[The-Reporter]

I tested with an iPhone 6 on iOS 9 and iOS 10. I didn't test with an iPhone X Plus.
 
Just for information, on iPhone 6 (without a powered USB hub) :
-iPhone 6 + Lightning -> USB adapter + N90Q : error message "AKG N90 : le périphérique connecté requiert trop de puissance."
-iPhone 6 + Smart Battery Case + Lightning -> USB adapter + N90Q : error message "AKG N90 : le périphérique connecté n'est pas pris en charge."
 
But it works perfectly with a powered USB (2.0 or 3.0) hub. So maybe, for a mobile solution, it may be possible to connect the power of the USB hub (5[V] hub) on the external AKG battery. But it's not very practical.
 
Maybe on the iPhone X Plus, the powered USB hub is not necessary (to be tested).

 

[kilspeed]

Hello fellow N90Q owners!
 
I got my AKG N90Q yesterday, and have been loving it so far. There is an issue though. When I used the USB mode yesterday, it randomly stopped recognizing the device, and after a while it recognized it again and all was good.
 
Today, I tried using it again and again it said not recognized. After disabling and reinstalling the drivers on another laptop, it worked again. I tried it on my laptop, my friends laptop and another friends laptop. All three worked. After trying it for about 5 minutes on friend #2's laptop (windows 10 OS, if that makes any difference) it stopped recognizing again.
 
Do I have a defective pair? I also noticed very weird bass handling in one of the modes (I think it's standard?) that doesn't sound right at all. I could try recording it.
 
Thanks in advance!
 
 
Edit: It was the cable. Everything is fine now!

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

haha great!
 
How does it compare to some other cans you own/have heard?
 
I'm considering getting it full price unless I see it marked down to like 50% because AKG voids the warranty when it is sold, and one of the downsides to N90Q is that there are, so to speak, so many moving parts.

 

[kilspeed]

I like them a lot.
 
Some background information: I'm in my very late teens, I go to college by bus and bike. These are the audio related products I own or have owned: http://imgur.com/a/jUSrS (Forgot to add the Shure SE215 to the list).
 
 
The looks and build fit my lifestyle a lot. It's sort of a beats pro look-a-like, but quite a lot more premium and "mature" looking. The build quality is superb. It feels like I could throw them at a wall as hard as I could (Not gonna try that though) and they would easily survive that.
 
The sound is hard to describe, mainly because you can tune them to what sound you like. They do stay true to the Harman response curve though.
 
 
I've heard complaints about these headphones being bass-shy, but my inner basshead is very satisfied with the amount of bass. Especially the punch.
 
The mids and highs.. I like them. That's all I can say. I haven't had enough hours on these to truely comment on them.
 
The ANC works really, really well. It's not quite as good as Bose ANC, but it gets close.
 
Trunote.. Well it's something. It's not day/night (atleast for me, it might depend on your ears) but it's certainly a noticeable improvement.
 
I'm not a fan of the standard/studio/surround option. I have no idea which one is which. All I know is that one of the 3 modes sounds terrible, especially in terms of sub bass and bass kick. The highs also sound shrill on that mode. All is good on the other 2 modes though!
 
The bass/treble boost on the side is a welcome addition. Again, it's not a day/night difference, but it is a nice addition. Especially for people like me who sometimes want a bit of extra bass, and sometimes just want to do some critical listening.
 
The comfort is good, not excellent though. The earpads are very soft and luxurious, but the headband could use a little bit more padding.
 
 
I think that about sums it up.
 
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them!

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Talk genres. Also, comparison to HD650 and HD800?

 

[kilspeed]

Talk genres. Also, comparison to HD650 and HD800?

I'd say they're pretty much an all-rounder in terms of genres, but it does better with EDM and more bassy stuff like hiphop. Classic rock still sounds very good on it. I really enjoy Hotel california by the Eagles, Money by Pink floyd and Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits on them, for example.
 
