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Altogether AKG's K812 proved to be a very unfussy performer in my setup. Each source was well served but qualitative offsets between head amps were clear as day. Even the 6.3mm output of my A/V processor worked surprisingly well, no Dolby circuitry necessary to enjoy wonderful staging and speech intelligibility. And brilliant bass control merely added fun to action scenes.


To wrap up, a brief comparison with AKG's eternal rival Sennheiser is due since both HD650 and K701 have occupied my headphone firmament for years. The German HD800 is a bit more of the gentleman, presenting things in a bit less direct and energetic fashion albeit with equivalent resolution. It also demands a better amp to blossom and casts the clearly larger stage though plays second bass fiddle. The AKG is the more alive and exciting. Thinking it over, I still haven't found 'the one' and anticipate that over the next few years I'll instead enjoy a small but select collection of top models.

We started by wondering whether with the K812 AKG can once again mix it up at the very top. In my book the answer is a clear yes. The Austrians took their merry good time to author a new flagship which shows. The K812 is a true multi-tasking talent without any real compromises. Dynamically it's one of the very best. This is accompanied by the sort of high resolution this price class demands. The vital midband is very natural. Overall response is very linear and honest to reflect source material and preceding chain. Its headstage is rather compact but extraordinarily precise. With the K812 AKG have traded cinerama panorama for vitality which coupled to utter naturalness convinces on nearly all musical styles. The neat delivery box and luxury headphone stand complete the package.

Psych profile of the AKG K812...
• Very natural mid/treble registers.
• Full-amplitude bass with very high transient fidelity already at low volumes.
• The treble is very resolved but perfectly civilized.
• High resolution and honesty reveal all the strengths and weaknesses of source material and ancillary hardware.
• An exceptionally involving, direct and dynamic presentation.
• Brilliant image focus is mated to a narrow stage atypical for the brand
• Flexible cardanic suspension and low weight make for high wear comfort.
• The reusable box and quality stand add real value for money.

Facts
• Concept: Circumaural open-backed design
• Nominal impedance: 36Ω
• Weight: 390g
• Other: Wooden stand and 3m cable included
• Warranty: 2 years
redaktion @ fairaudio.de