But, it is a virtual opposite of an HD600. Not intimate. It is very wide. It may take some time to get used to. Also, they do require a little more power than the hd600. Consider that. Used for that price is actually fair imo.
got both K712 nad HD600 both are excellent with tube amp, K712 is wider with better sub bass, HD600 is king of vocals got better high mids and treble region, K712 darker better lower mids and bass
Saved up for a long time for these... I don't think they sound better than my grado sr80es 😭😭😭 I run the k712s through a fiio btr5, idk what I'm doing wrong. They just sound so weak, am I not driving them properly?
For a long time I was saving my pennies for the AKG K712 Pro's. I'm a big AKG fan ever since I purchased my first beginner pair the AKG 140's back in the 80's. Unlike this video, where the host complains about the size of his head (really ?) the K712's had gained rave reviews mostly everywhere I looked. I really did my research. However, they were listed for $400 !! Wow that's a lot of money for a pair of cans, at least for me ! While I was busy saving, I saw a pair listed on eBay for only $112. I just had to get these so out came my credit card. After the purchase, I was a little, well A LOT worried that these were fakes, so I kept my fingers crossed. One good thing, is that the seller had a return policy. When they arrived, I noticed they were made in Slovakia, while all my other AKG headphones were made in Austria ? I put them on and sure enough they had that signature AKG sound. Slightly light, should I say weak base, but crystal-clear mids and smooth highs. The imaging is very accurate and the sound stage is large, but I would not say huge. I had these for 6 months and so far so good. I compared these with my Beyerdynamic 51Ti's ($225) closed back, on-ear, ( much better build) headphones and I can't say which ones I enjoy the most. For laid-back non-fatigueing, long listening sessions, I would go with the AKG's, for a deeper Bass experience and more forward and dynamic sound, I would go with the Beyerdynamics.
You are probably a real basshead, if the bass is lacking heavily for you. Also AKG-s usually not for low listening levels, they need to be drive loud and need a powerful amp. I think u are just probably used to the veiled, laid back headphones and the loud K712's slight treble boost was too much for you, so you started to listening so low volume that was hard to hear the bass notes. Kinda fail for the review.
then it is his opinion, nothing failed tho, why would he need to pretend that he can handle the treble and say the bass is good? audio is full of subjective so take it or leave it. preference means nothing about a good or bad review. btw i do own the q701 and k7xx and the bass sucked tbh they are just not meant to be a bass centric headphone so thats why it is lacking
rollon babe This all day, AD 1000x has the trash non detachable cable + designed for big heads other wise that pads will have pressure on your lower jaws
I have made in Austria ones and it does the opposite to every negative you mentioned. I love these cans so much that I bought another pair used like new from Amazon.
This is more in accordance with what I hear compared with other reviews, I would like a little bit more bass and although music is enjoyable I feel like I am missing something from them, at louder volumes they don't sound as good, like you said, lower volume listening is better. What would you recommend for pleasure listening? I have an R2R-11, HD600s and M560 but none give me a wow or enjoyment factor. I recently got the VE-monks and enjoy them more than my headphones (I feel stupid). I was considering the Audeze LCD2c's because they are said to be on the dark side, opinions anyone?
****UK Prices are much cheaper that US****
Beyerdynamics are also much cheaper in the UK, bar the new lineup. It must be due to it being closer?
Yes, 164 £ UK pounds today, 14 June 2018.
uk.camelcamelcamel.com/AKG-Reference-Open-Back-Over-Ear-Headphones/product/B00DCXWXEI?context=search
Probably AKG outsourced manufacturing from Slovakia to China.
I will say something when mine arriving to Portugal (from Spanish Amazon).
Received mine K712 Pro from Amazon Spain (181,95€ net). Selead box with tight plastic, visible the writen "Made in Slovakia", nice (nothing against the chinese workers).
i paid $ 320 on amazon last year you are late to the party lol
@@awi5951 $270 now
I really like the fact that you include a section just for gaming, you should keep doing it as it is really valuable for some people who both game and listen to music.
What do you like better man, dt 1990 pro or akg k712? I need the for mixing and mastering
He says he does talk about gaming for headphones that he thinks it's worthy to be mentioned in.
Agree
lel but audiophiles be like muh treble, muh timber, muh vocals, muh tight pus....bass.
For me they are amazing. I'm using them almost exclusively for last 3 years. :)
How about for anime?
@@kamasu4222 Good as for everything else.
@@blackjohnny0 how about metal?
@@wolandphotography Its ok.
@@wolandphotography listen metal it sounds good for heavy metal, hard rock, progressive metal. Oh i like Opeth in them, "new" and "old" both.
Hi! Interesting and concise review, even though I have a major issue with it. No offense, but your point of view seems to show that you are not mixing music, so I would ask you to stop making recommendations for mixing headphones, because you don't seem to get what is really needed. To be fair, you are not the only one with this issue. Metal571 makes the same, I confronted him as well, even hough I hold his reviews in very high regard. This headphone is one of the best I am aware of for mixing in tonality, detail retrieval and dynamics.
First of all the bass extension and particularly the bass detail is WAY batter than any open headphones I am aware of at this price point, and maybe even higher. Significantly better than the HD600, which is said to be a mixing reference (I my point of view it is not). In your comments you compared it to the M40x, which is comparing apples to oranges, but even then the K712 delivers significantly better bass texture than the M40x. It has no problems at all down to 50 Hz, and unless you produce solely electronic music, it is quite satisfactory. Besides, a lot of people cannot really separate subbass response, as in many, many bass heavy headphones it is masked by a midbass hump. The ONLY headphone I am aware of that has great, clean subbass response it the Ether C Flow/Aeon Closed and the TH-X00/TH-900.
