AKG K 518 LE Limited Edition Folding Headphones - Red

kalpman

New Head-Fier
Pros: Clear crisp sound, Bass is not the only good in those, Build quality, Bargain price
Cons: Not comfortable, Too short cable, Clamping force never really lets you forget you're wearing them
I will bypass the quality of their sound, as pretty much everyone has covered this topic above me...
I have to say, I was not impressed with their cable quality, but apart from this, it seems to fit perfectly for reaching your mp 3 device in your pocket :p
Not recommend them for lengthy usage, cause they are just not comfortable at all... I try to stretch them in order to be less clumpy on my head but I'm not sure it's working.
Other than this, they isolate pretty good.. can be used in quiet places like libraries at mid volume.
I bought them only 47.90 euros including another AKG ear-bud (at around 9 euros worth) and I'm really pleased with them,
I highly recommend them to anyone who has another alternative to enjoy music, or anyone that has a small head :p
ThePirate
ThePirate
I agree with the 'cable too short' comment.  And general comments about clamping force.  Definitely not the best headphones regarding comfort!!  Great sound!
 
I am running through a Bravo V2 with GE tube and they sound heavenly.

countolaf

Head-Fier
Pros: Lots of bass but not too loose, midrange is articulate, treble isn't too recessed
Cons: Tight clamping force, flimsy cable, stiff earpads, sounds a bit congested overall
As the description above implies, it has lots of bass in its sound signature. The bass is of good quality I would say as it is very punchy and presents good impact. It is a bit loose in general, and when you’re playing audio tracks that require fast retrieval on the low end, the K518LE gets confused. But that’s not saying too much considering the price of this headphone.
 
The midrange is articulate. The bass doesn’t really overpower the mids but since it’s impactful and sometimes loose (even muddy), the mid-midrange going up to the upper mids sound a bit veiled (which is not recessed). Although I really didn’t have major problems listening to my modern day pop tracks nor some good old local music.
 
Treble is not as recessed as in K619 DJ however, it tends to be smoother in comparison. I recall that the lower treble of K619 sounds a bit artificial and it doesn’t seem to be the case with K518LE. Overall, the treble is not lacking heavily although a bit more sparkle would probably do it good.
 
As it is a small closed headphone, there's not much to expect in terms of layering and soundstage. The latter is smaller than other on-ear headphones that I have but it's not that big of a deal
 
Comfort-wise, it's not the most comfortable headphone due to tight clamping force. Headphone looks rugged but not indestructible. The cable is very stiff in my opinion and gets tangled rather easily. The newer K619 fixes most of these issues though.
 
Full review and pictures here: http://www.headphone.ph/akg-k518le-basshead-headphone/

ravefire

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: sound, design
Cons: can get uncomfortable
Disclaimer: I'm not much of an experienced reviewer so I apologize in advance for any misuse of terms. I also wanted to say that I have not done any other mods than expanding the headband.
 
A couple months ago I bought $60 headphones. I didn't really know about the brand very well -- I just recognized the name AKG from the Quincy Jones line and saw that they were 50% off. What were these mystery headphones we speak of? Why, none other than the k518LE, which is essentially the k81DJ.
 
Now that I've read more Head-Fi, I'm familiar with the AKG brand name and as more and more time goes on, I'm glad that I picked these. I do spend a good chunk of time with other headphones but I'm glad to always have these to fall back on. They're a bit small (for me), the leather pads get really uncomfortable, but I can sacrifice that for the great sound these provide.
 
Accessories:
These came with a small carrying pouch that I lost and a 1/4" adapter I never use (though I plan on buying a better amp sometime soon). Pretty much standard fare for a pair of circumaurals so there's not much to say here.
 
