[knuxed]

Hello my fellow Head-fiers,sorry to disturb u guys but I would like to know what do you guys think of the AKG271 Studio as a pair of home listening headphones.I am thinking of pairing it with an amp and the reviews I have read has been pretty positive and stuff.Oh yeah the price in Malaysia is USD210.Is that a good price

.THanks guys

 

[lini]

Well, the opinions are rather mixed - some enjoy it quite a bit, other (including myself) not that much. Personally, I actually deem it quite a disappointment (especially compared to its semi-open brother K240S, which is my personal favourite) - bass sounds rather wimpy to my ears, and there's something weird in the midrange. So if you ask me, I'd recommend to go for the 250-Ohm-version of the Beyerdynamic DT250 instead, if you want a closed construction, or the semi-open K240S.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[averydonovan]

I think the K271s are both an acquired taste and a phone you just need to find equipment that it synergizes with. When I first heard them at a meet a year ago or so, I didn't like them at all. They sounded like the only thing they could produce was midrange and that was it. But when I got them on Todd's (TTVJ) recommendation back in May of this year, after they burned in I loved them. Heck, I still enjoy them very much and I can safely say they are my favorite cans by far out of any I have owned so far. They are very scalable and can handle pretty much any equipment upgrade you can throw at them, while they can provide enjoyment even on low-cost equipment if you find the right match. If you like huge, thumping bass they are not for you since they simply don't do that although they do provide quite satisfying bass that is tight and well-controlled. Only a few Head-Fi'ers are truly enthusiastic about these cans, I think philodox and elrod-tom are the only other ones, so they still are very much a niche can here. Even the Sony R10 has far more users here.

 

[sleepkyng]

akg271=closed version of the hd600

could never get used to the closed sound tho... so i sold em' to veritas!!!

 

[philodox]

lini... I would have to dissagree. The K271 beats the K240 in every department. True it has a bit less bass than the K240, but at least it is tight bass that goes deep rather than the often bloated bass of the K240. I own both headphones and the only reason that I listen to the K240 is when I want a more open airy sound or I want a lighter headphone. Usually they only come out when I am listening with a friend.

That aside, the K240 are very nice. I just prefer the K271 in nearly all respects.

sleepkyng... good description, they are very close to the HD600

Differences:
1. There is a smaller soundstage on the K271, but it is more coherent than the HD600.
2. The K271 have a closed in sound, but not in a bad way. It seems to make the listening experience more intimate. The HD600 have a nice airy open sound.
3. The K271 beats out the HD600 with its midrange by a large margin.
4. The HD600 beats out the K271 with its treble by a small margin.
5. The HD600 has a bit more bass than the K271. Both have very tight bass that goes deep.

All in all they are fairly close... if I had the cash I would shell out for a set of HD600 with a zu mobius as an alternate phone for home use.

knuxed... as donovansmith said it is a very contraversial headphone. I highly recommend it, but it is probably best to audition it first [especially if you can audition it with your amp and source].

 

[Nak Man]

That's quite expensive .. usually they can be had for less than $150, even here in Jakarta.

If you don't have any requirement for closed cans (noisy environment etc) imho it's better to get open phones as they're more 'forgiving'. I like the 271s by themselves but everytime I switch phones from open type there seems to be something wrong with the closed sound. BTW for that price you can usually get Senn 595 (my favorite), or the 'benchmark' HD 580 with plenty of change.

 

[lini]

philodox: Well, maybe yours does and mine doesn't - I don't know. I've a slight suspicion, anyway, that sound quality of the K240S and K271S varies with individual units - which would be an explanation for Paul (pbirkett) not liking the K240S and me not liking the K271S. I'm completely unwilling to get another K271S for comparision, though - but my second K240S should arrive next Tuesday, so I can at least check whether AKG's change from micro (2.5 mm) jack to mini xlr connection on the K240S makes a difference...

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[kunwar]

I would agree with Lini when he says that the bass is a whole lot better on the 240S, it does sound wimpy if one goes from the 240S to the 271S.
however the 240S mids are a bit dry for my tastes.
If only they were as sweet as the 501 then it would be a killer headphone.

 

[philodox]

lini... its quite possible, or it could just be a matter of taste... who knows

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepkyng akg271=closed version of the hd600

akg271=closed version of the hd600, if underpowered and tube socks placed on cans.

$210USD is a lot of money. knuxed, is they're any special use these will be used for (instead of just 'home')?

I'd recommend the AT A900s over them, but I'm not sure the price in Malaysia.

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunwar I would agree with Lini when he says that the bass is a whole lot better on the 240S, it does sound wimpy if one goes from the 240S to the 271S.

Ime, listening to 271s by themselves (not switching from any other phones) reveals enough or even plenty of deep bass. But as vocals get front stage treatment, bass take a backseat. Knuxed, if you don't plan to add more phones collection, I'm sure you'll be quite happy with 271s (esp at a lower price =)

 

[philodox]

blessingx... well, sleepkyng and I are not the only ones that think so... yorgi, a HD 600 owner, thinks much the same

knuxed... you might find the toronto meet impressions usefull... nearly everyone at that meet prefered the K271 to the A900

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...t=toronto+meet

 

[sleepkyng]

i feel like they present the same feel as the hd600's. i'm not as hardcore as some of you but my impression was that the 271s had a similair laid back feel, and i think i did note that the 600s had more bass.

soundstage wise i felt they were very close giving the edge to the 600s

overall i just felt like the 271s sacrificed a little bit of everything for isolation which actually helped imaging for me because i didn't hafta hear all the damn noise outside my dorm room.

 

[commando]

Have a look at the closed can review linked from my sig - it covers my thoughts on the 271s.

 

[3lusiv3]

I found the K271s to be very well made, sturdy, good sounding professional studio headphones with great mids. What made me sell them was comfort and lack of bass. I A/B'd them against the HD 555 and A500 and found that I couldn't listen to the K271s after hearing how much I was missing in the bass, especially mid-bass, region compared to the other two headphones. I'm not sure but maybe the K271s were more technically correct in their sound, with bass fall off that may be more noticeable to some people and to some music genres. The comfort issue is partly because I wear glasses and I found that after about 30 minutes I could feel them pressing down against part of my ears and pressing against my spectacle frames. I also found them a bit too hot to use, and prefer fully circumaural headphones that don't touch the ears.