AKG K712 Pro Reference Studio Headphones

Very Bad Build Quality by AKG Slowakei

I was lucky to use my brand new unit for two or three times. When I was trying to change the cable, the mini XLR port got into my hand with couple of wires. So when I see little bit further I saw that there were no threads inside the housing but in the XLR port. It is totally a design fault.. might be the whole production line lot could be effected with this issue. So I return this product back to thomann and they have replaced with ano... Show Morether brand new unit. I'm still waiting for it and I'll give a feed back once I received it. Great service. They just replaced.. Thank you thomann. If you are buying this product, please be careful with this issue. Clarity and comfort is very good with this product. I love how K712 Pro sounding. UPDATE: I received a brand new item again from thomann. The delivery was so fast. Great service and thank you.. About the product: Still I have a doubt when I check the mini XLR port attachment. So when I unplug the cable, I'm always so careful. My Suspect on how that loose coupling can be happened is as follows: When I open the both of the boxes(the previous and the new), I noticed that the cable that had been plugged in to the headphone, the end of the mini XLR port (toward TRS jack) was sit on the bottom side of the card board holder tray that hold the headphone inside the box. It's like holding the headphone by the mini XLR jack assembly. All the weight of the headphone hold by the mini XLR jack assembly. Since the headphone is not tight enough inside the box with in the cardboard tray, when it's moving or transporting, it might cause to loosen the mini XLR port attached to the housing of the headphone. So still it's a design fault. May be thomann can send this feedback to AKG... BUT STILL I LOVE HOW AKG 712 PRO SOUNDING and the COMFORT. I CAN RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT. But be careful when you unplug the cable.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Takes some time, but worth it

AKG headphones have been lifelong companions to me. STarted out with a K-171 which served me well for 12 years, then moved on to K-240 MKII, which has been unbeaten so far... until now. Unfortunately the first pair arrived with a manufacturing fault, but Thomann did a stellar job replacing the unit with a good one. Doesn't score good points for quality control on AKG's side, but I guess these things happen (hence 4 stars for quality instead ... Show Moreof 5). Build quality: flawless, as usual with their "pro" line. Ear pads are similar to other AKG cans, except under the velour you have memory foam that provides a better low-frequency insulation (without increased pressure on your head). You get two cables, an orange straight one, and the more practical coiled cable, both are of extremely good quality (I have one from my old K-171 that still works after rolling the office chair over it a couple of times). Comfort: awesome. Light, but sits on its place well, even if you move around with it quite a lot. Sound: these headphones need to be broken in (they start to sound better after 50 hours, really good after 100 hours of use). After that they really start to sound great. Spacious, incredible 3-dimensional sound stage, with fantastic separation between instruments. Since they are open, don't expect the kind of bass build-up / booming bass that is typical to semi-open and closed models, but in return you get a much more "effortless" sounding, precise low end. All-in-all: I am using my AKG K-712 PRO for mastering and mixing jobs with great results.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Perfect for Mastering

These headphones are highly recommendable for any studio mixing or mastering applications. The sound is totally flat, natural and neutral. I was surprised at the frequency response, even at extremely low sub frequencies. Upon running through a few of my multi-track mixes which are in progress, I picked up on a few bogus midi notes, several octaves down. These had not been detected by either my studio monitors or previous headphones. I feel confid... Show Moreent in using these for the 1st step of mastering, followed up by cross checking with studio monitors. They are extremely comfortable to wear, and after a 3 hour session, I felt no listener fatigue. Build quality is more than acceptable, though a hard carrying case would have been appreciated. One word of caution:- These will not work very well if powered from a non-professional consumer product (ie, phone or portable mp3 player). They need some serious power to get them to a usable volume. Powered directly from the headphone output of a Scarlett, with a mix peaking at -3dB and with the headphone level 3/4, the volume was just about workable. But I will probably beef this up with a quality headphone amp at some point in the near future. Footnote:- This was my first order from Thomann. The order arrived swiftly (Canary Islands), withing just a few days. Great service!Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Jesus christ

Pros Natural and neutral sound Extreme comfort Wide soundstage Cons Not too exciting For professional use Open-back (can be a con for some) My Personal Opinion: These are the best headphones I have ever heard. By far. Because I am a home studio user I don't have the means to use monitors for mixing but these are perfect. I mean they have absolutely no competitors in this price range, and for me they blow HD800's out of the water... Show More too. If you ever get a chance to listen to one of these, do so and you'll know what I'm saying. I have been using these headphones for the last 8 hours non-stop and it feels like you are listening from a monitor. The headphones are so comfortable that you just put them on and forget you have them on. It doesn't have any heat issues and this is coming from a person that sweats anytime he puts on a leather pad. These are just perfect. The downside is that if you are going to use it for normal listening purposes, the headphones are so good that you can hear everything in a song; meaning that if you are listening to a badly mixed song that you normally enjoy, you may feel a bit dissapointed. Other than that, it doesn't have any flaws whatsoever.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Excellent headphones!

