K-612 Pro : Excellent headphones at a surprising price

As a big fan of the AKG K701, I was hoping for the best with the K-612, but concerned that they might be a disappointment. I needn't have worried - if anything, they sound a little better than the K-701.

The K-612 sounds clear and transparent, with effortless performance even in the very low bass regions, but the high frequencies are smoother and less aggressive than on the K-701. The K-602 doesn't sound quite as airy and detailed as the K701, but the more laid back balance makes them less fatiguing over long sessions. Like all AKG Varimotion headphones, the K-602 does need a decent burn-in period to achieve full sound quality.

The K-612 shares the same headband and earpad design as the rest of the family, but features a smooth leather headband rather than the annoying padded bumps of the K-701. The earpads are soft, plush and highly breathable; The headphones are lightweight with minimal clamping pressure and are very comfortable to wear all day, even with eyeglasses (although the velour pads can be slightly squeaky against the arms of my spectacles). The cable is long and feels high-quality, and uses a proper screw-on 3.5mm-6.35mm adapter.

These headphones are big power-hungry beasts and do sound quite anaemic without a good amp; They're also very bulky and have very little isolation, so I wouldn't recommend them for portable use. For studio or home use however, they're just the ticket.