Home Headphone Comparisons AKG K612 vs. K712 | WHAT’S THE SCOOP?

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Hi friend and Welcome!

If you’d like to see the final shootout of all K600/700 AKG models, go here: AKG K612 vs. K712 vs. K702 vs. K701 vs. Q701 In there I give my all impressions and rankings in one place!

The AKG K612 vs. K712? Inquiring minds want to know! Before we get started, grab a snack, sit back and relax because…

You’ve come to the right place!!

What I will bring you in this review

of each headphone

  1. Specifications
  2. Summary
  3. Pros
  4. Cons
  5. Neutral
  6. Video Review
  7. Amp/DAC requirements
  8. Who these headphones benefit?
  9. Consensus/Conclusion
  10. Similarities & Differences
  11. Final Word

Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!

AKG K612

Specifications

  • Price: Check Amazon! | Check eBay!
  • type: Open back.
  • Color: Black.
  • Fit: Circumaural.
  • Frequency response: 12Hz to 39,500 kHz.
  • Impedance: 120 Ohms. What is Headphone Impedance?
  • Material: Leather headband, plastic, velour padding.

Summary

The K612 is a superb entry in the AKG line and flies under the radar like the 712.  It has great tonal balance, with a crisp, clear, well-defined sound. The bass is tight and controlled without being overly boomy. These along with the 712’s both have significantly more bass than the K701’s.

Overall the 612’s are a very neutral set of headphones but still sound quite musical. Some describe the sound as clinical, and these would make a great entry into your mixing/reference cabinet. The Soundstage is also quite expansive, with the instrument separation and imaging being standouts as well. The treble on these puppies is not too bright or sibilant either. What does Sibilant mean?

As for the mid-range, it’s smooth and slightly warm, with vocals coming across very nicely. This is a headphone that does very well with a multitude of genres, much like the K712. It’s also heavily endorsed for gaming and movies. They give a dimension to your music that will have you really smiling as you go back and listen to all of your old albums. The detail and clarity here are remarkably impressive.

Pros

  • Crisp, clear, natural sound. Neutral, yet still fun and musical sounding.
  • Expansive and well-imaged sound-stage.
  • Sounds good with an array of genres.
  • Very comfortable and lightweight. This stood out a lot in my research. Many people could not get over the comfort factor!
  • Tight and controlled bass, without being boomy.
  • Good tonal balance.
  • Auto-adjusting headband.

Cons

  • No detachable cable.
  • No case.

Neutral

  • The cable is a bit cheap.
  • The headband may hurt your dome piece after a couple of hours. Clamping force is tight at first, but opens up eventually.
  • Be aware that there are two different models of this headphone floating around. The Austrian made and the Chinese made. Read this review to find out the differences!

Video Review

Credit to Lachlan!

Amp/DAC requirements

Hands down, you will want to purchase separate amplification to power these. The JDS Labs 02 does well here. To be quite honest, If you’re looking for a headphone that will sound good plugged into your laptop or mobile device, I would steer clear of these. The 612 definitely needs amplification to shine. Both the 612 and 712 do well with similar amp setups. I go into a bit more detail in the K712 review!

Who these headphones benefit?

Gamers! I’ve seen so many people endorse both the 612 and 712 for gaming. Due to the remarkable sound-stage, you will be able to hear things coming from all directions. Perfect for 1st person shooters, and games like Fallout and Borderlands where there is such a heavy emphasis on sound. The detail you get with these is astonishing. Being that they are so directional, you’ll be able to hear exactly where the enemy is about to come from before it happens. If you’re looking to improve your K/D ratio, the 612 fits the bill quite nicely.

Multi-Genre. They also do well with all kinds of music. Very similar to the 712 in that regard.

Consensus/Conclusion

The AKG K612 is an impressive headphone for gaming and movies, and also excels with most genres. The cable isn’t detachable which bothers some, but the overall comfort and sound to these is nothing short of phenomenal. Do be cognizant of the 2 different models before purchase.

Onto…

AKG K712

Specifications

  • Price: Check amazon! | Check eBay!
  • Type: Open back.
  • Color:  Black & Orange.
  • Fit: Circumaural.
  • Frequency response: 10Hz to 39,800 kHz.
  • Impedance: 62 Ohms.
  • Material: Leather headband, plastic, memory foam.

