[Tull1996]

So, I'm in the market for a headphone amp, and mainly use Grado's (currently SR-80's).....but, I also have a pair of AKG K240DFs that I use for tracking in my little home studio. Never really used them for anything BUT that.

Just for craps and giggles while reading the forums on amps, I pulled them into my computer system (which is an x-fi onboard, out to a Parasound HCA-800II amplifier with headphone jack built in...the amp runs a pair of mordaunt short 902i speakers and usually the grado's).....I plugged the AKGs in and listened to a few songs (everything in wav format) and thought they were ok.....plugged the grado's back in, adjusted for volume matching and WOW....the AKGs suddenly sounded cloudy, veiled and disappointing.

Some stuff sounded ok...but certain things like snare hits sounded like they came from another room with the door closed.

Is this because they need more current? Is this a typical sound characteristic of AKG cans? (I have occasionally thought about the K701's, but would be highly disappointed if they sounded like these)

Are Senn's going to share this kind of "cloudiness" or the "open up the door!" kind of sound? Am I going to have to stick with Grado's forever? (not that I'm complaining!

)

 

[edhamgtr]

The DF's sound nothing like other AKG models.
They were designed for "flat response" but imho they don't deliver that either. DF's were intended for a specialty 'engineer' market and didn't really catch on. A few love them and swear by them but they were not for me at all.

Don't hold your DF experience against any other AKG model and/or Senn model. They all sound better and are worthy contenders to Grado.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhamgtr /img/forum/go_quote.gif The DF's sound nothing like other AKG models.

You must've listened to quite a few AKGs to make a conclusion like that, eh?

 

[edhamgtr]

over the years - all of them.
owned 240, 240df, 501,601,701,

studio use mostly 240s, 271's and the other common ones for that use.

and most certainly demo'ed most all models at some point.

The DF's were designed to be a different beast.
I had a long conversation with a top AKG guy (can't remember his name) at an AES show a looonng time ago about them and that was his description of them. At that show they didn't have any in their booth but his description of a "a really flat response headphone for critical audio" was interesting enough for me to track down a set.

Not my cup of tea at all and to my ears not really flat.
lacking low end. low mids recessed a bit. mids very foward 500hz to 2k, and highs that did not extend.

But again - I do read from some guys who swear by them.

The original poster seemed to be forming an opinion on AKG as a brand based on the DF's and I would caution that regular 240's on up sound nothing like the DF's.

 

[ziplock]

I guess the IRT standard these phones earned does not necessarily guarantee a perfectly flat response. Soundstage seems to have been more of the goal they were aiming for?

 

[ericj]

On the contrary, the intention of diffuse field equalization guarantees a non-flat response by design.

HeadWize - Article: A Quick Guide To Headphones (A HeadWize Headphone Guide)

It's supposed to be perceived as being what a flat-response near-field monitor sounds like in a room. Which is not 'flat'.

Popular DF-equalized headphones include the Beyerdynamic DT-990.

Naturally, different vendors interpret the concept in slightly different ways. But, by design, DF-equalized headphone will not measure or sound 'flat'. It's supposed to sound natural.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhamgtr /img/forum/go_quote.gif over the years - all of them.

Well, if you've heard all of them, I guess that saves me from asking which variation of the K240DF you're basing this on. I've only owned ~3 dozen different AKG models/variations and heard a few others, which is far from all of them, so you'll have to forgive my more limited experience on this matter. However, that said...

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhamgtr /img/forum/go_quote.gif The original poster seemed to be forming an opinion on AKG as a brand based on the DF's and I would caution that regular 240's on up sound nothing like the DF's.

Not accurate to form an opinion on AKGs in general from the K240DF? Agreed.

The K240DF sounds different than most AKGs? Also agreed.

The K240DF sounds nothing like any other AKG? Completely, patently false.

 

[edhamgtr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tull1996 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is this a typical sound characteristic of AKG cans? (I have occasionally thought about the K701's, but would be highly disappointed if they sounded like these)

Tull1966 - imho no the DF's are not typical of the AKG sound and sound nothing like the 701's.
The point of my posts is basically that the 701's (and other akg models) are worth spending time with. Don't hold your DF experience against the 701's.
701's were very close to being keepers for me. The headband was physically painful on the top of my head and that was the only reason they didn't stay.
Great headphone.

Fitz - its a pleasure getting to know you.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edhamgtr /img/forum/go_quote.gif Fitz - its a pleasure getting to know you.

Sarcasm, nice.

I was actually starting to get hopeful that we could add another person experienced with AKGs to the ranks of Team AKG here, but if you're going to bow out of the debate after such a trivial amount of heat, then I give up.

 

[FooTemps]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sarcasm, nice. I was actually starting to get hopeful that we could add another person experienced with AKGs to the ranks of Team AKG here, but if you're going to bow out of the debate after such a trivial amount of heat, then I give up.

lol, fitz.

Maybe you should have just posted an old photo of your AKG closet instead of saying anything.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FooTemps /img/forum/go_quote.gif lol, fitz. Maybe you should have just posted an old photo of your AKG closet instead of saying anything.

Because then I wouldn't get to give him a hard time for the purpose of seeing if he can defend his claims?

 

[edhamgtr]

good thing he didn't post that pic.
The only AKG pic I could post at this moment is a sad sad set of worn out 501's that have seen better days. (the only akg's I still have).
Someone might have called the headphone equivalent of child services on me.

fyi and fwiw - in a past life I spent a decade working for an AKG dealer. Back then I was the pain in the but kid who asked way too many questions of reps and demo'd everything I could get my hands on.
I'm an AKG fan for microphones and headphones. You couldn't pry my cold dead hands off my pair of modded 414's!
Thankfully I have given up the mic grail quest. The headphone quest is still ongoing - wallet and wife not happy about it either.

 

[Tull1996]

Thanks for your simple, direct response Edhamgtr... I may look into the K701s yet, then!....But other than for simply having something make noise while I'm laying a track down...I don't think the DFs are going to "make it upstairs"

 

[vvanrij]

<-NOS->

 

[opachu]

I was lucky enough to be given a pair of AKG 240DF's. They've seen better days to say the least. I've given them new pads & foam, and I am about to repair the RHS 'speaker' which isn't giving any sound (due to internal broken wire, a manual connection has verified that the speaker is working)...
 
However, they're so quiet! On a mac with the volume full up and a music app full up (Spotify for example, which I know is a bad example in terms of quality, but never mind the quality I'm talking width here!) they're about 1/5 of the volume potential of my basic Sennheiser HD 202s! Same if I plug them into a video camera (Sony EX3). Not tried them in a mixer yet (SQN4s or SoundDevices 442) I'm hoping for a louder result though!
 
I read somewhere that this quietness is down to them only being 50 ohms or something, but it says 2*600 ohms on them. Another explanation is that they're designed to draw little power, for battery powered equipment. I can't help but think they're going to be worse somehow (quieter) in something like a battery powered portable mixer, or an ipod.
 
Can anyone explain to me in lay terms why they're so **** quiet please?
 
Thanks