[SilverCans]

Searching for a good pair of cans < $130 has really been difficult and frustrating. So I said to heck with it and ordered a pair of AKG 240s from Guitar Center (paid $68.99 + tax). However, I'm now wondering if I made a poor choice. Can anyone comment on their experiences, good or bad, with these cans?

edit: I'll be using a ra-1 to power them

 

[commando]

AKG 240 aren't bad cans. Neither are the A500, for $110.

 

[SilverCans]

so would you pick the a500's over the 240's? Why? I hear the a500's are huge and have a recessed midrange.

 

[3lusiv3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverCans I hear the a500's are huge and have a recessed midrange.

Yes they are quite big. I wouldn't say the mids are recessed, although compared to certain headphones that have forward mids they may seem recessed.

I think the mids are not recessed, but are quite good, although a few people have said they have found the mids of the A500 and A900 recessed.

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverCans so would you pick the a500's over the 240's? Why? I hear the a500's are huge and have a recessed midrange.

I haven't heard both, just read about them, and I think i'd like the A500s better (I have A900s and had AKG 271s).

 

[Murdoch]

There's a few of us here on the boards who love the k240s, and I'm one of them. You got a great price on them, btw- I bought mine online a year ago for $99.

Even a modest amp should add definition to the bass and generally liven up the sound. I think the RA-1 should work well. Personally, I love the bass on these cans, and the soundstage and imaging are quite good. They have a round smooth sound that complements my 640c beautifully, since the 640c is a tad on the bright side. They are great phones for rock imo. I also use them when listening to dub reggae and they are perfectly suited for the bass and langorous sound of that genre.

They are not quite as detailed as my sr125, but I'd estimate they are about 85 to 90% as much, and the soundstage and grooviness of the phone make it a more enjoyable listen to my ears on my system.

 

[TURBO]

If you take the pads out and you see the drivers, you will be disappointed. Make sure you have the box and receipt around. There are better cans for less. One better choice is Grado SR-60, but you need to order it online.

I had the KS240S and I exchanged for the Beyer 770-pro (80ohms). Huge difference in sound. I also got the K240S from Guitar Center and exchanged two days before the 30 days.

 

[Murdoch]

Grado sr60 is a great phone, no doubt. Especially for the money. But its a very different phone from the k240s. Its VERY open, and has a limited/nonexistent soundstage.

Hell, get em both and live with them for a while, then return the one you don't like as much.

 

[lini]

SilverCans: Well, if you had got the K240S for unamped use, you could indeed have made a mistake, 'cause this AKG model seems to need a nice little amp with low impedance output in order not to sound mushy or even downright weird. It doesn't have to be an expensive amp, though: Most of the time, I just use a PortaCorda II - and I'd assume your RA-1 to do the job just as well. Apart from that, I really enjoy the K240S for its well-rounded and full-bodied sound. I wouldn't recommend it to people who are searching for a model with huge soundstage or extremely neutral sonic balance or bright sound, though...

Comfort-wise I also like the K240S a lot - however, for people with big ears or living in hot envoronments it would less than ideal due to the size of the earpads and their pleather material.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Aman]

One word of advice: Don't go exchanging the 240S from AKG for the A500s. The sound is completely different - the AKGs have incredibly awesome, lush midrange, while the A500s have none of that. I am one of the most biased people against Audio Technica. I don't know how people can get away with selling headphones that make you feel like you're wearing a pair of coffee mugs on your head, and that sound like you're listening to speakers while covering your ears.

If you want a headphone that will go unamped that will give similar results to the AKG 240s, go ahead and get yourself a pair of SR60s from Grado Labs. The bass is incredibly smooth and has good impact, the highs are very good, and the midrange complements it all perfectly by being musical but not incredibly colored.

 

[slindeman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverCans Searching for a good pair of cans < $130 has really been difficult and frustrating. So I said to heck with it and ordered a pair of AKG 240s from Guitar Center (paid $68.99 + tax). However, I'm now wondering if I made a poor choice. Can anyone comment on their experiences, good or bad, with these cans?

Yeah, there are more tradeoffs in the price range you are looking at so it does make it somewhat difficult. I've personally been through Grado SR-125, Audio-technica A500, Sennheisers (HD580/HD570), and the K240S. Of those I would say the top tier are the HD580, the SR-125, and the K240S. Both HD570 and A500 were inferior IMO, with recessed midrange and a more peaky freq response. So if K240S doesn't do it for you, perhaps look at the Grados next.

My own experience is that the K240S has a wonderful midrange, rolled off highs, and slightly boosted bass. That is the kind of sound I want for use at work, where fatigue and brightness have always been an issue for me. And so K240S is the headphone I use at work, whereas the others have been sold or relegated to other uses.

As far as bang for buck in this price range, Grado and Koss are the kings, IMO, because they are inexpensive and need no amp.

 

[SigmaOrionis]

I'm pretty happy with my AKG 240s. I would be really happy if I paid what you paid for yours. Mine were $99.

I've driven them unamped from my Santa Cruz, Sony DNE-300, and my main source a Creative Zen Xtra. All these drove these headphones very well.

The best part of the SQ of these phones to me is definitely the midrange. Vocals sound very nice on these. I also like the way the upper midrange is rolled off. It makes stringed instruments sound more full and textured to me. Instead of just hearing the attack like some of the more forward phones sound. They do have a little peak somewhere in the highs that makes them sound a little more open but on just a couple of songs annoyed me.

I listen at low volumes so the little extra bass makes them sound nice and full even at the volumes I like.

The only way I would say you made a mistake is if you prefer a brighter sound with gobs of detail shoved down you ear canals. I dont like this and prefer to listen for detail in recordings to me its more relaxing.

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TURBO If you take the pads out and you see the drivers, you will be disappointed. Make sure you have the box and receipt around.

Could you care to explain a bit more - what kind of disappointment can you get by looking at the drivers ? Thanks.

 

[kramer5150]

IMHO for $70 your only other options are HD-280, SR-60 and MDRV6, so you really cant be too picky at that price. Thats a GREAT price BTW, burn them in and enjoy them knowing you got a good deal on a very good can. They'll stomp all over my MDRV6... for music listening IMHO.

Garrett

 

[TURBO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nak Man Could you care to explain a bit more - what kind of disappointment can you get by looking at the drivers ? Thanks.

The drivers are too small. Usually, headphones on that price range have bigger drivers to deliver better sound. Do yourself a favor, and take one pad off and you will see what I mean. Is like a big truck with a 4 cylinder motor.
Return it or exchange it. It is not worth the money you paid. Sorry.