Summary

These headphones are pretty highly regarded, although they kind of fly under the radar. The bass response is full, accurate, and tight. The K712 has more bass than all of its predecessors and siblings, The K701, K702, and Q701. It’s still not exaggerated though and remains focused. Like the Rock. FOCUS! ? Know that both the 612 and 712 are open-back headphones that will leak sound.

Closed back vs. Open back headphones

Far and away these are open-back headphones meant for mixing and reference. They are clinical and revealing, but not COLD. The K702 (and the 701 for that matter) have both been accused of being a bit cold and heartless at times. The K712 is not. It haz a nice warm heart 🙂 It thrives in an isolated studio and home environment, away from distractions. You won’t really want to wear these out in public, as they leak sound and people will be able to hear what you’re listening to.

They also have a great Soundstage. It’s realistic but not abnormally large like that of the K702. What is Soundstage? Some say the mid-range is its strong suit, a couple of people pointed out that they may be a bit recessed, grainy, or muddled.

Overall these are very very accurate headphones, with great balance, smoothness, and a natural Timbre. What is Timbre?

Pros

  • Great Sound-stage with a phenomenal sense of space. It’s improved upon and no longer abnormally wide like the earlier K7xx models.
  • Extremely accurate, balanced, and smooth.
  • Full, accurate, and tight bass response. I came across something really neat when reading about this. If you take the M50x’s bass and compare it with the 712, you may hear the same subtle sounds, but the 712’s have this way of really jumping out at you, while the M50’s are more subdued. The 712’s have this really nice texture and nuance to them. They may make the hair on the back of your neck stand up!
  • Natural Timbre. Very similar to the Sennheiser HD 650 in this regard.
  • Auto-adjusting leather headband.
  • Lightweight and extremely comfortable. Great for long listening sessions.
  • Comes with 2 cables, coiled and straight.
  • Detachable, replaceable cable.
  • Replaceable ear pads.

Cons

  • May be some issues with the treble being more “upfront”, and bright in certain songs. Some say it needs to be EQ’d down a bit.
  • Quality control issue? Only saw this once in about 13-14 pages on amazon, but it’s noteworthy nonetheless. A particular reviewer said that his left headphone driver kept going out. He sent it back and received a new pair only to suffer the same issue. What is a headphone driver?

Neutral

  • The velour carrying bag is nice, but given that the headphones are very lightweight and somewhat fragile, a hard case would have been ideal.
  • Mid-range. As mentioned earlier, a lot of people said the mid-range was the highlight of this headphone. Some didn’t and called it recessed/muddled. Still, it’s been compared favorably to the HD 600’s fantastic mids.
  • Easy to drive? I will get into this more in a jiffy, but some said the 712’s are a pain to amplify. Still, as I read each and every review on Amazon, I came across a plethora of different amp setups that people were using to fine effect.
  • They aren’t very forgiving in the upper mid-range and treble. Be aware of your source files, and try to use lossless, .wav files as well as high-quality Mp3’s (320 Kbps).
  • Not actually manufactured in Austria, but rather Slovakia. Most didn’t see an issue as the sound quality is still top-notch. Others found it deceptive to deliberately put the wrong location inside of amazon.
  • Good build quality despite it’s lightweight construction, but some have noted that they do feel a bit fragile and dare I say “cheap”.

Check out the video review!

Amp/DAC requirements

The K712 almost requires amplification, even at a modest 62 Ohm impedance. Some say it’s quite picky, but I’ve read of people using all of the following:

  • JDS Labs 02
  • Schiit Vali + Modi
  • FiiO E17/E9 combo
  • FiiO E10k + Little Dot 1+
  • FiiO Alpen
  • Aune T1 MKII
  • FiiO E07k Andes USB DAC

If I had to narrow that down, I would go with either:

Those three options are pretty stellar and have been known to pair well with the K712.

Who these headphones benefit?

These do remarkably well with most genres. They are perfect for mixing/reference in an isolated studio environment and have been endorsed for gaming quite a bit. In fact, they just may be the best gaming headphone out there, which is pretty amazing if you ask me considering they weren’t really built for that specifically.