Build:
The build is simply put, solid. It's compact and really portable and yet it still feels like it can take a little bit of damage (a little). I'm really being nitpicky here, but the wire gets tangled too easily and I don't have the time nor experience to recable it. On a side note, the paint's chiping D:
 
Comfort/Isolation:
These isolate pretty well - so well in fact that I can serperate myself from what's going on around me (on second thought that might not be the best thing). In terms of comfort, it's a little bit more unpleasant. I have a larger head and it is a bit of a tight fit. I have left these overnight hanging over a textbook and that has helped with this tightness problem a lot though it can get a bit uncomfortable. On another note (as stated earlier), the leather pads can really get warm and a bit uncomfortable - I intend on ordering HD25 pads in the near future. (Sorry for focusing so much on the negatives - I can't emphasize enough that these are good but I find it kinda hard to describe without repeating myself).
 
Sound:
If you get the other three behind you, this is where these headphones really start to pay off. The sound is a bit on the bassy side but then again, they're DJ headphones not studio monitors, so what do you expect? There's a reasonable amount of balance though EQ can help in this area. The k518's respond well to EQ but regardless, they're good for listening straight up - they deliver the fun signature without going overboard and taking you into Beats land.
 
Value:
At the current price, I can't think of a better on ear headphone (assuming CAL! is not on sale at time of reading). It offers punchy bass with reasonably good overall sound with a few caveats. I highly recommend them.

 
ostewart
ostewart
i prefer these than CAL as i dont like the bloated bass and recessed mids of the CAL, did you take the foam inserts out of the middle of the pads?
Blu tak mod helps a bit too, and they are easy to open up.

Recabling these are easy, they were the first cans i recabled.
ravefire
ravefire
I already took out the foam pads - imo it did improve the bass.
I've just started to mod these but I'll look into that. Thanks!

bcasey25raptor

Aka: Brycon Casey
aka mental patient
aka Enter Darkness
aka Shurefan
aka reaperofaudio
aka everyone knows
aka very funny
Pros: bass, build, portability, smooth listening
Cons: highs and mids, uncomfortable
Ok i got these at my local best buy for $70.
 
For $70 i am quite surprised. The bass is definitely emphasized and these are excellent for electronic music. The highs are recessed but smooth and the mids are also recessed. These are only first day impression is can't say much else yet. But for what it's worth if you are basshead on a $70 budget get these.
 
Build quality though plastic is quite good. And they look sweet to me. Unfortunately they are uncomfortable for long listening sessions.
 
 
For the price what could you lose?
Dsnuts
Dsnuts
You guys know about the thick foam padding AKG threw inside the cup. You must take that out and guess what.. No more recessed highs and mids. Try that out. I was completely shocked at the sound change afterwards. Just stick your fingers in the cups and take the extra pads out it is that simple. I was told by another headfier when I did a review on these and what you know. The sound becomes so much better afterwards
Deep Funk
Deep Funk
A bit, but I still missed the K181. Yet, given its price also in the now cheaper K81 guise this headphone is very good for its purpose and price. The isolation alone...
UnityIsPower
UnityIsPower
Glade you could purchase and review them bcasey.. I find they make great gifts also. My gift recipient seems to love them just as I do.

GeneralSmirnoff

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Build quality, excellent and powerful low end, awesome isolation
Cons: A little uncomfortable over an extended period of time
I needed a pair of headphones that I could wear on the bus to school every day and not only experience quality sound but isolation as well. I didn't have luck fining a bass-powerful pair of IEM's (I already have the Klipsch S4's, too muddy for me) and I already had my Ety's for great isolating IEM's so I decided to go with these headphones.
 
They are PERFECT for me! The isolation is amazing for a pair of on-ear headphones. The low end is powerful yet controlled and the headphones are really easy to drive with an iPad or Clip+. From what I've read the high's can be a little more refined but come on, these are DJ headphones that have an amazing low end and costed me less than half a Benjamin, I'm perfectly happy!
 
Do you like to listen to house, dubstep, or any other genre of music and need quality isolation and awesome sound quality (for the price) GET THESE!!!!!
Deep Funk
Deep Funk
Yep...
Ubersnuber
Ubersnuber
Pretty much how I feel about these, in regards to bass and isolation.
Since none of the shops where I live have the oh-so-fun MDR XB 300, these ones will do just fine.
They're not very comfortable, though.
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