[JAnonymous5150]

The 240DF LP with open driver (no black paper in front) sounds best of all, detailed and enormously transparent, clearly a whole level higher than a K240 Sextett

This is exactly why I sought out the K240DFs and then kept them. They have their own unique presentation that I find to be very good for examining individual layers in music. The Sextetts may be more fun in the traditional sense, but I use the DFs more often because of what they bring to the table. Both are certainly great headphones and both are also awesome values for what you can get them for these days.

 

[richard51]

The K340 is so great i was sure to be liberated forever from upgraditis or frustration at least, thanks God!

But now i have read a lot about AKG models because i loved the K340 so much, and i ordered a sextett and i will receive my sextett in a few days....

The problem is now, i want to try the K240 DF too and the less known parabolic K280 , 2 focussing angled lensing drivers ..... Then i returned to expanse spree, as in the times of my speakers/room studies.... AKG investigated psycho-acoustic concepts and were not satisfied by gluing new driver in an empty shell, as many actual companies do when they sell beautiful wooden cups more than acoustic.... I dont give a damn about the look, i want "sound ectasy".....

Goddam AKG ! I will end with 4 headphones now.... I am also curious about the K4 and the K145, two smaller hybrids as the big K340....


It seems AKG had always made a huge psycho-acoustic research before giving new headphones on the market... I am not interested by the K1000 though, because of his price used and problematic comfort....But who knows?

 

[richard51]

These parabolic K280 review tease me a lot, as the K240 DF.... By the way some people prefer the parabolic to the sextett....

https://www.hifi-classic.net/review/akg-k280-52.html
Images here:
https://stereonomono.blogspot.com/2013/12/akg-k-280-parabolic.html

I am pretty sure nothing can beat my optimized K340, all in all taking account of an average total of each acoustic factors at play...The K340 lack nothing, even if it is not the best concerning each factor separetely, if wev sum all his characteristics it win over almost all headphone for me for the time being....

But on some factor, for example, the surroundig effect, the K280 could beat them with his focussing lensing effect.... If not on all other aspects.... As the DF can beat the K340 in neutrality or transparency, if i analyse the reviews rightfully etc....

I tought about 4 AKG headphones for me in the future : DF, sextett, parabolic, and K340....

I dont count my "artificially " sound-wise K701....I will use them to listen news on my computer certainly not music.... It seems i dont like at all any headphone born WITHOUT psycho-acoustic research in it.... The 4 AKG headphones i wanted, all of them are born from psycho-acoustic research and contain new acoustic devices or illustrated some acoustic new principles... Not the K701, nor the Hifiman He 400 nor all the other headphones i never really like, 2 beyerdynamic, 2 Stax and 2 Fostex....

 

[richard51]

Now it seems the K290 surround model can beat the K280 parabolic ... They also own angled drivers horizontally i think instead of vertically... If someone know i will listen to his opinion.... Or the AKG K270 a parabolic version too .... Damn! Akg has more headphones than all others together it seems....

 

[Majoox]

All of them are miserable headphones, only the K270 is halfway usable. The Parabolic sounds awful, no matter which version, like a worse K240 Monitor. It does not matter with the K290 Surround/Stereo how they turn the baffle, you localize the sound in between the drivers.

A K270 has a large dip at 200 Hz, which makes it sound empty, voices have no "power". With my "venting modification" however this is possible to fix but a measurement microphone is mandatory. In addition, damping material is missing by default, which is urgently needed. With the K290 I once removed the two rear drivers and closed the openings to listen to how the sound from the two front (angled 30 degrees) is - that was also no better than a K240 Monitor, with original condition no better than a normal K280.

Currently I still have a "Frankenstein" lying around, an completely black AKG Parabolic but instead of the later 150 ohm drivers (parallel 75 ohm) with original K240 Sextett 600 ohm drivers (parallel 300 ohm). But is not yet finished.

 

[Davidzak64]

All of them are miserable headphones, only the K270 is halfway usable. The Parabolic sounds awful, no matter which version, like a worse K240 Monitor. It does not matter with the K290 Surround/Stereo how they turn the baffle, you localize the sound in between the drivers.

A K270 has a large dip at 200 Hz, which makes it sound empty, voices have no "power". With my "venting modification" however this is possible to fix but a measurement microphone is mandatory. In addition, damping material is missing by default, which is urgently needed. With the K290 I once removed the two rear drivers and closed the openings to listen to how the sound from the two front (angled 30 degrees) is - that was also no better than a K240 Monitor, with original condition no better than a normal K280.

Currently I still have a "Frankenstein" lying around, an completely black AKG Parabolic but instead of the later 150 ohm drivers (parallel 75 ohm) with original K240 Sextett 600 ohm drivers (parallel 300 ohm). But is not yet finished.

This is a little off topic, but do you feel the Sextett lp vocal reproduction are on par with some of the best? They seem to best anything I own. The K1000 bass light that I owned had this type of sweet vocal reproduction also.

