AKG K702 Open Back Reference Studio Headphones

I've heard this system a few times.Tested it, bought it for my dad and heard it on a !nearly perfect chain! from a friend.Various headphone amplifiers, up to crazy chains in which even the network cables "play at the highest level". - "God be my witness - I didn't think that the audible differences could be so serious" - I always say to myself - give me hard technical facts - the music-data-signal streams that run over such a cable are nice complex. Measurement comparisons almost always relate to relatively simple signals. Apparently you can't "affect / destroy" a simple signal that much with a poorer cable.-- Unbelievable, unbelievable how much better these headphones sound with good cables.They already play at an excellent level out of the box.With good ... MoreI've heard this system a few times.Tested it, bought it for my dad and heard it on a !nearly perfect chain! from a friend.Various headphone amplifiers, up to crazy chains in which even the network cables "play at the highest level". - "God be my witness - I didn't think that the audible differences could be so serious" - I always say to myself - give me hard technical facts - the music-data-signal streams that run over such a cable are nice complex. Measurement comparisons almost always relate to relatively simple signals. Apparently you can't "affect / destroy" a simple signal that much with a poorer cable.-- Unbelievable, unbelievable how much better these headphones sound with good cables.They already play at an excellent level out of the box.With good headphone cables, they play a galaxies clearer, more precise, albeit flatter and a little narrower stage, less speckled, much better localizable/defined/calmed down.Changed to the bad original cables - an explosion - the tones are wider on the stage, are "scratchy, undefined, washed out, annoying, nervous...."With the good cable, the things play "at least as well as the HD600". Response behavior ignored. Tuning the HD600 ignored....This headphones are playing outstanding/exceptional linear and naturally true from the factory stand.Switch the Cable and - what do you want from crappy unlinear untrue so-what high-end x-k headphones?!?Ok, for a joke - a personally prefer the response and deep playing full expressive sound of the Beyer DT770 - they psychoacustically have their boost on the low end and are boosted on higer frequencies, so the accustics of the human ear canal are compensated - after a short adjustment period I don't want to miss these qualities anymore - it's this magnifying glass effect their characteristics have.So - for me the conclusion is - AKG K702 with "nicer" cables or HD600 (maybe a too high impendance for your setup) - maybe the HD660s and so on are matching in a better way...+ dt770 (80 ohm - the impendance matches good with the akg and the HD660s)- my current assessment - tell me more -Both me and a buddy and high-end freak who know chains for hundreds of thousands of euros are very convinceda and amazed by the performance (and potentials) of this headphones : )So:- Durable 4/5 - what do we expect from the materials=?- Best in Sound Quality 4/5 - then factory cables might need an upgrade if your ears are crying for it- Tech Advanced 4/5 - Fck cables - even if you do not believe- Value - 5/5 - invest 30 euros in cables and maybe - you'll get your last pair of headphones

AKG K702 Reference Studio Headphones are an excellent product in this price range.I'm really enjoying using my 702s! Great (natural) sound with clear bass and plenty of detail in mids and highs. After my previous headphones (Audio Technica ATH M50) with hyped bass and highs, the AKG K702s sounded a little dull, at first. But after listening to some albums that I know well (Paul Simon - Graceland, Led Zeppelin II, Miles Davis - Kind of Blue...the double bass sounds wonderful ! the drums, awesome !! ) I am surprised and pleased at the detail and sound stage that the K702s deliver. I've been using these headphones at home, to mix a recording of acoustic instruments and the mix relates well when played on the Genelec 1032A monitors back in the studio.These are open ... MoreAKG K702 Reference Studio Headphones are an excellent product in this price range.I'm really enjoying using my 702s! Great (natural) sound with clear bass and plenty of detail in mids and highs. After my previous headphones (Audio Technica ATH M50) with hyped bass and highs, the AKG K702s sounded a little dull, at first. But after listening to some albums that I know well (Paul Simon - Graceland, Led Zeppelin II, Miles Davis - Kind of Blue...the double bass sounds wonderful ! the drums, awesome !! ) I am surprised and pleased at the detail and sound stage that the K702s deliver. I've been using these headphones at home, to mix a recording of acoustic instruments and the mix relates well when played on the Genelec 1032A monitors back in the studio.These are open back headphones so they don't isolate external sounds and aren't that good for focused listening in noisy environments. Having said that, in the 3 weeksI've owned these headphones I've spent more time listening to music just for pleasure.After about 3 hours of use there is a little discomfort, because my big ears touch the foam covering the driver, but anyway, by then it's time to take a break.Also, they're very well built and light to wear … Fantastic sounding and comfortable set of cans.Thanks AKG and Store DJ

