[loopfreak]

 I received my AKG K812 this week. I really enyoy this great K812 and sold my T1 yesterday. The AKG is a big step up of the Beyerdynamic. I also heared a HD800. And the Sennheiser only has one better attribute, a wider soundstage. But in all other terms the HD800 loose. I also have the LCD3 and both headphones complement another. This twos are the best headphones I ever heared. Unfortunately I only had a short listening to the SR009.

 
First, congrats on you new 'phone,
 
Since this is clearly going to be a fight with HD800, what you didn't like with Sennheiser when compared to K812 ?

 

[Nomax]

I received my AKG K812 this week.

And i Received many K812'S since First WEEK of december!!!!!! N O M A X :rolleyes:

 

[Trance_Gott]

I never compared them directly I only made direct comparison with the T1. But I heared the HD800 a whole week and don't like the harsh highs. I never heared a dynamic headphone with better details, instrument separation and bass as the 812. In Germany now there are a few owner and I'm not only alone with the meaning 812 is better as HD800.

 

[loopfreak]

Since you mentioned instrument separation, does that mean that positioning focus is also better ?

 

[Nomax]

[quote name="Trance_Gott" In Germany now there are a few owner and I'm not only alone with the meaning 812 is better as HD800.[/quote]

So i am from AUSTRIA an i think in my opinion the K812 Sounds Great better than the hd 800 but not better than my Favorite TH 900!regards from Austria Crazy NOMAX

 

[nemomec]

 

 I received my AKG K812 this week. I really enyoy this great K812 and sold my T1 yesterday. The AKG is a big step up of the Beyerdynamic. I also heared a HD800. And the Sennheiser only has one better attribute, a wider soundstage. But in all other terms the HD800 loose. I also have the LCD3 and both headphones complement another. This twos are the best headphones I ever heared. Unfortunately I only had a short listening to the SR009.

 
First, congrats on you new 'phone,
 
Since this is clearly going to be a fight with HD800, what you didn't like with Sennheiser when compared to K812 ?

 
I had the HD800 two times (low and high serial number) in balanced mode on Bryston BHA-1 with the standard cable and a toxic cable widow.
 
In comparison with the K812 in my ears the HD800 has only a wider soundstage in all other terms as resolution, instrument separation, colours, heights, bass (huge difference) is the K812 the better can.
I own the K812 now for 3 weeks and this is my new reference headphone. 

 

 

[BattousaiX26]

To k812 owners out there, anyone of you experienced listening fatigue after listening for on it for a long period of time? I am very interested in getting this phone if they don't have that sharp/harsh highs like t1 and hd800.

 

[Fegefeuer]

I wouldn't listen to 80s Black Metal with it or anything that has been recorded badly. The difference between the K812 and the HD 800 is that due to the former's better bass both in detail and presence it's easier to enjoy in various genres (like EDM or anything acoustic that goes low and needs more presence, texture to sound natural, non-anemic)
 
These kind of headphones are never universal for all kinds of recordings. Something like a HE-500 is better suited for this and naturally has its own compromises. No magic can make a bad recording enjoyable on microscopic headphones like HD800/K812.

 

[ubs28]

   
I had the HD800 two times (low and high serial number) in balanced mode on Bryston BHA-1 with the standard cable and a toxic cable widow.
 
In comparison with the K812 in my ears the HD800 has only a wider soundstage in all other terms as resolution, instrument separation, colours, heights, bass (huge difference) is the K812 the better can.
I own the K812 now for 3 weeks and this is my new reference headphone. 

 

So the AKG K812 is better overall in comparison to the Sennheiser HD800? (if we ignore measurements)

 

[nemomec]

For me definitly yes, but thats my opinion.

 

[BattousaiX26]

@nemomec Any listening fatigue with k812?  

 

[Fegefeuer]

What I can definitely say as a conclusion from my own experience that the K812 deserves to be on the same podest (at leat) as the HD 800. 
 
Bass: K812 bass is very detailed and doesn't lack the power or "physical presence" like the HD 800's (which is detailed as well but thinner, less exciting as in weaker energy). In no way is the K812 a bassy headphone. In comparison with the Fostex it's pretty clear. No matter how much I love the Fostex though the bass detail really goes to the K812. It's pretty exciting for a open dynamic headphone with large soundstage to have such a delicate bass reproduction. To me it sets a new standard as the dynamic headphone with the best technical bass reproduction.
 
High and Details: both are marvellous and at the same time unforgiving, both can annoy you with ancient black metal and screeching men with long black hair that want to kill either you, your family or your dog while riding on repulsive beasts from either hell or some northern underworld. Both are not peaky and overstated as a T90 or a Pro Ultrasone is. In no case. That tizzyness is overstated to me (unless you really listen to a lot off mediocre recored stuff, that's where both will dissapoint you) and if you look at the data of my amp you can't have something more neutral than that. And some of you know that I can be sensitive to fatigueing highs as the HE-400, T90, Pro (2)900 and others gave me.
 
But it's definitely there and sohuld be mentioned. It doesn't have smooth highs like the LCD-3, this should be clear from the beginning. Between the HD 800 and K812 the highs are a toss-up to me as the HD 800 is slightly less peaky to my ears while losing out on detail (slightly) vs. the K812.