I've bought these headphones for mixing and mastering in my home studio, as I needed a lot more accuracy for the final results than my nearfield monitors can give. I like to work on my monitors but when it comes to some crucial details I trust only them. They are open, wide, very accurate as much as very light and comfortable. Actually, I forget I wear them sometimes. Now, the issue is that you are going to need definately a good head... Show Morephone amp to drive them properly if you need them as reference headphones. I combined them with Rupert Neve Designs RNHP amp and I am absolutely happy and grateful for my choise. Beside the outstanding sound quality they deliver, they are also made of premium quality parts. At first glance they may seem light and fragile but if you examine them better and compare them with other headphones you'll notice the difference. I had them for 322 euros (now they cost 215) and I am totally satisfied with my purchase!Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

AKG K-712 Pro Headphones

I've been using these for the last week or so, and i'm extremely happy with them. I owned a pair of k240 Mk2s previously, which are great, but my son jumped up and down on them! They were robust and sounded good for most applications but the 712s are a big step up in quality. I'm confident that i can put an accurate mix together on these headphones before taking it across to my main monitors, the low end in particular is very accurate and transpa... Show Morerent in a way which budget headphones can't match. They are slightly less bright than other AKGs which is - in my mind- a very good thing. They can be powered happily from most headphone amps and they are extremely comfortable to wear. They are expensive, but the price from Thomann was - at the time - the lowest i could find in Europe, with free delivery. If you need to work away from main monitors on important material then i would recommend them highly.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Great headphones for mixing

I have been using these for a year now and am as pleased with them as I was when I got them. I mainly use them for mixing. In late hours my monitors (Yamaha HS80) are simply too loud. I am happy to say that they can be replaced at least while mixing, for mastering I still prefer the monitors. The K-712 phones have a very good flat frequency response without colouring the sound too much. For that reason, some may be disappointed comparing them wit... Show Moreh your music headphones that may, e.g., emphasize the basses or produce a sweet sound. I also own a pair of AKG semi-open music headphones that give me more pleasant sound but got used to listen to the music as the producer wanted it using my K-712. They have just the right pressure to your head and can be worn for hours without fatigue. Being circum-aural, the shells are big enough to cover my ears. I frankly do not have any arguments against them.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

AKG's K712 headphones sound amazing, but...

Been using AKG K712 phones for a week now. Amazingly true sound, BEST EVER. But I get headaches in under an hour of mixing at low level. The fit is too tight on my head, which measures 148mm between the bones just behind the center-point above my ears: a normal size, I am told. The phones have no adjustment. My wife also complains about the tightness, and about the automatic phone cup placement hanging too low: again, no adjustment. My other conc... Show Moreern is the resonance of the ear cup rail mechanisms: the right cup rings at B and the left cup rings at A-flat above middle C. Whereas my old AKG K-270 phones give only a dull thud when I knock them with my thumb bone. Mechanical resonance may or may not be a bad thing, depending on the key of your song and the transparency of the mix: how quiet and exposed. It pains me to return these to B&H and forfeit their great sound, but I have to. TimShow Less

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Amazing headphones

I bought these mainly to produce and listen to techno and house. At first I was a bit dissapointed, since they lack a bit of bass, but over the hours of listening to music they start feeling amazing. They are very good for mixing and listening to any kind of music. I would recommend using a piece of software to boost your lows however when listening to music heavier on bass. Comfort wise also they feel as if you don't even have them on at ti... Show Moremes. I could have them on the whole day compared to others that really fatigue your ears. However I wouldn't recommend them to people that have a smaller head since they are pretty large and some of my friends that tried them said that they keep sliding down their head. Overall they really are amazing and probably the best studio headphones for mixing at this price range.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Excellent reference headphones

These headphones sound excellent. They aren't hyped in any way and the detail and clarity is sublime. I would not mix primarily on headphones, but these are perfect for referencing mixes or sorting out the lows and highs which are either hyped or inaudible through monitors. I also trust these headphones if I think my speakers or room are lying to me, so these are a great option for the mix engineer who works on location or travels lots. They seem... Show More to be exceptionally well built and the inclusion of both a coiled and straight cable is very useful. When it comes to comfort these headphones excel, fitting completely over the ear rather than on top and self adjusting. The ear pads are made of some sort of memory foam type material with a velvety coating rather than the usual sponge/leather combination.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Studio Headphones

I use these headphones as reference for mixing/mastering and composing on the go and as a second check after my studio monitors. Very happy about the sound and build quality, I do wear them 6-8h./day quite often and they stay comfortable. The only thing that I had to get used to is the somewhat more "solid" memory foam; this means they sit a bit more loosely on the head, but very comfortable to wear for longer periods. They are quite bi... Show Moreg as well. The bag and cables included are all from a very good quality. The only thing I miss a bit for this headset is a hard case, something I prefer to keep my headphones from "any harm".Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

