[DevanF]

If your looking for an incredible headphone that will blow your head off, this isn't it. But it it is a great headphone just not incredible. I spend most my time listening to music whether through speakers or my headphones when i design I listen to music. Part of my job is making sure audio is correct whether it is sound design for a movie, or mixing sound at my church a good quality well rounded head phone is much needed.
 
With that sad lets get to the review.
 
The K172 HD is an entry model a step above the K142, but 3 steps down of the incredible K701's. They are essentially from the same family but much is lost in the $200 between the two. The K172 is an on ear closed back headphone with velvet ear pads which in my case have been quite comfortable especially after the foam softened up after use. Initially when I first listened the sound was stale, unimpressive, so I played music at a moderate volume through the cans for a few days. I must say that did help. The stage sound is incredible, In well produced music it is amazing how much I feel that I'm among the band as they play. Though with the clarity and stage sound it seems the headphones lack on the bass, which is understandable. So many headphones have preferences of their own on how music should be heard. The K172 gives a pretty true sound, just lacks the "umph" to take it to the next level.
 
They say on the site the headphones are good for mobile areas, yet the 6ft cable and bulky design prove other wise. The Gimbal-suspension allows the user get their headphones on with ease, not worrying about clicking the headphones in place rather then snug right down where you want them too. But the pinch of the headphone if wearing around the neck is an awkward and uncomfortable act. Just the transit from home to work, with my headphones is a stressful experience. No carrying case, long wires, and looking like a bafoon.
 
When used in an amp the headphones really step up a knotch from a Macbook pro 15in and an iPhone 4. Though I'm not sure whether the iPhone amp or the Mac amp is better, because listening through the iPhone is more enjoyable experience than on the Mac, I don't know why, it just is.
 
All in all if your new to AKG, or HD Headphones these would be a great set to get your feet wet, of course do your research, but I have found the warm tone, clarity, and stage sound to be awesome especially if for extended listening.
 

 

[Rupert Pupkin]

Many people do not understand (especially people new to the technology) that the "impedance" rating for a set of headphones has much to do with the audible response of any headset (or any other piece of music equipment). These typical large-can headphones have low impedance relative to most "consumer" phones which definitely creates a different frequency response depending upon what you plug into. I have a pretty large collection of AKGs and "consumer" closed/opened and earbud phones and constantly listen to and monitor live and recorded music. The larger earcup "pro" models of AKGs, including these, are not generally designed to plug into a high-impedance laptops, mp3 players or smartphone output and you will not be getting an efficient response or necessarily pleasing sound from these, as the AKGs are designed to give you as transparent and "uncolored" response as possible, but are designed for low-impedance outputs such as professional mixing consoles, amplifiers and digital recorders (depending upon whether those have the proper impedance output to match these.) I have consumer headsets that give very powerful bass response at the expense of clarity, definition and high-frequency response, but which will sound "better" to many than the AKGs. With impedance-matched equipment, all my AKGs (except the K66 which is a compromise between a "pro" and "consumer" headset and has a rather overpowering bass response but good for high impedance equipment) have a much more transparent sound, with much better sound definition but will not provide a "boost" artificially in any frequency spectrum, much desired in a studio recording or monitoring environment. So these will tend to sound lacking in bass response depending upon what you plug into. In reality for me, I need to hear the bass response in a clear sound-field which makes it much easier to place it in relation to everything else, a good balance (as any bass player will tell you) is essential for creating a suitable balanced sound, whether live or in the studio and is actually one of the hardest timbres to capture and record accurately. Most "consumer" headsets and many supposedly more "pro" versions design a frequency bump into the bass response because they realize this is what many listeners will equate with a more "efficient" or "hi-fidelity" sound which is fine depending upon what you listen to. I'm posting this because I hope it may educate people new to the music scene professionally or as hobbyists regarding this fundamental concept. If your new large-cup AKGs aren't giving you the huge bass response you want, this is usually the reason, assuming  no manufacturer's defects or defects in your equipment. More importantly to me at least is spatiality and definition (where is the trumpet, bass player, where is the drumset, where are the vocals and can I hear each of those parts clearly) rather than thinking the bass player is the leader of the ensemble (I have no problem with that both my brother and I play bass professionally and humbly apologizing to Paul McCartney who must have understood this.) Listen to any Beatles recording-the bass was never overly dominant, and yet was always very clearly a key and important part of the Beatles sound and arrangements, mixed very carefully. All you have to do is play any of the bass parts and you realize quickly how important a clear and balanced bass part was to the total mix. You would not be monitoring those tracks with cheap phones and get that balanced a soundstage, at least IMO.