AKG K1000 - A collection of information and links

Here you find information, links to reviews, impressions, recommendations, and more for the AKG K1000 headphone.
I have been missing a central place for all this, so I decided to create one. Hope you find it useful.

Thanks to 'Richter Di' for his 'Everything about the K-1000 (K1000)' thread, which got me thinking about creating this thread.
The 'Other (non Head-Fi)' links are taken from this thread. Thanks!


History:
The K1000 were introduced in 1989/1990, and were in production until late 2005. Apparently they were discontinued because the machines used to produce them were worn out.
A total number of around 11,000 units were produced.


Picture:
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More pictures below...


Description:
[size=xx-small]Quoted from AKG[/size]

1. Top-of-the-line, fully professional monitor headphones
2. Totally open design
3. Adjustable speakers for optimized personal sound

The K1000 are a unique design that is the equivalent of wearing a pair of loudspeakers on the head. The speaker capsule uses a unique, freely vibrating multilayer diaphragm driven by a newly developed, radially magnetized VLD (Ventilated Linear Dynamic) magnet system. Sitting in front of the ear, this dynamic transducer provides the best acoustic coverage factor. The earphones using no acoustically hard parts, the sound is absolutely free to develop in all its splendor. The speakers are acoustically finetuned in a computer-optimized process including time-energy distribution (Wigner distribution) measurements and made with advanced manufacturing techniques. The result is an unobstructed plane sound field in front of the ear that provides a personalized listening experience.


Technical specifications:
Code:



Manuals:
Brochure (PDF, 234 KB)
User Manual (PDF, 1,16 MB)
Service documentation (PDF, 494 KB)


K1000 at the AKG website:
K1000 (Discontinued)

Pictures:

Reviews, impressions, recommendations, and more:
[size=xx-small]Sorted by thread start...[/size]

** 2010 **
What do K1000s sound like when they're improperly driven?
K1000 Question
Need help regarding AKG K1000 pads
RWA Isabellina+Integrated+K1000
K1000 bass heavy/light ... fact or fiction?
K1000 with Sub Woofer
K-1000 : tune procedure for the swiveling earphones ?
SOHA II and AKG K1000 ?
AKG K-1000 - Temple pressure
Decent amp for AKG K-1000 at reasonable price ?
Poll: Would you buy a new version of K1000?
Best portable amp for AKG K1000
Question to experienced K1000 owners
Which version of the AKG K1000 is the prefered one?
An Amp for 3 beast - K1000/HD800/HF2
Decide my next headphone purchase: T1 or K1000 or D7000
The battle royale in my head: can't decide between T1, HD800 and K1000
Ultrasones ED8 vs AKG K1000, lets see what you have to say
K1000 + Big Joe amplifier
Review: From Technics to Marantz (Amping K1000)
K1000 in bed?
AKG K1000 Competitors?
Review: From Technics to Marantz (Amping K1000)
AKG K1000 Amplifier (Airtight, WA5 & Millett 307A)

** 2009 **
I am in love! stax 404 and akg k1000
JH Audio JH13 PRO, AKG K1000 comparison thread
K1000, DX1000, SR200: Which is the victim?
K1000: a direct upgrade to the K601?
My slice of headphone listening heaven: I may have found an ideal amp for the AKG K1000
K1000 reminds you of what speakers?
Help: Amp for K1000
Can someone do a Sennheiser HD800 vs AKG K1000 review?
Let's flood AKG with emails so they will re make the K1000
HF-2 or HD800 or K1000: Make a Noob's Wallet Squeal
the BEST AKG K1000 system you have ever heard.
Sennheiser HD800 vs AKG K1000
K1000 Recable Guide
K1000 recable
A Question to K1000 Owners
Budget amplifier for AKG K1000
AKG K1000 Bass: decent or lacking?
AKG K1000 rear pad
AKG K1000: Is anyone living happily with the stock cable?
AKG K1000: Tube or Solid State?
AKG K1000 and sub $500 amp for more bass and accuracy
AKG K1000 early vs late production?

