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AKG

AKG K240STUDIO Semi-Open Studio Headphones

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At a glance

Condition
New
Style
Over Ear Headphones
Model
K240STUDIO
Weight
240 g
Color
Gold
Ear Placement
Over Ear
Impedance
55 ohm
Warranty
This product is sold by an AUTHORIZED AKG NORTH AMERICAN DEALER and includes the official AKG manufacturer’s warranty. The warranty is valid only for products purchased from authorized sellers within the United States. Full details are available on the AKG website.
Works with
Laptops, Desktops, Music Production Equipment, Tablets, Cellphones, Telephones

Features 5

  • Versatile Connectivity - Includes a stereo 1/8" connector, a screw-on 1/4" adapter and a 3M (9.9 feet) cable, perfect for studio mixing, podcasts, and Hi-Fi listening.
  • Exceptional Sound Quality - The 30 mm XXL transducers with patented Varimotion diaphragms deliver a wide dynamic range, providing solid bass and extremely clear highs.
  • Comfortable Design - The self-adjusting headband and over-ear pads ensure a perfect fit and comfort for long studio sessions, making them ideal for professional studio headphones, podcasting, and critical listening.
  • Durable Build - Built to withstand countless hours in the studio, these headphones are perfect for professional use, ensuring reliability and longevity for all your recording, mixing, creating, and listering needs.

Description

Discover the AKG Pro K240 Studio over-ear, semi-open wired headphones, your ultimate companion for mixing, mastering, Hi-Fi listening, podcasts, and content creation. These studio headphones are equipped with 30 mm XXL transducers and patented Varimotion diaphragms, delivering a wide dynamic range and high sound levels. The semi-open design delivers solid bass and extremely clear highs, making them perfect for studio monitor headphones, or for critical listening. Designed for impressive accuracy, the K240 Studio headphones allow you to clearly hear every mixing detail, making them a standard in professional studio environments. Whether you are a podcaster, music producer, or audiophile, these headphones provide the reliability and performance you need for recording and monitoring. The self-adjusting headband and over-ear pads ensure maximum comfort, even during long studio sessions. Durability is also a key feature of the K240 Studio headphones. Built to withstand the demands of countless hours in the studio. They come with a 1/8" Stereo connector and a screw-on adapter for 1/4" applications and a 3-meter cable for versatile connectivity. The convertible jack plug allows you to connect to portable equipment with ease, enhancing your workflow efficiency. These headphones are not just for professionals; they are also perfect for anyone looking for high-quality headphones for music production, content creation, and podcasting, or just listening to music. Upgrade your studio setup with the AKG Pro K240 Studio headphones and experience the perfect blend of performance, comfort, reliability, and affordability. Whether you are editing, mixing, or simply enjoying your favorite tracks, these headphones will exceed your expectations and become an essential part of your audio gear. From the Manufacturer The AKG K 240 Studio is an update of the "classic" AKG K 240 Monitor. The new K 240 Studio delivers even wider dynamic range and higher sensitivity than its well-known and widely-used predecessor. The secret to the semi-open K 240 Studio's sound quality is the new XXL transducers in acoustically tuned vented enclosures with circumaural (around the ear) pads. The circumaural pads envelope your ears nicely and reward you with smooth, solid bass and well-balanced, articulate mids and highs.Founded in Vienna, Austria in 1947, AKG has built a legendary reputation in the professional audio industry for products that perform flawlessly. The reputation of AKG and its celebrated quality are built on more than 55 years of experience, incredible design, meticulous craftsmanship and a clear understanding of what truly sounds right. AKG introduced the K 140 in 1974 and the K 240 Monitor in 1975, which became the most widely used headphones in recording studios and broadcast facilities worldwide. Generations of musicians and audio engineers use these AKG products to create great mixes, hit songs and albums cherished by millions around the world. The new AKG Professional Studio headphones carry on the tradition of these audio tools and are a sound investment that will pay handsome returns with years of flawless sonic performance for professional recording engineers and demanding users of high quality home or portable audio equipment. Delivers solid bass and well-balanced mids and highs XXL Transducers with Varimotion DiaphragmThe new XXL transducers use AKG's patented Varimotion diaphragm to ensure extremely accurate response at any listening level. This technology creates a diaphragm that is thinner, more elastic toward the outside edges for more powerful bass response and thicker, less resonant in the center for pure, accurate mids and clear, detailed highs. The large size of the transducers makes the overall sound more life-like and three-dimensional to capture the emotional and sonic content of your soundtracks.Gimbal-Type SuspensionTo ensure your listening comfort, AKG Professional Studio headphones utilize a self-adjusting headband with a flexible steel structure to deliver optimum fit for your headphones without any fiddling. The structure is flexible, yet strong enough to allow bending for single ear use and is durable enough to withstand rough handling. A gimbal-type suspension ensures the earcups of all AKG Professional Studio models will conform to the shape and size of your ears without pressing on them for hours of fatigue-free, comfortable listening.Wear Them As You LikeRugged construction, a non-twisting headband, and powerful sound allow you to use your headphones on a single ear only or wear them in any other way you may prefer. AKG Professional Studio headphones are ideal for DJ and live sound use because they are durable enough to withstand the roughest kind of handling during transport or on stage.Detachable Cable with Mini XLR ConnectorThe new AKG Professional Studio headphones utilize a detachable input cable for easy replacement if ever necessary. The cable and headphones use mini XLR connectors for perfect contact and secure mechanical connection. The cable is made of 99.99% oxygen-free copper and has gold plated plugs on both ends including the screw-on 1/8" to 1/4" stereo jack adapter for maximum signal transfer.Perfect for Portable AudioYou need good quality audio for all your listening--including computer, minidisc, portable CD or DAT player--as well as in the studio. Owing to their high sensitivity and wide dynamic range, the AKG Professional Series headphones are efficient enough to be used with these lower level output sources and still deliver the high definition sound you need when working in the studio or on stage. The excellent workmanship AKG headphones are known for and high quality components ensure loss-free transmission and reproduction of high-resolution signals from all types of digital audio sources.