 
Now in a technical sense the HD 800 is still unbeaten in its soundstage. Especially in classical music/orchestra it helps in delivering an impressive huge soundstage that no other headphone can deliver, also not the K812. It's not only huge but also totally cohorent, effortless in its imaging, no matter what you throw at it. Where the K812 is on par and sometimes even better is separation (better), resolution/detail (better to me). Neither does it suffer in cohorence. That's a huge achievement imo, even when it's 5 years later. Who else did it so far? (besides STAX).
 
Ultimately I favor the K812 vs. the HD 800 due to the bass, and the sharper imaging (midrange is the same to me, though a bit more delicate/authentic, clearer). What I give the HD 800 is the bigger soundstage where it's realistic and a "easier to tame" high level. Though don't think of PRO 900, T90 level here, those are nasty in comparison to the K812.
 
Build quality wise the K812 is outstanding, something worthy of high end, the material choice and comfort customization is top notch. Neither are there pressure points on the top of your skull (headband is soft and wide) nor pressure/clamp force on your ears. The headphone stand is an Omega in Makassar. It's of very high quality but I don't prefer such a type of stand for ANY headphone. To me the Room's Line is definitely the best as it doesn't touch the earpads of your headphone and let's them dry out. Remember that with every session you wear your headphone you will leave sweat/sebum/oils so letting the pads dry is best and once in a while to wash them carefully. The advantage of good leather pads is a much easier hygiene over time as the leather doesn't soak everything up.
 
The cable is rather cheap and was probably built for ultra flexibility. Since it's detachable there's a market for custom cables right there. 

 

[BattousaiX26]

  What I can definitely say as a conclusion from my own experience that the K812 deserves to be on the same podest (at leat) as the HD 800. 
 
Bass: K812 bass is very detailed and doesn't lack the power or "physical presence" like the HD 800's (which is detailed as well but thinner, less exciting as in weaker energy). In no way is the K812 a bassy headphone. In comparison with the Fostex it's pretty clear. No matter how much I love the Fostex though the bass detail really goes to the K812. It's pretty exciting for a open dynamic headphone with large soundstage to have such a delicate bass reproduction. To me it sets a new standard as the dynamic headphone with the best technical bass reproduction.
 
High and Details: both are marvellous and at the same time unforgiving, both can annoy you with ancient black metal and screeching men with long black hair that want to kill either you, your family or your dog while riding on repulsive beasts from either hell or some northern underworld. Both are not peaky and overstated as a T90 or a Pro Ultrasone is. In no case. That tizzyness is overstated to me (unless you really listen to a lot off mediocre recored stuff, that's where both will dissapoint you) and if you look at the data of my amp you can't have something more neutral than that. And some of you know that I can be sensitive to fatigueing highs as the HE-400, T90, Pro (2)900 and others gave me.
 
But it's definitely there and sohuld be mentioned. It doesn't have smooth highs like the LCD-3, this should be clear from the beginning. Between the HD 800 and K812 the highs are a toss-up to me as the HD 800 is slightly less peaky to my ears while losing out on detail (slightly) vs. the K812.

 
Now in a technical sense the HD 800 is still unbeaten in its soundstage. Especially in classical music/orchestra it helps in delivering an impressive huge soundstage that no other headphone can deliver, also not the K812. It's not only huge but also totally cohorent, effortless in its imaging, no matter what you throw at it. Where the K812 is on par and sometimes even better is separation (better), resolution/detail (better to me). Neither does it suffer in cohorence. That's a huge achievement imo, even when it's 5 years later. Who else did it so far? (besides STAX).
 
Ultimately I favor the K812 vs. the HD 800 due to the bass, and the sharper imaging (midrange is the same to me, though a bit more delicate/authentic, clearer). What I give the HD 800 is the bigger soundstage where it's realistic and a "easier to tame" high level. Though don't think of PRO 900, T90 level here, those are nasty in comparison to the K812.
 
Build quality wise the K812 is outstanding, something worthy of high end, the material choice and comfort customization is top notch. Neither are there pressure points on the top of your skull (headband is soft and wide) nor pressure/clamp force on your ears. The headphone stand is an Omega in Makassar. It's of very high quality but I don't prefer such a type of stand for ANY headphone. To me the Room's Line is definitely the best as it doesn't touch the earpads of your headphone and let's them dry out. Remember that with every session you wear your headphone you will leave sweat/sebum/oils so letting the pads dry is best and once in a while to wash them carefully. The advantage of good leather pads is a much easier hygiene over time as the leather doesn't soak everything up.
 
The cable is rather cheap and was probably built for ultra flexibility. Since it's detachable there's a market for custom cables right there. 

Thank you very much for the very informative impression

 

[Fegefeuer]

What I forgot to mention. While the K812 is sensitive it's not sensitive like the TH-900. There are actually rather huge differences.
 
The TH-900 can range from 23 to 33 with 28 being my favorite setting with my amp while the K812 goes from 35-50 (and 42 as my favorite setting).

 

[nemomec]

[CONTENTEMBED=/t/685339/new-akg-flagship-k812-first-impression/615#post_10154497 layout=inline]<a data-huddler-embed="href" href="/u/345088/nemomec" style="display:inline-block;">@nemomec</a>
 Any listening fatigue with k812?  [/CONTENTEMBED]

No I can listen to the AKG for many hours like my Stax headphones. On HD800 and T1 i had more problems.