AKG Headphones

I have been using the AKG K 702 off and on for 5 months now and the first thing that stands out to me is how loud they can get. For some reason I feel like they get louder than any other set of headphones that I have used. In the studio we had to keep these only about halfway up because it seemed like they were always blaring loud. They are circumaural open headphones that come with a 10 foot cable. They are very light and portable. When you purchase them, you will not get a hard carrying case which would have been nice considering the price of them. The frequency response is 10Hz-39.8 kHz and the impedance is 62 ohms. These open back dynamic headphones cost a lot and they are pretty light. I have used the K 701, and K 271 MKII from AKG. All 3 are great but I prefer the MKII’s because of how comfortable they are and plus they are cheaper than the 701’s and the 702’s. The 701’s were around before this pair was and the crazy thing is that they are both the exact same price. The specs are virtually the same and the only difference I could distinguish between the two is the color. The sound of the AKG K 702 headphones is very clean and crisp but after wearing these for about a hour and listening to music with them I would get a headache because I felt like the highs where very harsh in these headphones. It was almost unbearable after about an hour I hated the way they sounded in my ears. I have used many AKG headphones and none of them made me feel like that so the 702’s just are not for me. I do not recommend these; I would suggest getting the MKII’s if you want a great sound and comfort.

The AKG K 240 Studio headphones have been a part of my set up for 2 years now and they are still going strong. I have not had any problems with them from the day that I purchased them and they have been a joy to work with. They are jet black with a gold trim around the outside of the center part of the ear cup showing just enough gold color to accent the headphones. I have put these headphones on and had them on for over 2 hours before and never even wanted to take them off. They are very comfortable and can be adjusted to any size you need them. They come with a 10 foot cable and stereo adapter. They frequency range is 15 Hz to 25,000 Hz and have an impedance of 55 ohms. These are very affordable and worth the buy, you will get your money’s worth out of them within the first week of using them. The sound quality is very clear, the highs have amazing clarity and the mids and lows are rich and warm. I have mixed many songs with these headphones and get some of my best work out of them. Before I purchased these I was using a pair of Shure headphones that were like these circumaural semi open headphones but they just were not comfortable enough for me to keep on for more than 30 minutes without them irritating me. Someone recommend that I try the AKG K 240’s and I have been using them every since. I do not use them as my main headphones but they are the top 3 that I use and I mainly take these with me the most when I travel. The warm sound and no coloration has me sold on these headphones and I will use them for years to come.

I've been using the AKG K 55 studio headphones for about two years. These headphones are a favorite of a lot of engineers for monitoring while recording and for checking mixes on. They are built well and have a full sound overall. This being said, they are headphones and they don't have a huge low end presence. While they aren't isolation headphones really, they do block out most of the sound when you are monitoring while recording, but won't block out all the noise - the ear phones just aren't big enough to fit snug enough to block out all the noise, although they do fit comfortably. The sound of the AKG K 55 is full and it covers the whole frequency spectrum except for the very low end. I would compare these headphones to the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones as they are similar in price. While the AKG K 55 have a much better low end presence, the overall sound quality is pretty comparable and both will deliver an accurate sound. I would say that I prefer the AKG K 55 better because of the low end presence that makes them better for mixing, although I never do too much mixing on headphones. I would say that these are best suited for monitoring while recording and for checking mixes rather than mixing itself. For this reason I would recommend these headphones to those looking for a great pair of headphones for overall use, but would also encourage those interested to check out the AKG’s I mentioned as it is a matter of personal preference. The AKG K 55 are very reasonable in price, which is less than a hundred dollars USD, and are an overall great set of headphones that deliver a full sound for such a small set of headphones at such a small price.

The AKG K 121 STUDIO are very comfortable to wear and because of its style (fits around your ear) design, it blocks out a lot of the outside noise (especially when music is playing) and other people can't listen to what you are listening to.in your headphones. Then I discovered akg k 121 studio headphones, a name I had never heard of before. Ratings for all products were through the roof, so I decided to give them a try just to see how good they are. I'm blown away. Music, movies, you name it come in crystal clear and booming bass. Comfort is quite nice and they really block out any external noise. Given the high quality and the price point was perfect. They even sound amazing when hooked up to your iPod or anything that you plug them in . I HIGHLY recommend buying these either for yourself or a music lover. You won't be disappointed! I love tracking the Vdrums with these as well. The kick drum impact is awesome and they don't need to be very loud to get a great sound. Some say they are tight, but I love it. They don't slip off when tracking drums even on the wildest of fills. I will be buying more! they sound great. I don't doubt there are better sounding headphones out there, but these sound fantastic and have been accurate for referencing some of my mixes (I still mainly mix from my monitors). To get anything a little bit better will cost you an arm and a leg. sometimes i like to mix at 2:30 in the morning my monitors quickly were ruled out by the landloard these headphones allow me to mix and have it sound good when i listen to it the next day on speakers and that is the ultimate test.

I have been using the AKG K 240 mk ll's for 4 months. What I like most about these headphones is how great they sound. Its truly amazing. I also have a pair of Sony MDR-V700DJ which are also nice headphones, but in comparison, don't perform like the K 240's. The sony's can get muddy towards the bottom end where the akg's stay nice and crisp. Its never a good idea to mix solely with headphones but these guy's will let you do a decent amount of work and not have to tweak too much when listening back through monitors (a handy tool when on the go). The other great thing about these headphones is they are shipped with an extra set of ear pads (the pair that are already on are like a velour, the other is like a soft pleather) and an extra cord (one is a straight cable the other is a spiral cable like a old school phone cord). It is really nice to get these extra options, especially when paying upwards to $200 for a pair of headphones. The only thing I didn't like about these headphones was how "cheap they felt." I say this with some hesitation because at first, I was disappointed (even worried that I had gotten a cheap knock off because I got them off ebay) about how light and thin they felt when compared to the sony's. Its a big difference. But after plugging them in and hearing how great they sounded and using them for hours, I realized that the "lightness" makes them the most comfortable pair of headphones I have ever worn. One more thing I should mention that really pleased me was the ear cup room. Its like your ears are completely surrounded but no pressure is pushing against them. Thats a big bonus because after hours of use with every other headphones I have used, including the Sony's, the parts of my ear that stick out the farthest (the middle area) will get sore. If you use headphones on a regular basis, you can't afford not to get these. $200 is a lot of money but these were worth every penny. Infact, you might find a pair new on ebay for much less. I got mine in a package deal that, had I payed the street price for the mic and preamp I got, these would have been free. ($500 for a ART Digital Mpa Gold, Shure Sm-57 and these headphones). Check Ebay. I might even buy another pair down the road just in case.

I have been using the Quincy Jones signature AKG Q701 headphones for about a year now. You can purchase them in a few different colors. The style of them is what attracted me to them, they have a nice futuristic looking style and I actually think they look a lot better than Beats By Dre headphones and Beats By Dre headphones are suppose to be the ones with the most style but I don’t think so. These semi open back headphones come with a high performance cable and flatwire voice coil technology. The headband is made of real leather and they are self adjusting, meaning that it will adjust once you put it on and you do not have to worry about changing anything. The ear pads are very comfortable and have a special technology to make them really surround your ear with comfort. Now when it comes to the sound of the AKG Q701 I had my hopes really high before I even heard them because of the name “Quincy Jones” and because of the price tag on them I knew that they were going to be great. I was completely blown away by these, and I was shocked that they didn’t cost more than they do because each individual pair gets tested and numbered, so when you get a pair you have the peace of mind to know that it was tested by someone to make sure it was the best possible pair and no quality control issues. I would take these any day over a pair of Beats By Dre studio headphones. The Beats By Dre became more of the trending thing because of the colors they come in and the “Dre” name. But if you really want to get great sounding headphones and have the peace of mind knowing that they are getting tested individually then you need to get these. You will thank me later.

the AKG K 271 MKII were on the higher end of my price range so I was hesitating a lot before I dove in and purchased them. But eventually I fished out the 250 to get them. Originally I was not too happy with the design of them because I just felt like they were kind of too plain to cost that much money. But they kind of grew on me after a month or so because they look really clean. When it comes to comfort then these are the most comfortable that I think that I have ever had. The ear cups are very soft and they just fit right on your ear. I have even fell asleep before wearing these and didn’t wake up with a headache or uncomfortable. They truly feel amazing and when adjusted to the proper size you will not even notice that you have them on but you will feel the weight of them because they weight over 1 pound. When you are purchasing them you can pick which style of ear pads you want, I chose the leather ear pads but you can also choose velvet. But if I wanted to I could always change out the ear pads down the road because leather can get a weird feeling on your skin after too long so it might be nice to have a pair of velvet cups too especially now that these are my primary headphones now and the ones that I prefer over all of my other pairs. They are also the most expensive that I have purchase so I have to make sure that I protect them. The frequency range on them is 16 Hz to 28 kHz with a driver size of 30mm. The AKG K 271 comes with a 16 inch coil cable and a standard straight cable in 10 foot. You can change out your cables at any time because they are detachable.

The AKG K77 is a set of over the ear stereo headphones. They're all black and grey, the usual AKG color scheme. I've been playing bass and keyboards for a very long time, as well as working professionally as a vocal and acting coach. I use these headphones for listening to music as well as recording. I am currently in a group called Shutterdown, an electronic effort, although the majority of my work previously has revolved around jazz, funk, blues, and classical music. I got them for $20 (a STEAL) when the theater company I worked for decided to sell off most of their sound equipment when the system got redesigned. They are by no means old or worn, either. Practically brand new. I got them because my Sennheiser eH150's finally gave out. <a href="http://www.shutterdownmusic.com">http://www.shutterdownmusic.com</a> I like the sound through the headphones. It is, at least, a clean sound. For $20, that's okay. I don't really care for the way they fit over my head, the spring-loaded earpiece adjustment design leaves some tension on my head and can leave me with a headache after a few hours of use, something that didn't happen previously with my Sennheisers. The speakers are a little small for my taste, and I really doubt that they didn't have room to put something at least a little bigger and warmer in. Also, the over-the-ear padding doesn't really go over my ear. It just kind of rests around it, another result of the spring-loaded adjustment system. The Sennheisers just clicked into place. No tension. They just rested where they were supposed to be. The right earpad is starting to peel away from the speaker, and I'm taking better care of these than I did with my Sennheisers. I'd say the construction is fair. So, the Sennheiser eH line is much cheaper than the $50 these AKG's go for brand new, and I VERY MUCH prefer the Sennheiser line. Not only in terms of tone, but also in terms of comfort. These are hardly worth the $20 I paid, let alone $50. Sure, they get the job done, but not very comfortably...and not very well overall. They get a 2, but only because they're functional. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The AKG K 701 headphones are really comfortable to wear. They fit very nicely around the ear and don’t irritate you after you have them on for a few hours. There arent bright and colorful like some of its competitors but it still provides a better than average sound quality for whatever you need them to do for you. You can listen to your ipod with them or even mix and master your songs in them because they do have a “semi” flat sound that will get you a great mix. They are pretty expensive headphones but they will do wonders for you. These headphones can be compared to some of the higher end shure headphones that I really like. I think the difference is with this is that the high’s are exaggerated. When the high’s are exaggerated like they are in some headphones it can really give you a ringing in your ear which I hate! It cant be good for your ear drums. This have a nice balanced frequency and a nice warm clean sounds. Just enough low end and clean mids that fit perfect with what I was looking for. I am very happy that I have the chance to use these headphones. I actually broke then after I had them for a week by accidentally sitting on them but the store replaced them for me because it was in 30 days. Purchase these headphones if you need a all purpose pair of headphones that can do everything from listening pleasure to professional mixing. These will do the trick. Save up your money if you don’t have it to purchase these. They are well worth the money and will last you a long time. You wont have to replace them unless something bad happens like what happened to me. If you take care of them there is no doubt in my mind, they will last you forever.