The best headphones i have owned to date

Over the years I've been in many different studios but there was one thing that stayed the same across all of them - a pair of AKG headphones. So when I decided to get a reference headphone for mixing the choice was obvious (for me). Pros: -Easily the most detailed headphones I've heard -Balanced sound -The most comfortable headphones to wear. The self-adjusting headband helps a lot Cons: -They are mostly plastic and feel a... Show More little bit cheap -The highs can be harsh if you don't amp them properly I use them every day in the studio and am pretty happy with the mixes that i produce on them.Show Less

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Impressive sound with amazing price

The sound it sing is so impressive. You feel like sitting at the right angle where the band what you at. The earmuffs are so comfortable, so you may not be bothered by it as a long term listening. Finally, and the most impressive thing for me is that you don't actually need an expensive amp to drive this earphone. Right, I good amp and good DAC can push it to the extreme, but it also can just plug-in to your source device, like iphone or computer and listen to the music on Youtube. You still can be deeply impressed by the space that it define. Just plug it in, and enjoy your music!

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Best headphone I've ever had

I wanted a reference studio headphone for mixing/mastering orchestral music, and listening to music at home. This AKG suits both of my needs. Pros: - Incredible space - Outstanding clarity. - Flat sound (not too much basses and highs). - Comes with two cables. - Comfortable even after hours wearing it. Cons: - The build quality could be a bit better: when I move my head sometimes I hear some sort of crackling noise. In summary, this is an amazing headphone. I recommend everyone to consider buying this headphone (and a good quality amplifier of course).

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

I've read a lot about the K712 and finally decided to buy them. Thomann had the best price that I could find given my location (Romania) They arrived via UPS in about a week. I am using them for listening to music from Tidal HiFi subscription using an extenal DAC and speaker amplifier with hedphones output. So far I love them. They are super comfortable. The sound is awesome, detailed, with a great soundstage. Thw highs are not as powerful as the ones from Beyerdynamic DT770, but I like more the natural sound of the K712 more. The cable being detachable is a plus.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

These sound great.

These headphones sound amazing. They are open ear so be sure you are in a quiet room. Then just relax and listen to the music the way it was actually recorded. I hear new things in songs I have been listening to for years with these headphones. I mixed some music with them and the mixes were really nicely balanced. I don't use these headphones with a power amp but I hope to one day. I heard they really open up with a power amp. Until then they still sound amazing right out of the box. No complaints.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

AKG K712 HEADPHONES

I needed something accurate to check mixes and edits. I had been using the K701 cans which I like better because they are *NOT* accurate - they're I guess what's called an audiophile headphone. The K712s are accurate. I think for 10x the cost, I'd prefer Stax electrostatic - but that's not going to happen here. So it's K712s around here, and they actually are fairly comfortable and sound great (except on bad mixes!). For $ you really get quite a nice product, and they deliver as promised.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Great Headphone

I needed to replace my Beyerdynamic DT990 and decided to give a shot to this AKG model. Really great soundstage. Might not be the most music enjoyable headphone, but it is extremely revealing and helpful for mixing your tracks. Comfort wise its unbeatable, sometimes you forget you even have it on. I did need to buy a headphone amp to fully enjoy this headphone, as even those it has low impedance, it requires a good amount of power to drive. Definitely Recommended!

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

The test of time

Been through most headphones <$1500 Focal Clears, Audeze, Sennhieser. And through them all the k712 represents some of the best value price to performance out there. They are light, very comfortable and have easily replaceable parts and around 90% as good at a totl headphones, i can't recommend them enough. They have a lovely natural sound signature and extend well in the bass region, great for both pleasure and production listening.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

Poor design, good sound

The system AKG uses - spring and suspension doesn't last long. The whole thing is poorly designed, the ear-cups are too large, memory foam doesn't really work and the sound is only good. One thing I really like is the mini xlr plug. A Sennheiser HD600 or 650 will outperform this product many times over, be it in comfort or sound depth. I got an incomplete package - missing the coiled cable.

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

AKG k712 PRO are simply superb.

Listening to classical music and opera with the K 712 has become a truly exciting experience reveiling superb dynamic range,definition,transient response and nuances,never heard before with other premium headphones.Highly recommended for music enthusiasts and recording engineers.These headphones also sound excellent on Sony Walkman CD players.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Did not disappoint

Hello, I read many reviews and had high expectations. After a few minutes of listening, I can conclude that the Akg K712 are worth every penny. Everything just slows down and you can enjoy the details. The purchase through Thomann was a breeze and received the Headphones within four working days, Germany to Sweden. Regards

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com

The Best Hi-Fi Headphones

If you want real, clear and colorful sound then take K712. The only alternative is K701, but you get what you pay for. For a week I tested a lot of models of Shure, Audio-Technica, Sennhiser, Alesis (terrible ones), AKG. Important note: Be sure, Sennheiser HD600 has nothing to do with the High-Fidelity. Too much bass and treble.

Reviewed on B&H Photo Video

Amazing headphones

AKG K-712 are the best headphones I've ever used. The sound quality and stage sound are second to none. For me they are ideal for mixing, listening and piano/bass playing. The only thing where they might be improved is comfort of use - the leather belt is not ideal (my DT-770 are much better in this regard).

Reviewed on ThomannMusic.com