I'm still adjusting to these after a few years of using a pair of K712's every day, but they're very clear and very comfortable, even for all-day use.They're not especially fun to listen to music on because they're so flat, but that's exactly what I want in a pair of reference headphones. Although the bass isn't very prominent, it sounds tight and not at all muddy.The only downside I'd say is that they can sound pretty bright, especially at louder volumes or when listening to harsh synths.

Almost perfect

The sound is great on this headphones. Even though its made in china the quality of sound im getting is still better from the other competition. However since is a flat response headphones it only means not everyone will love this. The comfort though is my biggest problem with this headphones. The made in austria one has a smooth leather but this one though same faux leather its a bit harder. It does sit on your head nice, just a nitty gritty on my part. The ear pads arent the best, the made in austria one is a bit bigger and softer. The one here is a bit hard and its the only flaw i find with this. I would suggest to buy a bigger and softer padding. The sound changes a bit like bigger sound stage and you can notice the difference immediately but for my preference ... MoreThe sound is great on this headphones. Even though its made in china the quality of sound im getting is still better from the other competition. However since is a flat response headphones it only means not everyone will love this. The comfort though is my biggest problem with this headphones. The made in austria one has a smooth leather but this one though same faux leather its a bit harder. It does sit on your head nice, just a nitty gritty on my part. The ear pads arent the best, the made in austria one is a bit bigger and softer. The one here is a bit hard and its the only flaw i find with this. I would suggest to buy a bigger and softer padding. The sound changes a bit like bigger sound stage and you can notice the difference immediately but for my preference its good for me. If i wanted something that sits directly to my hear i got my closed back for that. For mixing this is awesome especially with a dac. Theres just so much to hear. This headphone can get very loud like really loud but it can take it. I just hope this lasts my extensive usage.

Best I’ve tried

Having tried a variety of headphones under £300 in search of my ideal sound over the last few years I thought I had finally settled on the Beyerdynamics dt990 with the added use of a headphone amp/DAC. Having read about the AKGs though I had to give them a go, and now they’ve become my favourite pair - such an amazingly wide soundstage and wonderful clarity. I feel they also really need the DAC/amp to make them sing properly. I’ve also found that I needed to eq a little extra bass to gain that extra depth. The headband is a little hard so I bought a cover for it and now they are comfortable for long periods of listening.These are honestly astonishingly good headphones for the money.

Excellent audio, somewhat uncomfortable

A friend recommended these headphones a couple years ago. They are moderately priced, and produce good audio, but I really hope I can find a way to make them more comfortable. I've basically had to use them as the backup headset, because after 30 minutes of use I have severe headaches, and faintness wearing them. It's the same problem I have with wigs that are too small. I hope I eventually find a comforter that helps make them not hurt my head, as of today I've tried one of the zip up comforters, and the top portion of the headphone is too big for the zipper, so I will be rating these headphones lower than I would have for sound alone.Another note: The audio for these headphones may not be ideal for edm/songs with heavy bass, these are definitely better for ... MoreA friend recommended these headphones a couple years ago. They are moderately priced, and produce good audio, but I really hope I can find a way to make them more comfortable. I've basically had to use them as the backup headset, because after 30 minutes of use I have severe headaches, and faintness wearing them. It's the same problem I have with wigs that are too small. I hope I eventually find a comforter that helps make them not hurt my head, as of today I've tried one of the zip up comforters, and the top portion of the headphone is too big for the zipper, so I will be rating these headphones lower than I would have for sound alone.Another note: The audio for these headphones may not be ideal for edm/songs with heavy bass, these are definitely better for mid/low bass songs. It really depends on what you are looking for. 4.5/5 for audio 2.5/5 for comfort.

