Audio Technica 3D wing headband vs AKG auto-adjust headband - Page 2

Every head is different. Just going by what the people have given their opinions on with AKG vs AT's headband designs (or the two headband designs Superlux adopted), it's either a love or hate situation.  Because of that, no amount of reviews will ultimately decide which one is better for you. We're just giving you some details on them to help aid your purchase. It's up to you to decide which design you like more based on the information we've given you, and whatever you feel would be the best design for you. Check some youtube video reviews or something. Head-Fi isn't the only place to find information on headbands. 

What you could do is buy both headphones and return the one that you don't like. The superlux headphones are dirt cheap. The reviews on amazon should also give you a que on which one would best suit you. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustdevil 

Well I currently own the sennheiser hd555, it is comfortable when I put it on for the first 10 minute or so, then it starts to get uncomfortable, 

*How* is it uncomfortable? which spots? too much pressure? etc

Too much pressure at the temples? jaw? overall? pressure too wide? do you feel boxed in? are the cups too shallow so your ears bottom out on the grill inside?

I've had both. The more comfortable design for me was the AT design, but that design heavily depends on how large your head is. I have a pretty big head and I LOVED the AT design. My sister, (with a normal-sized head) however, was less in love with their design because the wings didn't support her head too much as they erred to the side of her head more than the middle of her head. The AKG design is basically a more comfortable version of the standard headband. The pressure's more evenly distributed, whereas the AT design attempts to make the headband feel like it disappears.

I've had both recently. The AD2k and now the K702 anniversary. The clamp on the AD2k was quite intense and caused some pain until it loosened up and that took many months since I wasn't using the AD2k too much (maybe a few hours every couple of weeks). The AKG goes on much easier. The same goes for when I had the K501 and K601. They are just really comfortable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawrster 

I've had both recently. The AD2k and now the K702 anniversary. The clamp on the AD2k was quite intense and caused some pain until it loosened up and that took many months since I wasn't using the AD2k too much (maybe a few hours every couple of weeks). The AKG goes on much easier. The same goes for when I had the K501 and K601. They are just really comfortable.

This was my exact concern. If you felt the sennheisers had a clamping force, the ATs have a bit more. 

FWIW, the AT AD2000 are basically the most comfortable headphone I have ever owned, save for maybe the sennheiser HD590 (which is by far the most comfortable headphone I have ever owned, used). The AD2000 slip on and feel like a sweatband. They're so incredibly light, and after awhile its so easy to forget you're wearing them. The AKGs are a slightly heavier phone, and I've never liked the headband design. 

I had the AD 700 (open) and AD 900 (closed).

For the past couple of years I've had the K702;

and once upon a time I had the K271 II.

I like the AKG headband much more because I was always

able to hear the AT 'wings' squeaking in and out of adjustment

through the frame, whenever I moved my head.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalVeauX 

 

Heya,

 

I find the "wing" systems to be annoying, they don't seem to support anything when I wear them so the cups themselves are the anchor and that's just annoying to me. I prefer the full strap of a headphone band, like the AKG headband, and others. I don't have discomfort from the band touching my head. These things are light weight and I have hair so I don't notice it for hours on end. Also, you can get an aftermarket padded band if you're very sensitive quite inexpensively. Just my preference/experience. I would take the Samson SR850 over the HD668B simply due to headband (otherwise same headphone).

 

The AD700 has a big sound stage, mostly you'll hear mids and treble, the bass is very shy and polite and rolls off after 100hz so it doesn't perform sub-bass hardly at all, it does not have a balanced sound, it has a sound that is focused on the mids and treble.

 

The MS1 is more balanced, with better response with respect to treble down to bass. Great mids. Great attack. Great energy. Sound stage is not as wide. Comfort is subjective, but on-ear tends to be less comfortable than around-ear. I would pick it for pure sound difference. But it's hard to pick an on-ear without knowing if you can wear it for a few hours without pain (I can't wear my Grados for very long which is annoying).

 

Do you have any other headphone options? Frankly the HD668B is better in my opinion than the AD700 actually. And it's way cheaper to boot.

 

Very best,

I'm sorry but I do have to disagree with this. The reason why you find the wing system to be almost useless is in fact that it is sooo unnoticeable.

At first I have the exact though as you, then I've been playing around with the wing system, I tried to hold up the wings and only letting the cups clamp on my head, I found out that the headphones are gradually sliding down my head.. Which mean the wings put on just right amount of force to hold up the headphones without putting too much pressure on your head.

But then again, this could be subjective, everyone got a different head, I consider myself to have a average size head.

However one thing that I do hate is that, after long hours of wearing the AT headphones, you'll get a mohawk like hair.... = = but a little water can take care of this problem.

Edit: sorry forgot to mention I own the A900x, you guys probably would've figure this out by now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Lust Envy 

AKG style headbands for the win. The problem with the K701/2/Q is the bumps on the headband, not the suspension itself. Try something like the K702 Anniversary, Steelseries Siberia, or anything with no bumps, and you'd see, they are quite comfortable.

I hated the Audio Technica wing design since the first moment I put the AD700 on. Worst design ever. Like a balancing act trying to keep it on my head, with no feel of it being secure, ever. If it feels like nothing is on my head, it's probably because it slipped off.

Thats not due to the wing system so much as the complete lack of any clamp force on them stock what you need to do is take the two metal bars and bend them hard inward to increase the clamp force makes them fit much more securely also brings the sound more forward with more bass and more volume.  Don't bend them to much or your wings might break off from being pushed into each other I was able to snap them back on as they merely snapped off and didn't break the plastic connector also adding to much clamp makes them lose there incredible comfort both short term and long term.  If you do bend them to tight just you can just stretch them outwards eventually you should find the perfect balance and I'm pretty sure this would work for any audio technica headphone that uses the wing design.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustdevil 

Well I currently own the sennheiser hd555, it is comfortable when I put it on for the first 10 minute or so, then it starts to get uncomfortable, I'm not going into a shop and try each of them for an hour and see if I feel uncomfortable after wearing them for a long time am I?

 

What you are saying is that all the reviews online are useless?

Yeah that's exactly what I would be doing.

I hope you find the perfect headphone by reading reviews