Specs 44

Brand AKG
Color Gold
Ear Placement Over Ear
Form Factor Over Ear
Impedance 55 ohm
Brand Name AKG
Model Number K240STUDIO
Model Name K240 STUDIO

Frequently asked questions

The term 'semi-open' means that the AKG K240 Studio headphones offer a balance between open and closed-back designs. This allows for a more natural sound experience compared to completely closed headphones, but with some noise isolation to reduce ambient sound leakage.

Yes, these headphones are known for their comfort during long sessions. They feature an over-ear design, adjustable headband and thick, padded ear cups to ensure comfort during extended use.

These headphones deliver clear, detailed audio with a wide dynamic range, which makes them ideal for professional activities such as studio recording, mixing and mastering. Additionally, they have a durable build and replaceable parts for longevity.

Yes, the AKG K240 Studio headphones come with a detachable 3m cable, a convertible jack plug, and a pair of velour ear pads.

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🚀 Abunda's Overview

This is our summary and key points to consider based on customer reviews.

The AKG K240 Studio headphones are highly praised by professionals for their sound clarity and balance, particularly in audio engineering tasks such as mixing and mastering. Their comfort and affordability are other strong points. However, they may not be the best choice for casual users looking for superior sound quality in entertainment, given their purposeful sound leakage and less bass-heavy output. Despite their plastic construction, their build quality is highly regarded.

Pros

  • 🎧 Highly recommended for professional use such as mixing and mastering
  • 💸 Affordable price point for the quality of sound and build provided
  • 👂 Comfortable for extended use
  • 🔊 Superior clarity and sound balance

Cons

  • ⚠️ Not suitable for casual music listening due to purposeful sound leakage and less bass-heavy output
  • 🔔 Too much sound leakage, making it unsuitable for recording sessions or listening in crowded places
  • 🔌 Very long cable that may be excessive for some users
  • 💼 Less superior to other headphones when applied to bass music

Should I Buy It?

Buy the AKG K240 Studio headphones if you are an audio engineer or professional looking for budget-friendly headphones with great clarity and sound balance. If you are just looking for entertainment, other headphones designed for casual listening might be a wiser choice.

