[cel4145]

K612 is just a tad more warm sounding.
Q701 is more open and more detailed at the expense of being slightly dry.

Both need an external amplifier to shine, although Q701 needs 50% more power than K612.

The K612 impedance is practically double, though. Note what Innerfidelity measured. The higher voltage needs of the K612 Pro are typically going to make them just a tiny bit more difficult to drive (well, except maybe with OTL tube amp):

Q701
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL: 0.318 Vrms
Impedance @ 1kHz: 60 Ohms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL 1.68 mW

K612 Pro
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL: 0.352 Vrms
Impedance @ 1kHz: 125 Ohms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL 0.99 mW

 

[Armaegis]

  So basically k612 > q701?

 
For production I would lean to the K612. For listening... ah heck, I think I'd still choose the 612. The 7## perhaps details marginally better, but I prefer the tonal balance of the 612.
 

The K612 impedance is practically double, though. Note what Innerfidelity measured. The higher voltage needs of the K612 Pro are typically going to make them just a tiny bit more difficult to drive (well, except maybe with OTL tube amp):
 

 
It's really a marginal difference at that point. Granted, I'm an HE-6 guy... all your power requirements are puny compared to mine

 

[Vixm8]

Okay 612 pro it is then ordering them now will have them Tuesday next week!

 

[Me x3]

The K612 impedance is practically double, though. Note what Innerfidelity measured. The higher voltage needs of the K612 Pro are typically going to make them just a tiny bit more difficult to drive (well, except maybe with OTL tube amp):

Q701
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL: 0.318 Vrms
Impedance @ 1kHz: 60 Ohms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL 1.68 mW

K612 Pro
Volts RMS required to reach 90dB SPL: 0.352 Vrms
Impedance @ 1kHz: 125 Ohms
Power Needed for 90d BSPL 0.99 mW

 
The Q701 will sound just a tiny bit louder than K612 Pro, as far as the amp has enough current capability for the Q701.
 
I normally consider the Q701 harder to drive than K612 Pro because it needs (as measurements suggest) almost 70% more power.
The amp must be able to provide all the extra current without increasing distortion.
More so, it's easier to achieve a high damping factor with K612s Pro, and thus there are more amplifiers that work very well with them.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Their pricing here is quite good... they must be buying stock heavily discounted because their prices are almost the same as some retailers, nevermind the room for profit margin after all the calibration work.

 
The prices are significantly higher than US retail prices, though.

 

[cel4145]

The Q701 will sound just a tiny bit louder than K612 Pro, as far as the amp has enough current capability for the Q701.

I normally consider the Q701 harder to drive than K612 Pro because it needs (as measurements suggest) almost 70% more power.
The amp must be able to provide all the extra current without increasing distortion.
More so, it's easier to achieve a high damping factor with K612s Pro, and thus there are more amplifiers that work very well with them.

Good points; however, solid state amps will typically also see a power output capability drop from 60 to 125, making it a little more difficult to compare their power requirements using that 70%.

I think probably this one is too close to call without good measurements for a specific amp across a range of impedances, which manufacturers generally don't provide. So probably for all practical purposes, likely best to assume they are about as difficult to drive.

 

[Armaegis]

   
The prices are significantly higher than US retail prices, though.

 
Higher than your sale prices maybe, but not the regular non-sale prices.
 
Yeah you can luck out on a sale and get an HD600 for $300, or in some rare cases a crazy deal with coupons down to $240... or just buy the calibrated new one for $316. So for typically $16 that's a marginal fee for software and personalized calibration.
 
Right now the non-sale Amazon price is $374.

 

[Armaegis]

Both the 6## and 7## family have rising impedances after 10k. This neccesitates an amp with low output impedance or else you'll get extra brightness in the top end. The effect is less pronounced on the 612 due to it's higher nominal impedance rating.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Higher than your sale prices maybe, but not the regular non-sale prices.
 
Yeah you can luck out on a sale and get an HD600 for $300, or in some rare cases a crazy deal with coupons down to $240... or just buy the calibrated new one for $316. So for typically $16 that's a marginal fee for software and personalized calibration.
 
Right now the non-sale Amazon price is $374.

 
True for the Senns, but the AT, Sony, etc. are much higher than the Amazon prices. Nothing wrong with that, of course.
 
Also, the HD 600 is available new for as low as $320 plus shipping from third party Amazon sellers. I don't count those as sale prices.

 

[Vixm8]

W-why has my thread derailed into a bloody amp discussion and which is harder to drive? I can drive both of these cans just fine... 
 
So which one should I opt' for? I can't demo either of them... I'll be using them for producing mastering and gaming....also obviously general music listening.....
 
 
i really am lost here guise....

 

[Armaegis]

My vote is still on the K612 (which appears to be on sale through Amazon right now).

 

[Me x3]

  W-why has my thread derailed into a bloody amp discussion and which is harder to drive? I can drive both of these cans just fine... 
 
So which one should I opt' for? I can't demo either of them... I'll be using them for producing mastering and gaming....also obviously general music listening.....
 
 
i really am lost here guise....

 
If you want a detailed and slightly warm sounding headphone that will make most of your music sound great, then go with the K612 Pro.
If you want to go a bit further into the analytical territory, increased soundstage, and more airy presentation, the Q701 is the one to pick. Some recordings could sound overly dry, some would sound annoyingly flawed, that's the price you pay.
 
This a very nice review: (K702 is similar to Q701)
http://www.head-fi.org/t/685483/akg-k702-the-classic-vs-k612-pro-the-upstart-review-and-comparison
 
Hope this helps!

 

[Armaegis]

Having owned all the headphones in that review, I agree with most it... including the conclusion of winding up with a Sennheiser

 

[cel4145]

W-why has my thread derailed into a bloody amp discussion and which is harder to drive? I can drive both of these cans just fine... 

So which one should I opt' for? I can't demo either of them... I'll be using them for producing mastering and gaming....also obviously general music listening.....


i really am lost here guise....

I thought you had already ordered:

Okay 612 pro it is then ordering them now will have them Tuesday next week!

What Me X3 has explained in posts 15 and 27 pretty much cover the main things to consider when choosing. Unfortunately, the only way to know which one you'll like best is to listen to both.

 

[inthere]

If you're getting any of the headphones previously mentioned, take special care to guard against muddy, bottom-heavy mixes. Any headphone you get will need an adjustment period before you're comfortable with how they translate, because no headphone is accurate for mixing. However many producers do fine mixing with headphones after a trial and error period.