AKG K 702 Headphones

I used this out of a USB Pico DAC -> Dynalo (Sheer Audio HA-006+) -> K702 using well ripped FLAC files
 
I really thought this was going to be better, but I really just do not like these headphones much at all. Probably my biggest complaint is the airyness and tone of the vocals. I also have a pair of Grado HF2 and the HF2 just absolutely completely super duper destroys the K702 in tonality, especially the vocals.
 
It's also very fatiguing for my ears for some reason, even at quiet-medium listening levels. I've read this is because it has a high frequency spike or something. Oh well. I learned a valuable lesson with these K702, the best and only way to know if a headphone sounds good to you, is to listen to it yourself.
 
addendum: I suppose this could've been good for me had I a different amp or source or whatever. A Pico DAC -> Dynalo setup is a pretty standard and good setup. To me, a standard dynamic headphone like the K702 is, that doesn't sound good on my setup, is not a headphone worth paying for.

I can only conclude that, after several months trying to like this headphone, (and oh did I try) I just have to give up trying and admit that I don't like it.
 
Bass:
 
Fans of the AKG k702 (or the K70x or Q70x e.t.c.) series will tell you that, not only is the bass well textured and accurate, but that it has a "neutral" quantity of bass. I don't find that to be true. Unless the only instrument playing is, say, a bass drum, the K702 allows every other part of the spectrum to overwhelm the bass, causing it to lose all impact. You are not only supposed to hear the sound of a bass note but also feel (as close as that is attainable on a headphone) the impact.
 
Take dictionary.com's definition of percussion:
 
1. the striking of one body against another with some sharpness; impact; blow.
 
The K702 has unnaturally recessed bass because it has no impact.
 
Midrange:
 
Over 300 hours burn in and unfortunately no respite to the nasally, grating, chalkboard-like upper midrange. It also seems to make voices sound unnaturally thin, especially males. I tend to find it can complement female vocals to some extent yet gives males a kind of hollowed-out sound. 
 
Treble:
 
Probably the best-performing part of the spectrum but ironically perhaps it is slightly too warm. I seem to be justified in this claim when you notice the frequency plots you find online: a sharp drop in the top octave. This may be why I notice that the headphone does not seem to have much detail below the surface. Perhaps it is because the soundstage is diffuse (see below) and hence harder to pinpoint detail, but I frequently find, in complex passages at least, the HD 650 actually seems to offer more subtle detail.
 
Soundstage:
 
I was wowed at the beginning but gradually grew bored of it. It seems that everything is diffuse and fairly far away, not helping the sense of thin-ness. Sometimes I get the impression that it is too wide: as if there is only the centre, the far left, and today's GOP. Good for some classical music (though unfortunately the lack of bass does not give cellos e.t.c. any satisfying upper-base resonance) but not really much else.
 
The headphone is certainly comfortable but not really snug enough in my opinion. It feels like it wants to slide off at any moment. As for the build quality, it hardly seems to be the sturdiest headphone in existence
.
Problems aside it is actually worth the marked down prices you will often find on certain online retailers. It's a good headphone sure, but I just don't like it.
 
Now of course a perfectly neutral headphone would be unforgiving on bad sources, mastering et cetera, but the K702 isn't neutral. It is unnaturally treble-heavy and bass-light. It is indeed unforgiving, but beyond the point of neutrality because of the treble emphasis. It is like an examiner who has a personal grudge against a student and will mark them down for minor faults

I loved them while I had them, recabled them with DHC Nucleotide cable and liked them even more. There is a but, I was not able to pony up the cash to power them properly so I had to let them go. I thought I could make them work with the rig i had (uDAC->Indeed hyrbid) but it ended up just frustrating me. They were awesome with female vocals and any acoustic recordings! Every once and a while I get phantom memories of those mids and cry a bit inside because they are gone...  Someday I'll own them again!    

It was just alright. I wanted to look for something close to hd800 soundstage but cheaper. This one did not do for me.