Second its tonality is fantastic, quite closer to a studio monitor sound than the HD 600. You will laugh but the headphone that has the closest response to a pair of 18k PMC reference speakers, which I used in the school was the M70x! The only issue the K712 has, that it is a little bumpy around 2k, which makes you mix rock music a bit safely, but that can be easily checked on other systems. The treble is not really forward at all, in fact it is quite on the spot for being a mixing reference. The HD 600 is way too polite in that area.
Third, I cannot understand your issue with the imaging. This has one of the best imaging I know of, particularly that it can deliver nuanced image in the middle! When I listen to Kalafina, a japanese female vocal group I can tell where the girls are panned even though they are just within the middle 10 degrees. Its instument separation is excellent with huge ambient spaces around them.
Fourth, the detail retrieval is phenomenal. I have 15 headphones at home, generally mid-fi stuff, but other than my Stax (which is kind of more expensive and on a whole other level) this delivers the most details.
Fifth, and this is something I see people rare talk about, because they are not mixing: it has very impressive dynamics! Snare and kickrum beats punch out your eyeballs, which makes dynamic decisions (compressor) all that easier. This headphone has incredible fast drivers!
And last but not least: you don't do mixing loud!!! Ear fatigue is a major factor when using mixing in headphones, so you dont turn the volume up just to hear more details. At least not constantly.
On the thing I agree with you, is that the build is kind of cheap for 400 dollars. And there are other good headphones for mixing as well, tastes may vary.
Bottom line is, it hass good bass and treble extension, a relatively flat but tastefully colored sound, tremendeous detail retrieval, a great soundstage with good imaging and instrument separation and a very impressive dynamics. Add to that, it is comfortable for wearing hours on end. And it costs around 200 Euros here! What else do you need for mixing? So writing it down overall as a headphone unfit for mixing, is showing some kind of incompetence from your part in that regard. And it is a bit of a shame, because otherwise your review is solid, and I see potential in you!
You said everything I had to say. I love my K712s to death and they are AKGs Flagship DJ headphones enough said.
At the beginning of the review, he says he doesn't like one-sided input headphones and he prefers two-sided input, that would probably affect the objectivity of the review because he is kind of affected by this issue. this is something to be aware of.
@Club Soda Well I got something out of it at least
@@sparkplug._ Same
Andras Nelhiebel dude thanks you!!!! Just what I needed to confirm. Are you familiar with sundaras by any chance?
Josh! I really enjoy how you give a lot of examples and dumb down the technicalities for us newer wannabe audiophiles. I enjoyed this review a lot!! Great job
Dude I swear everyone who tries these (AKG 700 series) hate them the first few weeks. Then they experiment a tiny bit with sound. Then they fall in love with them because of the immense soundstage they get.
What you mean with experimenting I just want them to game with
@@KKKKKKK-sr1fz maybe I used the wrong word. Experience? People tend to initially dislike it. Then get used to the wide soundstage, then realize they can actually pick up on directional sounds easier in games. English isn't my first language.
@@vulpix9210 do they have side tone option ? Please help
@@KKKKKKK-sr1fz these are analog headphones. They don't have any software associated with them. If you want something like that you need to use other software or a seperate DAC. For example I have them hooked upto my GoXLR. And I can turn on mic monitoring. Which essentially is the same thing as sidetone.
@@vulpix9210 but is it delayed or pretty 1:1 fast ? I need side tone because I play games team work you need to talk a lot I don’t want to scream and can you recommend me any amplifier with this feature which is good and decent price ? Or budget ? Please
To summarise, these headphones for me are incredible for watching movies and online content, they are mega for gaming and they are very fun for listening to music, with huge amounts of detail and spooky large soundstage. The bass is decent and even punchy it just rolls off naturally. The highs are detailed and never aggressive and the mids are detailed, textured, rich and natural. I'd argue to my ear there is second harmonic distortion with these creating some sweetness to sounds. In the UK you can pick these up for £200 or less and there isn't anything that gets near them for that price. Yes the HD600 is way more intimate focused and detailed for vocals but they sound like a closed back and cost nearly twice as much. The Hifiman Sundara are probably better for critical listening but cost 50% more in the UK... The AKGs have bigger soundstage than both and are more ethereal and emotive sounding. The light weight is also a major plus. Super light and comfortable, you hardly notice them on your head. For me these are endgame since I mostly use them for watching movies / anime/ TV shows and listen to music through speakers these days mostly. However when I do listen to music with these you get all the detail whilst sitting a couple of rows away from the band, it is smooth and fatigue free. They do it like no other and that is what makes them special... Anyhow, excellent albeit slightly harsh review, I am amazed how well you nailed the description of how these things sound though 👏
I've listened to planars, spent thousands on headphones over the years and even listened to headphones that cost in the thousands for extensive periods...
guess what my most used headphone is, and my favorite? the k712 pro. Nothing about it fatigues ever, it perfectly reaches all details with no pain, bass extends natural and deep. Mids are not backward or forward it's like you said, perfectly natural. Separation and soundstage are absolutely insane with it being able to maintain the best low/mid/high balance of all time. There are tons of headphones that resolve better (slightly) but cost thousands, but they don't have the same balance the k712's do. Planars of course beat them in speed but that becomes irrelevant quick where the k712 ends.
@@escapetherace1943Which dac/amp setup do you guys recommend?