The Best Studio Grade Phones For The Money Right Now
Style: Over Ear Headphones
The short and sweet of these phones is they are a really solid cheap option for studio grade flat response phones that are well worth the money and where you should be making your entry into the studio grade space with AKG. Read on for a more detailed review Testing performed on an SMSL DAC using Optical Windows 10 at 24 bit 96000Hz Studio quality no enhancements of any kind Tested using Spotify Premium Quality, Youtube videos, and MusicBee FLAC music, and some Bluray Movies Compared against Sennheiser HD598 and Pioneer HDJ-1000(for distortion purposes) So these headphones were a very pleasant surprise for me to give a review. The last “cheap AKG” phones I’ve had any experience with were the K70. Those phones were flat just on the edge of tin like and overall a massive disappointment. I might be considered an “audiofile” by some and would consider my setup to be at the bottom of premium. I normally listen to things on a set of HD598 that I love with everything and an S.M.S.L. DAC connected via SPDIF(optical). So coming into these phones at this price point I was not expecting good things to say the least given my last experience. Turns out I was way off base as these are really solid phones. So first things first the sound is very neutral which is something I look for in studio grade phones. No bass boosting or extra crystal in the highs. Just nice neutral sound to appreciate the original source material. The sound stage is large but The highs are nice and clear with a little cut off at the peaks. The bass is nice warm and clear if a little flat. Giving a listen to a bass boosted version of Invincible I would have to crank my DAC to a level that on my HD598’s would have my ears bleeding. However there was no distortion or muddling so I would more likely chalk it up to gain hunger for bass than I would weak output. Switching over to a song I know has a lot of highs as well as bass I gave a listen to Ignoring My Heart Bass Boosted. The story was the same. No real distortion happening I could discern a clear difference between the highs and the bass on the drops. I think the lesson here is if you’re wanting a rich thick bass signature out of these phones then you’re going to have to be listening on a dedicated device like a DAC or Audio Interface and not a phone/tablet. Highs I listened to a couple songs that give me a good impression of the highs and their qualities. First off I listened to Jolie Coquine by Caravan Palace. DAC was at the normal level I keep it at this time around and everything from the lyrics to the violins were nice a clear if a bit lacking in the peaks. Next up a gave Beauty Beats by Beats Antique a listen which has the highs more muted but still present in the foreground. It was a much better listening experience here the violins are more in the background while the fiddles are more foreground. Next up I gave Carmina Burana a go particularly the version performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It’s one of the best versions that really shows off highs as well as giving you a solid idea of the sound stage of the phones. This was outstandingly good in terms of the highs but the sound stage was quite lacking here.I would say it's about half as wide as my HD 598's. Last I gave Madame Coquette by Tape Five a listen and noticed the slight cut off in the highs once a gain compared to my 598’s. It’s nothing an average listener would notice or someone who’s more a casual listener would notice but it’s definitely there in the highs Mids songs are always really hard to pick out because I think a huge difference in peoples listening experience comes in at the Mids. So I would use my track list here to find where your listening defaults lie. First off I gave My Kind of Town by Sinatra a listen because with the lyrics and the woods section I think this song has a really solid mid presence throughout. Here’s where I noticed the first bit of the corner cutting that I think gets these phones into the price point they are in. There’s a flatness that isn’t obvious but very pronounced. It sounds like you get to right where a mid would fill your sound stage and it stops just before that. Next up I gave In The Air Tonight by Collins a listen. I think this song is a good choice because the Mids are what I would call the essence of this song. No real issues here this time around and the flatness isn’t as big of a deal here. Moving on to movies and general video content from the likes of YouTube, Netflix, etc I think this is where the phones really shine. The overall neutral sound signature gives any spoken word content a perfect balance. Everything form YouTube videos to movies to Netflix sounded as good as I expected it to sound. With no real issues or noticeable drops offs of any kind. Everything sounds just right in my book. So conclusion time is upon us and it’s important that you remember that sound in general is a very subjective medium and it’s hard to just outright say something or give a person a conclusive yes or no answer to a question. All that taken into account are these good headphones? Yes I think the neutral studio sound signature and level detail in the sound is perfect for this price point. If you’re a streamer, gamer, or video watcher then these headphones are hard to beat. If you’re a big music listener or expect booming thunderous sounds then I think you should look elsewhere. I don’t honestly believe you can get a set of headphones that are this comfortable and this quality at this price without a major sale going on at the time. These are a solid buy and a solid 5 star from me. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2018 by Gate
These are only for professionals
Style: Over Ear Headphones