** 2008 **
AKG K1000 - Do you want another production run?
Listening to the AKG K1000 is just too serious.
k1000 w/ sub ???
AKG-K1000 headphones with low powered amp
Confused about the K1000 rolloff
K1000 vs OmegaII
If a K1000 runs off of speaker outputs, why not any headphones?
GS1k vs K1000
K1000/Shanling MC-30 night of indulgence
K1000 Myth? or Not
Why AKG K1000 selling in so high price?
K1000 vs Omega 2 vs W2002
Best amps for AKG K1000?
KING of all budget AKG K1000 amps
what balanced amp to drive k1000?
K1000 with Dual Micro Mono-Filament cable - less contact with conductor, more detail!
AKG K1000 - Possible return to production
Instructions for replacing K1000 cable

** 2007 **
K1000 Mega Meet In San Francisco -- 5/26/07
K1000 Room Impression Thread
Party at Neil's Orpheus/K1000 Meet Impressions
Everything about the K-1000 (K1000)
K1000/Air Tight... nothing can touch, but ...
The K1000 cured my hearing!
Old and new K1000 (!?)
AKG-K1000 What to Look For/What to Avoid
K1000 for amp?
K1000 Sonic Signature?
Ever any chance of the K1000 returning to production?
K1000 swivel-fi
Absolute best amps for the K1000?
k1000 owners club
AKG K1000 successor: Give me details!
Owners of both K1000 and electrostatics please give opinions
K1000 + Beta22 = wow (anyone compare b22 to other k1k amps?)
"Price DEFINITELY a factor" amp for AKG K1000
K1000 with First Watt F1 or F3?
AKG 1000 Amplification Advice
K1000: Upgrade your stock pigtail (on the cheap)?
Review: AKG K1000.

** 2006 **
K1000 news
K1000 - music running 24/7 = warmer sound , burn-in is real!
K1000 - Are they REALLY worth 2-3 times the price of K701?
K1000 vs. HE60/HE90
Life after AKG K1000...
Question about k1000 position
Experiment AKG K1000: Different sounds depending on production date?
Different versions of K1000??
My impressions: Orpheus he90, & My new K1000 rig and gs-1000
K1000 - 1 week later
Micro-Meet: When HE90 Met K1000
My K1000 journey (a blog)
If the K1000's are so awesome, why were they discontinued?
K1000 vs R10 ...
What is the most affordable decent amp for the akg k1000?
K1000 amps: First Watt F1 & Red Wine Audio Signature 30 (A mini-blog)
K1000 long journey I've settled on an amp finally!
Compact size amp for K1000?
Red Wine Audio Signature 30 (K1000)
Were the AKG1000 this popular when they were still in production?
Blacked out K1000: finally, a good looking mod. (56k warning!)

** 2005 **
AKG K1000 is going out of production!
AKG K1000 soon to be discontinued
AKG K1000 Discontinuation
I say the K1000 is THE best headphone for the money!!
K1000 and Sonic Impact T-AMP / 2
Oh Heck, I'll start it - AKG K 1000 Appreciation Thread
K1000 OMG!!
Why doesn't everyone here have AKG K1000?
Sony Qualia vs. AKG K1000
akg k1000 are the best in the village
Can anyone tell me the weakness of K1000?
K1000 - headphones never sounded better
Finally realized K1000 is what I really want and need

** 2004 **
R10 versus K1000 performance
K1000 Amp Survey
Sonic Impact Tripath amp-->AkG K1000?
OPERATION : K-1000 w/pics
Review: Sony R10 vs. AKG K1000 vs. Sony CD3000
How close are the HD650 to the K1000?
K1000 or Senn HE60

** 2003 **
AKGs K1000 and bass.
Help chooseing an upgrade path for K1000!
Newbie question: Why AKG K1000 needs a powerful amp?
REVIEW: AKG K1000 & Sophia Baby tube amp vs. HD580 & Sugden Headmaster
AKG K1000 and Conrad Johson CAV-50 -- a quick review
REVIEW: AKG K1000/Bottlehead Paramour/Foreplay

** 2002 **
Who's getting in on the K1000 sale? <- Headroom sold K1000's for $359
AKG K1000 or Stax?
Comparison of components for driving an AKG K1000 headphone
Got the K1000's... here's what I think
Got my AKG-K1000's today...
AKG K1000 Impedance and amplifier load
AKG-K1000 questions -- help out a poor newbie
The AKG-K1000/W100 headphone swap... Matt and Nick D's impressions
what are you using to drive akg-k1000

