[mattkat0410]

okay, so i don't pretend to be some super-nerdy audiophile.  however i know what good headphones are, and what they sound like.  once i graduate from high school i plan to go to college...and purchase some new high end cans.  the high end brand i am most familiar with would definitely be audio technica.  i currently own ath-ckm50a earbuds and i have spent a decent amount of time with some of their headphones, eg. the ath-a900.  however, i am always open to new things.  so i was wondering how AKG compares to audio technica and other such high end brands.  and i am mostly referring to their professional headphones in the $200-$300 price range.  any help would be appreciated!!  i'm looking for info on sound quality mostly, their strengths and weaknesses, and what genres they handle well.  thanks!  

 

[fir3dp]

if u thought high end cans were 300.. U must be new sorry for your wallet too
akgs are pretty decent.. i would recommend the 701 for jazz..

as for headphones around 300 what about the denons d2000?? They are very fun sounding cans with emphasis on the bass and treble.good soundstage. Good allrounder for me

 

[bendodge]

I would suggest looking at the AKG K240 Studios. Back in 2010 I was a freshman in college and asked a similar question: I wanted a $100-200 set of good cans. I hadn't picked a major at the time, but I have since gone into Applied Media, which includes 9 audio engineering credits.
 
I've been very happy with the K240s, and I was even more pleased to walk into the school's recording studio for the first time and seeing K240s all over the place. You might say I'm being over exposed to this model, but I think you should check out a pair and consider putting the other chunk of your budget towards some other components.

 

[Gwarmi]

 
 AKG K601 can be had for a few spare shillings these days - if you manage to audition the AD900 (more
 familiar with that model over the A900) then I feel the K601 takes things up a notch in relation to clarity
 and especially imaging - they're very good for instrument placement.
 
 There is a catch though, as with all the K-series from AKG - how they perform will depend on the
 quality of your amplification - few people ever realize their potential 100%.

 

[KG Jag]

At street price in the U.S. (without getting the special deal by calling Mr. X), I think the Q 701's (maybe along with the less commonly carried Beyer DT 880 Pro) is perhaps the best value for a headphone.  If not it almost certainly is for those in its general price range.  Their clarity is outstanding--probably the best in their neighborhood.  You even have three color choices!
 
If the Affordable Headphone Act was enacted and limited me to single can (that I can afford), I'd be happy (albeit not as happy as I am now) with the Q 701's, Denon AH-D2000, Beyer DT 880 Pro or Senn HD 600.
 
Now for under $100 (sometimes under $90) the K 240 studio is a good buy too--albeit with a much different sound signature than the Q 701.