Incredibly accurate Headphones

I rarely write reviews, but I thought that this one deserves one. Background: I´m an amateur musician and I play several instruments and I listen to A LOT of music (rock, blues, jazz, classical, reggae and acoustic instrumental mainly). I´m beginning to record my own compositions and reading online I felt that I should have a neutral headphone to better mix the many different tracks. After some research, I decided for these ones. And wow.... What have I been missing all these years... Amazing soundstage, amazing clarity, amazing presence (and it DOES have the right amount of bass, not those ridiculous bass signatures like Beats and similar). If you want to listen to music as it was supposed to be perceived even in the smallest details... At this price point... I ... MoreI rarely write reviews, but I thought that this one deserves one. Background: I´m an amateur musician and I play several instruments and I listen to A LOT of music (rock, blues, jazz, classical, reggae and acoustic instrumental mainly). I´m beginning to record my own compositions and reading online I felt that I should have a neutral headphone to better mix the many different tracks. After some research, I decided for these ones. And wow.... What have I been missing all these years... Amazing soundstage, amazing clarity, amazing presence (and it DOES have the right amount of bass, not those ridiculous bass signatures like Beats and similar). If you want to listen to music as it was supposed to be perceived even in the smallest details... At this price point... I compared it with other gear I have at home (Beyer Custom One, AKG k451, Shure 215 and others)... Nothing comes even close. Listen to Wild Horses from the Rolling stones during the first 40min, all those really quiet finger harmonics on guitar, compare this one with another headphone you may have around.... I rest my case. Phenomenal buy.

Stellar Comfort and Sound

I listened to a pair of AKG K-701's a lot of years ago when they first came out. I already had a pair of Sennheiser HD-580's so I wasn't looking for new headphones, but I never forgot the experience. Fast-forward to 2021 and I receive an e-mail from Adorama showing these AKG K-702's for a very fair price. So I jumped on them pretty much on a whim. Again, I wasn't looking for new 'phones (I still have my trusty Sennheisers). But I had a birthday coming up so I decided to treat myself, hoping the AKG 702's would be very close to the 701's in build and performance. And they are...at least if memory serves. They are light and comfortable for extended listening. The head band could be just a bit bigger to better accommodate my XL noggin, but other than that, comfort is ... MoreI listened to a pair of AKG K-701's a lot of years ago when they first came out. I already had a pair of Sennheiser HD-580's so I wasn't looking for new headphones, but I never forgot the experience. Fast-forward to 2021 and I receive an e-mail from Adorama showing these AKG K-702's for a very fair price. So I jumped on them pretty much on a whim. Again, I wasn't looking for new 'phones (I still have my trusty Sennheisers). But I had a birthday coming up so I decided to treat myself, hoping the AKG 702's would be very close to the 701's in build and performance. And they are...at least if memory serves. They are light and comfortable for extended listening. The head band could be just a bit bigger to better accommodate my XL noggin, but other than that, comfort is superb. And the sound is even more superb (superber?). I've never heard better clarity. You can really catch all the details. I've heard lyrics clearly that I've never understood before. And yet the sound is not fatiguing or harsh at all. I honestly don't know how AKG coaxed such detail out without spotlighting any nastiness. Don't get me wrong; bad recordings do not magically sound like great ones thru the AKG's but they aren't rendered unlistenable either. Very good balancing act here! Detail without etching! My only minor complaint with the sound is that the bass is a little light. But it is there. It is just reduced in level relative to the mids and highs. If you have decent tone controls or EQ at your disposal, it is easily brought up to better balance the rest of the spectrum. Just 2 or 3 dB boost makes a world of difference, and depending on your taste in music and sound, you may find it just fine the way it is. All in all, highly recommended!

Stereo placement is fantastic!