** 2001 **
COMPARISON: AKG K1000 vs. Stax Lamda Pro + SRM-1
REVIEW: AKG/SAC K1000 Initial Listening Notes
K1000 bass enhancement
AKG K1000 with subwoofer
K1000's with SAC amp: heaven on Earth!
AKG K1000


Other (non Head-Fi):
Headphone Studio » Another K1000 review (Discussion with Jan Meier out of the year 2001!)
Enjoy the Music: K1000 review
Positive Feedback: K1000
6moons.com: AKG K-1000 dynamic earspeakers - World's best dynamic headphones?
AKG K-1000 follow-up report n0rh SE-9 integrated amplifier
6moons audio review: Stefan AudioArt Hard-wired AKG K-1000
AKG K1000 Headphones Review at onHeadphones.com
Headphone Reviews :: AKG K1000

Major thanks to all those who have created/contributed to the threads above, and to those linking me towards threads I had missed out of.

AKG K1000 Selector
Optional switch box, allowing you to toggle between the K1000 and a pair of stereo speakers.


Picture:
[size=xx-small]Click for larger[/size]



Description:
[size=xx-small]Quoted from AKG[/size]

The K1000 Selector has been designed specifically for connecting the K1000 to high quality hi-fi amplifiers with only one set of speaker terminals. The front panel provides a selector switch and dedicated output jack for the K1000. Two sets of four hard gold plated screw terminals on the rear panel allow you to connect your amplifier and a pair of speakers.


Manuals:
User Manual (PDF, 178 KB)


K1000 Selector at the AKG website:
K1000 Selector (Discontinued)


****************************************


AKG BAP1000 Audiosphere
Optional audio processor and amplifier for the K1000.


Picture:
[size=xx-small]Click for larger[/size]



Description:
[size=xx-small]Quoted from AKG[/size]

The BAP1000 Audiosphere is a highly innovative product which for the first time provide a realistic auditory perspective when listening through headphones. The music no longer plays inside your head but seems to come from the room, as if you were listening to a real orchestra


Manuals:
Brochure (PDF 1.75 MB)
User Manual (PDF, 740 KB)


BAP1000 Audiosphere Selector at the AKG website:
BAP1000 Audiosphere (Discontinued)

Awesome work Kai ! If you need any help digging for info, let me know. Should be a great thread. I know that at this point I am truly enamored with mine.

Yes. Great idea!

When listening to mine, I wonder why I have other headphones. Only my speaker set up is preferred to them. And I haven't even hardwired them which actually makes a large improvement.

Tried to find the link to a DIY hardwire site but no luck

there's one thread that gathered all (most) K1000 info. i guess you should link that.

I was going to say, theres already a thread that does this, although it'll need a refresh.

I also find it unssurprising that you've used 4 posts where 1 would be a sufficiency.

Well, if you guys are pleased with the "Everything about the K-1000 (K1000)" thread then please use it.
I found it out-dated (summer 2007) and also lacking basic information though. So I decided to make a fresh one.

Duggeh. I find it much easier to maintain massive amount of text when they are split up in sections. Not having to deal with all the text for information, links, ... when I just want to add a picture. Hence why I reserved 4 posts.
You may of course prefer differently!

Quote:



I think the following would be great, if you can find the info here or elsewhere.
Basically its production history.
* When was it released? ~1990 I think.
* When did it go out of production (first time)?
* When did the revive it? I am quite sure it was out of production, then revived a bit later.
* When did it go out of "final" production (so far )? Sometime 2005 I think.
* How many units were produced? Ever seen 8xxx, 9xxx models?
* The "mystery" behind the dark and light wooden boxes? When did they switch?
* Anything you can find..

That would be kind of you!

Beautiful work Kai, thank you

Thank you Kai! This is a great thread. I just downloaded the manual, parts list and brochure. Thanks for the links.

Quote:



I have listened to this headphone and other expensive ones, it is not what you make it to be, you guys here listen to headphones from portables not real amplifiers evaluate headphones from a good amplifier and you'll see what I'm trying to say,there is no perfect headphone... you waste your money, buy a good amplifier and use good driver headphones from SONY and you'll never go back to those expensive lemons

Quote:



I think that you may be wrong there.

I have no idea what you are talking about mastertech, whatsoever...