So I ended up buying a pre-loved pair of AKG K612 Pro

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capetownwatches

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Found these at my local Cash Converters, and upon seeing them immediately thought there was no way I was going to buy them, tempted as I was.
Asking price was R1399, not too bad but the condition of the pads was "not great"  :thinking:



Based on serial number and the "Made in Austria" sticker, these are a few years old, and I've never considered buying headphones pre-owned.

But something about these bugged me enough to make an enquiry about 3 weeks after I'd first seen them, and they were still available.
I went to look again, tested them properly, explained to the sales people why they were so hard to sell (it's called "kicking the tyres"), and made a spur of the moment low ball offer...which was accepted!

Got them home, removed pads and foam liner and washed THOROUGHLY in OMO.
After a good rinse and repeat it was time to break out the wife's hair dryer.
It takes a LONG time for foam to dry properly, in case you didn't know... ;D

Through all this I was rather nervous as to how the pads would turn out, since new replacements cost over half of what I paid for the entire headphone.

The following morning they were dry and they turned out looking almost new again.  :clap:
Even the foam seemed to have plumped out a bit.
I reapplied them to the headset - easy process and then the acid test: they fit perfectly, felt great, smelled great and sounded great!
I'll post some post-refurb pics shortly.

In the meantime, these headphones sound phenomenal - significantly better than the brand new pair I tested a few weeks ago.
Whether this is a function of burn in or the fact that they were made in Austria vs China I do not know.
Bass is much weightier and better defined, highs much better resolved - no harshness or sibilance at all compared to the new pair.

Considering what these cost new they have to be on anyone's shortlist of budget priced open cans that don't suck.

I'm a happy camper.



 
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