Short answer: the Sennheiser HD 820, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #189 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 2.7/5, at $1,999.95; the AKG K872 Pro ranks #199, rated 2.5/5, at $1,999. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 216 over-ear headphones, and the Dan Clark Audio E3, ranked #1 at $2,299, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
What the Sennheiser HD 820 does well: It is a closed back flagship, so it isolates and keeps sound in, unlike most headphones at this price. Watch for: In oratory1990’s measurement presence and treble sit about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz with a 6.6 dB dip near 11.7 kHz, so cymbals and detail sound dull and veiled.
Why pick the AKG K872 Pro: The closed back blocks outside noise and keeps sound from leaking, which suits studio tracking and shared rooms. The catch: A preference score of 48 in crinacle’s measurement puts its tuning far from what most listeners prefer.
Buy the Sennheiser HD 820. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $0.95 saving on the AKG K872 Pro is not enough to make up the difference.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser HD 820 | AKG K872 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,999.95 | $1,999.00 |
| Ranked | #189 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #199 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 52 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 48 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 3.55 dB standard deviation | 4.16 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.91 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.0 dB at 30 Hz) | - |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 56mm dynamic | 1 x 53mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 300 ohms | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB SPL/V | 112 dB SPL/V |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (360 g) | 0.9 lbs (390 g) |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 43.8kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 5Hz - 54kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
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More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sennheiser HD 820:
- Sennheiser HD 550 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 600 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 505 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 650 vs Sennheiser HD 820
- Sennheiser HD 599 vs Sennheiser HD 820
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser HD 820: $1,999.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: It is a closed back flagship, so it isolates and keeps sound in, unlike most headphones at this price. Bass sits 3 to 4 dB above the Harman target and holds down to 20 Hz, which suits warm and bassy taste profiles. It rates above the AKG K872 Pro and the Fostex TH900 at about the same price.
Cons: In oratory1990’s measurement presence and treble sit about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz with a 6.6 dB dip near 11.7 kHz, so cymbals and detail sound dull and veiled. The 300 ohm impedance needs a dedicated headphone amp to reach proper volume, and the Dan Clark Audio Voce and the Focal Stellia both rate higher. See headphone amps and DACs with enough power to drive it.
Full Sennheiser HD 820 review and specifications →
| Released | 2018 (8 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.55 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 56mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 12Hz - 43.8kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 52 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 300 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 103 dB SPL/V |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+4.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.15 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (360 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -2.9 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 147 Hz | -8.6 dB | 1.79 |
| Peak | 294 Hz | +7.6 dB | 2.24 |
| Peak | 5,732 Hz | +1.8 dB | 0.18 |
| Peak | 965 Hz | -3.9 dB | 1.74 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -1.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 74 Hz | +6.7 dB | 2.74 |
| Peak | 69 Hz | -2.8 dB | 0.80 |
| Peak | 3,823 Hz | +3.6 dB | 5.33 |
| Peak | 5,091 Hz | -4.0 dB | 5.68 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Fostex TH900
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs HEDD Heddphone 2
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Sennheiser HD 569
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Sennheiser HD 599
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Sennheiser HD 650
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Sennheiser HD 505
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Sennheiser HD 600
- Sennheiser HD 820 vs Sennheiser HD 550
AKG K872 Pro: $1,999.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: The closed back blocks outside noise and keeps sound from leaking, which suits studio tracking and shared rooms. With 36 ohms and 112 dB/V sensitivity it reaches high volume from a phone or laptop without a dedicated amp.
Cons: A preference score of 48 in crinacle’s measurement puts its tuning far from what most listeners prefer. At 390 g it is a heavy headphone, and the Sennheiser HD 820 is rated higher at a similar price.
Full AKG K872 Pro review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2016 (10 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.16 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 53mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 54kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 48 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 36 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 112 dB SPL/V |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.91 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (390 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.6 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 140 Hz | -7.3 dB | 0.86 |
| Peak | 2,439 Hz | +6.8 dB | 2.79 |
| Peak | 49 Hz | +1.4 dB | 2.71 |
| Peak | 3,988 Hz | -2.5 dB | 2.58 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +6.6 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,235 Hz | +1.0 dB | 0.94 |
| Peak | 1,695 Hz | -2.0 dB | 4.20 |
| Peak | 5,057 Hz | -1.8 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 996 Hz | -0.2 dB | 2.49 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons