[Mr. X]

I'm really really torn....

I'm going to do one of the three:

1) Return K240M; exchange for K240S
2) Keep K240M's and purchase K271S's
3) Keep K240M's, live w/ the high impedance

Help!!!

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. X I'm really really torn.... I'm going to do one of the three: 1) Return K240M; exchange for K240S 2) Keep K240M's and purchase K271S's 3) Keep K240M's, live w/ the high impedance Help!!!

In my opinion, higher impedance cans have the potential to sound better with a wider variety of headphone amps. They require much less current ('amount' of electricity) and so all you need is adequate voltage swing ('pressure' of electricity).

Note that I said potential. If you can't get proper volume, then it ain't worth it. However if you can, high impedance headphones can sound flatter over the frequency spectrum, and make less of a demand on the electronics in an amp.

 

[Mastergill]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. X I'm really really torn.... I'm going to do one of the three: 1) Return K240M; exchange for K240S 2) Keep K240M's and purchase K271S's 3) Keep K240M's, live w/ the high impedance Help!!!

IMO:
4) Return K240M and buy a Senn HD25-1 ( be carefull not the HD25SP!)
Perfect for prod work and super easy to drive ( 60 ohm-120dB)
A little pricey ($150-200) but worth every cents IMHO.

 

[Mr. X]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mastergill IMO: 4) Return K240M and buy a Senn HD25-1 ( be carefull not the HD25SP!) Perfect for prod work and super easy to drive ( 60 ohm-120dB) A little pricey ($150-200) but worth every cents IMHO.

Thanks, but the thing is, I absolutely love my K240M's. I don't ever want to get rid of this newly-discovered sound. It's the sound that I've always been looking for! I just think that, for certain boards, I could use a little more volume...so either a diff. 2nd set, or the 240S's....but, if I will still prefer the M's sound to anything else, then I'll just live with lower volume on certain boards...

 

[Mastergill]

Mr. X, i don't want to hurt you but IMO,IME, K240M and also K240DF are prehistoric phones. I was using both 15 years ago and believe me there's huge improvement made since. ( to my ears those K240s sound like the 'famous' crappy NS10 speaker, only medium...no bass, no trebble)

If you wanna stay with AKG, check the K271S. But really try to listen to HD25-1 you may be surprised.

Anyway it's your ears who make the choice, if you really like K240M keep it but give a try to HD25-1, and so you can have a 600 ohms phone + a more efficient 60 ohms one.

 

[lini]

Mr. X: I'd recommend to 5) keep your K240M, because you really like it - but at least grab it and take it somewhere, where you can compare it to the K501 and K240S to check what more extended modern headphones could do for you...

Mastergill: "prehistoric headphones" - maybe a bit exaggerated, but funny nevertheless...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[jpelg]

Hehe..."prehistoric phones".

My K340's are the best headphones that AKG ever produced*, IMO, and they are nearly 20 years old. Some people think they are "dark", and outdated. But I love 'em. I just picked up another pair on eBay (gotta have backup

). Newer does not always necessarily = better.

Cheers!


(* I must say that I have not yet heard the 240S's. Someday, when my K340's die.)

 

[Mastergill]

Quote:

Newer does not always necessarily = better.

Exactly, i totally agree with you and i like a lots of 'vintage' gear ( like LS3/5a speaker still very good after nearly 30 years of existence!, or analog tape recorders).

jpelg, i never listened to your beloved K340

; but to my ears, K240M and DF are very old sounding. I gave my K240DF years ago to a friend musician, and the phone is just taking the dust since then !
IMO since the last 20 years there has been more improvement with phones than with speakers and amps.

 

[Mr. X]

Quote:

Originally posted by lini Mr. X: I'd recommend to 5) keep your K240M, because you really like it - but at least grab it and take it somewhere, where you can compare it to the K501 and K240S to check what more extended modern headphones could do for you... Mastergill: "prehistoric headphones" - maybe a bit exaggerated, but funny nevertheless... Greetings from Munich! Manfred / lini

I wish there *was* a place I could go to sample all AKG's....

