[Rayz]

Hey.
I was thinking of upgrading from my currently K701 to K712 Pro. I like the sound, but they are almost bass-less, night and day compared to my DT 990 Pro.

So upgrading - Is it really worth it?

 

[thasneakershop]

what amp do u have

 

[AKGunkie]

As above poster mentioned, the amp can make a good difference here. That said I have both of these; The 712s do not have the absolutely massive stage of the 701s but they still have very good imaging, soundstage & spaciousness. They are considerably warmer than the 701s and have more upper midrange energy. Comfort is a better as the pads are memory foam & do not have the headband bumps yours may or may not have. They are fairly close to neutral and I find them to be a very good headphone, one thing to note is the 7XX can be bought for ~$200 USD which I believe is the best headphone at that price point . period. The 712s can cost considerably more although I find them a slightly better headphone overall.

I have pretty much all of AKGs top end offerings & can compare pretty much any of their headphones to another if you have any questions.

 

[Rayz]

Thank you both
I'm using ASUS Xonar STX II (on "extreme" gain) which is known as a good amp.

So if I understand this correctly, AKG K701 - bigger soundstage, AKG K712 Pro - less soundstage but warmer?
Which cans of the two are the most detailed?

 

[killertaxi]

My apologies for kinda hijacking the topic, but I have a similar question.
Can anyone compare the K501 to the K712? Is it worth upgrading from the K501 to the K712?

 

[AKGunkie]

Thank you both
I'm using ASUS Xonar STX II (on "extreme" gain) which is known as a good amp.

So if I understand this correctly, AKG K701 - bigger soundstage, AKG K712 Pro - less soundstage but warmer?
Which cans of the two are the most detailed?

The 701s are probably more detailed at high end but lack the lower mid and bass definition the 712s have. The 701s can tend to have a bit more "plasticky" midrange at times than the 712s. IMO the 712s are an upgrade to the 701s, and if you like the 701s, you should like the 712s as well.

 

[AKGunkie]

My apologies for kinda hijacking the topic, but I have a similar question.
Can anyone compare the K501 to the K712? Is it worth upgrading from the K501 to the K712?

I haven't heard the 501s but if I have heard correctly they are kinda like the precursor to the 701s. in which case the 701sd are probably just a better version of the 501s & my previous posts might help you understand some differences.

 

[Rayz]

The 701s are probably more detailed at high end but lack the lower mid and bass definition the 712s have. The 701s can tend to have a bit more "plasticky" midrange at times than the 712s. IMO the 712s are an upgrade to the 701s, and if you like the 701s, you should like the 712s as well.

It sounds like they are apples and oranges. should I have them both?

 

[AKGunkie]

It sounds like they are apples and oranges. should I have them both?

One might argue that they are apples and oranges but I would argue the 712s are a better all around headphone. I've kept both but then again I've kept everything so I can't help you there.

 

[Rayz]

Thank you. i'll buy those cans and return with a review.

 

[text]

Just ran into your post. I have had K701s now for 12 years, and they've run into the common cable issue finally, so I'm looking to replace. Would you say the other AKGs you've owned, regardless of soundstage SIZE, have the soundstage placement, like the K701s, inside your head instead of in front?

Thanks.

 

[Spareribs]

I would say go for it. The 712 is not expensive (for a high end headphone) and if you don’t like it, you can sell it. You may lose a little money but you will gain more knowledge about the headphone and contribute on the forum

 

[AKGunkie]

The entire 7 series line has very similar soundstage placement. one key difference is that the 702 & 701 have angled pads which give you a "farther away" presentation and the elevated treble leads towards more "air" in the music. if you like the 701s I think you will like the 712s as IMO they are just a more balanced version of the HP.

 

[text]

Thanks for the info. Hmm, if I get the 712s, I may keep my K701's ear pads in case they're swappable and see if there's much difference.

My K701s only have a cable issue, they still sound awesome. Do you think anyone on this forum would buy them cheap as a recabling project? I can't find anyone to reachable them for under the price of replacing them, and I don't want to just bury them after a great 12-year relationship. It's emotional. I had a pair of secondhand speakers by Genesis Physics once that I also loved, and when they died, I pried off their brand badges and sent them to the original owner like dog tags.

 

[AKGunkie]

What is wrong with the cable? if it's just one channel that went out it is a very easy fix. not even 10mins and good as new.