[localhost127]

i currently am able to get the 242hd and 272hd for a really good price ...

i currently have an old set of senn hd570s, but am patiently ready to upgrade.

as i understand it, the 242s are semi-open (like my hd570s) and the 272s are fully closed. i am leaning towards the fully-closed version due to my environment (home, but dont want sound to leak out).

unfortunately , i dont have the opportunity to hear/listen to any of these before purchasing - but at the price, i cant go wrong.

does anyone else have any opinions regarding these two sets?

i think the lack of detachable cable is going to frustrate me the most, but oh well.

i do *not* have a headphone amp at this time - will be powered by my computer's sound card, or my turn-table mixer (that i use connected to my pc for 3band eq/volume control) - but i doubt that has any additional amplification.

thanks!

 

[Acix]

You can upgrade to K702, and maybe get some nice usb sound card that can drive them well.

 

[localhost127]

......

 

[mookowz13]

higher model number an upgrade does necessarily not make.

Listen to both, see which one you like more and go with that. Also if I recall correctly the K242s don't let sound out but let sound in if you're worried about bothering others,

 

[localhost127]

thanks - unfortuntely like i said, not in a position to try before i buy ...

open to any more input, thanks.

 

[one f jefrey]

I purchased my K242HDs back in November. I researched both cans and decided on the 242 because:

• I felt that the open 242's would have a better sound stage
• I prefer open cans (I also have Grados and Senns)
• All of the reviews I read online favored the 242
• I liked the look of the 242s better (is that shallow?)

I've since heard, and compared both cans to each other (My cubicle neighbor has the 272). I'll swap with him tomorrow to give you a bit of feedback - but so far, in limited listening, I can barely discern any difference. The 242s may sound more natural, while the 272s may be more bassy. The 242s don't let too much sound out, if that's what you're worried about. In a blind comparison, I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two.

I will say this though: you really need an amp with these phones. The 242s sound "OK" through a laptop jack, but a decent amp makes all the difference in the world. It's incredible. I bought a compass and I can't get over the improvement. The amp/DAC makes the headphones sound much, much fuller and the instruments sound much more separated and complex. I can't stress this enough - if you really want to hear these phones, invest in an amp.

I'll swap with my neighbor tomorrow to see if I can come up with something better for you, but in general I think they're pretty close . I definitely love these phones though, and I don't think you'll be disappointed for the price

 

[localhost127]

keep my posted!


maybe i will lean towards the 242hd then...my senn hd570s now are semi open and those don't bother me too much... thanks!

also, which amp do you have? im completely new to amps as well,

 

[one f jefrey]

OK. Here's my very unprofessional comparison after an hour of listening.

Music (CDs):
Catherine Wheel -Adam and Eve
The Band - Greatest Hits
Bella Fleck - Throw down your heart
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted

Source:
laptop > Audio GD Compass > AKG K242/272 HD

I won't get into impressions of each, but rather I'll try to give the differences between the two.

242

The 242 has a more open soundstage. Vocals and highs sound more natural, and less hollow. They're also easier to drive - I had my volume knob lower compared to the 272. There's more sound leakage obviously - but not too much. Standing 3 feet away from my coworker, I could barely hear any escaping sound, despite the fact that the volume was at a decent level. I listen to music fairly loud, and you can't hear anything outside of my cube, or for that matter, beyond arms length.

272

The 272 is harder to drive. I had to notch the volume up by 10 percent or so to get the same effect - but when I did that, the phones really improved. If you're not going to buy an amp, that may be the something to think about. The instruments are more separated, the sound is a little bit cleaner, there are more artifacts to hear at highs and lows, and there is more bass. The one down side to the 272 is that the sound is slightly less natural, more hollow, like I'm listening to headphones instead of speakers. I guess that's the difference between open and closed cans? Apart from that though, I actually really liked the 272s - maybe better than the 242s. I can see why they're more expensive, the sound is just a little bit more complex and clear. My coworker has the same opinion.

Honestly, given your situation, you can't go wrong with either, or both. I had intended to get both, but I decided to get some other things instead. I'll definitely consider the 272s in the future though. You'll be more than happy with either though.

On a side note, I've also heard the 701. THOSE are some nice cans.

As for amps, I recommend doing the reading in the amp forum. I spent a month reading FAQs, reviews, and comparisons. There are some really incredible posters here with a ton of gear, and they're all willing to share their expert opinions. Find a pricepoint that you're comfortable with and then see what's out there. I picked the Audio-gd compass and I really, really like it. It makes a huge difference to these headphones. Huge. I can't even imagine going back to unamped. The best way to explain the difference between amped and unamped, is that the amp makes you forget that you're wearing headphones at all. The sound is so full and so detailed. I've since ordered a Little dot mk II tube amp to pair with my other headphones.

Hopefully that helps.

 

[localhost127]

i just contacted audio-gd and they have 1 compass in stock so maybe i'll get that and the 272's (once i rule out that i cannot get the k701s without discount).

price wasn't too bad for the compass ($250 usd)

do i really need to do much investigation on the amps?
im sort of in a "ready to buy now" mood, and if i find a good amp at a decent price, should i just go for it?

that would probably be the max i would want to spend on an amp, so chances are probably slim that i'd find something better, right? and i dont have many other requirements. ..as ill just be using the headphone amp for my headphones (only)...

PC (flac/lossless) ---> optical out ---> Compass amp (optical in) ---> headphones

 

[localhost127]

my only requirement for an amp is probably digital input

ill take a look at the Little dot mk II tube amp as well.

 

[one f jefrey]

I know the feeling - but hold off! Part of the fun is doing the research, making the comparisons, learning the tech, and figuring out exactly what you want. This is the best place on the net for that - the sticky FAQS are a great place to start.

What amp will suit your musical tastes, do you want a customizable amp, do you like a tubey sound, do you want a separate DAC/AMP to build on, how much power do you need, etc. I really recommend holding off and doing some reading before you buy. If you can go somewhere and try out some gear, then that's even better. You may even want to get the phones before you buy an amp - who knows.

Furthermore, the compass has been discontinued, and early reports on the audio-gd FUN are very good (check out that thread in the amps forum). I'm really happy with my compass for the money, but I'm sure other people will have plenty of input for you - there may be better things out there.

Also, don't forget the for sale forums. You can get a better sounding amp for the same price if you don't mind used. Take your time, learn the tech, and enjoy it - that's my advice.

 

[localhost127]

got it - i can pick up the cans now and just wait on the amp.

that way ill listen to them on pc and adjust to how they sound unamped, and then really be ready for the surprise once i amp them

be a good benchmark.

 

[Saint_1]

Where did you find a good price for the 272's? Everywhere I look has them priced at $329.95?

 

[joose]

hmm. i have an opp to get the K272HD for 170 and the 242 for 140.. i'm having a tough time deciding which way to go.. how do these stack up?

 

[Guess?]

I got my 242, 2 months ago and I'm really pleased how natural they sound, you won't regret the 140$ spent. The prices here in Europe for these cans are in the 150$ range.