One person even said that his online gaming community tried to have him banned because he could hear the enemy from so far away, giving him a distinct advantage over his opponents.

So yeah, top marks as a gaming headset, but it doesn’t stop there. Good with all of the following:

  • Jazz
  • Classical
  • Acoustic guitar
  • Drums
  • Vocals
  • Electronica
  • Funk
  • Classic Rock
  • Progressive
  • Timpani (Yes someone said they were good with tuned timpani. Sounds like some sort of fish fry lol).
  • Gaming

Not for:

  • Bass-heads. Yes, its bass is quite impressive, but I wouldn’t get this headphone solely for Rap/Hip-hop (or anything bass-heavy).
  • Hard Rock. May have a bit too much bite and up-front sounding mid-range. This will diminish over time, however.

Consensus/Conclusion

The K712 is a great all-around headphone if I had to sum it up quickly. It does well with most genres, and its bass has more impact than the K702. Its Soundstage is also improved over the 702s in that it’s not quite as unnaturally wide. Overall, it’s a remarkably musical headphone that has that “fun” factor. Some have said it needs a burn-in period to open up, and ultimately does need amplification to power correctly.

Similarities & Differences

between the K612 & K712

Similarities

  • They both have a similar look and feel.
  • Both have self-adjusting headbands.
  • Both are very comfortable
  • Both are open back and leak sound.
  • Both are great for gaming and movies and excel with many genres of music.
  • Both need an amp for optimal sound and do well with similar set-ups.
  • Both are said to require some amount of burn-in time before they reach peak performance.

Differences

  • Impedance. The K712’s have a 62 Ohm impedance vs. the 120 Ohm of the K612. I wouldn’t be too overly concerned about the difference here. Know that you should invest in an amp with either. AKG headphones in general can be a little deceiving because of the low impedance ratings in a lot of their studio entries. The K701 for example also comes in at 62 Ohm, and also heavily relies on amplification.
  • Chord. The K612’s do not have a detachable cable while the 712’s do.
  • Color. The 612 is mostly black while the 712 has hints of orange.
  • The K712 is good for classical and jazz, but the 612 may not be as good. This is a very subtle difference, and both are great for a wide variety of genres as discussed previously.
  • Origin. The K712 is made in Slovakia, while the K612 either comes from China or Austria. There are basically 2 models of the 612 that you should be aware of.
  • Sound. The K712 may have a smidgen more bass and treble detail than the K612. The sound is very similar overall, however.
  • Padding. The 712 has memory foam vs. the velour of the 612.

Final Word

Interested in learning about all of my final impressions of the 600/700 series?

 


Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve come away with some valuable information on the AKG K612 vs. K712.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I leave something out or get something wrong? Leave a comment below or contact me!!

Which of these headphones are you more likely to go with? I would love to hear from you…

Until then, all the best and God bless…

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Can’t decide which headphones to purchase? Interested in a complete buyers guide outlining over 40 of the best options on the market? Click on over to the best audiophile headphones to learn more!!

Be sure to also check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

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14 comments

Jeremy April 19, 2016 - 9:57 pm

Hey Stu!
I’ve really been enjoying these comparison articles and this one hits the spot.
My oldest boy’s B day is coming up soon and like me, he takes his gaming pretty seriously.
The AKG K612 headset sounds awesome and I can’t wait to see his face when he opens these babies up!
Thanks for keeping us in the know Stu and kudos for another great review.
See you soon ~Jeremy

Reply
Stu April 20, 2016 - 1:33 am

Jeremy,
Nice man! That’s awesome. Yeah it’s funny because you wouldn’t think a lot of these headphones would be good for gaming, since they were meant for reference/mixing applications. But then again it makes sense; if you can hear all those subtle details when you’re mixing down a track, why wouldn’t you be able to hear the subtleties that come with video game sounds as well? I think it’s pretty cool, and you definitely made a great choice. The K612’s really get stellar reviews when you start digging around the net, and in some cases they’re actually preferred over the 712’s! I’m sure you took this into account in the decision making process. 🙂 I appreciate your continued support and encouragement.
Please let me know how your boy likes the headphones too! I was very much considering them..
Blessings,
-Stu

Reply
Eduardo July 27, 2017 - 9:51 am

Hi Stu, nice article!
I was wondering if there is any other headphone that could work a bit more multi-genre than the Akg K612 at its same price, not just for listening but also for producing, thanks a lot and God bless you too!

