[averydonovan]

I have had my AKG K271 Studio cans since summer 2004 and although I have heard many cans even since I got them, not to mention hearing (and owning) a few before, and they have remained my main home cans since I got them. I'm not sure exactly what it is about them, but they just seem to hit the spot for me for the music I listen to. Sure, some other cans do certain genres better than others, but the K271 manages to do pretty good for nearly everything for me. It's hard for me to believe that I've had them for so long, and admittedly I wouldn't mind adding a set or two of additional cans just for certain genres, but they wouldn't be able to supplant these things as all-rounders.

I will say that the first time I heard the K271 I did not like them. At all. It wasn't until I ordered them from TTVJ on Todd's suggestion (actually, he was out of the Beyerdynamic DT250-250 which were his first suggestion for a closed HD600 and the K271 his second) and paired them with my Singlepower PPX3 that I really liked these. They did take some getting used to yet it didn't take long for them to become my favourite cans out of any I have owned.

Am I really the only really enthusiastic supporter of the K271 here anymore?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

You are certainly not alone.
K271S are the best closed headphones I have heard so far. And I pretty much have tried everything under $400 range.
With the right source and proper amplification these are just untouchable.
Throw in Zu cable and you get another level of clarity, details, and a better bass; add velour pads and they are getting as comfortable as it only can get.

They are the best scaling and the most underrated, for what they deliver, headphones around here.
Pure jewel.

 

[Tantra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif They are the best scaling and the most underrated, for what they deliver, headphones around here.

I am considdering some new closed headphones and the K271S in on my list. How does it perform against the Ultrasone HFI-650?

 

[alpha80]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif With the right source and proper amplification these are just untouchable. Throw in Zu cable and you get another level of clarity, details, and a better bass; add velour pads and they are getting as comfortable as it only can get.

Which Velour pads ? The ones from K601/K701 ? How easy was it ?

 

[Tbln]

Quote:

I am considdering some new closed headphones and the K271S in on my list. How does it perform against the Ultrasone HFI-650?

I owned a HFI-650 many years back and it was too bright for my liking.

The K271S is a much better headphone in my opinion. Tight bass, mids that do not sound honky and enough detail in the highs.

As pointed out by Andrew_WOT, the Zu cable improves the sound and the velour pads make it much more comfortable to use for longer periods of time. This is especially useful here where the tropical humidity makes long term closed can listening challenging.

 

[beerguy0]

I love my K271S. I bought them three years ago (February 2004), and built an amplifier to drive them. My amp uses a Class A MOSFET driver stage, fed by an opamp gain stage. With this amp, they sound fantastic. I like a relatively neutral sound in both my heaphones ans speakers, and I find the K271S to be nicely restrained. The bass is, IMO, entirely adequate - I've never considered them to be lacking in bass. The midrange is fantastic, and the sound is detailed without being harsh or grating. I listen mostly to classic rock, but I also like acoustic guitar, and they really shine on well recorded guitar.


Mine have the Blue Tak mod, which helped the midrange quite a bit. I've been considering recabling them, but I hadn't heard about the velour pads. My pads are starting to get a little stiff in spots, so replacing them would probably be a good idea. What pads fit?

(My only real beef with them is that the pleather pads make me sweat, which is annoying if you have them on for a while.)

 

[brospin]

I got my 271 last week, so they need a lot of burn-in yet. But I agree in that it is a very nice and relaxed can that works very well with classical (I use a Corda HA-2 SE). I ordered an Equinox cable that I expect to arrive by the end of this week. Has anyone recommendations for a good velour pad for the 271?

 

[elrod-tom]

As my only higher-end closed cans, they get a lot of use. I think they are one of the better values out there, and ought to be considered by anyone who wants closed cans. They are not for folks who don't like the AKG house sound, but for those of us who do they are very listenable indeed.

 

[apostate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elrod-tom /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think they are one of the better values out there, and ought to be considered by anyone who wants closed cans.

+1. They're tied for 2nd for me in SQ of what I currently own. They're certainly as good as my 225s, they just have different strengths/weaknesses so it really depends on what I want to listen to. (meanwhile my 600s sit in their box wasting away).

The fact that they're closed is just an added bonus since I don't usually need the isolation (and they don't provide a whole lot, usually just enough when I need it). Really need to get the velour pads though, the pleather does get hot pretty fast.

Ant

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha80 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Which Velour pads ? The ones from K601/K701 ? How easy was it ?

Item: ECV 271
Description: 271 velour ear pad
Item number: 2955Z2601
They come with 271 headset, can be ordered from AKG separately.

 

[appar111]

I have the K171S, and I'm really enjoying their sound. I can't help but think they're the "mini-271" based on the descriptions of the K271's sound signature....

 

[jbd]

I'm really looking forward to buying these! I hope I like them as much as the k501.

 

[jwilldermood]

I have been listening to mine for the last three or so years and still love them. I have been tempted to try the DT770, Proline 650 and some others but have been satisfied and poor enough not to switch,... yet

.

 

[lmilhan]

Way to go!

It can be a long (and expensive) quest to find 'the right' headphone for you. Sounds like a keeper to me.

 

[tomjonesrocks]

2 questions:

Do they absolutely *need* an amp (I'd like to run them direct from a guitar processor and use them primarily as a monitor)

and, perhaps more importantly:

Is Amazon (@ $170) the best place to buy them?