[dB Cooper]

Heard a K702 Anniversary edition model just yesterday at CAF. I had heard the K701 previously and while I tried to like it- it has some great qualities- I just couldn't... WAAAY too much high end for my liking. The K702 Anniversary did not have this problem. Probably somewhat more high frequency energy overall than the HD650's I just bought but nowhere near the piercing highs of the 701. So I did a search for K702 and lo and behold, look what came up:

http://www.akg.com/K712+PRO-827.html?pid=1408

From what I have been able to find out, these are a 'successor'/update to the K702 Anniversary. Literally just released. I am within the thirty day return period on my HD650's but will probably keep them because they are revealing on good source material without being punishing on, say, BBC's 320K AAC Web stream. If these sound as good as the 702's I heard, they may be a good addition to the 'arsenal' at some point though.

[dB Cooper]

Where'd all the other headphone nerds go?    Seems like a pretty significant release.

[Noseyears]

It should be good, according to the site the low-end performance was improved by 3dB.

What about this one:
http://www.akg.com/K612+PRO-827.html?pid=1407

Seems like an improved K601

[FullRangeMan]

What call my attention are they both are low impedance 120 and 62 ohms, seems more suited to solid state amps, also the drivers are not angled.
Which would imply AKG design them for the pro market as mentioned in the feature text.

[roscoeiii]

IIRC, AKG 701s were a bit hard to drive (though not HiFiMan HE-5LE or HE-6 difficult). Do you recall what amp was paired with these new cans at CAF?

[dB Cooper]

They didn't have these yet at CAF but the K702 "Anniversary" was in the Everything Audio room running out of the Bryston headphone amp. When I googled those, these came up. Gossip says the K712 is basically the same HP. We'll see what's what once Tyll Hertsens and some other trustworthy reviewers get their hands on a few pairs.

The 702 "Annies" as they seem to be called by their fans had drivers that were not angled but were positioned slightly forward in the earcup, so the ear was slightly off the axis of the driver, which tamed the highs quite a bit. This was immediately obvious. (Never did care for the balance of the 701, finding them very bright.) These remained more "forward" than my HD650's but not excessively so.

(Yes, the 701 is definitely hard to drive, these probably are too, forget your portable device headphone out, but any decent amp can handle them.)

[DS-21]

I've never been impressed with AKG cans, honestly. Back in the day, when I lived in their hometown (Wien) I compared their flagship K1000 to my Senn HD-580s driven by a HeadRoom Total AirHead amp, and there was nothing the K1000's did better than the 580s.

Fast forward over a decade, I bought a pair of the K550's for work, on the theory that nobody does audio research better than Harman. Should have done my homework, because they're basically unlistenable without the Audyssey amp app's model-specific EQ, because the treble is both elevated and ragged. Seal is also hard to get right, on my not-particularly-small head. I wish I had remembered to return them in time. (On the plus side, dissatisfaction with them led me to the excellent Mad Dogs.)

So honestly the best recommendation I can give AKG is "probably better than Grado and Beats, at least."

[Jon L]

I compared their flagship K1000 to my Senn HD-580s driven by a HeadRoom Total AirHead amp, and there was nothing the K1000's did better than the 580s.

What drove the K1000?  Surely not the Total Airhead.

As much as I like the HD580 (preferably slightly modded) and as much as K1000 does not align with my listening preferences, IMO HD580 is not in the same league as K1000.

The issue with K1000 is 3-fold IME:

1.  AKG should NEVER have marketed it with the stock pigtail cable, which has nasty materials inside that sound spitty and thin, which sounds even worse as it oxidizes (easily) inside the insulation.  Most people have listened to the K1000 with this nasty cabling, and no wonder reactions are mixed.  At least try a decent pigtail, or better yet re-cable with good cabling right up to the drivers.

2.  K1000 really should be paired with a high-quality tube amp.  Yes, one can pair it with a very high-quality solid state amp with sucess, but the tube route will be less spendy and ultimately more synergistic.

3.  Way too many people simply take the adjustable earspeaker/driver and angle them wide open away from the ears, further decreasing bass quantity and overall warmth in midrange while putting all emphasis on the top-end.  In order for realistic richness and density of tone, the earspeakers should really be angled out just a bit, to the point where improved soundstaging is achieved without sacrifing warmth overtly. 

I am an electrostat devotee, but K1000 are probably the only pair of dynamic headphones I have ever tried, provided the above pitfalls are avoided, that can approach 'stats in magicality, albeit from a different direction. 

[DS-21]

What drove the K1000?  Surely not the Total Airhead.

No, but I don't remember (or care) what drove it. I listened to them at in a room at Mediamarkt (I believe) at Shopping-City-Süd outside of Vienna, which was recommended to me by the AKG head office in the Viennese burbs. I do remember that I turned off the crossfeed on the TAH to compare the two.

And I agree they're not in the same league. The K1000 is markedly inferior. Also, the fact that you whine about the mere wires connecting the things (as if that matters at all) lets me know this conversation needn't continue.

[dB Cooper]

I've never been impressed with AKG cans, honestly. Back in the day, when I lived in their hometown (Wien) I compared their flagship K1000 to my Senn HD-580s driven by a HeadRoom Total AirHead amp, and there was nothing the K1000's did better than the 580s.

Fast forward over a decade, I bought a pair of the K550's for work, on the theory that nobody does audio research better than Harman. Should have done my homework, because they're basically unlistenable without the Audyssey amp app's model-specific EQ, because the treble is both elevated and ragged. Seal is also hard to get right, on my not-particularly-small head. I wish I had remembered to return them in time. (On the plus side, dissatisfaction with them led me to the excellent Mad Dogs.)

So honestly the best recommendation I can give AKG is "probably better than Grado and Beats, at least."

Wandering somewhat here but... A co-worker got a pair of 701s and raved about their detail. I put them on at CAF last year in the Woo room and disliked them immediately. Yes, they were detailed but bright to the point of being shrill. I later borrowed my friend's pair for awhile to see if they would grow on me. They didn't. The 702 is a different kettle of fish. They tamed the highs and retained the detail. I could live with these but they didn't get me to return my just-purchased HD650s.

Never heard the K1000 but regardless of how they sound, they seem like a ridiculous design to me. To me they are less a pair of headphones than a pair of miniature OB loudspeakers strapped to your head. AKG even referred to them as "earspeakers". Aside from the massive power they needed (they were speakers, after all), they cost about $2K
I believe in 2013 dollars.