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Is Akg k702 really a power hungry headphone ??

Youssef atta

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Hello guys, I have just got ksc75 and I was impressed with the sound quality. So I want to move a step up my eyes was on Akg k702 especially their price now in uk usually under 150 $. And It was 350$ MSRP.But the problem I can't get a decent amp with it my budget will be 60$ for amp +150 for K702 but I'm afraid that it may sound bad with cheap amp. So should I go this way or better to get easier to drive headphone like X2Hr or ATH-900ADX or sennheiser hd599

With my Mb Asus b450 with supreme fx 1220 audio the Dac is clean with Ksc75 but the amp not so powerful it uses its half power with Ksc75
 

Jimbob54

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Hello guys, I have just got ksc75 and I was impressed with the sound quality. So I want to move a step up my eyes was on Akg k702 especially their price now in uk usually under 150 $. And It was 350$ MSRP.But the problem I can't get a decent amp with it my budget will be 60$ for amp +150 for K702 but I'm afraid that it may sound bad with cheap amp. So should I go this way or better to get easier to drive headphone like X2Hr or ATH-900ADX or sennheiser hd599

With my Mb Asus b450 with supreme fx 1220 audio the Dac is clean with Ksc75 but the amp not so powerful it uses its half power with Ksc75
Why are you asking substantially the same question as yesterday. Just add additional queries into that thread that already has an audience?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-to-drive-headphones-noob.15129/#post-476933
 
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solderdude

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K702 is not power hungry. It is less sensitive than the KSC75.
When your mobo cannot drive the KSC75 loud enough for you it also cannot drive the K702 loud enough.
When the KSC75 can go very loud without sounding nasty you can use the K702.

There is one thing though, the KSC75 starts to distort (sound nasty) at just above loud levels already.
Meaning at very loud levels the Koss already 'clips/distorts' while the amplifier still has plenty power left unused.

There really is nothing more to it.
 
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Bob-23

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K702 but I'm afraid that it may sound bad with cheap amp
K702 sound bad with bad recordings - they are honest and non-forgiving (contrary, e.g., to the Senns H6**, which are also honest, but they are forgiving). But if you've got excellent recordings they sound great: their sound stage is wide, and their bass - though not at all (over)pronounced - is clean and precise (better than in the Senns). They need some eq'ing - mainly for getting the highs down, but also for elevating bass a bit. The genres: classical and Jazz (and here you, luckily, still find good recordings) - I wouldn't use them for 'Rock' or 'Pop'. I mainly like them for their sound stage. Midrange and vocals are better on the Senns. I haven't heard the K712, I'd be interested in testing them. Looking at the graphs: Highs seem to be taken down, bass seems to be a little bit weaker than in the K702, sound stage seems to be a bit narrower. - But, any way, you have to try them, and find out what your personal preferences are, people's preferences are (often very) different.
 
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solderdude

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I would say that the K712 is the better sounding one (without applied EQ) and is less 'edgy/sharp/bright' sounding.
Having them side-by-side this was quite obvious.
K712 and K7XX differ slightly but noticeably. 7XX is K712 leaning a tiny bit more towards K702 but closest to K712 by far.
K712 > K7XX > K702 (never heard the Q series)
 

Bob-23

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From what I get from the graphs and other descriptions: out-of-the-box the K712 is probably, indeed, the better choice. But I wonder if - having eq'd the K702 , and thus having got rid of, really, too sharp highs - the K702 have some advantage over the K712 in terms of deep bass and (an immersive) sound stage. If it's in all respects an improved K702, it could, nonetheless, be an interesting option. Is the driver of the K712 better? So that midrange and highs are better reproduced? Here the K702 are lacking a bit.
 

3125b

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The biggest difference between the two is price - the K712 costs 100€ more, 78% more. I personally don't think that's justified.

Anyway, my subjective impression:
I would also say that the K702 are rather unforgiving, both towards amps and recordings.
Where there is no appreciable difference with the K371 between my onboard sound and my Atom, there is a clearly noticable difference with K702. I would say that it's my most critical headphone in that regard, more than HE-35X and T90 as well.
Bad files tend to sound especially bad as well, but in a manner similar to the T90. Both have emphasized highs, wich makes them sound harsh rather easily.
What the K702 has over the T90 is very strong imaging (sound stage), if that can come into play (well recorded classical music, jazz etc.) I can enjoy the K702 way more in comparison to my other headphones as opposed to when it doesn't, then the K702 loses a lot of appeal for me.
 
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solderdude

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K712 vs K702
k712-vs-k702.png

When looking at bass response the differences are very small.
When EQ has been applied these differences won't really matter.

Comfort of the pads (K712 has softer memory foam, K702 'normal' and stiffer foam) and price will differ the most.
The price of the K7XX is lower than the street price of the K712. With EQ these may be hard to distinguish from K712.
K712 vs K7XX
k712-vs-k7xx.png


Street prices:
K702 = $ 133
K7XX = $199 (sometimes $ 179)
K712 = $ 230
 

Bob-23

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These were the differences in bass which I was referring to, they are small, but still audible, and right, if eq'd they dissapear - but it could well be that the 'natural' 'inborn' bass is slightly better than an eq'd one, in particular in the bass region where eq'ing tends to lead to distortion. What remains is the apparently narrower sound stage of the K712 (and to me that's the point of using the K702: that immersive sound stage). I'd like to judge it myself - rtings suggests that K712's soundstage is narrower, and some reviewers said so, too.

