AKG K612 Pro vs Focal Clear MG: which needs more amplifier?

The AKG K612 Pro is 120Ω at 91.8 dB/mW; the Focal Clear MG is 55Ω at 104.0 dB/mW. This page is only about what they ask of an amplifier — not how they sound, which no specification on either sheet can tell you.

The AKG K612 Pro needs 12.2 dB more than the Focal Clear MG to reach the same loudness — 6.6 mW against 0.40 mW.

The numbers that decide it

SpecificationAKG K612 ProFocal Clear MG
Impedance120 Ω55 Ω
Sensitivity91.8 dB/mW104.0 dB/mW
Sensitivity (voltage)101.0 dB/V116.6 dB/V
Power for 100 dB6.6 mW0.40 mW
Voltage for 100 dB0.89 V0.15 V
Current for 100 dB7.4 mA2.7 mA
Highest source impedance
that leaves them alone (one-eighth rule)
15.00 Ω6.88 Ω
Sources that reach 100 dB
out of 280
277280

Where the two part company

3 of the 280 sources have the power for the Focal Clear MG but not for the AKG K612 Pro — Apple USB-C dongle (EU), Steinberg UR22C, Sony NW-A306.

17 sources are low enough in output impedance for the AKG K612 Pro under the one-eighth rule but not for the Focal Clear MG (Zoom AMS-22, Arturia MiniFuse 2, Arturia MiniFuse 1, 14 more).

277 of the 280 sources here reach 100 dB on both. That count is about power only — the output-impedance and hiss lines above are separate questions, and a source can pass this one and fail those.

Both pages in full

Each model has a page of its own with the full source list, the hiss estimate and the provenance of every figure above: AKG K612 Pro and Focal Clear MG. Every figure on this page comes from what AKG and Focal published, or is derived from it — what AKG publishes and what Focal publishes, both counted.