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AKG K-340 Help Needed

post #1 of 10
4/11/10 at 11:09am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,

I bought my AKG 340s back in 1988 and they need a little attention. Specifically, how do I get the automatic phones adjuster to work again? Mine has gone all slack and the cans hang down way too far on my ears. I have seen a picture of an elastic band of some sort that can be used to replace the originals. Where do I get these particular elastics? Or is there a simpler way to get this working right again?

Also, I would like them to produce more bass than they do. Even when new they were bass shy. Anyone know how to get more bass from these phones?

And finally, is there a way to make the pleather ear pads nice and supple again?

Thanks for all your help, in advance!
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post #2 of 10
4/11/10 at 10:25pm
If I recall correctly there is a thread where a member shows step by step how to revive an old AKG headphone. From taking apart the headphone to replacing the elastomer with pictures. Its been awhile since I've seen that thread so your best bet is the search function.

Hope that helps.
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post #3 of 10
4/11/10 at 11:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd Sauve View Post
Hi all,

I bought my AKG 340s back in 1988 and they need a little attention. Specifically, how do I get the automatic phones adjuster to work again? Mine has gone all slack and the cans hang down way too far on my ears. I have seen a picture of an elastic band of some sort that can be used to replace the originals. Where do I get these particular elastics? Or is there a simpler way to get this working right again?
I've replaced the elastics in my K340 with the elastic bands one would use to tie their hair. You can probably get them in any pharmacy, department store etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd Sauve View Post
And finally, is there a way to make the pleather ear pads nice and supple again?

Thanks for all your help, in advance!
You're probably best off getting new pads. The pads for the K240 will fit the K340.
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post #4 of 10
4/11/10 at 11:38pm
It is possible that if you fix the elastics, the bass quality will improve, as the headphones will then sit properly over your ears.

If you feel like making a bigger investment (about $250), Headphile does a good job of fixing up old K340s. As I recall from my experience a few years ago, he has a standard mod to improve the bass performance, which involves some soldering and a cable replacement, among other things. He will also replace the elastics. This is described on his website.

I would go this route if you like your K340s in their current form, as the Headphile mod will improve them so that they compete with really good dynamic headphones on the market at a lower price. However, there is tremendous variation among K340s, some that sound very good and others that sound lousy. (The lousy ones I have heard basically sound fairly muffled.) This variation is a result of changes in design/materials/construction by AKG when the K340s were in production. The Headphile mod can improve a "good" K340. But it will not make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
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post #5 of 10
4/12/10 at 4:50am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your answers, folks!

OK, I found some of the proper pony-tail elastics at WalMart and will have a friend install them. I'm too shaky! I found the pictures that D4R mentioned here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/akg...d-pics-207711/ These hair elastics were easy to find at WalMart, like I said. What is not made clear in Blackmore's post is that you just throw away the old worn out elastic and plastic holder and do not try to fit it back in using the new elastic. You just fit the new elastic over the upper screw assembly, screw the top part back together and then loop the elastic over the lower assembly elastic holder. Then screw on the lower ear cup assembly over top of it.

These 340s have always sounded great, just shy on the bass. I emailed Headfile and he says the 340s are just bass deficient and there isn't much a person can do about it. Maybe I'll just have to live with it.

If anyone else knows of a good bass fix for these AKG 340s please let me know.

Headfile also says that the only new ear pads that fit properly are the ones for the AKG 271s from the headphone.com website--AKG K271 S Cushions /Pair | HeadRoom Audio--and they are made from velour, if anyone else needs to know about that. He says heat them up with a hairdryer to get them to slip over the phones where the fit is tight.

Hopefully this post will help anyone else that wants to repair their old AKG-340s

Thanks again!
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post #6 of 10
4/12/10 at 6:17am
It seems K240 and K271 pads are the same, according to this site where i ordered mine: AKG K240/270/271 Velour Ohrpolster

I use the K271's velour pads and had no problem fitting them on.
Member KT88 provided some members including me with another, pleather-like pads,
that also do a great job. Just search the forum, and you will find his modding thread.

BTW, do you know which driver-version you have? I guess the green bass-lite ones.
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post #7 of 10
4/12/10 at 7:35am
Thread Starter 
4L3X,

Yes, I can only see the driver from its back side but it is green. Do you know any way to beef up the bass? I read a number of years ago that stuffing extra cotton batting around the driver will increase the bass but I don't know if that is true or not.

Thanks for the link.
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post #8 of 10
4/12/10 at 8:45am
I don't know if this would help, I read somewhere that removing the cotton and closing the back would improve the sound. I will try this soon on one of my pairs.
Luckily i have a pair with black drivers, these have a good amount of bass.
But I have no idea how to make your pair bass-heavier.
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post #9 of 10
4/12/10 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 4L3X View Post
I don't know if this would help, I read somewhere that removing the cotton and closing the back would improve the sound. I will try this soon on one of my pairs.
I'm pretty sure this will make the K340 sound hideous, and is the opposite of what you want to do.
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post #10 of 10
4/30/10 at 9:10pm
Thread Starter 
Question:

How do you get the original pleather ear pads off without cutting them off, or otherwise ruining them?

I am getting some of the wrinky fake leather ear pads and need to get the old ones off first.
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