@@strikepaw1 I could recommend a lot but I'd recommend topping for great sounding dacs at good prices.
@@escapetherace1943I just ordered a schiit vali 3 as an amp. Got any recommendations for a dac?
These headphones make you feel like a god in gaming even after all these years. Nothing compares.
Single player games? I am looking for cans that are warm, laid back but still maintain details with a good soundstage and imaging, I am indecisive between this and the sundara
@@swiftshinobi8337 competitive shooter games, like BO4, Fornight, ...
@@Mr.Plutonium is it good for single player games?
What dac/amp do u use?
@@mcwaff8661 Schiit Magni, Modi, and Loki. The Loki (EQ) is optional, but I use it to remove all the bass and increase treble.
I'm using these currently with the Burson conductor V1 and these are not bass shy and the build quality is fine. They are very detailed and do not like poorly recorded music. For the price you can get these for they are pretty nice.
I really love my K712’s and I think the issue may be the amp and no doubt, I believe they’re amp particular. But driving them with my SPL Phonitor 2 I find they do great and the bass is extended and detailed. I even use them with my Monolith 887 (bedroom setup) and again, they do great.
Hey Josh, I like your reviews, but I just got a used pair of these about a week ago and disagree with almost everything you said about these. They are easy as hell to power, I'm using a fiio k1 at 60 % and getting plenty of output as I write this. I use them out of my phone, Note 8 I can get enough volume in a quiet environment. They seemed to be very accurate too everything was exactly where it should be in the Soundstage, and found that it was not exaggerated like you concluded. I completely agree with your opinion on the gaming uses. Incredible range of sound ie, footsteps. They definitely sound better with male vocals. The bass on these was better than any akg I've heard though, extends low with little to no muddyness. Don't get me wrong they are not god teir phones, they are very good though. Keep up the good work I like your reviews. Don't be afraid to change the format a little. People like the same in a variety of flavors, like headphones. Lol
you will never know their true potential with weak source, they deserve quality tube amp otherwise you disrespect them
@@soulfulfool what source wud u recommend?
@@imferrer well try to aim in mid fi segment of tube amps, dont be afraid of china amps I got Little dot mk3 its well made and you can always buy better tubes
@@soulfulfool What about FiiO K5 PRO? And if so, would I need to change sound card from motherboard too , or this AMP could work solo?
@@imferrer k5 pro is amp/dac so you dont need motherboard, never had that device so I dont know if it can power k712 properly but if you dont listen to music on high volume maybe it will do
I paid mine 700$can a couple years ago. I was also a bit confused at first with the sound (and bought them for mixing and mastering), but after a couple hours of listening, they are brillant.
These are designed for mixing. It's funny how you dismissed it as not a pair of mixing headphones.
As if he knows shit about mixing
@@johnporf9546 your mom does
You're describing them the way I did when they weren't broken in. I did an A/B comparison with broken in ones that I've had for years vs brand new one because i wanted a second pair.
I've got a really old pair, back when they were made in Austria. It's like #2000 or something and it sounds incredible.
Honestly I don't know what the Slovenian made ones sound like, I heard they were worse
@@escapetherace1943 Any idea why there are so many being sold on ebay from china for sub 100 USD? So cheap, hopefully they aren't knockoffs or fakes ?
I love them. I first got mine around their release. So... Maybe 6 years. Still going strong if that gives you an idea of longevity of the build quality. But yes... They are power hungry.
Any idea why there are so many being sold on ebay from china for sub 100 USD? So cheap, hopefully they aren't knockoffs or fakes ?
@@bluex217 could be a lot of things. I did just look at them. It's funny they put "99.99% NEW".
Joshua, just bought DT1770 and 1990 and your intro made me think my house was falling down, haha, thanks for that!
Hi Josh, I have the K702 and I hated them so much until I plugged classical music. These are exceptional for that type of music, all the brightness and harshness are gone and you can play them at higher levels. Otherwise I agree they sound anemic
I have the K7XX, HD650, and LCD-2 right now. I listen to the K7XX the most as the lightest and most comfortable of the 3, and an excellent overall sound signature. I don't have much experience with the K712 but I don't remember them lacking bass. They are only 62 ohms but they need a lot of power to sound right. I agree on the awesome soundstage and accuracy with the K7XX, but the bass is very good for an open can. Good review.
I have a pair of LCD X headphones and was wondering how much bass these put out. I'm looking for something lighter for my long sessions. I saw you have LCD 2 headphones. Are the 712 pros punchier and more slam then your LCD 2 headphones ?
I'm not sure if something wrong with me but I got the LCD-2 Classic and a few mid high-end headphones but for some reason I keep coming back to the K712 Pro. Honestly, it's very comfortable on my head and for some reason, I do prefer the sonic sounds of the K712 Pro over many more expensive and well known ones. Although I do use a vacuum headphone tube amp though.
I find it odd people always say the build quality on these is bad while Sennheiser’s HD series gets a pass. When they launched people said they were cheap feeling. Anyway plastic doesn’t by default mean cheap.
Also these have great bass don’t get what you heard.
The suspension mechanism on these is doomed to fail, unfortunately. The elastic will eventually snap and those dodgy plastic clips break very easily. Mine are still going fine 7 years on, but I feel like I have to handle these extremely carefully.
These sound amazing for VR gaming and music, digital out, through an SBX DAC set to low gain and system volume at 100% for absolutely everything. The first time I really sat down and listened to music like this I listened to The Mother We Share by Chvrches. A song I listened to in my teen years. And I legitimately cried. It was so loud and I thought it should sound terrible. but it was amazing. Laurens voice was clear, and I the bass was detailed. I could hear every synth on it's own, and it didn't sound like a crackly electronic mess like it would on Beats or Bose on full volume. It was more like being at a concert.