Do not get these to listen to music, podcasts, watch movies, tv shows, audio books, or any kind of audio entertainment. And especially don't get this for porn! I'll explain why further down. This device is for professionals only. If you're not mastering or producing audio projects from music to podcasts etc, then you have no business here. Put it this way. I have the AKG N60, which is way more expensive than the AKG K240s. I use the AKG N60 to listen to music, because music sounds way better on the AKG N60 than the AKG K240. When I make beats beats, I use the AKG K240. Because the sounds are more clear. It is easier to know how to pan and how to EQ sounds and their frequencies using the AKG K240 than on the N60. The N60 is meant for entertainment and chill. The AKG K240s is meant for work. Plain and simple. So if you're looking for entertainment headphones use the money you were going to use for this and buy headphones made for entertainment. If you're a producer, and you're here to WORK with professional studio/monitor headphones under $100 or under $80, this is for you. If you've made the mistake to get these for entertainment purposes, you will be disappointed and find the audio quality to be cheap. And that's your fault for not listening to the pros or doing your research. So if you're here for entertainment no need to read further, move on with your life and find something else. If you're here to WORK, please read on. Now that we have that out of the way and the civilians are gone, let's get to WORK. If you want great fantastic studio/monitor headphones that gives you musical orgasmic experiences, you want something that costs hundreds and hundreds of dollars. But if you want to get the job done and are under a strict budget, you're going to fall in love with these guys. Especially if you buy fluffier ear pad replacements like I did. Its so fluffy! And made the sound a bit more roomier, but also less punchy, and less pronounced, because the little speakers are further away from your ear. But somehow it makes the sounds clearer if you will, I'm guessing because its roomier with fluffier ear pads. Now, there's nothing wrong with the default ear pads. They are comfortable giving you hours of play. I mean WORK. I just took that extra step. Fluffier ear pads allow you to play even longer. I'm sorry, I mean WORK. Though not sure how healthy that is, breaking night because you cant stop creating, exploring and perfecting sound. These headphones are def! ;) A few things to keep in mind as an audio engineer. These are no good for LIVE recording, or wearing these as you record vocals or instruments like a guitar or piano, etc. The reason being is because they are semi-open. Which means the sound purposely leaks out of the headphones and will leak into the mic, totally messing up your recording! For those you want closed studio headphones, not the AKG K240s. Now if you're making beats, mixing tracks, mastering audio projects, editing a podcast/interviews etc, these are perfect! Let me explain this leakage in terms most can understand. If you want to listen to >>>PORN<<< privately without disturbing people next door, like your parents or other family members, these are a very poor choice! You can hear the noise leakage outside of your room from the other side of the door! So in short, if your place in making music is recording in a sound booth, stay away from the AKG K240's! The K240 is for those who work outside of the booth. The noise leakage helps in making the sounds clearer because it gives the sounds more room rather than trapping the sounds. Helps in panning, EQueing, etc. It's also helpful in hearing a potential attacker like Jason, Pennywise or Michael Myers stepping up behind you, giving you a chance at survival. But since you'll be working so hard, the chances of you falling asleep on your chair and falling prey to Freddy Krueger are very high! So if you feel tired, do the right thing. Turn everything off and go to bed. Your head will be more clear for the next time you tackle your audio projects. And Freddy isn't really into responsible audio engineers. Or is he? One other thing I want to share, that I didn't know about these babies. This is no baby!! These headphones represent the birth of Generation X. Disco, Rap, Heavy Metal, House, Punk etc. The AKG K240s is basically a remix of the original 1975 K240 Sextett. And its exact look and golden colors make it a replica of the 1984 K240M. These were used by producers who worked for many legends who came to be during the birth and revolution of digital music. Let that sink in, for all of you 808 Trap heads out there. Yup. One thing to think about for Trap beat enthusiasts. People who know more than me, say these aren't that great for listening to bass music. That's kind of redundant information being that these aren't meant for chilling to music. They're meant for real work. Anyhow, imagine perfecting the most righteous 808 kick bass sound with the K240 and then mastering and mixing everything together so it all sounds perfect. Then imagine how that would sound to people listening to it through hifi speakers or headphones meant for listening to music and how insanely extra bass heavy it will sound while still sounding clear with all the sounds in place and arranged. That's what I'm experiencing right now. Results that go boom-boom with quality clarity. Something to keep in mind. Do I recommend this for people who just want to listen to music? Seriously? Didn't I tell you to get lost already? You do not belong here! BEAT IT! Do I recommend this for audio engineers who edit and master audio projects of all kinds trying to get professional studio headphones for under $80? Hell yes I do. And while you're at it, go get the fluffiest ear muffs you can find. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2020 by Richy Gee
These are great headphones ...
Style: Over Ear Headphones