 

[Mr. X]

Quote:

Originally posted by fewtch In my opinion, higher impedance cans have the potential to sound better with a wider variety of headphone amps. They require much less current ('amount' of electricity) and so all you need is adequate voltage swing ('pressure' of electricity). Note that I said potential. If you can't get proper volume, then it ain't worth it. However if you can, high impedance headphones can sound flatter over the frequency spectrum, and make less of a demand on the electronics in an amp.

Interesting. No wonder many people are still chosing the M's over the newer S's. (..also noteworthy: Guitar Center only stocks the M's...not that what Guitar Center stocks is any kind of benchmark for what's the best...)

...one of the great things about these cans (to me) is that "flatter sound across the spectrum" you mentioned. It's all equally distributed, allowing me to clearly hear each instrument....I don't agree that it's mid-range heavy....the bass is nice & tight and the highs are perfect (not too bright but very present)....If you lose some of that with low impedance phones, then forget it! Crisp, clear, smooth....aaahhhh...

I've pretty much made up my mind; these cans are for me. When it's time to shop for new speakers, I'm going to look for something that sounds like them (this truly is my kind of sound).

If I ever did decide to look into headphone amps, what would be a great match for K240M's? I know nothing when it comes to headphone amps....

[I'm getting a nice education on here, thanks, everyone...]

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

headphone amps, what would be a great match for K240M's?

At 600ohms, and relatively low sensitivity, you need some hefty power there. My K340's are 400ohms, and require alot. My Benchmark does a decent job, but is pushed closer to it's limits at higher volumes. The PPA might work too, as it powered my AKG's pretty well at a recent meet. I'm sure a Meier Corda PreHead would be the best match of all.

 

[Mr. X]

Quote:

Originally posted by jpelg At 600ohms, and relatively low sensitivity, you need some hefty power there.

...might as well live without one, then...

The day I run into a situation where I REALLY need lower impedance is the day I'll purchase a second pair (probably 271S, allowing me to have closed pair)....

 

[JMedeiros]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. X I'm about to complete my headphone inventory by purchasing: 1) AKG K271S (for production) 2) Sennheiser PX200 (for non-leaking portability) I want to make sure I get the lowest possible price on these. Obviously, it would be best if I could walk into a retail store and buy them, but I will go online if it means a great deal. Here's the best I've done so far: 1) K271S ($166.95 @ bhphotovideo.com) 2) PX200 ($37.00 @ newegg.com)

The PX200s are currently on sale at e.cost for $29.99:

see this thread:

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=49286

 

[Mr. X]

Well, here's a quick turn of events....

I've decided to take back the 240 Monitors at Guitar Center and get the 240 Studios! Sam Ash is holding a pair for me to pick up tomorrow evening.

Has anyone ever taken cans back to guitar center? (I bought them Saturday and have the receipt)

[further research led me to believe that the S's really will be the better choice...akg.com lists them as an updated and improved version of the M's w/ a much lower impedance....sounds great to me.....I'm sure it will be worth the extra $20.....]

edit-> Thanks for the heads-up, JMedeiros! I just placed my order for the PX200's. What a deal! They're already down to 17, so I'm glad I ordered in time...

 

[Mr. X]

AAAAaaaaaGGGGhhh! HUGE MISTAKE! HUGE!!!

1) Out of the box, the K240S sounds like GARBAGE compared to the K240M!! I can't believe it! I know you're supposed to allow for proper burn-in, but the M's sounded phenomenal out of the box.

2) Not as comfortable! The S's are heavier!!! Yeah, they're comfortable, but they feel tight on my head compared to the M's...

3) Not driven *that* well!! Yeah, the volume is louder than the M's, but not by a whole lot...so....what's the point??!!!

Man. These sound boomy and much less natural. I can't wait to get my M's back!!!!

I'm glad I did this, because it really made me appreciate how amazing the K240M's are. I know there are people saying the S's are so much better than the M's, but I hope anyone interested gets to listen to both for themselves, because to me, the M's absolutely smoke the S's. ..and I just don't buy the "archaic headphone" analogy. K240M makes everything---to me---sound exactly the way it was intended, whether it be old OR new material..

There's a crappy "amped" sound to these cans, where the M's amplification only came from the source...

...urgh....."punchy punchy boom" instead of "clean crisp tight".....

LONG LIVE AKG K240 Monitor Headphones!!