I have heard of Akai and the legendary MPCs, Midi controllers, synths etc. I never knew they did headphones though.

razor5cl said:

I have heard of Akai and the legendary MPCs, Midi controllers, synths etc. I never knew they did headphones though.

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A lot of my Japanese friends  are Dj's. Techno stuff but lotta low end...and high and he just PM'd me to "GET THOZR"...lol
 
I'm loving the press releases google translated. 
 
I feel better about today's drama but gotta wait until friday for the "release" of these.

Wow, they're not even out yet. They seem pretty cool, and I've always liked Akai as a company.

Sucks that you had to be one of the unlucky guys. I've been following Q40 threads a long time and so far what happened to you about broken driver in a few mins has no1 else experienced here yet. I've been bass boosting mine heavily with ZO for like 2 years+ now and it still keeps working flawlessly. Only a couple of times I've had to clean out the driver caging of hair pieces that would make the very annoying rattle with low frequencies.

Funnily those AKAI looks EXACTLY the same as the new upcoming M-Audio HDH50, just different color/logo. ^^ So that's where M-Audio is buying licensing from?
 
EDIT: Okay, the pads seems more higher quality on the M-Audio, probably they learnt from the experience with Q40. The pads on the AKAI doesn't look like around ears so my preference in pads here would go towards HDH50.

rpgwizard said:

  Sucks that you had to be one of the unlucky guys. I've been following Q40 threads a long time and so far what happened to you about broken driver in a few mins has no1 else experienced here yet. I've been bass boosting mine heavily with ZO for like 2 years+ now and it still keeps working flawlessly. Only a couple of times I've had to clean out the driver caging of hair pieces that would make the very annoying rattle with low frequencies.

Funnily those AKAI looks EXACTLY the same as the new upcoming M-Audio HDH50, just different color/logo. ^^ So that's where M-Audio is buying licensing from?
 
EDIT: Okay, the pads seems more higher quality on the M-Audio, probably they learnt from the experience with Q40. The pads on the AKAI doesn't look like around ears so my preference in pads here would go towards HDH50.

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Those are the old model these are the ones being released on Friday (over ear)

 

 

http://info.shimamura.co.jp/digital/newitem/2014/02/20039
 
News from Mark Japan Corporation, will be released shortly Professional AKAI Professional headphones bearing the name of the MPC "MPC HEADPHONES".

A

The Power to Produce.

For decades, the Akai Professional MPC has been the industry-standard tool for beat-making, sampling, and sequencing — the go-to hardware for crafting platinum hits that has literally enabled the creation of entirely new genres of music. MPC Headphones embody the same no-shortcuts approach, incorporating premium technologies and precise engineering to give you the the power to produce every track with precision.

Featuring iconic Akai Professional build quality and audio detail, MPC Headphones were designed to be a powerful tool for audio production in the recording studio. Custom 50mm drivers with neodymium magnets reproduce your tracks with ease so you can make confident decisions about each element of your music. Hear the simultaneous thump and snap of a kick drum. Hone in on the crackle of the snare. Blend layers of samples while making crucial adjustments to the vocal to make it pop. ...they are a microscope for your music.

The overstuffed ear pads function as a soundproof booth, blocking out ambient noise so you can focus on your craft. MPC Headphones contain "bleed" from click-tracks or headphone mixes, which will help maintain a purer signal captured by adjacent microphones, such as vocals and acoustic instruments. Zone-in and create in the most comfortable studio working environment...your head.

Gunmetal aluminum and steel construction was purpose-built for the rigors of use in the studio. Sturdy enough for every-day use, yet lightweight enough for all-day use, MPC Headphones blend luxurious comfort with robust durability. The collapsable design and detachable audio cable provides reliable, portable performance you can depend on for years to come.

Equipped with 1/4-inch (6.3mm) and 1/8-inch (3.5mm) connections, you can be sure that no matter what the audio source, you will be able to connect to it.

Features:

1. Superior build quality, tuning, and frequency response
2. Best-in-class acoustics from 50mm neodymium drivers
3. Gunmetal aluminum and steel construction
4. Closed-back design prevents sound from leaking in or out
5. Audio cable with 1/8" connector; 1/4" adapter included
6. Communication cable with built-in microphone included

 

 

 
 
I loved the Q40 for 5 minutes. it wasn't meant to be.
 
Hopefully that pic above is my destiny

Hey guys, if you're a mild basshead, I recommend the AKG K540. Bass is tight if it's tight on the recording, and they hit hard if you have recordings with lots of bass. The timbre is comparable to that of the Shure SRH-840, so it's VERY good.