Caveats: I got these on stupid deal of the day for 70% off, and I just received them today, so I don't have a ton of time on them. But... Let me say, the stereo imaging is such a step up from my 18 year old pair of K240s. If you're saying of course they do, they're 4 times the cost, the K240s USED to be a world class set of cans when they were still made in Austria. They're still decent, but nothing to write home about anymore. These K702 are apparently made in china, there's a tiny sticker on the headband. That appears to be a recent offshoring casualty, as far as I could tell prior to having them in hand, these were still made in Austria.I think they'll be pretty good for live room tracking as well, they're almost completely transparent to outside sound.Only ... MoreCaveats: I got these on stupid deal of the day for 70% off, and I just received them today, so I don't have a ton of time on them. But... Let me say, the stereo imaging is such a step up from my 18 year old pair of K240s. If you're saying of course they do, they're 4 times the cost, the K240s USED to be a world class set of cans when they were still made in Austria. They're still decent, but nothing to write home about anymore. These K702 are apparently made in china, there's a tiny sticker on the headband. That appears to be a recent offshoring casualty, as far as I could tell prior to having them in hand, these were still made in Austria.I think they'll be pretty good for live room tracking as well, they're almost completely transparent to outside sound.Only nit I have so far is the finish work on the pleather top band is not fantastic. I'd be more irritated at full price, obviously.I'll have to spend a lot more time with them to say whether I think they're worth the normal asking price, but for a hundred thirty, I regret not buying 2 or 3 pair.

[Rewarded Review] Great Headphones, Mediocre Build Quality

I waited a bit before writing this to really get a good view of these headphones. I had some issues along the way with them but everything is now sorted.Sound Quality: These headphones sound great for all kinds of things. I listen to a lot of music across a lot of types and the 702's have no issues sounding great for just about anything and everything I put through them. I will say it takes some time to break them in and you should be cautious for the first few weeks of listening as they can be initially harsh like any headphone out of the box. I was coming up from a pair of 240's and can really hear the difference.Comfort: The 702's are really easy to wear all day be it at work or for a recording session or if you are just lying around. They are on the bigger ... MoreI waited a bit before writing this to really get a good view of these headphones. I had some issues along the way with them but everything is now sorted.Sound Quality: These headphones sound great for all kinds of things. I listen to a lot of music across a lot of types and the 702's have no issues sounding great for just about anything and everything I put through them. I will say it takes some time to break them in and you should be cautious for the first few weeks of listening as they can be initially harsh like any headphone out of the box. I was coming up from a pair of 240's and can really hear the difference.Comfort: The 702's are really easy to wear all day be it at work or for a recording session or if you are just lying around. They are on the bigger side but sit nicely on the head and dont weigh you down at all. The cups are soft and unobtrusive.Build Quality: While the headphones are made as well as any other consumer grade product these days mine were not issue free. First off I must say that I understand there are duds in any batch and if that was the only issue then so be it. However AKG (Harmon) ultimately serviced the headphones and did a very poor job which was somewhat frustrating I would still recommend these headphones considering the sale prices and the quality but I do feel I should share this story. Heres what happened so you can decide for your self...Initially I had no issues with the headphones, they worked flawlessly for 2 months out of the box. At about the 2 month mark i started having some intermittent issues with the left ear, moving around tended to fix it but ultimately the ear cut out all together. I initially thought it was the cable and ordered a replacement only to find it was not the cable so off to the service center it went. I will say AKG was quick and responsive getting me the shipping info and a pre-paid box to send them in which i greatly appreciated. The headphones came back a few weeks later in working order and i was excited. ~3 weeks later the left ear got intermittent again! Same issue, same remedy and it ultimately cut out a week after that. I decided to dive in and pop the side open to see what was going on. There are other repair videos online and the headphones are easy to open up. I was somewhat appalled at what I found. It was clear that the connection wire had been ripped of the solder point the first time and was re-connected during the service. However the wire case was all mangled and melted from the re-solder job and during re-assembly two of the wires were pinched in between some plates which prevented the cup from properly moving and also caused the wires to be ripped out of the joints again if the cup was moved. I was easily able to re-solder the wire and decided to add some heat shrink covering to remedy the case melt issue but I was pretty appealed at the quality of the repair. A proper re-assembly allowed full motion of the cup as well. I have been using the headphones since my own repair for the last 3 months with absolutely no issues.Aside from the issues with the service which I was ultimately able to sort out these are great headphones that I would still recommend.