And in VR you forget that you have headphones. You hear no sense of there being 50mm drivers an inch from your eardrums. Quiet subtle sounds like the breathing of an enemy in Half Life Alyx just sound like they're coming from the room that the enemy is in.
These or Sundara 🤔
@@alexsmith1207 I will tell you when mine arrive.. sort of.. I can compare the edition xs to the k712pro but I don't own sundara
For anyone saying these need a lot of power, no they don't. My FiiO K5 outputs 1'5W into 32Ohms and at high gain I cannot go past 10 o'clock. At 11 it becomes total earrape. I actually recommend an amp for these that outputs 1W into 32Ohms (Atom would be awesome). My Senns 6XX need just a touch more power than these actually. Also in EU these are a no brainer (mine were 210€ only) and an easy recommendation over anything sub 350. These are not worse than Senns 6X0, just different. They have better bass and bigger soundstage (GIANT SOUNDSTAGE actually), but are a bit shallow in the mids. I like these oh so much more than Senns 6X0, they just have a big "WOW" factor to them, while with the Senns it's a bit whatever.
If you are into classical music the k702, not k712 is one of the best cans at any price point
nice advice! but do you know whats difference between them?
* Made in Slovakia* OOOOOHHHH THATS US!!!!
Awesome video ! I really liked the way you explained the signature and the overall sound. Great job !!!👏🏼👍🏼
Hey Josh, I picked up the akg 7xx recently and am liking them for gaming. The sound stage is wide but accurate. Sometimes when enemies are below or behind me I don’t hear them, it could be the game or the headset. Not sure.
I also get the same problem with the head set falling off my head sometimes but it’s not a deal breaker. The memory foam ear pads are a nice touch.
Right now I’m using a micca oriGen G2 amp/dac combo off amazon. ( I wanted something cheap and the reviews looked good). What is your #1 setup recommendation for pc FPS gaming specifically - amp/dac and headphone combo? I heard tube amps can open up the sound stage even more but does that make the imaging worse? I have a few more weeks available to return both my headphones and my amp to try other setups.
I’m gonna pick up BF5 when it comes out and am playing fortnite right now.
Any advice would be helpful, thanks!
out of interest what are you using to power them? ive had them and play mainly fortnite since about the time you made this comment and they are just terrible to me i cant track people at all. i can be chopping up a wood stack and i guy can run right up the stairs and next to me and shotgun me dead and i had no idea he was approaching i felt safe with the audio i was hearing. it could be the game as i dont think it has the best audio but ive never really seen that happen to streamers so im thinking it is my setup. my dac/amp ive discovered recently is not good enough at all so it could be that or it really could just bet he headphones arent suited to fortnite
I bought these for Escape from Tarkov like 2 years ago and i love them for gaming and hearing footsteps.
AKG were bought by Samsung not Tooo long ago..right? Like.. couple of years or something along those lines..
I have these headphones, what affordable amp would drive them?
Schiit Magni 3, Atom DAC
Great review as always! I actually agree with everything you said. Really glad you are part of the podcast!
Bro I bought these on a whim before reaching them and I'm so lucky because the main things I like to do is low level listening and gaming. I'm hyped!
Any idea why there are so many being sold on ebay from china for sub 100 USD? So cheap, hopefully they aren't knockoffs or fakes ?
Thanks for this, I'm from Slovakia and did not know these are made here 😀 btw I quickly checked and these can be bought for around 230€ - not bad!
yep I got them in that price (Poland) ✌love them but like I always say depend on what amp you use
Any idea why there are so many being sold on ebay from china for sub 100 USD? So cheap, hopefully they aren't knockoffs or fakes ?
@@bluex217 fake(
@@videosound20 I bought a pair and honestly can't tell. They're clear, pretty.large soundstage, but absolutely no low end
@@bluex217 nice info! may be it is not about china but about preamp? What sound device do you use for listening?
what was the recommended Amp for these headphones cause ive been thinking of buying a pair im just trying to decide how to power them
By Schiit stack what was it back then? I have Asgard 3 and I'm assuming I could power these easily
@Joshua Valour, can you please revisit those?
If you need to choose between Audio Technica ATH-AD1000X and AKG K712 Pro then which one would you pick?...Please let me know in detail how do you compare these 2.
Will my Audio Interface Presonus Quantum 2626 drive these headphones?, The specs says Headphone Impedance (working range) 16Ω to 300Ω
Thanks.
175 mW/channel (56 Ω) try it..
hell yea, they will!
I play Doom 3 with these, and the crap-your-pants quotient is raised to 10.
LOL!))
But are they worth 244$, as that is their price right now in my home country?
Excellent review my man. I have been considering these for quite some time.
I am thankful you included a section for gaming, the only other person who kinda does that is Zeos. Love his channel.
I just paid £125 for a new pair from Amazon. I am using a Sound blaster X G6 with them when they arrive on Monday😎
Well worth the money. I would happily pay more👍
I got the dt990 32ohm they are not great for close directional audio ( can't tell which floor the enemy is on ). Just bought the k12 pro are these any better ?
@@mikaiyelmiah8538 You will have to get the volume right. But Beyers are still better for Fortnite knowing where everyone is. You might have to look for people a bit more now👀
Forgot to mention this was on apex. With dt990 the soundstage is good I can tell how far the enemy is and which direction the noise is coming from however Close range imaging sucks epically in buildings (all directional noise is meshed together). Can't tell how many enemies or how close they are left or if they are right above me or behind me All I know is they are there.
