- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Design
- Sound
- Isolation
- Microphone
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- In the box
- Compared
- Conclusion
- Discussions
| Design | 6.4 |
| Isolation | 2.1 |
| Microphone | 0 |
| Active Features | 0 |
| Connectivity | 3.8 |
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Open-back design, they leak a lot.
- No ambient noise isolation, by design.
- Big and bulky headphones.
- Update 11/21/2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Update 11/6/2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Update 2/16/2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Update 8/10/2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. Learn more about our new versioned test bench system here.
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Design
The AKG K702 have a retro style with large circular earcups that are superbly padded and extremely comfortable. They're not too heavy for their size and have a self-adjusting headband that doesn't put too much pressure on the head. Sadly, this also makes them unstable, quickly falling off your head if used while doing any physical activity. They're also quite bulky and don't have any audio controls, which is disappointing.
The AKG K702 share the same style and build as the AKG K701 and AKG K712 PRO. They have two-tone navy blue and silver color scheme and an old-school retro design that will work for some. The open back ear cups are large and circular and covered in a suede-like padding that gives the headphones a premium appeal. However, they pretty big and bulky for everyday use.
The AKG 702 are very comfortable headphones. The large ear cups easily fit around most ears, and the headband design does not put much pressure on the head. They might be a little too large and bulky for some listeners, but they deliver a comfortable listening experience that does not cause soreness even on long listening sessions.
The AKG K702 like the AKG K712 PRO are big and bulky headphones that are not portable. They do not fold up into a more compact format, and the ear cups do not lay flat to take less space either. The retro headband design is also quite large and results in a headphone that's cumbersome to carry around, and that will only fit in a backpack. There is also no case or pouch, which is disappointing.
Build quality is decent for the AKG K702. They have dense ear cups, and their headband design is flexible enough to handle an above average amount of physical stress. However, the headband has a lot of moving parts for the adjustable padding. These are potential weak points where the headphones could get damaged through wear and tear.
These headphones are not tight enough and will easily fall your head if used while running. They're not designed for sports and only stay in place during casual listening sessions. The ear cups will sway and slip off you ears, even during mild physical activity. Also, the detachable cable locks into the ear cups and will pull the headphones off your head before disconnecting if ever it's hooked on something.
Sound
They have a good bass, an excellent Mid Range and a good Treble. They also have a relatively consistent performance across different individuals, and have a good Soundstage. However, their Treble is slightly overemphasized and like most other open headphones, their Bass lack a little bit of thump.
Isolation
These are open-back headphones, and they will leak a lot to produce a spacious soundstage. However, this means that they're not the ideal headphones for use in public, as your audio will be easily audible by anyone in your vicinity, even at low-to-moderate volumes. They also don't fare well in loud environments. The open design does not block any noise and may ruin your listening experience if used, on busy commute or noisy train ride.
Poor isolaton. Due to their open-back design, these headphones don't offer any isolation below 1KHz. Above 1KHz, there is a 3dB/Octave roll-off present, which won't be effective in blocking outside noise.
Poor leakage. Although these headphones are quite loud and leak a lot, the profile of the leakage is narrower that most open headphones we have measured. The roll-off in the leakage above 4KHz is rather uncharacteristic of most open headphones.
No compatible app.
Compared to other Headphones
See our recommendations for the best headphones for music, the best over-ear headphones, and the best headphones for studio.
The AKG K702 are slightly better headphones than the AKG K701, but overall are very similar. The K702 have a detachable cable that is easily replaceable if damaged, which makes them a bit more durable and better-built, but that’s about it. Most people won’t hear a difference between those two models.
The AKG Q701 are basically the same headphones as the AKG K702, with slightly better sound performance. However, the Q701 are more expensive for such a marginal difference. The Q701 has bumps on the headband and come with an extra 20-foot cable. Another small difference is that there is the Quincy Jones line logo on the earcups that closes the cups, but it doesn't seem to make any noticeable difference in our measurements.
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO and the AKG K702 are both great headphones for critical listeners and have very little difference in performance. Sound-wise, the K702 might lack a bit of sub-bass when compared to the DT 990 and could sound a bit sharper on higher frequencies. On the other hand, the K702 don’t feel as tight as the DT 990, which is more comfortable for long listening sessions. However, they are well-built but don’t feel as durable as the DT 990 since they don’t have a full metal frame like the Beyerdynamics. The K702 might also are a bit more open-sounding, and they come with a very long and detachable cable, while the DT 990 have a short, coiled cable.
Conclusion
These headphones are not designed for everyday, casual use. They're best used for critical listening in private.
Excellent sound quality for neutral listening. The K702 are comfortable and reproduce tracks with great fidelity. Bass mids and treble are well balanced, and the well-designed, large and open earcups give these headphones a spacious soundstage. They will sound great with high-res audio and an amp.
They purposely don't block any ambient noise, which is not ideal for the level of noise on a busy commute.
Not designed for sports. Too unstable and cumbersome for use while doing any strenuous physical activity.
Not designed for office use, unless you work in an isolated environment.
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