... if you understand that they are excellent STUDIO or detailed listening headphones. They are not light on bass, but also they do not unrealistically emphasize bass like consumer headphones do. I've been listening to these for about six hours now, and as they settle in and get broken in, they keep getting better and better. I've thrown all kinds of music at them - a LOT of classical piano, some orchestral works, cello, brass, a drum improv, 0-Daiko (huge Japanese drums), female and male vocals, rock incl metal, and more. They do a fantastic job on all of it. If you want smooth and accurate bass, the way it is being performed, recorded or produced, the K240s will do the job nicely, without overstating or understating anything. Mids are detailed and clear, so is the treble. They sound very similar to my studio monitors, which is exactly what I was hoping for. I don't want my headphones to alter the sound in any way. I want them to accurately reproduce it. These are NOT noise-canceling or noise-isolation headphones. You will hear noise from the room, and the room (and any open mics) will hear whatever you are listening to on the headphones. That is just an instrinsic feature of open-back (or partially open-back) headphones. No bluetooth either. This is a wired-only headset. The cord has a female mini-XLR connector on the headphone end, and a 3.5 mm plug on the other (plus a 1/4" adapter). The headphones don't appear cheap or poorly made. I plan to treat them with respect, hanging them up when not in use and that sort of thing. I've ordered replacement memory foam ear pads (Brainwavz) and a 3 meter cord. The provided ear pads and cord are more than servicable, however. The cord has a nice rubbery texture and is a good length. I just needed a little longer. I recommend the use of a headphone amp or audio interface with these headphones. I'm using a DAC amp I got on Amazon for $50 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XJ89KV6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and I have found that I need to feed the K240s quite a bit more gain with it than the Philips headphones needed. If you have an underpowered audio section on your phone or tablet, it might not be enough for the K240. Most higher-end smartphones and laptops will be fine. However, still consider a headphone amp. Not just for volume, but for dynamic range, for signal to noise. You don't want your headphones to be starved for oomph when it matters most, and I think these could be underpowered and struggling in the wrong setting. The best feature of these headphones is that they disappear. They are very light, and the sound is very clear and airy. As a result, I find myself forgetting that I am even wearing them. It's just me and the music. And that is a good place to be. These are very tough to beat in the open headphones category, unless you are prepared to spend $400 for a pair of Sennheiser HD-600s and even then it's a bit of a horse race. Perhaps consider the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro for $150. But you can buy the K240s AND a decent small headphone amp for $100. Then sit back and enjoy them. That's what I plan to do. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2022 by Anonymoose
AKG K240 versus ATH-M50x versus Sony MDR-1RBT versus Motorola S305 (or $65 versus $120 versus $220 versus $25)
Style: Over Ear Headphones
I impulsively bought 3 sets of headphones in the last two weeks after reading technical material and dozens of comments, reviews and comparisons, and after watching several YouTube video reviews. First, I bought the AKG K-240 "semi-open" Studio Headphones through Amazon Prime for right at $65. Second I bought the Audio Technica ATH-M50x closed back Professional Headphones on eBay for $120. And third, I bought the Sony MDR-1RBT closed back Bluetooth Headphones on eBay for $220. I could not wait to hear the "sound stage" of the AKG's, and thought I'd experience more of a live-concert sound. I could not wait to experience the passive noise cancellation and to hear the "sound isolation" of the M50x's which would let me hear details in the musical instruments and voices I've been missing and muddying. And above all I could not wait to get through the Sony MDR-1RBT's all of what the M50x's might give me and even more, and maybe even without the wires. I felt all three sets would fit me physically, be just as comfortable, and let me find something unique and desirable in the experience of each set. I like electric blues and power and symphonic metal. I like fast and driving electric guitar and driving and full sounding acoustic guitar. I like metal bands with female lead vocals. I opened the Sony MDR-1RBT's first knowing I needed to charge them. They came in a beautiful package with a carrying case, micro USB cord, and a 3' cord with male 35.mm connections at each end, and a 1/4 inch adapter. I opened the M50x's "repackaged" box and found 3 cords as they describe in the product specs online, and a nice carrying case. I liked the accessories. I opened the AKG K-240's with its one proprietary cord and a 1/4" adapter to fit the 3.5mm male end of the cord - no carrying case. Nothing seemed anything but extremely well-made. The MDR-1RBT's fit very snuggly around my ears - too much so. The M50x's fit absolutely perfectly and felt much better on my head. The AKG K-240's then felt just a little bigger (wider) around my ear than the M50x's and they weren't pressed quite as firmly as the M50x's. I liked the Audio Technica's the best so I decided to listen to them first and let them set a benchmark for the other two. I have a desktop with an expensive sound card, connected through a Rolls Buzz Off, to a JVC Tuner/Receiver, which outputs to the headphones. I had a selection of my favorite music The ATH-M50x's gave me my first experience of professional headphones. It was a wonderful experience from blues and electric blues, to hard rock, and to symphonic metal. I paused the music and replayed some guitar riffs, various vocals and some passages of rushing orchestral metal. Everything sounded amazing! Then I grabbed the AKG K-240's and