7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
AKG K-12P Earbuds
Date of Review: Feb 9, 2008
The Bottom Line: Excellent replacement for any stock earbuds bundled with a player.
Earbuds really are the most awkward kind of headphones: when they fit, they usually hurt; when they don't fit, they don't sound well, and even when they fit, they usually lack bass.
The only real advantage to earbuds is their price.
AKG K-12P can cost under $20 in an online store, and they do have a clarity and detail associated with more expensive full-size headphones. They still have fitting issues like more earbuds, but they tend to stay in position better than most earbuds - though better fit, of course, does mean they hurt more.
There were several reviews of the K-12P telling the "enhanced bass" of those earbuds isn't something true, but it is "enhanced" in a way very different to most earbuds - it's clearly defined, solid, and detailed. They won't sound like a boombox, but portray realistically what's there. They won't break up into mud or distort when there's a heavy bassline to play, either. Unlike some other earbuds, they're not exaggerating bass or distorting bass - they'll play what's there. So yes, by comparison to many competing earbuds, it is an enhanced bass playback - solid, stable definition.
Just like most AKG headphones, the sound is pleasant, natural, with a clean midrange and a wide-open soundstage. Obviously they won't be capable of reproducing as much detail and ambience as the senior models, but they're also more forgiving of CD audio.
Some classical music listeners actually preferred the treble and the more open sounding of K-12P and K-24P to the senior semi-open model, the K-240 Studio.
At the price some online stores sell the K-12P, they're a much better choice than many other earbuds, and an obvious upgrade over earphones that are bundled with portable players. Bundled earphones, in comparison, tend to sound hollow, metallic, unnatural and "piling" instruments together. The K-12P, like many "serious" headphones, will show what instruments really are there in a mix - and at a fraction of the price of larger headphones. Of course they're still earbuds, but for earbuds they're a very good value.