I got the bug last year, and bought these after experimenting with grado sr 80i, senn hd600 and audiotechnica M50.
Sorry for not being so technical, I have to say that listening to these is pure pleasure: good detail, very nice soundstage, second to none comfort and unbeatable price.
I my opinion, the best choice for newcomers like me.

Rating: 7.9
Sound 8.1

It requires either a full head of hair, or some other headgear if you want to use the K702 longer.

Click to expand...

Sound: 8.1

Handling: 7.5

Total: 7.9
Price: 130 €



Intro
With the K702, AKG has a reference handset for studio and mixing that is not only affordable, but also lives up to its ambitions. It is neutral with a warm tone and sounds very authentic, especially in voices, but also a bit sober.



Handling
Plastic, metal, leather, velour - the AKG K702 is a harmonious mix of different materials. Despite its protruding ear cups, it appears quite filigree and also of high quality. It also makes a robust impression which is necessary for everyday use in (professional) music production.

The K702 not only has "over-ear" written on it, the ear cups actually enclose the complete ear without it bumping against the case or the velour padding (can squeak when wearing glasses). Due to the open design this does not contribute anything to the isolation (almost non-existent), but it gives you a good wearing comfort, at least as far as the ears are concerned, although I would like the pads to be a bit more soft/yielding.

What AKG had in mind for the headband, however, remains a mystery. It adapts to the shape of the head with the help of rubber trappers, but it has very rigid, wide "pimples", which can quickly lead to headaches. They are very hard and do not offer any kind of padding. If they had simply been omitted, the K702 would certainly have been more comfortable with a flat leather strap. It requires either a full head of hair or some other headgear if you want to use the K702 for a longer period of time.

The cable is detachable and has a 3.5mm connector which can be adapted to 6.3mm (adapter included). The connection to the headphone (one-sided guide) is a mini-XLR connector.

Update: The newer production series probably have a flat headband, so the headaches are history.



Sound
Bass
The bass is not really fun in the sense of quantity. But it doesn't have to be and it wouldn't be very helpful if the bass was distorted for mastering or recording by a boost. It's quite sterile, but very accurate with a slight warmth that covers the signature. It is not at home in the absolute low frequency range, at least it is hard to locate. But you can feel that it exists if you hold your hand on the ear cups or press them closer to the ear. As a reference it is appealing, as a fun sounding source it is rather less so. However, it does not act anemic and has its musical side, only pressure is not built up.

Mids
Slightly shrill and slightly subdued. In direct comparison to the Q701, they lack a bit of assertiveness and you get the impression they're a bit washed-out, but basically they're clear and balanced, with a slight push in the upper mids that gives them energy, sometimes with too much commitment and aggressiveness (at increased volume). Tonally I can't blame them much, but I lack a little maturity and body. Voices and instruments sound mostly authentic, but not very exciting. Soberly describes the mids quite well, with pleasure in detail.

Trebles
The highs are rather sunny than shady children. However, they do not overdo it with brightness, but play very calmly and unagitatedly with a touch of warmth. They have a rather airy and transparent character, but I have to listen more closely every now and then to find details that are much easier to access, for example in the K812. Here, a little more attention has been paid to safety in order to remain as fatigue-free as possible. However, I don't have the feeling that information is being withheld from me, it just requires a little more concentration. The slight emphasis on sibilants should not be suppressed.

Stage
I don't want to generalize, but open headphones usually have an advantage in the stage extension from the design alone. The K702 is no exception and is indeed very spacious. However, I do hear slight weaknesses in the depth and also in the vertical. But in the width the K702 cuts a very good figure. But the price is high, because due to its non-existent isolation the headphone is more or less only usable in the studio or in your own 4 walls.

Imaging
Voices are placed a little more in the mix than in the foreground which gives you more of a feeling of being inside the music than in the audience. Wind instruments are more "In Your Face". Soundwise more is happening in the stereo image (width), without building up too many layers in height or depth, but you still get a well structured 3D image. The separation is a bit too strong on left/right and could be a bit more differentiated.