played the same songs. They might have sounded "truly amazing" if I hadn't just heard "even more amazing" from the ATH-M50x's. I didn't really experience much more of a sound stage from the open backed K-240's. I put the m50x's on again and then went back to the AKG's just to raise the volume some to compensate for the open back sound leakage. Not even when I turned up the volume to match the music of the M50x's did the AKG's ever sound as defined, detailed, full, rich, and consuming. I knew could wear the AKG headphones all day right out of the box, while the M50x's might have to get worn in for a more relaxed fit a little in time. The Sony's would never be comfortable in comparison to the other two - my ears would always be just a little cramped. The AKG's had a longer cord than I really needed sitting at my desk in my home office, but for that same reason the 2 extra cords ( 1 coiled and 1 straight ) that came with the ATH-M50x's were not a big selling point for me. Then I waited for the Sony's to fully charge. In a few hours I prepared myself to stack the ATH-M50x's against the Sony MDR-1RBT's which Versus.com has scored and then used as a benchmark against all other headsets. They said the Sony's were the headset to beat. I replayed the M50x's with the closed back and wondered "could the Sony's really be obviously a better set of headphones?" I re-heard the selection of music I had gathered together for this test. Again the M50x's were awesome. Then I ran the Sony's via cord first to compare apples to apples. I'd test the wireless Bluetooth sound of them later. For me the Sony's did not do anything better than the ATH-M50x's. What a let down!!! For less than $65 the AKG-K240's were nice and even nicer with a little higher volume while connected to the PC/Soundcard/Rolls/JVC Receiver connection. On the front audio connection to my PC motherboard the AKG's outperformed my old Skull Candy's but they didn't come anywhere near the ATH-M50x's in detail and vibrancy. For $120 the ATH-M50x's gave me great sound on every piece of music both on the PC/soundcard/Rolls/JVC Receiver connection AND on the little audio output from my motherboard. The same results happened when I tried both sets on my laptop. For $220 the Sony MDR-1RBT's didn't give me any noticeable advantage over the ATH-M50x's in any genre of music hooked into either of my three music sources (PC sound card, PC motherboard audio jack, and laptop audio jack). The Sony's or in any one of the music genre's. Tighter on my ears, one little 3.5 mm cable??? If I'm going anywhere and need Bluetooth to connect with my car stereo or with my Cellphone I'll put on my Motorola S305's that cost me all of $22 bucks. The Audio Technica ATH M50x's win the permanent place at my home office and at the office, and anywhere I travel with my laptop. Hope this helps somebody trying to navigate through the maze of options. A worship team guitarist wants to buy the AKG K240's for what I paid for them. He'll probably appreciate them more. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2015 by jeffc333
Plenty of Pros. No unintentional cons here. Solid purchase!
Style: Over Ear Headphones
My review of the AKG K 240's is a few months in the making. I've purchased entry level headphones several times in the last number of years, primarily Sennheiser PX-100s and the Koss PortaPros. Notice that I listed only two headphones, that's because I've had to buy them several times. Various issues. First pair of good cans I ever bought, a family pet destroyed. However, specifically the Sennheiser PX-100s came apart on their own. Several times. Sennheisers excellent warranty system got me into new ones every time,so they have not been a bad experience, but it is kind of upsetting to have something you purchase fall apart on it's own. I digress, but only a little, as durability is a factor here. The end game of AKG K 240s usage? I like them, for good reasons. What I've noticed in the length of I've had them: The initial cord that comes with the cans is long. Way too long for casual use. Chairs run over it, stuff gets snagged, it's an extra foot of cable in your pocket, it's not a portable cord, it's the stay still and love them cord, which makes the cord an excellent cord to come packaged in the box. Have not yet purchased a smaller cord, but am quite happy that this feature exists to take advantage of. Most cans, the cord gets messed up, you need a whole new pair of headphones, with these obviously anything happens to the cable, and you can be up and running again with a new cable, and everything's great. Important point: Sound. The sound. That's why you're buying cans. That's why you're here now. The sound is great. Let me color that tho, my initial experience, meaning first song I played, (after taking off the PortaPros which I had been using religiously for the last year) I could not figure out what happened to all my bass, especially seeing as how these things are so large. I'll get into the size in a bit, but first things first, the sound. Today? The sound is perfect. It's wonderful. The profile is one you can get used to, minimal fatigue for good reason, and the precision and granularity feels like you are hooking a stethoscope up to your audio tracks. Really. It's great for gaming since, key word here, clarity and directional sound provide great auditory information and it's intuitive. Nothing's off about the cans in that department save the curious lack of bass when I was someone else, putting these on for the first time. Lots of headphones amp their bass response. AKG wonders who these people are. They're semi-open, which is better for clarity than closed, and great for environmental awareness. If you've only had closed back phones, assuming you're aware this difference exists, AKG allows your environment to aurally hit you're ear, and the headphones provides a listening stage which sits somewhere nestled inside of it, if you can