@@mikaiyelmiah8538 If you are using the Soundblaste X G6 you will have to put it on the high gain setting. 712 might be good with Apex👍
2024 /I have the 712pro and the hd660s ,after 5.6 years of ownership i have to add my view of this 2 headphones:
Akg k712 pro
1. Very comfortable, very low pressure
2. Very very hard to drive they need at least 30% more power than hd660s
3. Very high detailed highs /treble , way better than sennheiser
4. Larger soundstage
5. More detail in the sub bass , less mid bass than hd660s
6. Very lightweight
Sennheiser hd660s
1. I like the eggshape and the fit way more
2. Clampforce is harder
3.midrange focused , its all about the midrange , is like 20%bass 60% midrange 20% treble , the akg is more like 30%bass 40%mids and 30% treble
Joshua valour would you take the 712 or 7xx for gaming ?
Are they still being made in Slovakia in 2020? If I want to buy now do I have to look for older versions or something?
Nope, straight from China.
How do you comapre these to the HE-4xx for gaming? I loved HE-4xx on BFV i tried from a frineds system. Bass and the impact was amaizing, I was missing a bit the wide sound stage. But it was awsome.
I'm trying to decide between this and the Sennheiser HD650 for home studio / music / gaming. (The prices are much lower now).
Great Video. It's awesome to see the progress of your channel. Keep up the good work!
Power hungry? 45% volume on LG7 thinQ makes them too loud for me.
Nice to know. Getting lg g7 tomorrow and using k 271 hd and obviously looking to get 721. I like akg sound.
Btw i was worried that plastic build quality too when i bought this... But im used these two years now. No problems. These are so light and comfortable and i get these for 199 euros! IF they broke i try to find second pair. And that leather will soften when you use them.
I bought these a while back and commented on this post a while back, I can say one thing that is tough about reviewing headphones, is they have break in or burn in time. Mine after about 8 months maybe longer really came alive on the low end. It didn't mess with gaming at all. I use a gaming DAC Creative sounds blaster GC7, it powers them actually quite well. Overall I would bump them up for audio quality when it comes to music. I was more a 6.5 out of 10 for these now I'm closer to say a 7.2 out of ten. They improved and the comfort is topnotch for me.
For gaming I had tried some big cans like the Sennheiser 800s and hd the Beyer 1990 pros and numerous other gaming sets. These still are my favorite by far. The 1990s actually were really nice as well. The 800s we're good better than gaming headsets but they aren't really a headset that imo shined in gaming as much as the 712s. Music the 800s are better although they aren't my favorite music. Prefer Arya's
jay eskar mix and master his songs on the headphones and it sounds very, very good and professional
Yeah
awesome, didn't expect to find this here.
What program do You use to listen music on computer ?
I was recently able to listen to the K712 for a while. The criticism is absolutely right, the parts lack substance in the bass and the treble is very direct. I already have a K612 and have always put the K712 aside to listen to music and play games with my K612. As an end user, I prefer the K612. The K612s sound more pleasant because their treble is not so intrusive and their bass is much broader, deeper and full. For those who play more narrative games, the sound is simply more natural and immersive. The localization of sound sources is not as on point as on the 712, but it's not much different. The 612 is also far ahead of the 990 from Beyerdynamic. You can also use the 612 on mobile devices, but you need enough power to fully extend it. Actually, a FiiO K7 is enough, but for classical music I added another amplifier. I also fitted my K612 with leather ear pads, which boosted the bass slightly and made them sit even more relaxed on my head. The leather ear pads had no noticeable positive effect on the sound of the K712. I would only prefer the K712 if I only need and am looking for headphones specifically for competitive video games and a tactical advantage in video games is more important to me than immersion and powerful weapon sounds. As soon as this is not my most important need and I am generally looking for open headphones, the K612 would be right at the top for me under 300€. The only disadvantage is that their stage is too big for a few pieces of music. The vast majority of music benefits from this large stage, but with NuMetal I sometimes miss the directness. For these cases and when my devices don't have that much power, I still fall back on a Tygr from Beyerdynamic. However, in almost all cases it performs significantly worse than the 612 and, like the 712, doesn't have the fullness of sound. Although its bass has more punch, it doesn't go as deliciously deep and wide. The 712 also feels a bit like the 612 and Tygr have a baby. The question is, do you want to buy a single 712 for the same price or a 612 and Tygr together?
I have a k612 pro and k712 pro. Originally I purchased them just for audio mixing, but later on also used for gaming. For me I found k612 does reference mixing a bit better and yes I totally agree with you about gaming. They are both very good headphones for sure, but due to the differences in pricing I think k612 has better value.
@@jeffrey_george Personal favorite AKG K712 Pro. (Have both 712 and 990), but need to EQ them.
I would even go so far as to say that the K612 is the better choice for end users, and not just in terms of price. The K612s sound more pleasant because their treble is not so intrusive and their bass is much broader and deeper. If you tend to play narrative games, you'll simply get a more natural and immersive sound here. The localization of sound sources is not as on point as on the 712, but it's not much different. The 612 is also far ahead of the 990 from Beyerdynamic. You can also use the 612 on mobile devices, but you need enough power to fully extend it. Actually, a FiiO K7 is enough, but for classical pieces I have added another amplifier.
Can you use a Scarlett Solo with these headphones?