Outro
The AKG K702 scores with tonal accuracy, a wide stage and a neutral signature with a slight warmth. However, the mids can be a bit demanding, the highs might like to act a bit more lively and the bass certainly doesn't make any bass friends happy, but plays rather dry and neutral.

The K702 is certainly not a fun headphone, but rather serves as a reference even if it has room for improvement in all disciplines. However, I see it as competitive in its price range and technically and tonally competent.

The audibility can be a bit limited (depending on the genre) by the upper mids and the headband comfort. It is also hardly usable on the road if you like the people around you.

Thanks to Sattler Electronic Showtronic AG for providing the test headphones.
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More reviews: CHI-FIEAR
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Background information:
 
I am a hobbyist, part-time geek, audio enthusiast who likes high fidelity gear (or just whatever I can afford on the day). You'll find me messing around in Sonar Platinum, EWQL Virtual instruments and other wonderful music production programs. 
 
For reference music: I regard Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Mike Oldfield, Brian Eno and other progressive rock as a benchmark point. Also some classical recordings are a good way to evaluate the sound quality of some headphone products. Neutraility suits me best as I can always add and subtract sounds with an equaliser. CD Audio, DVD Audio and FLAC are my go to formats for music or at least MP3 320K.
 
 
Equipment used:
 
Self-built PC using EMU 1212M soundcard
Samson C-Que 8 4-port stereo headphone amplifier
AKG K702 (None Anniversary edition)
 
 
About the headphones
 
These use large semi-open head-cups which will mean they are not ideal to use around recording microphones or public transport. The claimed frequency range of each driver claims to be 10Hz-38.9Khz. Which means they nearly fit the Nyquist ideal of double the frequency for things to be heard properly. The K812 Pro have a reading of up to 44.1Khz due to their larger drivers and 1.5 times factor of the Tesla magnets.
 
The impedance of these K702 headphones at 1Khz are 62 Ohms, a sensitivity of 105dB SPL/V with a maximum power of 200mW input. Despite all of these relatively low figures it does mean they do need a lot of amplification to get the best out of them.  Once these are properly amplified they will come to life, so a run of the mill Digital Audio Player or generic smartphone headphone amplifier won't cut it really and they will sound thin.
 
So who are these headphones for, audiophiles, studio engineers or your older parents with failing hearing?
 
Audiophiles will argue they lack low-end and accuracy in the treble whereas a studio engineer will argue they offer a neutral reference for between takes however not for critical mix decisions. I don't think any headphone can offer that as a solution really.
 
Playing well recorded masters will reveal a great amount of detail and soon you'll find yourself hearing things you never noticed before, like amplifier noises or coughs. The soundstage is pretty detailed and the louder you turn them up more harmonic content becomes present.  Adding a touch of low-end with an equaliser of say around 3dB should be enough make them good enough for most music when needed. This is a weak point addressed in the K812 and K712 Pro which should give a more rounded sound rather than a bloated overpowering emphasis on the music.
 
Evanescence: My Immortal really comes to life (ba-doom-tish!), revealing much more of the stings and piano resonance not that obvious when listening on cheap headphones. 
 
Pink Floyd: The Division Bell (24/96Khz FLAC) playing through 24/96 ASIO driver sounds pretty flawless where you can almost hear the strings of the guitars being strummed or maybe I'm just hearing it with far more clarity. Reverbs and room impulses seem to be more apparent.
 
 
The only dislikes I do have are the headband can be uncomfortable after an hour of so, how they reveal of the mistakes of your favourite recordings (not really a dislike as such) and the fact I paid more for mine and soon after AKG reduced the cost. 
 
Overall I would recommend these to people looking for accuracy for a good price.

Just trying to pull the average up.
can't believe someone would give reference headphones of this quality a 1.5 star rating overall.
but, that, i suppose is the love/hate nature of the k701/k702.
 
personally, i feel they are wonderful headphones.  and, at $260 street price at time of this posting, you'd be hard pressed to find a better sounding pair for the money.
 
they are a little light in bass impact, and a little strong in the upper mid (female vocal range).  harmony vocals can get a little shouty sometimes. 
 
but, what they do well is render acoustic instruments with startling realism, and produce a spacious sound that is perfect for listening to concert hall recordings. 
 
ideal headphones for unplugged recordings, or live jazz, or classical, etc.
 
not ideal for hard rock, electronica, etc.

