This is another reference studio headphone made by the reputable AKG for critical listeners and professionals. Headphone enthusiasts who want accuracy and precision should certainly take a look at AKG K712 Pro. It even has an improved bass performance of 3dB without compromising the sound quality. If you are currently on the lookout for a headphone amp to partner with your AKG K712 Pro then look no further and please continue to read on.
We are planning to share with you a list of the best amps where you can choose to pair with the AKG K712 Pro studio headphone. First, we will need to learn more about this amazing headphone’s sonic prowess as well as its sound characteristics. With the right information, we will then be able to find matching headphone amplifiers for the AKG K712 Pro with complementary effects.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Strengths of AKG K712 Pro
The AKG K712 Pro has an iconic open-back design that looks similar to the K702 with a slight difference in color. We do find the K712 Pro slightly more stylish than the latter though and since it has a higher price tag, we are expecting it to have better sound quality as well. It is an open-back design headphone, we can definitely expect very low noise isolation and this will mean we will be hearing outdoor/environmental noises. The AKG K712 Pro will also be leaking out sound which may disturb others around you especially when you start turning up the volume. These alone will be enough to deter most listeners to use these AKG headphones for their daily commute or outdoor activities.
More Details at Amazon – AKG K712 PRO Open-Back Headphones
It is not as portable due to the bulkiness and the inability to fold the AKG K712 Pro to make it slightly smaller to carry it around. This is a reference studio headphone meant for an indoor environment with quiet settings and for private music listening or professional work such as mixing, mastering, etc. The advantage of having bulky ear cups will be the clamping force is well-distributed. It is a very comfortable headphone to wear, the ear cups are well-padded and the headband has the right tightness. You should be able to use the AKG K712 Pro for hours without worrying about discomfort and it should be stable enough as long there are no big movements.
Open-back headphones have an advantage over closed-back designs which is having the capability to project a larger soundstage. The AKG K712 Pro does just that and more, the soundstage it conjures is open and spacious along with its impeccable stereo imaging, the sonic performance is simply holographic. It has precision as well, able to place each musician precisely where they should be. There is ample stereo separation and spacing where the musicians are highly defined. The AKG K712 Pro is one of the top few headphones with the widest soundstage which makes the music delivery so airy.
The bass performance is accurate and tight with just the right amount of weight allowing it to blend in nicely with the higher frequencies and providing a bit of impact to the overall sound reproduction. When it comes to very deep bass reproductions, it is not as prominent and punchy as its midbass delivery. The overall accuracy of the AKG K712 Pro is exceptional, the treble is lively but not too hard or harsh sounding. Giving us a rich and detailed music presentation where subtle nuances are reproduced clearly. The midrange reproduction is expressive and full-bodied with a hint of warmth.
The AKG K712 Pro is a revealing and transparent open-back headphone where it will show the listeners exactly what’s good or bad about the music you are listening to. This means poorly recorded music would be difficult to listen to. All in all, the K712 Pro is rather musical, and when fed with high-quality sources, it can deliver a high-resolution music presentation with plenty of details to boot. It is a neutral-sounding headphone and will be an ideal choice for analytical audio enthusiasts. With this information, we can finally list out the best headphone amps to go for and you can choose one of them to partner up with your AKG K712 Pro open-back headphone.
AKG K712 Pro Specifications
- Type: Open-back headphones
- Maximum input power: 200mw
- Frequency response: 10Hz-39.8kHz
- Impedance: 62 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 105dB
- Weight: 235g (0.52lbs)
Best Amps to match with AKG K712 Pro
The Drop + THX AAA 789 is one of the best headphone amps to match with the AKG K712 Pro. It is a powerful headphone amplifier and the K712 Pro scales well with power, providing a slightly more impactful bass response. The THX AAA 789 is capable of delivering a clean-sounding music delivery and has a very neutral sonic characteristic which is great for AKG K712 Pro. It is a well-balanced amp and does give an engaging performance from time to time which is largely dependent on the music you are playing. Drop + THX AAA 789 has a modest price tag and will be worth your time to have a listen.
More Details at Amazon – Drop + THX AAA 789 Linear Headphone Desktop Amp
The Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 will be one of the best amps to pair with the AKG K712 Pro. This is an OTL headphone tube amplifier and is powerful enough to drive the K712 Pro with ease. It has a spacious soundstage and can dig out plenty of music details that complement the AKG K712 Pro really well. Providing us with a very detailed music presentation on a wide soundstage with ample depth. The added warmth from the Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 gave us a slightly more solid bass performance and it also helps to ease off any hard edges. The smooth music delivery of the amp is easier on the ears too.
More Details at Amazon – Schiit Valhalla 2 OTL Tube Headphone Amp and Preamp
For listeners who have tight budgets or don’t feel like spending too much on a headphone amp. The Objective2 Headphone Amplifier will be an excellent choice for you and it has the muscles to efficiently drive AKG K712 Pro. It has an affordable price tag and is well-regarded by its satisfied owners. The Objective2 Headphone Amplifier is designed and made with a focus on providing as much value and performance to its users, making it worth every single penny invested. It has a very low noise background and can deliver clean overall sound reproduction which is really impressive for an amp at this price point.
More Information at Amazon – Objective2 Headphone Amp
If you need a headphone amp with a high-quality DAC then you should certainly check out Topping DX7 Pro. It has a built-in premium ESS DAC ES9038PRO chip with other notable features such as Bluetooth (5.0) connection, Preamp output mode, and more. It is also capable of driving the AKG K712 Pro headphone without breaking a sweat. The Topping DX7 Pro has an astounding level of clarity and provides a tad more impactful sonic performance while producing loads of music details. Its sound staging is wide and has sufficient depth which makes it a suitable match to the AKG K712 Pro.
More Info at Amazon – Topping DX7 Pro Bluetooth 5.0 LDAC Hi-Res Decoder Headphone Amplifier (Silver)
Prefer a more compact and portable headphone amp? The Chord Mojo will be an exemplary choice to go for and is small enough to even put it inside your pocket. It has the muscles to drive the AKG K712 Pro and also comes with a D/A converter that supports up to 32-bit/768kHz resolution. The Mojo headphone amplifier has a wide dynamic range and is rhythmic driven, giving us an alacrity music performance. This helps to provide an engaging and energetic music delivery when paired with the AKG K712 Pro. The Chord Mojo is also an informative amp and music details are clearly reproduced.
More Information at Amazon – Chord Mojo Headphone Amplifier
This is another ideal headphone amp choice for listeners who have very tight budgets. The SMSL SAPII is a highly rated amp and can drive the AKG K712 Pro with efficiency. It is a brilliant amplifier that can provide a clean and flat sound reproduction making it well-suited for AKG K712 Pro since it doesn’t color the headphone’s sound quality with its own character. As a headphone amplifier, the SMSL SAPII does a good job and at this price point, we have nothing to complain about. The background noise is low as well which is really impressive for a budget amp and the neutrality of the SMSL SAPII really makes it bang for one’s buck.
More Details at Amazon – SMSL SAPII TPA6120A2 Headphone Amplifier Black
To Conclude
It is recommended to audition these headphone amplifiers first before you make your purchase. If you are auditioning tube headphone amps, you might need to wait for a while to let the tubes warm up. There are tube amps that allow users to tube roll and fine-tune the sound quality. If you can’t find the amp you want here, please feel free to use this list as a reference when checking out other headphone amplifier models/brands. The amps listed here are well-matched with your AKG K712 Pro and will be worth your time to at least check them out.
