AKG K 271 Headphones -- Opinions?

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http://www.akg.com/products/powerslave,mynodeid,186,id,250,pid,250,_language,EN.html

Considering buying these since my old headphones are broken now. I tried them on in the shop but not for long enough to have any definite view on them. In the short time I was trying them they sounded good, and felt a lot more comfortable than my old ones.

Possible downsides are that they felt a bit flimsy, but this could be because they were very light, much lighter than what I'm used to, and I'm interpreting this the wrong way.

Either way, I'd like to hear from anyone who's used them for a more lengthy amount of time.

For reference, they were £90 in the shop.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 24 January 2005 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

standard studio cans/ good detailed sound
I wouldn't use them with a walkman/ipod/etc they're kind of quiet.

― Snappy (sexyDancer), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:09 (twenty-one years ago)

They'll be used mainly for production work, plus some standard listening, but the equipment I have should comfortably drive them.

As for the iPod suitability, I will listen to it through them but only at work, hence loudness is not a problem.

Worth £90 do you reckon?

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

seems like the high cost is due to the automatic turnoff feature. You could probably get the same quality sound for less from a different AKG model.

― Snappy (sexyDancer), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Cheers, I'll look into it. Perhaps I'll go back and pester the shop about other models.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:24 (twenty-one years ago)

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/sc/1589445-2-300-overview-1.gif

I just bought a pair of the Koss Pro 4AA but they haven't yet arrived.. only $55! Definitely not flimsy...

― andy --, Monday, 24 January 2005 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Read excellent and extremely detailed reviews at http://www.head-fi.org

You have to register to search, but there's no spam or anything.

The only warning is that you might end up spending way more money than you ever thought you would.

I ended up ordering ATH-A500 from Japan!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

This comparison review includes the AKG's
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=74866

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:25 (twenty-one years ago)

But from looking at thousands of posts on that board, I'd have to recommend the Audio Technica ATH-A500 or the A900. You can order them from Audiocubes.com.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Monday, 24 January 2005 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks for the link Spencer, I'm checking it out now.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Monday, 24 January 2005 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/183629.jpg

I like teh Sonys better

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 25 January 2005 00:48 (twenty-one years ago)

actually, these...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/49510.jpg

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 25 January 2005 00:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Be very careful which model of Sony's you get. According to *many* posts on that site, only the Sony MDR-7506 (aka Sony MDR-V6 - *not to be confused with the V600*) are any good at all. (except for some extremely expensive higher end Sony cans).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 25 January 2005 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

i just broke my sony v500s!!! SOB!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 25 January 2005 05:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Jimmy Mod, which model are those Sony ones? I like the springy wire (I'm so shallow).

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Tuesday, 25 January 2005 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

the springy wire + the fact that it's only one wire + rotating heads = good

i just krazyglued mine back together, i hope that works!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I have Sony v600s which I love. I use them for 4-track cassette/iPod usage.

― mcd (mcd), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 02:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I have the sony 7506s, and can't recommend them highly enough.

― Remy (x Jeremy), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 06:14 (twenty-one years ago)

has anyone tried the kinda expensive sennheiser 555s?

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 06:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I find sennheiser monitors to be a bit clipped.

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Those are the 7506s, btw -- the second one I posted...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 12:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Bah, I can't seem to find anywhere in the UK that will sell them. They look gorgeous, though.

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I cannot more highly recommend my A500s
http://www.h-navi.net/i/a500.jpg
Again, the only problem is that you will not be able to test them first (as you have to order them from Japan - I got them in 3 days with standard shipping!). They are the best closed headphones I've ever heard. The more expensive A900s are supposed to be even better.

The 7506's are great too, but they seem to have the classic equalizer settings (high bass and treble, reduced midrange) built in - which many people like anyway. They're high quality and fold up for portability (the A500s are big and not very portable). They're very popular in studios.

Another comparable pair are the Sennheiser HD-280s. They're supposed to be clean sounding and great for studio work, but I heard they can have a vise-like grip on certain heads (and mine is pretty big).

As for the Sennheiser 555's, I believe they're open, but I haven't read any reviews. The 600s (and now the 650s) are very popular high-end open cans, but they're a bit pricey unless you have a nice setup at home with a proper headphone amp. There is a sometime ILXor who I know has a pair and I'll see if he'll comment here.

Remember though, that open phones are almost always considered better than closed (however, I can't use closed at the office, so...)

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

the krazyglue didn't work, as i found out to my dismay djing last night. :(

i need good dj headphones. maybe i'll go in for the v6/7506s? (if they are indeed the same thing?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 19:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, those are supposed to be very good for DJing. I've seen them for sale at Fry's. Also Guitar Center. If you go to Guitar Center be sure to haggle them down.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

we don't have those stores here!! i'll try some of the cheapoish electronics stores on the lower main...

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

any thoughts on the sony mdr-v700DJ model?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

whats a headphone amp? basically i'd be using whatever headphones i get to plug into my powerbook. im tired of listening to music thru the tinny speakers. do i not need to spend $100 on headphones? i want good ones though but would it just be a waste of power to get like the 555s or something?

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 19:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Phil, it depends on your usage which phones you get. Are you always going to be in places where noise *from* your phones won't matter? Do you need them to be portable? How much are you willing to spend?

s1ocki, I've heard that those phones have overpowering bass, which might be good for mixing, but most of the reviews on head-fi are that they're no good for just listening.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 21:10 (twenty-one years ago)

i wonder if the v6/7506 line has been discontinued; i can't find them on the sony canada site. the only items they have that're similar are the v500DJ and the v600DJ. both of which are apparently not so hot (i was ok with the 500s when i had them but they WERE rather quiet, which was problematic in djing situations)

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

they are quiet. the 7506 are nice n loud, plus feel better. amazon.com has em for 99 bux.

― Snappy (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 21:28 (twenty-one years ago)

are we sure the v600s and the v6s are separate items?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, they are different.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Here's a yahoo shopping link for MDR-V6 for $69. (Please note, I have not ordered from this store).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 22:13 (twenty-one years ago)

hi grado people

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 22:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I like Grado's too, but again they're open. They're great for RAWK.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

what's the diff between open & closed again? and what is grado?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Basically, open means that they can be heard by others, while closed mostly can't. Closed will also block some ambient noise. Some closed cans feature active noise cancelling which will play a noise that blocks ambient noise (these are generally not the best sounding unfortunately).

Grado is a brand of headphones. Their SR-80s are very popular and are in the same league as many of the $70-$100 cans mentioned above.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 26 January 2005 23:14 (twenty-one years ago)

oh my friend has a pair of those! they don't need a preamp, do they?

they look nice though i prefer "one-wire" models for djing.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 27 January 2005 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

None of the ones mentioned here really 'require' a preamp, although I'd think they'd all sound even better.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 27 January 2005 00:43 (twenty-one years ago)

so apparently all teh sony models i was considering (incl. the ones i broke) are no longer available in quebec because the packaging is all in english!! god this province can be retarded sometimes

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 29 January 2005 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

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