I've owned these for the best part of a month now and have done some extensive listening with them both in extended listening sessions of several albums and of comparative listening sessions with with my HD650. I feel I am ready to comment on the qualities of these phones.
 
I had always intended to put these and the HD650 against each other and sell one, as I had thought it would be an indulgence to keep two expensive open circumaural home-listening phones. The problem I have found (and it's a good problem to have) is that the are fantastic companions. Any type of music the HD650 does not do so well with, the K702 shines with and where the K702 seems a bit too formal and cold, the HD650s warmth is a perfect tonic. I'm keeping both.
 
Formality is really the term I would use to describe these phones. They are polite, analytical and are certainly revealing of a track, with details not just presented but presented with a crispness and accuracy that is a joy to hear. Don't bother listening with anything but high quality encodings though, as it will show up the wrong kind of detail just as clearly.
 
The AKG K702 have less bass than most of my other phones, but still presents more low end than, say my Phonak PFE or MS2i with bowls rather than flats. The bass is of an exceptional quality, impact and speed. The mid range is beautiful and airy, especially where it comes to female vocals which sound sometimes unnervingly real and the treble is crisp, if a little cold.
 
The real star of the show when it comes to the K702 package is the sound stage. I was worried I would be put off by its size as many complain of it being unrealistic. Well, it's really not that big, but it does offer the space you need to really delve into a song, picking up on this and that instrument and then mentally stepping back to hear the whole track as one.
 
It's sound stage and level of detail really make these phones perfectly suited for my classical music and my jazz and my electronica and works very well with layered rock/alternative music such as Radiohead, Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, Frank Zappa, the last two Joanna Newsom albums and that sort of thing. That isn't to say it doesn't do a great job of presenting rock, pop, reggea and simpler folk as well as it is certainly pleasant, but for these warmer and simpler types of music I find myself switching to the funner HD650 with its more intimate sound stage.
 
Comfort with the K702, for me, is a major plus. I understand a lot of people have big problems with the bumps on the bottom of the headband. Pressing them with my fingers I can feel they aren't comfortable, but I have plenty of hair and do not really feel them. The 3D form cut velour pads seem to have been designed for the shape of my skull and compared to the HD650 the lack of clamp is quite a relaxing experience. I can wear these for hours on end and often forget I am wearing them. 
 
If the AKG K702 were my only headphones, I might find their genre range a bit limiting, I might find myself wanting a bit more bass with my reggae and hiphop and a more intimate sound stage with my rock and folk. But as a part of a varied collection with the HD650 and MS2i as the other two main home phones I find I have a great set of options to cater for every mood and genre.
 
The AKG K702 has filled in some gaps for me; has given me a classical and jazz listening option that can seriously compete with speakers, a natural home for aphex twin and a sound stage that brings the best out of some of my more complex rock music as well. Add to this it's almost unnervingly realistic reproduction of female vocals and it really does justify its price.

Great headphones. Very neutral within important frequencies. Present a large airy soundstage.

After burning in the K702 sounds me very similar to my K701
I had a K702 for test 2009

Beautiful detailed and analytical sound provide a well balanced and easy listening experience. This, coupled with a huge soundstage, put these headphones at the top of my list. 

After putting these headphones on and listening to music on them for the first time all I could do was listen and smile. These were absolutely stunning in terms of sound quality everything sounded just right natural and real. every frequency from bass to highs sounded so detailed and proper not too much of anything just the right amount of bass and the right highs and mids. I have never heard music with such an amazing sound stage or unbiased sound. I have heard the HD595s and did not like them but have not compared these to the HD 600 or 650s yet.

Can you have too much of a good thing? Going by the various threads and reviews of the K702s, yes. These cans give you so much detail it is not true. Sounds appear that have never been heard before in the background of familiar tracks. That satisfies some and manages to irritate others. i did not understand that until recently.
 
