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Author Topic: AKG K812 Measurements  (Read 27435 times)

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OJneg

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2014, 02:20:34 AM »

Do these have the same "plasticky" midrange timbre as the K701? I remember it messed up vocals and certain instruments on more than a few of my test tracks.
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Marvey

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2014, 02:23:23 AM »

Verdict:

Rather unimpressive for such an expensive headphone. Save your money.
  • Lower treble spikes limit use of recordings. Treble seems to get worse when turning up the volume.
  • Warmish high bass can be either good for bad.
  • Soft spongy bass lacking articulation or impact compared to the best (a symptom of high distortion).
  • Lacks ability to resolve micro-details from the best amps/DACs.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2014, 04:15:54 AM by marvey »
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Marvey

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2014, 02:27:09 AM »

Do these have the same "plasticky" midrange timbre as the K701? I remember it messed up vocals and certain instruments on more than a few of my test tracks.

No - they don't have that plasticky timbre of the K701. And I know exactly what you mean. K812 timbre is more like K550. As a side note: the K701's credit, I have found that the K701 can sound quite good when EQ'd though.


The harmonic distortion spike of the K812 at 3.5K (the 2nd harmonic which corresponds to the 7 peak) is problematic. We can EQ the K812 FR irregularities (which is linear distortion). Unfortunately, non-linear distortion (harmonic) cannot be corrected for with EQ.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2014, 02:38:21 AM by marvey »
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roBernd

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2014, 02:39:27 AM »

Ouch, but I felt such a can was coming from them. Since the Harman fiasco the only AKG cans I was able to enjoy were the K240s...
By all the reviews so far, it lead me to believe they were overpriced but at least decent. These measurements really wanna make me wanna listen to them. I can't imagine they weren't able to design something better. I strongly believe the target audience they were designed for will still like them.

As always, thanks for the measurements
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Maxvla

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2014, 03:12:58 AM »

FR seems pretty decent, honestly. The peaks are not bad, and at worst equal the loudness of 100Hz. Very broad V shape like HD800s. The CSD could be better, but decay is fairly quick and there's no ringing at all. All the things that look like ridges are just the peaks falling.

The distortion is surprising, though. Still sounded good to me, but not as clean as HD800s.
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MuppetFace

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #15 on: March 06, 2014, 04:25:56 AM »

I have to wonder who this "anonymous benefactor" is... because these impressions seem pretty close to what a certain someone was saying about the K812, and I have to wonder if that certain someone got a particularly bad set. I've since heard three pairs---my original, the replacement I was sent (finally), and a pair I recommended a close friend of mine get---and none of them seemed to have quite the level of treble irregularities these (and that certain someone's) seem to have.

We've already seen how the K550 can sound like crap and then much better other times.

I bring this up, because honestly I think the K812 is one of the better flagships to be released in a while. Better than any of the T1s I've heard, better than the PS1000s, and certainly better than the HD700 in just about every respect I care to think of here. The two sets I've owned both seem pretty forgiving (yes, forgiving) of crappy recordings. I was even running them out of a cheap-o Walkman and my MacBook un-amped and felt they sounded pretty good. With an amp like the Black Diamond they got on really well in my opinion, but then I could imagine their not cooperating with some other amps.

Then again, I'm wondering if maybe I'm just not being as hyper critical as you guys are these days. For instance the Invicta DAC, Shure SE846, FitEar TG!334, Abyss (ie. "slow and smeared"), Liquid Gold, and now these... I've felt my experience didn't really jive with Purrin's or Anax's. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a pirate.
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TMRaven

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #16 on: March 06, 2014, 04:42:01 AM »

Maybe someone should buy a pack of dogie treats for it.
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N

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #17 on: March 06, 2014, 04:57:03 AM »

Lower treble spikes and elevated upper bass? Sounds like the K3003i to me (which I somehow loved)...
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Marvey

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #18 on: March 06, 2014, 05:38:55 AM »

I think part of it is that I'm being hypercritical these days in terms of tonal balance. Given that my current crop of headphones are the Joe Magnum (which I also use EQ), the Abyss (modded), Paradox, HE-500 w/ jerg pads (and no - none of them sound the same) - and considering my two recent speaker projects, I've probably developed a very narrow range of tolerance for what I consider proper tonal balance. If there are any spikes/peaks I can stand, they absolutely need to be in the 9-11k region, and no more a than 3-4db elevation from what's just below it - a smooth transition. You also have to remember that I went to the extent of modding the Abyss which all other owners find just fine.

In the context of the treble "issues" of the K812, I don't want to run into another situation where I can only bear to listen to 60% of of what I have (as with any stock HD800, Maxvla's excepted). It's not like I'm screaming in pain with the recordings which don't work well with the K812, just that these recordings do tend to wear on me after several songs. And no, at this point in my "headphone journey", I'm not interested in continued forced listening to the K812 to accustom my ears to their peculiarities in the treble. I'm too jaded, I've lost all patience.

All that being said, JRMC just moved to the next playlist track "Clapton Chronicles, It's In The Way That You Use It", and I'm like going "WTF is up with that snare and even with the higher registers of Mr. Clapton's voice." Again, I just don't want to deal with this sh1t anymore, especially from a "TOTL" headphone.

And as I mentioned, the K812 starts to fall apart in the treble at higher volumes. I do know that I tend to listen louder than most people (but still not as loud as Anax.) So this could definitely be another factor. I also have a tendency (probably a bad one, again probably rediscovered from my recent resumption in speaker projects) to isolate bands (bass, mids, upper mids, treble) and listen for any issues. On a mental level, I'm not going to let the warm bass mask the treble issues.

To me, in terms of technicalities (resolution), this headphone seems to lie somewhere between the K550 and HD800; but more toward the HD800. That's pretty good, but still not good enough for $1499. Especially since it doesn't sound as clean as the other flagships.

If you asked me how I felt about them, I would squint my eyes and say "Well, they're OK. Some issues. I don't I think I can use them, but I think a lot of people would think they were pretty good." That's not TOTL. And no, the K812 is not nearly as bad as the HD700. The HD700 is very much a piece of sh1t; at least the three I've heard.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2014, 04:16:42 AM by marvey »
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ultrabike

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Re: AKG K812 Measurements
« Reply #19 on: March 06, 2014, 05:57:35 AM »

The upper mid to treble non-linear distortion seems particularly high in this pair. Specially for a TOTL can.

IMO AKG should proly start working on a more laid-back set of cans. They already have an analytic deal with some of their previous offerings anyway.

Also, didn't know JRMC was that cool (DSP Studio)... p:3
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