I would say try the akai. I am almost 100% sure these are the same as the new m audio cans, because akai and m audio are owned by the same company. They likely used the same oem, just each company is catering to a different region. They also own numark as well, hence the numark dj gear by the akai cans.

hawaiibadboy said:

  AKAI....good mixing audiophile brand in Japan.
 
 

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Yeah I use their old vintage integratyed amp as my headphone amp. There's serious driving power from it, but lately it's developed some sort of hum and hiss that is audible when no music is being played, so I think this amp is reaching its final destination. It's okay though, there are other vintage amplifiers out there in good condition. It's strange, you use it for bass boosting, and you get BASS. Not just FiiO Bass Boost bass, but BASS. Not exactly the kind of granular control I imagine some people here would like, but good enough for me.
 

Btw the driver failure out the box is not a fluke. I got either 2 or 3 pairs like that. If they aren't defective out the box, then they are a pair that will last a long time.

coq de combat said:

  Yeah I use their old vintage integratyed amp as my headphone amp. There's serious driving power from it, but lately it's developed some sort of hum and hiss that is audible when no music is being played, so I think this amp is reaching its final destination. It's okay though, there are other vintage amplifiers out there in good condition. It's strange, you use it for bass boosting, and you get BASS. Not just FiiO Bass Boost bass, but BASS. Not exactly the kind of granular control I imagine some people here would like, but good enough for me.
 

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I'm as excited as hell.
The DJ on my FB is linking to the pre-order site with his friends and he said the bass will be there. I paid 220 for Ultrasone 580's and promptly returned them if these don't work for 30 bucks more it'll be no sweat but me thinks these might be good. Go AKAI!! Make me a new fan!!!

The pic that shows the on ear looking pads, is probably showing they will offer 2 pairs of pads in the box (one on, one over), like the old reloop headphones.

I agree with you about the ultrasones. I just can't understand how those are called "bass cannons", or more importantly, how people can stand to have their ears absolutely raped by the treble on those things. They were back in the box in less than 2 mins of listening, probably 1:30 honestly.

quisxx said:

Btw the driver failure out the box is not a fluke. I got either 2 or 3 pairs like that. If they aren't defective out the box, then they are a pair that will last a long time.

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If AKAI and M audio are related Ima test these in lightning speed and AKAI will accommodate me because the warranty and a new roll out doesn't need "claimers" as they call em here in Japan. The drivers are new 50mm and the Q40 were 40mm and they still sounded awesome for the brief time together so if these are bigger relatives I will be ecstatic...for this price? Gun metal aluminum/50mm drivers and DJ pedigree? Hard to go wrong. I just returned a set of cans I held for 20 minutes. I can't go anywhere from here except up 

quisxx said:

The pic that shows the on ear looking pads, is probably showing they will offer 2 pairs of pads in the box (one on, one over), like the old reloop headphones.

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 They only have this new model listed on their site. There is no on ear model listed or being released 2/28/2014
 
The Ultrasone 580's were the shrilliest nauseating pair of headphones ever. Holy Christ that was terrible...TERRIBLE!!! I thought they sounded great at the shop...at home....holy mother of God they were awful. The Q40 were awesome. That's why i was furious. The Ultrasones just terrorized me to my very soul. 
 
 
Those AKAI cups look like the old imperial Japanese flag......my Yak friends should love em' 

hawaiibadboy said:

   
I'm as excited as hell.
The DJ on my FB is linking to the pre-order site with his friends and he said the bass will be there. I paid 220 for Ultrasone 580's and promptly returned them if these don't work for 30 bucks more it'll be no sweat but me thinks these might be good. Go AKAI!! Make me a new fan!!!

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These might be good, but they might also be just another set of DJ cans. You know what their MSRP is?
 
As for Ultrasones, I didn't think they responded well to EQ:ing. They start distorting early, which IMO isn't anything good. I had the HFI 580's briefly (extremely briefly), and the Pro 900's for more than a year. I find Denons to be much more EQ-friendly in that sense, they don't distort as early, if at all. I haven't been able to distort them with my Cowon J3 and FiiO E18 either. Since you're into EQ:ing yourself you might like a vintage amplifier as a headphopne amp at home. They use the amplifier output to the headphone socket as well, and not some cheap OPAMP like they use in modern amplifiers. That means GOBS of power, and gobs of bass if that's what you want. They are cheaper* alternatives to nice headphone amps for the more power hungry headphones.
 
* Cheaper in the sense that you have to get lucky to score one in good condition. Should something break, they easily become quite expensive.