Our Verdict
Great headphones for neutral listening. They're comfortable and have an excellent sound quality that reproduces tracks with high fidelity. They also have an open back design, which gives them a broad and spacious soundstage.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Leak a lot, due to open-back design.
- Bulky and unstable headphones.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
Not optimized for commutes. The AKG K712 PRO don't block any ambient noise.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Leak a lot, due to open-back design.
- Bulky and unstable headphones.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
Too bulky and unstable for sports headphones. The AKG K712 PRO will slip off your ears while exercising.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Leak a lot, due to open-back design.
- Bulky and unstable headphones.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
Not intended for office use. Unless you work in an isolated environment these headphones will leak and be distracting.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Leak a lot, due to open-back design.
- Bulky and unstable headphones.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable design.
- Leak a lot, due to open-back design.
- Bulky and unstable headphones.
- No isolation from ambient noise, by design.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 07, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Feb 13, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
See our recommendations for the best open-back headphones, the best audiophile headphones, and the best over-ear headphones.
The AKG K712 PRO and the AKG K702 are almost identical save for a few differences in design and frequency response. The K712 PRO include an extra cable and drawstring pouch, and they're tuned a little differently than the K702. Both roll off low-end, but their tunings are broadly similar with comfortable fits. Most people will enjoy the pair they find at the best price.
The AKG K712 PRO are slightly better headphones than the AKG Q701. Sound-wise, they perform better in the bass and treble range, while the Q701 have a more even mid-range. The K712 also have better frequency consistency, especially in the bass range. People wearing glasses shouldn’t hear any loss in bass. The K712 also come with a pouch and a coiled cable, but not a 20-foot cable like the Q701. They are still very similar headphones, but the higher price on the K712 might not be worth the investment for the little differences.
The HiFiMan Sundara 2020 are better for audio reproduction accuracy than the AKG K712 PRO. The HiFiMan are able to reproduce a bit more low-bass, which some listeners may prefer, and they don't need a headphone amp. On the other hand, the AKG come with a longer, 10-foot audio cable. They're also much more breathable and lightweight.
The AKG K712 PRO are slightly better open-back headphones overall than the Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO. The AKG are more comfortable, have a much wider sound, and deliver audio more consistently. While the two are a similar frequency response, that lacks low-bass but features detailed mids, the AKG have a wider, more immersive soundstage.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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