The AKG K702 is a reference studio headphone designed and made for highly accurate sound reproduction crucial for mixing and mastering. This is also an excellent open-back headphone for listeners who are analytical audio enthusiasts and/or simply appreciate exceptional sound quality with precision. It is a pair of headphones that is sanely priced and will sound their best when paired with a matching headphone amp.
With so many headphone amps currently out on the market, in order to find the right amplifier for the job, we will need to learn more about the AKG K702 studio headphone. With a better knowledge of its sonic prowess, we can then start preparing a list of the best headphone amps which we can go for and partner up with the AKG K702. This list of matching headphone amplifiers will be shared with you later on.
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Sonic Characteristics and Strengths of AKG K702
The AKG K702 has really large ear cups which is great for comfort and it fits nicely on our ears. The ear cups are more breathable than expected and it doesn’t become too warm, allowing us to wear them for hours without feeling discomfort. Due to the bulkiness of the AKG K702 and added that you can’t fold these headphones, they are not really portable and we would suggest using them indoors. It is an open-back headphone design which means you can expect low noise isolation and high sound leakage, making them even less ideal for outdoor use. It is recommended to be used in a quiet environment like a studio room or listening room where the outside noises can’t reach in.
The high comfort level enables professionals to focus on their work such as critical listening and mixing for long hours without worrying about discomfort. AKG K702 headband is stable enough for such work activities but will not be applicable for physical exercises or activities with too many big movements. As mentioned earlier, the AKG K702 will leak sound and it will disturb others around you. The build of the K702 headphone feels durable but the visual and aesthetics are not as stylish as some of the other headphones in the same price range. This will not be an issue though because how well it performs is more important than how good the AKG headphone looks.
More Details at Amazon – AKG Pro Audio K702 Reference Studio Headphones
When it comes to bass performance, there is accuracy and agility but it does lack the weight and impact which may not be appealing to casual listeners. For critical listening, this level of bass quality will be fantastic as it is precise and realistic with a slight hint of warmth to it. Still, it would be better if the very deep bass delivery could just be a tad more prominent but at this price point, we shouldn’t nitpick too much. The accurate bass reproductions of the AKG K702 are clean and fast, blending in seamlessly with the higher frequencies. It never once muddle the overall sound quality or sound boomy, these are high-quality musical bass.
AKG K702 high frequencies reproductions are airy and open, not to mention, it is highly precise as well. We keep pushing the reference studio headphone and it never sounded harsh or go overly bright on us. The AKG K702 highs blend in really well with the mids and work cohesively together, bringing us vivid vocal reproductions with plenty of subtle nuances. Musical instruments sounded natural and authentic. The overall sound reproduction is very detailed and these music details are not being forcefully highlighted. AKG K702 music delivery does lack a bit of enthusiasm which is mostly a good thing especially if you are using this reference headphone for mixing.
As expected, the soundstage is wider than most closed-back design headphones and has impeccable stereo imaging to boot. When compared to other open-back headphones in the same price range, the AKG K702 soundstage is not the most spacious. If honest and faithful music presentations of your favorite tunes are what you want then the AKG K702 is definitely one of the finest studio headphones for you. The overall accuracy level is really impressive and is worth every single penny spent. We have gathered enough data and will be sharing with you now the best headphone amps to pair with the AKG K702 reference studio headphone.
AKG K702 Specifications
- Type: Open-back headphones
- Driver size: 45mm
- Frequency response: 10Hz-39.8kHz
- Impedance: 62 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 105dB (SPL/V @ 1 kHz)
- Weight: 235g (0.52lbs)
Best Headphone Amps to match with AKG K702
The Audio GD R2R-11 will be one of the best headphone amps to pair with the AKG K702 studio headphone. It has the muscles to drive the K702 with ease and has a built-in R-2R discrete ladder DAC. The Audio GD R2R-11 has a smooth music delivery and a pleasing sound quality that is easy on the ears. The non-fatiguing sound reproduction of this headphone amp will be excellent for long hours of listening using the AKG K702 headphone. Audio GD R2R-11 is also capable of producing plenty of music details cleanly with clarity. Its jumper setting option is a really neat feature as well.
The Schiit Audio Vali 2+ is one of the best headphone tube amps to match with the AKG K702. This tube amp helps to improve the solidity of the stereo imaging and soundstage, giving us a more holographic sonic performance. It also adds more textures and a bit more warmth into the overall sound reproduction too. All in all, the Schiit Audio Vali 2+ is still more neutral-sounding than some of the other tube headphone amps but you can tube roll to further fine-tune the sound quality. Its bass performance is full-bodied and will complement the AKG K702 headphone really well, giving it a richer bass reproduction.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Vali 2+ Tube Hybrid Headphone Amp
The iFi Zen CAN is another exceptional headphone amplifier to pair with your AKG K702 and has a modest price tag to boot. It has similar sonic characteristics with the K702 headphone, the Zen CAN is capable of digging out lots of music details without forcefully bringing them out. The accuracy of this headphone amp is impressive at this price point and is able to project quite an expansive soundstage. The iFi Zen CAN does not try to overtake the sound reproduction and doesn’t leave much of its own sound signature. Leaving the AKG K702 more room to shine while being driven by the iFi headphone amplifier.
More Info at AMazon – iFi ZEN CAN Balanced Desktop Headphone Amp
Schiit Audio Magni Heresy is an amazing desktop headphone amplifier to partner up with the AKG K702 headphone. This is an affordable analytical amp and will match really well with the K702 headphone without breaking the bank. It is powerful enough to drive the studio headphone efficiently and has the sonic characteristics to dig out plenty of music details while still sounding natural. The Schiit Audio Magni Heresy has fast music transients including accuracy and agility which helps to provide a more involving listening experience. At this price point, it will be worth your time to check them out.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Magni Heresy Headphone Amp and Preamp
For listeners who are looking for a portable or very compact headphone amplifier, the FiiO A5 will be an ideal choice to go for. This is a headphone amp with enough power to drive the AKG K702 and has some sonic characteristics which will complement the headphone really well. Such as a fuller low-end reproduction, giving you a slightly punchier overall bass performance. There is a bass boost feature to further make the low frequencies sound more pronounced. FiiO A5 is a rather transparent headphone amp that will fit nicely with the AKG K702 studio headphone and also makes the treble a tad airier.
More Info at Amazon – FiiO A5 Portable Headphone Amplifier
This is one of the best matching amps for the AKG K702. The Arcam rHead is a headphone amp designed by a reputable company that has made many award-winning amplifiers. It is a powerful headphone amp that can easily drive the AKG K702 and make it sing. This is a remarkable headphone amplifier and is capable of delivering a smooth and slightly enthusiastic music presentation. The alacrity sonic performance of the Arcam rHead does help to add some energy into the overall sound reproduction and the AKG K702 will provide a high-resolution music presentation with details and subtle nuances.
More Details at Amazon – Arcam rHead Amplifer
To Sum It Up
You can shortlist the headphone amps based on your requirements and arrange an audition with the chosen ones. These headphone amplifiers are all worth your time to have a further look but do hear them out first before you make your final decision on purchasing one of them. During the auditioning of these shortlisted headphone amps, you should use your own AKG K702 studio headphone and favorite music so as to get a more accurate sonic test result of the auditioned headphone amps’ sound quality.
