Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

K712 Pro vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the K712 Pro: 50% of 80 owners recommend it, vs 36% of 434 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

K712 Pro

50%of 80 owners recommend
50% recommend · 28% neutral · 22% don't
Owners praise
  • Excellent for gaming, especially competitive FPS titles, thanks to a huge soundstage that makes footsteps and directional cues easy to place
  • Massive, precise soundstage and strong instrument separation/imaging that owners rate above rivals like the K701/Q701 and HD600
  • Very comfortable for long sessions, praised as light on the head and a good fit even for larger heads
Owners complain about
  • Bright, fatiguing treble with a dip in the mids that some owners find harsh or off-putting on longer listening sessions
  • Some owners find the imaging and soundstage less precise than expected, calling it unnaturally large or 'meh' compared to rivals like the DT880/990
  • Durability complaints, including drivers blowing out or headphones wearing out within one to two years
Full owner report →

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

36%of 434 owners recommend
36% recommend · 24% neutral · 40% don't
Owners praise
  • Comfort over long flights and full work days, including for glasses wearers
  • Ear cups deep enough that ears sit inside them rather than being pressed
  • Noise canceling that buries steady noise like engines, fans and road hum
Owners complain about
  • A background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all
  • Popping and thumping when walking, running, or when a door slams nearby
  • A firmware update that removed switching devices from the headphones themselves
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the K712 Pro if
  • ✓Gamers wanting pinpoint footstep imaging and a huge soundstage for FPS titles
  • ✓Classical and orchestral listeners who want spacious, airy presentation over bass slam
  • ✓Low-volume, casual listeners who just want to enjoy music rather than critical monitoring
  • ✓Big-headed or comfort-focused owners who wear these for hours without fatigue
Skip it if
  • Bass-heavy genre fans (hip-hop, metal) put off by boosted, muddled low end
  • Treble-sensitive listeners bothered by the fatiguing highs and mid-range dip
Get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) if
  • ✓Frequent flyers who want quiet on a plane and a case that fits a carry-on
  • ✓Glasses wearers and anyone whose head hurts in tighter-clamping headphones
  • ✓All-day desk wear where the headphones go on in the morning and stay on
  • ✓Listeners who like a full bass-forward sound and will spend a minute in the app
Skip it if
  • Anyone sensitive to background noise during podcasts, quiet passages or silence
  • Walkers, runners and commuters on rough roads, where the noise canceling pops

What K712 Pro owners say

“I keep coming back to them frequently as I love their weight, fit and sound, especially for mixing music.”
— _crackerjack73_ on Reddit
“Recommendation for the AKG 712 Pro, and perhaps tryout the k702 earcups for more detailed sound and wider soundstage.”
— Bastelkorb on Reddit
“the 712 fell way short with boosted bass that created a muddled midrange and a tepid soundstage not as pinpoint accurate and open as the other 7 series.”
— rajmahid on Reddit

What Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owners say

“I’m loving both Bose models though.”
— Zealousideal_Bid2690 on Reddit
“Its very good. quality is top notch”
— Adorable_Toe79 on Reddit
“I had the Ultra headphones which caused severe skin irritation. I got rid of them as the only solution was buying third party ear pads which would have changed the sound.”
— TheLawPlace on Reddit

K712 Pro vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): frequently asked questions

Is the K712 Pro or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) better?

Real owners lean toward the K712 Pro: 50% of 80 owners recommend it, vs 36% of 434 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

Who should get the K712 Pro?

Owners point the K712 Pro at gamers wanting pinpoint footstep imaging and a huge soundstage for FPS titles, and classical and orchestral listeners who want spacious, airy presentation over bass slam.

Who should get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)?

Owners point the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) at frequent flyers who want quiet on a plane and a case that fits a carry-on, and glasses wearers and anyone whose head hurts in tighter-clamping headphones.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the K712 Pro is bright, fatiguing treble with a dip in the mids that some owners find harsh or off-putting on longer listening sessions. For the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), it's a background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all.