With regard to K712PPRO (don't know if there are differences to the 'normaL' k712)
"The AKG K712 PRO and the AKG K702 are almost identical save for a few differences in design and frequency response. The K702 get a bit more bass but also sound brighter - unfortunately, to the point of sounding a bit sharp. The K712 will sound less harsh to most people, but their soundstage isn't as impressive."
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/akg/k702
 

solderdude

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Acc. to Rtings there is a substantial difference in pinna activation between the K702 and K712.
I concur when comparing the 2 headphones.
That, and the upper mids emphasis can explain differences in perceived soundstage.
The plots above were merely show to show differences in bass extension.

The construction seems the same. Differences could come from pad differences. The foam is quite different.
I could test pads from the K702 on the K7XX and v.v. to see how much of a difference that makes.
No idea why I haven't done this yet...
 
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Youssef atta

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K712 vs K702
k712-vs-k702.png

When looking at bass response the differences are very small.
When EQ has been applied these differences won't really matter.

Comfort of the pads (K712 has softer memory foam, K702 'normal' and stiffer foam) and price will differ the most.
The price of the K7XX is lower than the street price of the K712. With EQ these may be hard to distinguish from K712.
K712 vs K7XX
k712-vs-k7xx.png


Street prices:
K702 = $ 133
K7XX = $199 (sometimes $ 179)
K712 = $ 230
some people said that newer K702 it's almost k712
They have old K702 then grap new pair Chinese version they sound different from the old one very similar to K712 he tried K702 with K712 pads and he claims that they almost identical.
 
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Youssef atta

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I think they use the same driver but with warmer EQ'd cause the 2 have same specs and even same weight
 

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Bob-23

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Acc. to Rtings there is a substantial difference in pinna activation between the K702 and K712.
I concur when comparing the 2 headphones.
That, and the upper mids emphasis can explain differences in perceived soundstage.
The plots above were merely show to show differences in bass extension.

The construction seems the same. Differences could come from pad differences. The foam is quite different.
I could test pads from the K702 on the K7XX and v.v. to see how much of a difference that makes.
No idea why I haven't done this yet...[/QUOTE
]
Good idea!
 
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Youssef atta

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Here it's one had both the 3 (old Austrian K702 and newer Chinese version and K712) and tried k702 with K712 pads
 

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Youssef atta

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I think they are the same or with little EQ'ing the price difference because the cost to get made in solvika instead of China and the pads difference
And budget are tight so K702 will be better option
But my concern the amping . Can it sound good with modern onboard audio especially power. The dac is clean even with gpu load
 

solderdude

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Your Mobo does not give any specifications nor does there seem to be measurements so when your KS75 can play loud you are probably O.K.

The K7XX and K712 drivers and construction LOOK the same. All specs seem the same yet the 2 drivers seem to be damped differently.
They may well be the same drivers but using different damping or a slightly different membrane is used.
Only AKG knows.

When the only difference between K712 and K702 would be the pads this should clearly be seen in measurements/sound when the pads are swapped.
 
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Youssef atta

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This is Mb audio Specs . It's Asus b450 strix. It says it is able to drive between 32 ohm to 600 ohm with 3 level of power I use medium power with Ksc75 and like 70 % volume. If that give you a reference
 

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solderdude

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I know those specs. They are utterly meaningless.
Its like stating: well this car can drive on the highway. It will only tell you it can drive on a highway but not how fast, how well it accelerates, stops etc.

When you set it to max level and get satisfactory results at say 40% volume (the percentage is a meaningless spec as well) and can still go a lot louder then most likely the K702 will be driven loud enough.
 
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Youssef atta

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Ok thx I will get it and try with my Mb but I will for good sale. Or do you another recommendation in this price range
 

Jimbob54

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This is Mb audio Specs . It's Asus b450 strix. It says it is able to drive between 32 ohm to 600 ohm with 3 level of power I use medium power with Ksc75 and like 70 % volume. If that give you a reference

Its a fair bet nobody here can tell you what the K702 will sound like driven by your mobo. What I have taken from the conversations is:

If the mobo drives your Ksc 75 to your satisfaction, it will drive the k702 fine too.

So it seems like you have a few options:

1. Take this advice, buy the k702 and try them- I would advise somewhere with no quibble return policy (eg Amazon)
2. Buy an amp anyway as you choose to listen to advice elsewhere that they are power hungry- see above regarding returns. If so, strongly advise you test between the amp and mobo direct and return the amp if it overs no real benefit
3. Dont buy the k702.

There is little likelihood of anyone here having your exact same PC setup and K702 to do the test for you. And even then, how do you know they are reporting accurately?
 
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