Not good review. Having another higher tier headphones and working on a Studio, they absolutely WORK in studio environments for reference mix. I mix on monitors, but these are detailed without being harsh (like almost any Beyer) and they aren't veiled (like all Sennheisers below the HD 600/650 quality), far more comfortable than any Audiotechnica and have absolutely better soundstage than most of the competition at 250/300 eur.
I use them for mixing, brillant headphones.
@@johnbartender3451 They work really well. I use them as reference alongside with Beyer DT800 Premiums and Soundmagic HP100's. All of them are great and offer different things. The AKG's are the most balanced.
Hi Josh. appreciate all ur videos. I currently own the AKG K712 Pro and power it thru my Earmen TR AMP. I love the sound signature of the K712, especially the huge soundstage and imaging. Not immediately, but in near future, if i need to upgrade my headphones, what would u recommend? I need a sound signature similar to that of the k712, and would prefer an even more holographic soundstage than the k712 (width, depth, elevation) along with more precise imaging (front, rear, up, down). I dont appreciate a bass heavy signature in general. Your opinion would be useful. Cheers buddy - Mehul
can you listen to modern music and electronic with this? will sibilance likely to occur? i had q701 and k7xx and sold q701 away due to piercing highs while k7xx high is just on point for me, im curious about upgrading to 712 too
@@hanzohasashi7634 Nope. Highs on 712 ain't piercing. No sibilance
Have a decent nice vacum headphone tube amp will sonically improve the sound for sure.
I love hearing every singe frequency out of this, thanks to my AKG K712's
Hey, you’re getting the hang of this, best review yet. Great description of sound signature and build, nice close-up shots of the item, and the video was the perfect length. They sure look like the K7XX in that colourway!
same thing happened to me. coming from hd650/LCDx i didn't like the k712 at first. then i started loving them after awhile. i use these mostly for gaming/movies and some music listening
Same apply to me. I still have the LCD-2 Classic and some other higher end but these Audeze are really heavy after awhile on my head. Sound wise, I keep coming back to the AKG 712 Pro. It's accompanied with a decent DAC and a vacuum tube amp. Sometimes higher tiers and more expensive is applicable to everyone. If it's for art and build and pretty to look at, I think maybe some of those may very well contributed to the over all cost.
how do they compare to the akg7xx?
This or DT1990 for soundstage and imaging?
Mainly ofr immersive gaming
K712 has one of the widest soundstage headphones out there. Probably just surpased by the HD800s
I've had these 7 years for PC gaming and music on a Mayflower Objective 2 rev B. 24bit/96kHz on Windows (always set to 50% volume). Never had a problem driving them. I adjust volume with program slider or DAC knob. I also have an Antlion Modmic on them for multiplayer gaming. I love these for Jazz, but all music genres sound great. They have a warmer sound and better low's than my HiFiMan Sundara's on PC with this Mayflower DAC/Amp. I do bump up Bass Boost 3dB on occasion with the AKG's, especially for dance/EDM. Highs sound great IMO and don't bother me, except some horns on a FLAC file, but still tolerable. I got them for $344 from Adorama, through NewEgg and they run $640 from AKG (Edit - $660 as of 7/23). There are some coming in from China, so be aware of knockoff's for those commenting finding them under $200. If it sounds too good to be true, etc etc. The only complaint I have is the suspension system. It began to fail after 7 years. I keep them on a headphone hanger, on the leather headband which is probably a mistake. Hang them by the orange frame. I found a hack on Reddit using small diameter tubing, cut and placed on the orange frame, between the two suspension parts....once cut to your desired length and put into place it will give a non-adjustable, permanent fit that will never fail. My Sundara's are strictly for my PS5 on a Mayflower ARC MK2 and sound great there, providing more bass in Callisto Protocol than it did on PC with music. Both headphones sound good for their intended use.
Have you tried k712 with ps5 3d audio ?
This review is somewhat confusing.
I do use these as a reference for mixing in my home studio as well as the AKG K550, which provide a more neutral FR with filled in sub bass. They do provide an intimate representation of sound. Studio headphones aren't meant to sound narrow or whatever you're suggesting. The K712 have a good balance of sound stage size and accurate imaging and they maintain it pretty well when instruments pan around. Both of my AKGs beat my $450 studio monitors for detail and sound intimacy, so they're more useful for critical listening than monitors.
Are the highs too bright? Perhaps. They're kinda similar to the HD800 but not quite as bright. They don't really bother me. The highs sound about right. Still not as bright as some studio monitors.
As for listening volume, you're meant to listen to music at a comfortable listening volume that allows you to hear details in music. Don't crank shit up no matter what the FR is. It's unnecessary and it will cause hearing fatigue.
Hey, Josh! I'm looking to get into the open-back world and I've set my eyes on these. I'm currently daily driving (and will probably continue to do so because the majority of the music I listen to is in the office) the AKG K550. I want to experience what OB has to offer. In terms of sound signature, I've found that I like a slight V-shape, with emphasis on the treble and subbass (which I know is hard to find in dynamic open-backs). Is there anything at or around the price of these that you'd rather recommend over them? Thank you!
Philips fidelio x2 hr
Lacking bass??? You may want to try a new pair, because these have WAY better bass than the 7xx's. I even prefer these over Senheiser 6xx's. In fact I'd even go so far as to say the bass on mine is ALMOST as good as on my Audeze LCD-XC's, which are an $1800 set of headphones. The K712's being MUCH more comfortable and lighter than the XC's. I also don't find mine bright at all, and about the only complaint I have on these are the sound-stage is almost to good if that makes sense....maybe to wide I guess. Maybe amp choice makes a difference? I prefer mine on the Vali 2 tube/hybrid (all the way up, on low gain), even over my Asgard 2, which is almost never the case. Without and amp, these are un-listenable.