even believe that. You're playing XBOX, maybe listening to some tunes, and you can hear your friends nearby. They can't hear your music, maybe lightly if they're sitting next to you, but you can hear them talking, and your tracks are not in the background, but around you, and the conversation is somewhere all outside of that. So fidelity is the word here. In my limited headphone experience, they are of a high caliber in the fidelity department of the Sennheiser PX-100, Grado, PortaPros, and what else is in the entry level good-cans bracket. The grados I've never had the pleasure of utilizing, but the AKGs are right up there with the other guys, providing a better depth of sound. Stethoscope to your tunes, baby. You buy these, you're a doctor now. Anyway, I used to never want to be caught dead in public wearing anything this big, which is why the sennheisers and koss were such friends of mine, but these look so nice, no one minds. People just kind of think they're nice or I'm flashy. They're comfortable around the neck in public for me, but I'm a big guy. The gimbal suspension makes them always comfortable to wear. Gimbal means you don't adjust the phones to your head, they adjust to you, however you have them. So Kudos! Buy them for yourself, or if they're a gift, and you've made it this far, you're not going to be wrong buying these. There are other pros, but I couldn't recommend the durability, listening profile, aesthetics, and engaging price any higher. Cons? They're not over the ear pads, but they're obviously not supposed to be, so if size is a con, or the fact that they're semi-open is a con, then there's that. Outside of design, the only cons is that, if you've never experienced them, they look like they should explode your head in bass, but they don't. Meaning some music can feel like something's lacking when making the transition, but the fidelity of the phone brings the bass into a good contrast of the whole sound profile. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2017 by angelicarahpsody
Very impressive
Style: Over Ear Headphones
I wasn't expecting much when I purchased the K240 Studios. I was just looking for a good headphone for traveling that was about $100. And I think I'm getting more than my money's worth with these AKG's. I'm relatively new to the headphone world so I haven't heard a lot of pairs but I know what kind of sound I like as I'm sure we all do. So here are my impressions of the good and bad of the 240's. The Good -Very pleasing frequency response characteristics. I'm not a big fan of too much treble and I think the 240's roll of the treble just about perfectly for my taste. They have a fair bit of detail during dynamic passages but when things get quiet, they won't allow you to pick out every little inflection in the recording. Mids are very well balanced in my opinion. They sound very natural throughout the midrange and there are no peaks or valleys that I can hear. Mids are not as forward as Grados but I still consider the 240's a pretty "lively" pair. And bass is a pleasant surprise. They go relatively deep (deeper than a $100 headphone should if you ask me) and the bass is always well-controlled. I would say there's a bit of a bump in the upper bass but it's not something that's distracting. Rather, it gives the 240's a "fun" sound that makes them a thoroughly relaxing listen. -Respectable imaging. After about 50 hours of run time, I find the imaging very good for a headphone in this price range. they're not the widest- or deepest-sounding cans I've heard but they present individual sounds in a very coherent and pleasing way spatially. The right source material and amp will definitely make a difference in this respect, too. -Adequately comfortable - The pleather earpads do get a little warm and sticky but I haven't had any gripes about leaving them on for a few hours at a time. I have a big head so I consider this a pretty positive thing. I didn't think I'd like the self-adjusting headband for that reason but it's implemented very well and "hugs" the head nicely. And I should also mention that when I first picked up the box, I thought somebody had forgotten to put a pair of headphones in it. That's how light they are. The Not So Good -Construction - It's not awful by any means but the earcups in particular seem a bit cheap and the pleather earpads don't look like they're as solidly attached to the cups as they could be. Neither of these items seem to affect the sound so they're minor gripes but on close inspection, the 240's aren't the most glamorous cans I've ever seen. -Break-in - I've never been much of a break-in proponent until I started getting deeper into higher end headphones. And with that said, these definitely need some run-in before they relax. Out of the box, the mids were more than a little shouty and the treble had a grainy quality that I wasn't a big fan of. Imaging is really one-dimensional for the first several hours, too. So give them some time and they'll end up sounding much better. -Cord - Again, not awful but I've definitely seen better cords. The 240's cord just seems too small for such an otherwise substantial can. I like the single-sided approach with the quick mini-XLR disconnect but the rest of the cord could be a little beefier. That's about it. All in all, a fantastic can at a great price point. 4 stars for aesthetics and 5 for sound for the money. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2010 by A. Reichert
Finally a product where 'Studio' in the name is more than marketing hype
Style: Over Ear Headphones