Reply
Stu July 27, 2017 - 5:07 pm

Hey Eduardo!

The DT880 is a little more, but is in my opinion the second best headphone for mixing behind the HD600. Can’t go wrong! Also the AKG K550 is awesome as well.

So for closed back: K550
Open back: DT880

Let me know what you think and if you have any additional questions!

-Stu

Reply
Eduardo Gordo July 27, 2017 - 7:11 pm

Hello again Stu!
Thank you for your answer, I tend to listen with headphones at low levels,
Is there any other open back headphones that I should consider in that price ratio that offers linear frequency response at low volume?
Your comments are very helpful for me.
Greetings.

Reply
Stu July 28, 2017 - 3:37 am

Hmm..

The Sennheiser HD598 sounds like it would be right up your alley..

Reply
Eduardo Gordo August 23, 2017 - 2:09 pm

Hey Stu, I’ve heard on a comment that the AKG K612 final mixes will end up sounding dull and overly bass heavy in the studio monitors owing to the enhanced top end and restrained bass of the cans, could it be true? If does, what will happen to the AKG K712 considering that both have pretty much the same frequency response? Ty Stu!

Reply
Stu August 23, 2017 - 9:16 pm

I mean that could be true, but if you have a good understanding of mixing, you’re not going to over do it. A good bass should have a little compression and limiting so as not to have it bleed out. Most good mixing cans will have a bright treble, it’s just the nature of how they’re designed. It’s really about finding a good balance inside your software and adjusting accordingly, and less about the actual headphones.

Reply
Eduardo Gordo August 23, 2017 - 9:11 pm

It looks like now the AKG K712 is also made in China, do you think it is still worthy?

Reply
Stu August 23, 2017 - 9:17 pm

Yes the K612 is a very good headphone. Not everything that’s made in China is automatically bad, though some products are. I find that the Chinese do pretty well with condenser microphones and headphones. Is the quality as good as the Austrians or the Germans? No, and that’s the trade-off that we have to be willing to make sometimes.

Reply
Frankie June 15, 2019 - 11:07 am

Hello Stu!

Thanks for this review, it’s great, would you rather have a Fiio K3 dac/amp or a Creative G6 for either of these 2 headphones?

Reply
Stuart Charles Black June 17, 2019 - 5:58 pm

Hey there Frankie! I have not heard the K3 or G6 but I know the K3 has gotten very popular of late and I’ve heard great things. I have reached out to FiiO about it and hopefully I will be getting a unit in soon. I’ve demoed the E10K, Q1, and have the A3 right now ready to unbox. Do you need an Amp/DAC for your phone, PC, or what will be the primary use? I can help steer you in the right direction. Looking at the K3 I’m inclined to recommend it because it looks like an upgraded E10K with Optical and they streamlined the bass and gain switches to the front which is awesome. It also supports DSD and up to 32-bit files. Great price too!

Just looking at it and knowing what my own needs are, I’m probably going to pick one up. I can use it with my console or PC, but it looks like no phone so keep that in mind before purchase.

Please let me know what your needs are!

-Stu

Reply
Michael Freiberg February 2, 2021 - 5:14 pm

Hi, i have a 612 pro, being very satisfied with the sound. Maybe except a little bit lacking in the sub-bass and the punch in the bass and sub-bass.
I had the left channel issue, it’s due to a design fault, there is a very thin wire that connects to the driver. That wire is stressed by the moving of the cup and after some time it gets loose. But it’s an easy fix with a soldering gun

Reply
Stuart Charles Black February 4, 2021 - 8:30 pm

Hey man! Nice! Yeah, I like my K612 for movies and gaming. I personally prefer a 702 as the sound of the 612 for music IMO is sometimes too hazy/warm – as if there’s a thin layer of blanket over the sound. It’s hard to explain. I feel like they sound muffled at times. Smoother? Absolutely. Graphs clearly indicate that, but I don’t always think it results in a better overall sound if that makes sense.

Reply

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