I guess everyone has a different ear, but I find myself using these more than any of the others I've mentioned here which I own/owned.
Rob D An open ear reference dynamic driver headphone has bass close to a closed back, dark planar headphone that's 4x the cost?
I would say yes! After you spend $500 it's diminishing returns big time. Don't get me wrong the XC's bass is amazing, but is it $1300 more amazing than the K712's? I'd say......no.
Lacking bass was a bit of a surprising line for me too. It may not be as omnipresent and it won't reproduce extremely low frequencies and as loudly (you need a subwoofer or a subpack for this), but they do reproduce the smoothest bass I have heard so far. The fact they are open-back also adds why the bass is not as booming.
I can't tell much about brightness as I'm afraid I am used to this pair. I did get a whole lot more brightness and detail when I went to Scarlett 2i2 from Xonar U5.
Will I be able to get the best possible sound out of this can with ifi Zen DAC V2 ?
You can get these for $270 now. Might buy these just for gaming.
So amazing ! I think a blind man can use these and get kills. I feel like Daredevil. I'm hearing very well. Footsteps easily trackable. Much better than my Astros, artics, hd650's, game ones, and turtle beaches.
@@kevinjames5221 TURTLE "BITCHES"
K712 require some really great damping factor amplifier to handle low frequency . And I reccomend chages cable . THE STOCK CABLE KINDA SUCK FOR K712. Mid range from stock cable no good enough still a bit hollow. When You got good cable one and great amp k712 will shine alot.
Which amp do you recommend to power these? I dont see anything specific in the description.
A cheap amp like the Atom is fine. But get the K701 instead.
These or Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro?
Good morning , Is the ifi audio stack going well with this ? Just ordered them in 2021 cuz everyone was recommending them ..
how was the build quality on this headphone? is this the rough one?
Now that they are 200 at least where i live should i buy them?
I wanna buy them but i have the ofo zen combo, can they drive them ??
im a headphone noob and i got these for gaming about a year ago and have not been impressed but i think now its because my dac/amp is crap it cost only 60$. it worries me you say even the schiit stack can hardly power them as that stack is highly recommended on the internet so my cheap amp defo wont be enough
Great content review Josh which is better between K712 Pro or K7XX
I found them here in tokyo made in austria do you prefer them over hd 650 ?
What headphone in that price range feels "premium" to you? What about cheaper? Have you ever worked in a recording studio or used phones for mastering? Sounds like you'd enjoy some Beats by Dr. Dre.
Some one got this headphone akg k712 pro and the Sennheiser HD 700?
Can I share this vidéo and you'r channel in pinterest?
Now that the prices have dropped to about 200 euros, how would these compare to the 400 euros senheiser hd-660s ? Which one would you recommend, i avidly game (though more casually then competitively) as well as spend long hours wearing headphones while watching videos, listening to audiobooks, music, etc... Also I currently have a fiio e10k but am thiking of upgrading to a shiit stack. Despite this video being three years old now, I hope you still glance at your comments, thanks in advance :)
I'd like to know this as well. Theyre about $360 AUD, and have been considering the HD560s, 660S, HE400SE's, and Sundaras. I'm coming from a pair of Ultrasone 900 Pro's which I've really liked and have been my only headphones. I'm going to be using these for mostly gaming.
Those are crazy nice for gaming.
Got sound blaster g6 soundcard and i just love these. Im gaming and listen music 50/50 so perfect pair for 300 euros.
Guys im stuck between k712pro and m1060....which one is better? I want soundstage and alooot of detail.
For $265 in Europe, these are fantastic value for the money. Really excellent detail and soundstage\imaging.
199eur in LDLC atm
@@infernus6278 60 bucks on goobay.
@@dirozx not in europe
Using them for a year now and I can confirm that they aren't really great when you like to listen to music very loudly, they also will point out bad mixed music and low quality audio files(don't listen to mp3 128kbit or less with these). The bass is weak and the highs can be very bright but over all they are like pointed out in this review very comfortable and perfect for gaming, watching videos/movies and even listening to audiobooks. I agree with the build quality though, it is not perfect and the thin plastic on one side of the earpads broke on me but it doesn't really matter its still fitting perfectly fine. I payed 200 Euro, which was a great deal back in 2018, they cost around 200 Euro right now on amazon as well.
can you listen to modern music and electronic with this? will sibilance likely to occur? i had q701 and k7xx and sold q701 away due to piercing highs while k7xx high is just on point for me, im curious about upgrading to 712 too
Good review, I just ordered a pair to use for Ableton low end (with Sonarworks headphone fixing the signal of course...). Like the T-shirt too dude, respect fae Glasgow Scotland :D
YESS WAITING FOR THE REVIEW SINCE FOREVER!!!!!!
very very good cans! - you just need a good DAC/Soundcard and good audo source quality to drive them with, but with good equipment they sound fantastic, also in music!, also right now they are available for half that price.
I do have a couple questions for you though.
Through all your listening through these, do they ever feel like sound is in front of you at all? Even if it's not very accurate. Or is it just side to side and rear like beyerdynamics?
You mentioned price @ $400 is too expensive, would you consider $300 a reasonable price for these?
