[mentlegen]

I'm stepping into the world of HiFi headphones.
My first purchase, the AKG K240.
I searched the forum but there was nothing on them.
If you use them on the regular basis, what do you think of them?
I also chose them over the K142 because of the removable cord. Wise choice?

 

[K_19]

The K240 is my go-to recommendation for starter headphones actually. Sound is very well balanced overall and sound very open, and incredibly comfortable to boot.  Add in removable cable and two different pads (for the MKII version anyway) and it's very versatile as well.  Can't really go wrong with the K240 to start off unless you need isolation (since it's semi-open it won't isolate well).

 

[mentlegen]

Do you know if the quality changed at all after production moved to China?

 

[K_19]

No clue. The ones I've tried are the later MKII versions which sounds good to my ears.

 

[mentlegen]

Well what is the difference between the MK and the Studios?

 

[RobustOrange]

Quote:

Well what is the difference between the MK and the Studios?

The MKIIs come with some extra pads and cables I believe. Also a different color. No sound difference between them. 

 

[2enty3]

The 142's are actually more like supra-aural than circum-aural ( sits on ear, not around), so in terms of comfort, I would say it was a wise choice based on my standards. But I do have rather large ears...
 
Otherwise, I could easily recommend K240's for a person new to headphones. It has a little shine in the treble, and has enough bass/mid-bass to keep most satisfied and a few annoyed.
 
I would say great for hip-hop, dance, general electronica ( if you get what I'm saying). However, I personally dislike it for metal because of the mid-bass, but a good all-rounder nonetheless.

 

[mentlegen]

The MKIIs come with some extra pads and cables I believe. Also a different color. No sound difference between them. 

Thanks for the info, I should be getting them later this week along with my Sansa Clip+.

 

[mentlegen]

Also, if any of you have used FedEx SmartPost I could use some info on what to expect.
From what I hear it is pretty bad, and I'm starting to worry.
I hope my package comes intact.

 

[nsingh]

The AKG K240 is a great introductory headphone. Out of curiosity, though, are you using them for casual listening, or music production?
 
On a side note, I've had my K240 Studio (Austria-made versions, which I understand to be 100% identical to China-made versions) for something like 7 years now. I've replaced nothing on them and that's with cataloging thousands of hours using them for music production. Only issue is the ear pads are hardening and cracking from usage. Treat them gently, though. And get a headphone amp because, at something like 60 ohms, they need to be driven well to get the most out of what they can offer.
 
My own opinion is they're excellent for an exact representation of the music. What you hear is what you get: no sugar coat. That's the job of studio headphones. These headphones sound awesome accurate. Easily ranked in the top tier of best studio headphones under $200, and I wholeheartedly believe they can give a couple $300+ headphones a run for their money. The flat response they provide is something I prefer from my headphones. I have a car with an aftermarket audio system as well as a Canton home audio system when I want my music to be engaging.
 
Unfortunately, I don't find them comfortable because my ears get pressed in by the drivers and I have to take them off after about 30 minutes. That's just my personal opinion. But, lots of people like the comfort. Lots of people dislike Bose, but I honestly like Bose (mediocre sound..i'll admit...but their comfort is unmatched). So, don't let my opinion on their comfort dismay you. 
 
Which leads me to say this: headphones are largely "your mileage may vary." However, studio headphones are a perfect headphone type to start with, whether as a casual listener or musician. A flat response lets you know what you want from a sound signature (bass boost vs flat range vs sharper mids/highs, etc.) as well as from the actual headphone itself (comfort, closed/open back, pressure of the headphones on your head, etc.). From these headphones, you can start looking in the right direction. But, spend a good amount of time with these headphones. Don't try to CREATE an opinion about them. Let your opinion form naturally without actively trying to. Just play your favorite songs/records and let the music take you away!

 

[nsingh]

I've also never had any issues with FedEx Smartpost, UPS, USPS, DHL, ChinaPost, FedEx... I think you'll be fine.

 

[mentlegen]

The AKG K240 is a great introductory headphone. Out of curiosity, though, are you using them for casual listening, or music production?

On a side note, I've had my K240 Studio (Austria-made versions, which I understand to be 100% identical to China-made versions) for something like 7 years now. I've replaced nothing on them and that's with cataloging thousands of hours using them for music production. Only issue is the ear pads are hardening and cracking from usage. Treat them gently, though. And get a headphone amp because, at something like 60 ohms, they need to be driven well to get the most out of what they can offer.

My own opinion is they're excellent for an exact representation of the music. What you hear is what you get: no sugar coat. That's the job of studio headphones. These headphones sound awesome accurate. Easily ranked in the top tier of best studio headphones under $200, and I wholeheartedly believe they can give a couple $300+ headphones a run for their money. The flat response they provide is something I prefer from my headphones. I have a car with an aftermarket audio system as well as a Canton home audio system when I want my music to be engaging.


Unfortunately, I don't find them comfortable because my ears get pressed in by the drivers and I have to take them off after about 30 minutes. That's just my personal opinion. But, lots of people like the comfort. Lots of people dislike Bose, but I honestly like Bose (mediocre sound..i'll admit...but their comfort is unmatched). So, don't let my opinion on their comfort dismay you. 


Which leads me to say this: headphones are largely "your mileage may vary." However, studio headphones are a perfect headphone type to start with, whether as a casual listener or musician. A flat response lets you know what you want from a sound signature (bass boost vs flat range vs sharper mids/highs, etc.) as well as from the actual headphone itself (comfort, closed/open back, pressure of the headphones on your head, etc.). From these headphones, you can start looking in the right direction. But, spend a good amount of time with these headphones. Don't try to CREATE an opinion about them. Let your opinion form naturally without actively trying to. Just play your favorite songs/records and let the music take you away!

Just casual listening, they sound amazing compared to my other -50$ headphones.
I was thinking on buying an E6 amp since its cheap and small.
I find them quite comfortable actually, wore them all day yesterday. No issues, I'm just waiting on the supposed "burn in".

I've also never had any issues with FedEx Smartpost, UPS, USPS, DHL, ChinaPost, FedEx... I think you'll be fine.

Yep! Not a problem. I was worried from all the horror stories of smartpost but my post office is great!

 

[mentlegen]

Also, on some songs I hear slight crackle I believe its the song itself since it doesn't do it on all of them.
And since I can hear all the detail it bothers me to no end!
It seems to be mostly on The Black Keys songs.

 

[nsingh]

Also, on some songs I hear slight crackle I believe its the song itself since it doesn't do it on all of them.
And since I can hear all the detail it bothers me to no end!
It seems to be mostly on The Black Keys songs.

Yeah, it is the song itself. Some songs weren't as carefully mixed and mastered by the audio engineers so it stuck. Drake's 'started from the bottom' is a good example of this lol. The K240 shows you the song exactly as it was made. I'm glad to hear you aren't part of the minority like me and hate the comfort!

The E6 would definitely help the k240 but I would highly recommend the E11. Not only will that make your k240 really shine, but it will also be great for a more variety of headphones you may invest in down the road.

 

[mentlegen]

Yeah, it is the song itself. Some songs weren't as carefully mixed and mastered by the audio engineers so it stuck. Drake's 'started from the bottom' is a good example of this lol. The K240 shows you the song exactly as it was made. I'm glad to hear you aren't part of the minority like me and hate the comfort!

The E6 would definitely help the k240 but I would highly recommend the E11. Not only will that make your k240 really shine, but it will also be great for a more variety of headphones you may invest in down the road.

I do like the E11, seems good. But it is twice the size of my Sansa Clip+! Now I'm having trouble deciding..