[0739085]

I have been listening K701 since 2008, and recently I bought K812 from B&H as I want to know how relatively out of date my K701 is. To my dismay I think K812 is good, but maybe only 30% to 40% better than K701. The price difference over 1000 dollars is not justified from my perspective. Further, I received a defective unit in which the right side sound is not working properly. I am disappointed with AKG's manufacturing standards nowadays. I did not notice it until I started listening Rubstein's Chopin pieces, then it becomes apparent that the right side has noise that has nothing to do amp or sources when I play music that has a lot of mids (like Piano Sonatas, Piano Concertos, etc).
 
It might be possible that K812 will be better after 200+ hours of burn in (like my K701, which changed after 400+ hours). And it is also possible that with a non-defective unit such that both sides are balanced, I would judge K812 with a higher regard. But for now I am very disappointed. 6 years is a long time for me. Besides the improvement over the sound-stage and imaging, plus the bass (which I really like), I found the overall performance does not differ significantly from K701.
 
I am using O2+ODAC. So an additional factor would be a better amp. But I doubt if a better amp can turn a defective unit into a perfect one. This is my "first impressions" for now. For others - buy from somewhere with absolute return protection policy like B&H, in case you encounter a unit like mine (serial 002268).

 

[buson160man]

  I have been listening K701 since 2008, and recently I bought K812 from B&H as I want to know how relatively out of date my K701 is. To my dismay I think K812 is good, but maybe only 30% to 40% better than K701. The price difference over 1000 dollars is not justified from my perspective. Further, I received a defective unit in which the right side sound is not working properly. I am disappointed with AKG's manufacturing standards nowadays. I did not notice it until I started listening Rubstein's Chopin pieces, then it becomes apparent that the right side has noise that has nothing to do amp or sources when I play music that has a lot of mids (like Piano Sonatas, Piano Concertos, etc).
 
It might be possible that K 812 will be better after 200+ hours of burn in (like my K701, which changed after 400+ hours). And it is also possible that with a non-defective unit such that both sides are balanced, I would judge K812 with a higher regard. But for now I am very disappointed. 6 years is a long time for me. Besides the improvement over the sound-stage and imaging, plus the bass (which I really like), I found the overall performance does not differ significantly from K701.
 
I am using O2+ODAC. So an additional factor would be a better amp. But I doubt if a better amp can turn a defective unit into a perfect one. This is my "first impressions" for now. For others - buy from somewhere with absolute return protection policy like B&H, in case you encounter a unit like mine (serial 002268).

 I have not heard the akg 812 but I to have had my akg 701s for awhile . I can say that the 701s are no slouches but I agree they took absolutely forever to break in perhaps longer than any piece of gear that I have ever owned but they do reward your patience with  very high performance . But the 701s are very demanding of amplification . They can sound bright and analytical if the amplifier is not up to snuff .
    I recently have joined the vintage monster receiver ranks . I purchased a recapped concept 16.5 . I have been breaking it in for a couple of weeks now and it is sounding excellent with my akg 701s . In fact my akg 701s have never sounded better . I have had my 701s for several years now and I have never heard any dedicated headphone amp with them that sounds as good as  the concept vintage receiver . And I have heard some pretty  esoteric units as well . None  of them performed as well as the 16.5 . This monster sounds surprisingly transparent for something that is a thirty four year old design .
    I can not comment about the  akg 812 but I do have a great admiration for the 701 .It just keeps getting better and better .