I'm not a fan of the HD650, so this might be a bit biased towards the N90Q. It's also been over half a year since I heard the HD650, as I sold it quite a while ago. From memory, the HD650 sounded much more muddy to me. The N90Q has better textured and stronger bass, with a tight punch. The N90Q also extends much better into the sub bass. From memory, the soundstage is pretty identical, although the N90Q seems to have slightly better instrument placement. The N90Q does have much better seperation. I don't feel confident enough to fully comment on the mids, as I can't remember the HD650 mids as well. The highs on the N90Q, while not as good as most summit-fi cans, are better than the HD650s highs. I found the highs on the HD650 very lacking. The N90Q can sound slightly 'shrill' at times, but that's mostly with poor recordings. To completely hear with I mean, try the song 'Eminem - Legacy'. Youtube will suffice. Try the song with a n audiophile grade headphone. Whenever the female singer breathes in, or pronounces the 's', it sounds very shrill and peaky.
 
 
Onto the HD800.. The HD800 and N90Q are a complete different beast. Overall, I would pick the HD800 over the N90Q in terms of Sound Quality. But remember, the N90Q is a stylish ANC portable headphone. This is why I have both. The soundstage on the HD800 is much better than the N90Q, so is the instrument seperation. The bass punch is much better on the N90Q. They both extend very well, but I feel like the N90Q bass texture is more present. The mids and highs on the N90Q sound very forgiving, compared to the HD800.
 
The N90Q makes music much more enjoyable than the HD800, but the HD800 will let you hear every micro detail. That doesn't mean the detail on the N90Q is bad, by any means.
 
 
For home use, I would recommend the HD800 over the N90Q anyday. For portable use though, the N90Q might be the best offering on the market (unless you think the Sony R10 is portable..).
 
 
I hope this clarifies everything a bit, if I missed something, please tell me. As you can probably tell, I'm having quite a hard time describing the N90Q. It's such an unique beast, and the placement on the head is very important due to the Trunote technology, and with all the extra options (standard/studio/surround and bass/treble EQ) it's hard to truely give impressions. I would strongly advise you to demo it before buying, as this is not your typical headphone. Or atleast have a possible return period when you buy it. This headphone has a somewhat consumer-ish sound, but with an audiophile twist.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

My tastes are classical. Certain phones like the HE-6 and k3003 offer competitive bass but still sound great for classical music, among other genres. N90Q would need to be a step up in that genre from PXC 550, Bose QC 25/35 etc. for me to consider it. Though I'm considering it very strongly. Your words on soundstage are expected, given it's closed back, but disheartening.

 

[kilspeed]

My tastes are classical. Certain phones like the HE-6 and k3003 offer competitive bass but still sound great for classical music, among other genres. N90Q would need to be a step up in that genre from PXC 550, Bose QC 25/35 etc. for me to consider it. Though I'm considering it very strongly. Your words on soundstage are expected, given it's closed back, but disheartening.

For classical music, finding the right portable headphone will be very tough.


It is a step up from other ANC models for sure.


If you like your K3003 for portable use, theres not much of a reason to get the N90Q. I haven't heard the K3003, but i have tried the HE-6 (which i really, really liked). The n90q is completely different than the HE-6. The HE-6, while being a tad bassy, is still a very audiophile sounding headphone. The N90Q is made for younger folk in mind it seems. As I said before, I would recommend the n90q for EDM, hiphop and other bassy genres. It sounds good with classical, but your money is better spend elsewhere.

 

[Modwright01]

I find the N90Q is excellent with classical music, especially great with opera and really good with baroque chamber music too in 2.1 mode.
 
I would not reduce the N90q as "modern music" headphones.  Actually, there is  nothing close in term of quality and noise reduction on the market.
 
So, is it one of the best to listen to classical at home ? Not sure, I would maybe prefer something maybe with open design and a good dac amp like Chord mojo or hugo  . But on the go, definitely yes because of the excellent noise reduction and the quality of the sound of the 2.1 mode, make it feel like I am in the room with the musicians. 
 
If I choose only one for 50/50 use, I would say the N90q, yeah it is quiet impressive with classical tracks. The only one thing is just : forget about very old records and badly mixed. You need excellent mixed and recorded sound or it could be a pain to listen all the bad stuff perfectly. N90Q is absolutely not forgiving on any type of music

 

[kilspeed]

  I find the N90Q is excellent with classical music, especially great with opera and really good with baroque chamber music too in 2.1 mode.
 
I would not reduce the N90q as "modern music" headphones.  Actually, there is  nothing close in term of quality and noise reduction on the market.
 
So, is it one of the best to listen to classical at home ? Not sure, I would maybe prefer something maybe with open design and a good dac amp like Chord mojo or hugo  . But on the go, definitely yes because of the excellent noise reduction and the quality of the sound of the 2.1 mode, make it feel like I am in the room with the musicians. 
 