The AKG K 81’s are a set of studio headphones for uses of all types (even though they say they are DJ headphones). I'll just say up front that I'm not a huge fan of these headphones, as they feel cheap and don't have a great sound. AKG apparently agreed as they are no longer making these headphones, although you can probably find used ones. The headphones are only suitable for one application, and that's for listening during recording. They don't have a great sound at all, but will be fine for this kind of use as you don't need to get the fullest picture possible when monitoring during recording (although it can help). They do encompass a good amount of bass response, but it's not a tight sound to me at all. You could also get away with using them for general listening purposes, but do you really want to be walking around out there with these on your head? Not only are they huge but they're really cheap feeling. The outside is made out of some kind of plastic and it really adds to the tackiness of them both in handling of them and look. I'm not sure when these headphones were made or for how long, but there's also an AKG K 220 which is essentially the same set of headphones under a different name. I doubt that these are going for too much in the used market, but they weren't as cheap as they should have been while they were still being made. We have a pair of these K 81’s around the studio that kind of float from room to room as needed, but for me they're always the last pair off the shelf and only used on a must needed basis. Obviously, I'd suggest staying away from the AKG K 81’s and looking at something else that's a bit sturdier in make up and has a better sound.

I have to say that I am blown away with these headphones. The sound quality is superb and beyond my expectations. I've rarely heard such clarity in my recordings. These headphones are a gem. On the other hand, because I don't use monitors in my home studio because of my neighbors, I still find that it's rather difficult to get an accurate mix. But that's normal, we're talking headphones. These headphones can reproduce or approximate what you would hear through good monitors, but again that's where I find that the sound sometimes in my headphones can be a little misleading. It doesn't overdo on the bass or the highs at all or it doesn't exaggerate them neither, thank god, but the sound is so clear and good that often my mixes, if I become overly reliant on the AKG GHS1 without constant checking with monitors, can lead to poor low volume mixes. But overall, with outside monitors, these are a gem, and with a real keen ear, one can really achieve good-to-great mixes, but make sure to always check with a pair of outside monitors, even computer monitors will do. Another thing with these headphones is the cord that comes with it; I wish the coil could be detachable and a bit longer. Other than that, the sturdiness, the ability to fold the headpieces, and the sheer outside noise cancellation that is achieved makes these headphones a true gem to behold. The sound isolation is very good. The headphones tilt and swivel in enough spots to get a comfortable fit on anyone. The coiled cord can be a bit heavy at times. If you are close to the source plug or even sitting, the weighty cord is not much of a problem. If you are standing at a mic, the cord sways and can be a bit distracting. Good quality.

I've been using it for over two years. I also have Sennheiser HD477 and HD215. I chose these headphones after listening to them one hour at the store. Pros: comfortable (also during long runs), even though I think there are more comfortable ones. It's a closed model but the sound comes through pretty loud. The cable is quite long. I had a problem with the 1/4" connector very quickly and I had to replace it. Sound: present lows but not overemphasized. The mids are a bit "masked," perhaps it lacks transients in this frequency range. The high-frequency response is beautiful, with a lot of air. The highs are not too present, just well balanced. I get more highs from my monitor speakers (Resolv 65A). The stereo imaging is very clear: you can clearly hear where all instruments are placed. Very good to manage a reverb effect. Very nice sound deepness. The main advantage of these headphones is that you can hear almost the same as what you hear with speakers. The price is rather high, but the product is worth it. Generally, if you want high-quality gear, you must also pay a higher price. I would buy them again, even though there are many other valuable products on the market! The low-mids are nice and allow me to make better mixes than my speakers. I use them more and more for mixing and "mastering." It's not the best solution but it's better than with my Resolv monitors... Originally written by Deserteurs on Audiofanzine FR.