[dleblanc343]

You would think that if a review sample was sent to Tyll, it would be checked for QC before being sent?

There's arguably no such thing as a faulty flagship headphone. Haven't seen that in a flagship after over 100 sales on my part. I've sold about 40 HD800's in three years.

Everything should in effect be tested prior to shipment.

 

[macbob713]

Amazing CD player.  Should sound very good right out of the hp jack.  enjoy!

Thanks, and thanks for your input on amp matching with these. I tried them with the Lyr last night, but I wasn't impressed. Warmer fuller sound out of sacd player jack, although the Lyr was more detailed and added air to the sound. I'm going to try the Asgard 2 today which has an impedance switching feature.

 

[Beagle]

There's arguably no such thing as a faulty flagship headphone. Haven't seen that in a flagship after over 100 sales on my part. I've sold about 40 HD800's in three years.

Everything should in effect be tested prior to shipment.

 
I would agree. My comment was partially tongue-in-cheek. If I don't like the taste of cucumbers, it's not due to a "bad batch", I just don't like them.

 

[LifeAspect]

   
 
 
I actually agree with you about the measurements being off, but I don't trust measurements as much as that yet.

measurements are too scientific I guess...
 
I'd have considered buying the headphone if it was priced 500€ MSRP lower, like other flagships in its class. 1500€ is just too much for a headphones that measures worse than other flagships which it's trying to compete against.

 

[JWahl]

I will play devils advocate for a moment.  I agree with measurements myself and not one to say they dont matter by any means but it seems people are focusing too much on one or two types of measurements that may not paint the whole picture.  I would like to eventually see CSD plots as well since they provide a more accurate idea of true frequency response.  Not to mention there are other variables at play not easily measured.  
 
Such as the propogation of 3 dimensional soundwaves within the cup and of each individuals unique ear structure and size that will interact with those soundwaves.  There is nothing wrong with objective analysis as long as you recognize all the variables that are involved and how they can affect the individual end perception of the sound.
 
When digging into the level of headphones that measure as well as the top flagships do, including the K812, I think these other variables will play a larger part in final perception than the a few percent of sub bass distortion or a microscopic deviation of impulse response.
 
Not saying I agree with the inflated price.  Especially when a European headphone costs more in Europe than America.

 

[Blackmore]

AKG K812 coming from PRO division of AKG / Harman Group, that's not only differ market, but also totally differ promotion / marketing budget, simply NON compared to say general consumer market and I strongly believe that Harman do have very big ego and sale policy problem, that's why all hi fi shops in Holland dumped AKG as brand many years ago. Grado? Yes. Stax? Yes. Sennheiser? Yes. Skullcandy? What? Yes. AKG? Who?

 

[chicolom]

You can order these at razordog.com and they will discount $100.00 off the price.

 
They'll discount more than that...

 

[macbob713]

I plugged my friend's Asgard 2 into my system, setting the gain switch to low impedance and I've been listening to this combo with the 812 for several hours now. The Asgard pairs better with the phones than my Lyr did and blows away my headphone out plug on the Sony XA5400 ES SACD player. I tried another jazz trio cd, the superbly performed and recorded cd by the Yelena Eckemoff Trio, Glass Song. Everything sounds really, really good. Now Im listening to a classic Blue Note cd by Hank Mobley, Soul Station. Everything is clear and balanced, top to bottom. Bass is rock solid and the record really swings.
I let these phones burn in overnight on my iPod. Even out of the pod, the sound is great. (All my music was transferred from cd to lossless files).
So far the AKG's are very satisfying and fun to listen to. The sound has continued to improve since yesterday when I first got them.

 

[DefQon]

The HP out on the XA5400ES is a single dual op-amp based direct fed signal line from the analog stage of the main amp board. Not designed to wow people using headphones only a convenience should you do what that player does excel at (and even more when modded) is as a source to a DAC. My goodness. 

 

[macbob713]

I was only trying out the hp outputs on the player, since the 812 is a low impedance design. I normally connect the player direct to the HP amp inputs via RCA cables, or use the balance mode with the Mjolinor amp and hd800. Having said that, the output on the Sony does sound really good with certain cd's.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  The Measurement is not the quite the same. T1 have faster bass roll off and less upper treble, also there is a sharp dip at 7k due to inter driver reflextion. The THD figure is also quite different, usually higher THD means more perceived response at a certain range.
 
I owned 2 T1s and they do not sound like the K812, the T1's bass layering is not as good and soundstage is much narrower. Signature wise T1 is polite while K812 is slightly aggressive.

The only differences of significance that I see are on the upper treble (but not a whole lot going on there). Both square wave plots and kinda high distortion on the lower frequencies are very close (as are the impulse responses). 
 
Keep in mind that driving each is quite a bit different too.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
You would think that if a review sample was sent to Tyll, it would be checked for QC before being sent?

Double checked I would think.

 

[zenpunk]

I am suprised so few people discuss or question those dreaful measurements. Surely something is gone wrong somewhere....

 

[audionewbi]

I am suprised so few people discuss or question those dreaful measurements. Surely something is gone wrong somewhere....

What we hear and what we measure is quiet different. I learned that after my FAD VI experience. 

 

[Hubert481]

K812 is build in Austria and sold for 1490€ in Austria.
But there are other countries in the EU where you can get it under 1100€
I thought it would be bets price in the factory land.