Edit: 12/2012 I no longer recommend these headphones, I feel the sound and build quality have suffered since the move to building them in China. They are still a decent buy, and I can't recommend another semi-open in this price range, but the closed offerings in the bracket are MUCH better options in my opinion. I'm talking about the usual suspects the MDR-7506 and ATH-M50 are my two favorites. ----- Back to 2008 ----- These are considered the studio standard in circumaural open back headphones for good reason. The sound reproduction is excellent, with clear bass and midrange and a very balanced profile through the entire frequency spectrum. It makes me angry at how much I've spent on speakers and studio monitors, these do a better job at a fraction of the price. They are circumaural they fit OVER your ears. I guess some people don't like that. I think they might change their mind if they tried these. If you're looking for a SUPRA-aural design look at the AKG K141 I find them extremely comfortable. I have literally forgotten I was wearing them more than once. The suspension system adjusts automagically and is excellent. At first I felt a little unsure about the security of the hold, I've been using these mostly as monitors while recording guitar and bass parts, but they've made it through some pretty enthusiastic headbanging without getting dislodged. It also prevents almost all the banging and noise you normally hear when handling your headphones. The ear pads are soft and comfortable and have a nice synthetic cover which feels like glove leather and has just the right combination of grip and smoothness. They are semi-open. In this case it means that with no sound coming out of them they are basically aurally transparent but when they are on it takes a pretty loud sound outside to be noticeable. They are excellent at the job I use them for, monitoring a master track while laying down new parts, because you can hear yourself and the room sound pretty naturally and still have a high quality monitor with no bleed through to the mic'ed amps. If you are intending to use these for monitoring during vocal track recording you might want to consider a closed back design, these can be a little loud close up, The K271 is an excellent option with an ingenious auto-mute feature that work off the same magical suspension system. Other Cool Features: mini-xlr connector on cord - replace your mangled cord or make your own! fully rebuildable and modular - any component can be replaced if neccesary Gripes: It ships with a 3m mini-xlr to 1/8 cord w/ 1/4 adapter, I think most people would prefer the coiled cord which they sell as an option. The suspension may 'feel' a bit insecure at first, and the pads may wiggle a bit if you shake your head really hard. a manual tension adjustment on the suspension might be a nice addition. You really need a case for your studio headphones. As far as I know there isn't one available for these. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2008 by James Vaughn
Good, but not great.
Style: Over Ear Headphones
I've been reading a lot of very positive reviews for these headphones, so I bought a pair to add to my collection. I'm a huge fan of AKG microphones, so I've been excited to hear what they're doing with their headphones. As it turns out, they're good, but not great. High frequencies are a little too loud and more harsh than I'd expect for a set of headphones in this class. This really causes many of the artifacts caused by MP3 encoding to be over-emphasized. Instead of being smooth and silky they are a bit cutting and shimmery. If I was to listen to these at anything over a moderate volume level for long my ears would fatigue rather quickly. That boost does occasionally help certain types of music, though. For example, as I'm writing this I'm listening to Lindsey Stirling's "Elements" and the high frequency boost makes it easier to hear some of what one of the synth parts is doing compared to other headphones. But on other tracks it is distracting and unpleasant. Demi Lovato's voice, for example, is a little grating on these headphones while perfectly fine on others. The low end is a bit of a mixed bag. There seems to be a bit of a boost right around 100 Hz but everything below that is definitely quieter than they ought to be. The 100-Hz boost is probably why some feel like they have more bass they really do. But below that they are definitely a little thin and lacking. They are capable of producing really low frequencies, but they just aren't very loud when doing so. The mid-range is also a bit weak. Vocals seem more distant than they should, especially in comparison to the sibilants which are in your face (again, this is why it is hard for me to listen to Demi Lovato). There is also a little bit of unwanted honkiness between 1kHz and 1.5kHz as well. Not bad, but they definitely aren't producing a flat response through the mids. Compared to my other headphones these are a lot quieter than other models. I have to turn up the volume nearly all the way on my MP3 player to get sufficient volume. My other headphones play at comfortable volumes with the player's volume control at half of what is required for the K240s. In comparison to the Sony MDR-V6 or MDR-7506 these aren't nearly as good. At least not if you're talking about accurate reproduction of sound. The Sonys are much flatter (as in, more accurate, not dull), which means they are both easier and more enjoyable to listen to. Relative to the Grado SR80e, the Grados definitely have a huge edge over the AKGs. The SR80e model doesn't have the same aural deficiencies. But they do rest directly on your ears, which some people may not like. They do blow away any <$150 Sennheisers though. I still haven't figured out why anyone likes the modestly priced Sennheiser headphones. They all sound awful. All in all, these probably are better than any pair of headphones that most people will ever listen to. But for the money you can do better. I'd take them over pretty much anything less than $50 for sure, but for just a couple bucks more you can get the amazing MDR-V6 if you are okay with closed backs, or Grado SR80e if you prefer something more open. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2015 by D. Johnson
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