[bik2101]

I've been looking around on fs/ft forums and seen quite a few variations on the the akg 240.. i was wondering what the difference between all of them are.

 

[pistolsnipe]

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/k24...onitor-442491/

 

[estreeter]

bik2101, are you referring to the 'K240' per se, or the K242 ? The K240 is an older phone, while the K242 MKII and K242HD are newer models : the K240 is a very different headphone to the K242s, as you will probably gather if you follow pistolsnipe's link.

 

[lejaz]

Not all k240's are old versions. I have the fairly recent k240S, which is not essentially different from the k240mkII. Both are very different from the older k240's. The newer ones are 55ohm impedance vs. 600ohm for the older versions, for one. Most people prefer the sound signature of the older k240's, whether the k240 Monitor, or the 240 sextett. The k240DF is a whole other animal...designed as a flat/neutral studio monitor originally for radio engineers and studio monitoring. If your set up can drive 600ohms go for the older k240's... often available second hand on ebay or the for sale forum.

 

[rhythmdevils]

because AKG keeps cutting corners and making them cheaper and more profitable, and to hide the decrease in sound quality they add letters to the name and fancy colors...

except for the DF, which is a unique animal, it was downhill after the original K240 Sextett EP in late seventies. I wonder what AKG could do with that original phone, and some new technology, and a desire to actually make them sound better?

 

[lejaz]

I agree with rhythmdevils, that the mkII variations seem like a marketing ploy to give the impression that the k240S was updated, when in fact the only difference is two sets of pads and two cables instead of one of each. But there was also an attempt to keep up with the iPod generation by releasing low impedance k240/141's for use by the average consumer, as opposed to the 600ohm k240/140's which were used mainly in recording studios. iPod and portable CD users obviously weren't able to use the older high impedance models, so it was probably a smart move by AKG to go to lower impedance headphones as well as continuing to market the high impedance k601 and 701/2.

 

[ph0rk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lejaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree with rhythmdevils, that the mkII variations seem like a marketing ploy to give the impression that the k240S was updated, when in fact the only difference is two sets of pads and two cables instead of one of each.

They did the exact same thing Sennheiser did when they started including both pleather and velour pads with the HD-25-1: they added a MKII to the name.

I like my k240 MKII, and paid about the same for them as I would have for a k240s, so I got the velour for free.

 

[lejaz]

How does the sound change going from pleather to velour? I'm wondering if I should give the velour a try, but first I'm curious if there is an improvement in the boomy low end, or in any other area.

 

[ph0rk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lejaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif How does the sound change going from pleather to velour? I'm wondering if I should give the velour a try, but first I'm curious if there is an improvement in the boomy low end, or in any other area.

I only gave it a quick listen, but for me there was no change (same experience with the k271 pleather/velour). It is very easy to make a seal on my head, perhaps if you have a lot of hair or a beard there may be a difference between them.

 

[Adda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lejaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif How does the sound change going from pleather to velour? I'm wondering if I should give the velour a try, but first I'm curious if there is an improvement in the boomy low end, or in any other area.

On the K242HD the sound is less bassy and boomy when using the old flat original leather pads of the K240DF compared to the velour ones.

It's the same trend on the K240DF they become slightly warmer and a bit more bassy from the velour pads, the velour pads work really well with the DF.

 

[lejaz]

Good info thanks. Then, the velour would only make things worse if used with the k240S(bass is so boomy already), but might be good to try with the k240DF....which could benefit from a bit more warmth and bass with some material.

 

[krmathis]

Perhaps because AKG have been producing the K240 over several decades, and during these years felt the urge to perform modifications to it? Hence creating many variations..

 

[Adda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lejaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good info thanks. Then, the velour would only make things worse if used with the k240S(bass is so boomy already), but might be good to try with the k240DF....which could benefit from a bit more warmth and bass with some material.

Exactly! the boominess of the K242HD was the reason I got rid of mine.
The K240DF is wonderful it does most things right but excels at nothing, but yeah it can be a bit picky with recordings, the velour pads does a good job fixing that, without any downsides, at least to my ears.

 

[lejaz]

Will it turn them into a semi-open version of the hd600...then I won't feel like I'm missing something from never having tried the senns

 

[lejaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Perhaps because AKG have been producing the K240 over several decades, and during these years felt the urge to perform modifications to it? Hence creating many variations..

However, the question is: have they been making it better or worse? Most will say the latter.