 

[richard51]

Thanks Majoox, i trust your knowledge..... Your post will spare me buying spree.... I will only buy the K240 DF then..... The K340, the sextett and the DF are the three "cult" one....

A question , is the K500 as good as the DF ? You spoke about the K500 too Majoox, i dont remind where....

All of them are miserable headphones, only the K270 is halfway usable. The Parabolic sounds awful, no matter which version, like a worse K240 Monitor. It does not matter with the K290 Surround/Stereo how they turn the baffle, you localize the sound in between the drivers.

A K270 has a large dip at 200 Hz, which makes it sound empty, voices have no "power". With my "venting modification" however this is possible to fix but a measurement microphone is mandatory. In addition, damping material is missing by default, which is urgently needed. With the K290 I once removed the two rear drivers and closed the openings to listen to how the sound from the two front (angled 30 degrees) is - that was also no better than a K240 Monitor, with original condition no better than a normal K280.

Currently I still have a "Frankenstein" lying around, an completely black AKG Parabolic but instead of the later 150 ohm drivers (parallel 75 ohm) with original K240 Sextett 600 ohm drivers (parallel 300 ohm). But is not yet finished.

 

[Davidzak64]

It just needed to be done.
Thread 'The Vintage AKG Headphones appreciation thread' https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-vintage-akg-headphones-appreciation-thread.966894/

 

[Majoox]

This is a little off topic, but do you feel the Sextett lp vocal reproduction are on par with some of the best? They seem to best anything I own. The K1000 bass light that I owned had this type of sweet vocal reproduction also.

The problem with the K1000 is the peak at 2 kHz, which gives female voices in particular an amount of energy - this is not positive, because it can get fatiguing. In the fundamental range the K1000 has too little energy, especially the later models (above serial number 05000) lack warmth. The K340 does all that better, but due to the better timbre and phase coherency, the K240 Sextett EP/MP/LP always wins here.

I have answered Richard's question in the new thread.

 

[JAnonymous5150]

Thanks Majoox, i trust your knowledge..... Your post will spare me buying spree.... I will only buy the K240 DF then..... The K340, the sextett and the DF are the three "cult" one....

A question , is the K500 as good as the DF ? You spoke about the K500 too Majoox, i dont remind where....

FWIW, I have heard the K280 and K290 and I agree with @Majoox , both are pretty terrible. I have never heard the K270, but I'm betting I don't need to based on his opinion if those as well.

 

[richard51]

After these months of listening i concluded this about the best way or the ideal musical genre to appreciate the K340 for his versatility , especially for his holographic and soundstage properties....

I love jazz, and listen much of it, the soundfield is holograpghic with jazz but inside the head and around the head mostly, but with classical recordings, the soundstage aspect of the soundfield is holographic too for sure but out of the head mostly or very often....

Then someone who will never listen classic will not feel and experience this aspect fully ....For me the musical genre for which the K340 is at his best is classical.... Now i love jazz and it is fantastic on the K340.... But take a choral music recording and SEE and enjoy it.... Stupendous....

 

[Davidzak64]

After these months of listening i concluded this about the best way or the ideal musical genre to appreciate the K340 for his versatility , especially for his holographic and soundstage properties....

I love jazz, and listen much of it, the soundfield is holograpghic with jazz but inside th3e gead and around the head mostly, but with classical recordings, the soudstage aspect of the soundfield is holographic too for sure but out of the head mostly or very often....

Then someone who will never listen classic will not feel and experience this aspect....For me the musical genre for which the K340 is at his best is classical.... Now i love jazz and it is fantastic on the K340.... But take a choral music recording and enjoy it.... Stupendous....

Oh, but Progressive Rock is what the K340 is all about my friend.

 

[richard51]

«Oh, but Progressive Rock is what the K340 is all about my friend. »




Are the rock musicians distributed in your room completely out of the head?

If yes, give me the title name of the album.... I dont listen rock but i want to experiment acoustically this genre with the K340 .... I dont know which % of rock recordings will be perceived "out of the head".... In classical most give an "out of the head" experience ..... The recording are most of the time in church, great hall etc,.... Rock concert too for sure.... Do you have a recommendation ?

 

[Davidzak64]

«Oh, but Progressive Rock is what the K340 is all about my friend. »




Are the rock musicians distributed in your room completely out of the head?

If yes, give me the title name of the album.... I dont listen rock but i want to experiment this genre with the K340 ....

I will give you one of the most famous progressive rock albums that exists. Enjoy my friend.

 

[richard51]

I will try it, thanks....
I just have an idea too.... Nightwish albums with Turja Turunen as female singer... I forgot this one because i did not listen rock or pop or heavy metal... But it is interesting to listen to some ... All musical genres has great music for sure anyway.... I dont like metal music but i like Nightwish with Turunen which is metal music ... Then .....