AKG K702 Studio Headphones

AKG make our list of best studio headphones again in the open-back category, this time for the K702 which are a hit among mixing and mastering engineers. These open-back, over-ear headphones are praised for their crystalline treble and spacious, revealing soundstage. A true pair of studio headphones, the AKG K702 offer immense detail of incredible depth with low harmonic distortion for accurate playback.

Engineers working with acoustic music will particularly like the AKG K702. Their natural EQ curve shows some peaks and valleys between about 6k to 20k, and though this may sound a bit harsh for loud volume commercial music that is highly compressed, it really allows for accurate surgical manipulation of high frequencies when working with stringed instruments, percussion, effects, and vocals.

Their mid range is overall flat with a very slight peak at about 2.5kHz which should allow you to deeply examine vocals, especially female. While the low end has a great response, great control and some particular warmth between 100Hz to 400Hz, the bass does start to roll off at about 80Hz with a light slope down till 10Hz. It remains punchy and precise but could perhaps cause someone working on sub bass focused music to overcompensate. This could be a positive or negative depending on the engineer, sound of their room, genre of music, and personal taste.

The AKG K702 use revolutionary flat-wire voice coils and a patented Varimotion two-layer diaphragm in their classic over-ear open back ear cups that cover the ear completely to offer their highly analytical soundstage. Their specially shaped foam ear pads fit well and the genuine-leather headband ensures a comfortable fit; great for long mixing sessions. However, this light clamp can cause them to feel a bit loose if you’re making a lot of sudden movements.

Like all open-back headphones, sound does leak and that is essential for them to provide the soundstage many of us are after. So as always, these may not be the best choice for tracking instruments or for using out and about. Their detachable mini-USB connector is great for quick replacement to swap it for alternatives while working around the studio should you need more length.

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