The sounds move around in sides and they can come up front too, as well as behind. Majority of what i'm hearing feels like it's outside my head, but there are instances of kick drums that dig into your head and knock on the base of the skull. And sudden creaks/clicks/shouts mixed to sound as if they're coming from afar really do feel like that.
I've bought a JDS Labs Atom for them, it has made the bass more lively and deeper, and improved the soundstage.
can't comment on the price. thomann and such sell it at half the price, and for 200 something dollars they're amazing. they're listed at fucking $500 on the akg site tho.
great video! keep up the good work! what headphone is suited for Jazz? i listen to a lot of Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Diana Krall, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Oscar Peterson, etc. What is ur recommendation? Thank u kindly!
This headphone is great for jazz. It is relaxed and comfortable. It's perfect.
Anyone recommend a cheap dac/amp combo to run these heapdhones?
@Joshua Valour, I cannot afford these, but I am getting the AKG K7XX which is 62ohm and 105db sensitivity. I want to use my Sennheizer GSX 1200 Pro AMP/DAC to power these, but after hearing your review of the K712's I do not think they can :( Which AMP do you recommend for use with the GSX 1200 Pro for the AKG K7XX
Try the GSX first. See if it works. IF not, then maybe look at a magni 3 if you wanna keep it cheap and powerful.
I agree Joshua the gaming imaging is unreal, I find them musical but a tish bright. I put them on the creative g6 blaster and they are awesome from a gaming headset. That creative drives them really well.
I was told to get them for music and a couple other things but bass is pretty reserved as well. I am happy to use them for warzone most BR games. For gaming they are top notch.
High or low gain setting?
@@martinvegas1327 low was better for me. High seems to distort
@@ozzy7455 Thanks. I use an qed optical to mini cable sounds better than the crappy stock one👍 my 712 were only £125 new in the prime sale!
@@martinvegas1327 wow that's an awesome price. Mine were like 300 USD
I've always wanted to add these to my collection , but i already have the HD600 , will these be a good complementary headphone for funs ? There's a lot of them used for $200-250
Well, kinda, yes. Not much better for bass. But, it is a virtual opposite of an HD600. Not intimate. It is very wide. It may take some time to get used to.
Also, they do require a little more power than the hd600. Consider that. Used for that price is actually fair imo.
Can FiiO E10K run them?
nonnonnonnnonononononono0
got both K712 nad HD600 both are excellent with tube amp, K712 is wider with better sub bass, HD600 is king of vocals got better high mids and treble region, K712 darker better lower mids and bass
Saved up for a long time for these... I don't think they sound better than my grado sr80es 😭😭😭 I run the k712s through a fiio btr5, idk what I'm doing wrong. They just sound so weak, am I not driving them properly?
For a long time I was saving my pennies for the AKG K712 Pro's. I'm a big AKG fan ever since I purchased my first beginner pair the AKG 140's back in the 80's. Unlike this video, where the host complains about the size of his head (really ?) the K712's had gained rave reviews mostly everywhere I looked. I really did my research.
However, they were listed for $400 !! Wow that's a lot of money for a pair of cans, at least for me ! While I was busy saving, I saw a pair listed on eBay for only $112. I just had to get these so out came my credit card. After the purchase, I was a little, well A LOT worried that these were fakes, so I kept my fingers crossed. One good thing, is that the seller had a return policy.
When they arrived, I noticed they were made in Slovakia, while all my other AKG headphones were made in Austria ? I put them on and sure enough they had that signature AKG sound. Slightly light, should I say weak base, but crystal-clear mids and smooth highs. The imaging is very accurate and the sound stage is large, but I would not say huge.
I had these for 6 months and so far so good. I compared these with my Beyerdynamic 51Ti's ($225) closed back, on-ear, ( much better build) headphones and I can't say which ones I enjoy the most. For laid-back non-fatigueing, long listening sessions, I would go with the AKG's, for a deeper Bass experience and more forward and dynamic sound, I would go with the Beyerdynamics.
You are probably a real basshead, if the bass is lacking heavily for you.
Also AKG-s usually not for low listening levels, they need to be drive loud and need a powerful amp.
I think u are just probably used to the veiled, laid back headphones and the loud K712's slight treble boost was too much for you, so you started to listening so low volume that was hard to hear the bass notes. Kinda fail for the review.
exactly. the bass can be over powering on these. the reviewer dude needs to get some Beatz by Dr. Dre LOL.
then it is his opinion, nothing failed tho, why would he need to pretend that he can handle the treble and say the bass is good? audio is full of subjective so take it or leave it. preference means nothing about a good or bad review. btw i do own the q701 and k7xx and the bass sucked tbh they are just not meant to be a bass centric headphone so thats why it is lacking
Hi which would you recommend this or the Audio Technica AD1000X? For gaming and music.
rollon babe This all day, AD 1000x has the trash non detachable cable + designed for big heads other wise that pads will have pressure on your lower jaws
Deliberated over these for months and finally purchased last week , As a gamer i would have bought much sooner if I had seen this Video.
I have made in Austria ones and it does the opposite to every negative you mentioned. I love these cans so much that I bought another pair used like new from Amazon.
I'm curious, why do you need two pairs of these?
This is more in accordance with what I hear compared with other reviews, I would like a little bit more bass and although music is enjoyable I feel like I am missing something from them, at louder volumes they don't sound as good, like you said, lower volume listening is better. What would you recommend for pleasure listening? I have an R2R-11, HD600s and M560 but none give me a wow or enjoyment factor. I recently got the VE-monks and enjoy them more than my headphones (I feel stupid). I was considering the Audeze LCD2c's because they are said to be on the dark side, opinions anyone?