If I choose only one for 50/50 use, I would say the N90q, yeah it is quiet impressive with classical tracks. The only one thing is just : forget about very old records and badly mixed. You need excellent mixed and recorded sound or it could be a pain to listen all the bad stuff perfectly. N90Q is absolutely not forgiving on any type of music

Interesting. I've been listening to a lot of underground hiphop lately, with very poor mastering and producing. To me, it sounds fine. On 2.5mm and USB mode. Ofcourse, it doesn't sound as great as say, Dire Straits, but it's not unlistenable. Maybe I'm just used to the HD800 and Alpha Prime, though.
 
I still don't know how to tell standard, 2.1 and 5.1 apart. I mean I can hear it, but there doesn't seem to be any indicator. All the 3 "beeps" are the same, unlike the bass/treble rotation button, which gives you different beeps (More bass/treble = higher pitched beep). Maybe I've been using Standard with classical? I have no idea.

 

[Modwright01]

On modern music 80 and lately, especially hip hop, it will sound acceptable anyway, that is true. The problem with classic are the "silences"  and modulation noises at the same time. N90Q will reveal them and it is terrible
 
To find the different modes : each time you push the button, you can hear a "Chaak Chaak", if you listen to it carrefully, you will hear :
 
- Normal mode, the "chak chak" sounds flat without any effect.
- 2.1 mode "chaaak chaaak" will sound a little more "surround" with a kind of "room reverb" effect but it's subtle
- 5.1 will sound really really 3D reverb effect with unreal distance.
 
Definitely, I use the 2.1 90% of the time, except when there is already lot of space it the mix I switch to the Standard.
 
5.1 I never use it...To me it is not good to listen music, you can use it if you are a professional and try to mix a movie or record in 5.1 .

 

[kilspeed]

  On modern music 80 and lately, especially hip hop, it will sound acceptable anyway, that is true. The problem with classic are the "silences"  and modulation noises at the same time. N90Q will reveal them and it is terrible
 
To find the different modes : each time you push the button, you can hear a "Chaak Chaak", if you listen to it carrefully, you will hear :
 
- Normal mode, the "chak chak" sounds flat without any effect.
- 2.1 mode "chaaak chaaak" will sound a little more "surround" with a kind of "room reverb" effect but it subtle
- 5.1 will sound really really 3D reverb effect with unreal distance.
 
Definitely, I use the 2.1 90% of the time, except when there is already lot of space it the mix I switch to the Standard.
 
5.1 I never use it...To me it is not good to listen music, you can use it if you are a professional and try to mix a movie or record in 5.1 .

Thank you! I hear it now. Standard sounds very 'flat'. 2.1 sounds a bit more around me and 5.1 sounds far away. I have no idea how I didn't notice this in the first place, it's a pretty big difference. Thanks again for clearing this up!
 
I now hear that 2.1 seems superior.
 
Standard/normal mode seems a bit.. Buggy? If I try the song 'Andrew Luce - Yours Truly' and turn it up a bit (around 80db I'd say? Not too loud), I hear a "tack" in the bass kick. This "tack" isn't here at all on 2.1 and 5.1 mode. It does this with multiple songs, this one is just an example.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

I'm going to New York in March, and I'll be going to see the AKG store then. I'm tempted to buy the N90Q for Christmas, but I might as well put the money away and wait until I can audition it in person. They're rarer than you'd think—I didn't see any at the July head-fi meet here in SF.

 

[Modwright01]

Thank you! I hear it now. Standard sounds very 'flat'. 2.1 sounds a bit more around me and 5.1 sounds far away. I have no idea how I didn't notice this in the first place, it's a pretty big difference. Thanks again for clearing this up!



Standard/normal mode seems a bit.. Buggy? If I try the song 'Andrew Luce - Yours Truly' and turn it up a bit (around 80db I'd say? Not too loud), I hear a "tack" in the bass kick. This "tack" isn't here at all on 2.1 and 5.1 mode. It does this with multiple songs, this one is just an example.

The standard mode is not buggy on mine. There is no "tack" on any track with mine. Maybe you have a defective unit. Try another usb port and reboot your system before send it back to akg.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Has anyone tried USB connection on plus-sized iPhones? Or found a micro-USB to Lightning cable?