[MadCow]

Looks VERY nice, I wonder if the headband is metal.

 

[Meelis]

Nice, no evil 700 style bumps.

 

[EddieE]

Just had a thought.
 
Closed phones are a pretty contained acoustic space and a very tough one to work with. Is it possible that the low bass (which we cannot hear after all) was causing vibration in the shell which was detrimental to the sound we can hear?
 
Just an idea I’m throwing out there. Could they have deliberately limited the ultra low frequencies to reduce unwanted resonance?

 

[CantScareMe]

Looks like an alternative to the k271. Or a successor. Quite a bit heavier in weight, which isn't good news.
 
My gut feeling is that it's the k271 sound signature in a more easy on the eye build, WITH MORE OF A BASS PRESENCE.
 
Just hope they stick to their release date, whenever they release one.  

 

[EddieE]

The K272HD is the successor to the K271. That is their mid-price band closed phone and this looks more likely a closed addition to their higher-price band, something AKG have actually never had before but there is clearly a market for it now.
 
Both beyer and Ultrasone have been after for a while and I think its a matter of time before Sennheiser comes out with a "high end" phone that can be driven from an ipod. The "ipod generation" have shown they are willing to spend a lot of circumaural bose/beats type phones so it makes sense for the serious manufacturers to go after it too.
 
 

 

[CantScareMe]

The k272 is exactly the same as the k271, bar some cosmetic differences. Widely known. Probably as the k271 is marketed towards studio professionals, and the k272 to audiophiles, or the ipod crowd
 

 

[EddieE]

Yeah OK I see your point, and you're right regarding the labelling. But what I am getting at is that they have continued to release new versions of that price-band range phone and there are recent versions of it. It's their mid-priced closed phone, and they don't actually have a closed phone they've sold as top-of-the-line - making this a whole new animal.

 

[CantScareMe]

Oh right, Is this really going to be akg's absolute top of the line headphone (in production)?
 
That didn't seem clear from the brochure.

 

[EddieE]

Quote:

Oh right, Is this really going to be akg's absolute top of the line headphone (in production)?
 
That didn't seem clear from the brochure.

I don't know about that, a lot is speculation right now, but AKG have used the term "reference class" for that top line for a while now - and its been applied to these.
 
It may be a flagship only as far as their closed phones go but not compared to the whole line (like the DT770 to the DT880), or it could be the new best of the best. It's all guess work at this point.
 
Given the length of time since their last new headphone, I would hope it is better than the K701 personally...

 
 

 

[Fantoon]

Time will tell, time will tell. 

 

[asmagus]

Probably K550 will have new driver - K550 will be dB/mW 114 (32 ohm)  [AKG 701/q701 = dB/mW 105 (62 ohm)]

 

[Acix]

Quote:

Based on the claimed frequency response published, I doubt that AKG are pitching this as a flagship model.  1 + 1 doesn't equal= 6  Just because you might want a new flagship doesn't mean it is one.  And just because they list it above the K701 doesn't mean that it is meant to be more accurate etc.  It is simply a new closed model, no flagship claim beyond that.

Agree! they looks more like a vixen Dj hps (2D-Axis2)...and I do love the pads and the headband. The most important, I hope AKG made a new drivers /for this model (I'm waiting to looooong),
 
BTW, they are the most heaviest in the AKG current line,305g. Looks they can go portable as well @32ohm.

 

[geremy]

This looks more like a Sony Z1000 competitor to me than anything else...and I'm still saving for a Z1000.

 

[Acix]

lol, I hope those delicious pads will fit my GMP 8.35...

 

[svyr]

114db/32 ohm... Yikes, more sensitive than any EARPhones that I've ever owned.

Rotatable cups ('2d' lol ? ), non-suspension headband... AKG is being odd... (I guess at least people won't have to tape a piece of pleather over the headband (k702), OR will they ?)

Their response to beyer's T70p and the like?