When I first got my K702s I only had open backed headphones. But the demands of family life and travel meant that my next few purchases were closed backed to limit noise leakage, of which the K702s have loads.
 
I then got used to the deeper more bloomy bass, in your head sound and echo like resonance of closed backed cans.
 
Returning one day after a few months of no use, when home alone to the K702s, I realised how dry then can sound. The lush sound had gone, replaced instead with 'put you in the recording studio' levels of detail and clarity. I kept taking them off because I thought I could hear noises in the house. That was caused by the big sound stage and that detail flooding back again.
 
For me that is superb, But I can understand why for others it is too much.
 

In few words: cheap, great neutral sound, very well built headphones and Soundstage is really great. I love to hear classic music and these were made to be classy. Also love caribbean rythms and let me tell you AKG found a really good detail con percussions and guitars. I found a lack of deep shocking bass, but theres a really defined bass it doesn´t looses any detail. The highest frequencies get some distortion, but the midrange is what they do best.
 
Great headphones, you need a lot of power to run them fine. I use a Schiit Audio Valhalla and a Cambridge Audio MagicDac100. I could say all together do a very descent job!.
 
Cheers,
 
Miguel V.

These are my first pair of AKG headphones and I am very impressed. At first I was worried that the headband would not be comfortable, but surprisinly it is very soft. The sound stage is very large and impressive. I like that an amp is not needed for enjoyable listening, unlike my Hifiman headphones. The headphones are very neutral though, lacks energy. Would recommend because the sound is very clear though.

I like the AKG k702, they are pleasant to listen to, do a good job of positioning, very airy and open.  Sound is very balanced for the most part, but could use a little more bass (might also be my amp, I don't think my littledot has enough power for these or the hd800s)
 
I like them 99.7% as much as my HD800s (out of this source) if that gives you any hint!

Admittedly, I may be a bit overawed by these; they reproduce sound so much better than what I had been using; seems I can hear more with these than with the other headphones I had. I must further admit that I enjoy listening critically and the music is only sometimes incidental to me. Very pleased, of course, with my purchase; wouldn't have bought them otherwise.

And yet, of every headphone I've ever owned, heard, lived with, worked with...you name it at a sane price range, these are the ones that time and time and again I come back to when I'm testing out new gear.  That should basically say it all.  When I want to know what, on average, a new DAC or amp (especially a new amp) is worth, these are the first cans I run through them.  Because if it can do these justice, it's looking good for pretty much every other hard-to-drive can in my inventory (and there are a few).  I also use these pretty much exclusively for tracking and mobile editing. 
 
And as much as I want to malign their lack of apparent musicality, I nevertheless end up using them for my own personal listening pleasure more often then I'd like to admit (which may just have something to do with my being used to how they sound, but we'll leave that aside for the moment).  I'm the kind of person who likes neutrality, detail retrieval and subtlety.  Given that I lack a solid tube HPA at the moment, it may well be there that there is warmth and musicality lurking in these yet, but given that, on average, my choice for high-end listening is usually between these and HD-650s, I usually end up choosing these because at the end of the day I feel like I'm being hoodwinked, bamboozled by the Senns.  So many of the tracks I know and love I've heard as studio masters running through studio monitors.  I know what they were, for all intents and purposes "supposed" to sound like.  And, with that context, they never sound the way they "should" for me quite like they do with K702s.  For 200 bucks street, all other qualms aside, that's a mighty huge achievement. 

About a little lower then half a pound in weight it is amazying how comfortable this thing is.  The ear cups are angled so its hits your ear in a more natural position.  The soundstage is wide and airy but not able to pin point anything like sennheiser hd 800.  I would reccomend people to buy the earlyier one with 7 bumps on the headband because it has more bass.  For the price its the best you can get. Sennheiser hd 600 or 650 are side grades for more money, just depends on taste.  Any of the world class head phones will be the perfect step up from this.  But it's a great way to get your foot in the hifi door.  Get a simple fiio e11 or e07k or e17 to drive them to the fullest.