Best Studio Headphones
Oct 27, 2002 at 7:41 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 11

SPLASTiK

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I'm going to school in Jan. in hopes to be an Audio Engineer/Producer. I need a good set of studio cans and my budget is $150 US. I've heard good things about AKG 240M/DF's. I don't have access to try before I buy so i'm going to have to go on recommendations. Thanks for all your input
 
Oct 27, 2002 at 4:11 PM Post #2 of 11
I can't tell you how many times over the years I've seen video clips of studio musicians/technicians using the AKG K240. To this day, they are everywhere...which to my mind says a lot.

I've owned a pair for 20 years now, and although I'm now using something different for home use, I still use them at work. I have a soft spot in my heart for these cans...I still believe that they represent the best value out there. I can still listen to them on my home rig and enjoy every minute. Nice, flat response...no excessive coloration. AAAHHH....

I would be interested in what others have to say, but my advice is BUY...BUY...BUY...(the 240)!!


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Oct 27, 2002 at 4:31 PM Post #3 of 11
I still have my two K240Ms, but nowadays I'd recommend to go for the K240S.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Oct 27, 2002 at 4:59 PM Post #4 of 11
I pulled out a VERY old pair of K240Ms yesterday after having read this stuff. Sounded much better than I would have guessed. Not my best pair of headphones for my taste (doesn't have that new millenium sizzle), but I can see where people who really like them are coming from. A well-balanced, non-fatiguing presentation and very comfortable. I'll probably keep them in my curiosity pile... unable to resist the compulsion to listen to them once in a while.
 
Oct 27, 2002 at 6:14 PM Post #5 of 11
How do the AKG 240Ms compare with the Senn 280s, soundwise? I've heard the Senn 280s have a very flat response and are good for studio usage.

One thing I noticed was that the AKG 240Ms have a 600 Ohm impedance rating... I guess they need a pretty good amp to drive 'em?
 
Oct 27, 2002 at 7:14 PM Post #6 of 11
Sennheiser HD 25-1's (not the sp model). They're pricey, but you DO get what you pay for
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. They just recently got the Best DJ Headphones 2002 award
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. These ARE professional monitoring headphones, but of course DJ headphones are the same catagory, DJ headphones/monitoring headphones, same thing really.

Info on these are here http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/mpindex25.htm#HD25
 
Oct 28, 2002 at 10:36 AM Post #7 of 11
The main problem I read about the 240M is they are rolled-off at the extremes and hard to power at 600ohm/88db (you could hook up your speaker amp!).

Additionally, The 240DF is supposed to be diffuse-field equalized according to some 'international radio standard', but I remember reading from headwize this is only over a rather narrow band - something like (+/-2db) 100Hz - 10kHz. Someone can correct me or clarify. Is this one the most accurate of the bunch?

I was reading that the new 240S is 55ohm, but still only 91db. My question to those familiar with the 240s - does the 240S evenly extend the response at the extremes and does it sound different in any other way (read it uses the same 'varimotion' as the 501) ?
I was reading the AKG discussion board (there are actually a few posts by Neruda & kwkarth) & the administrator himself atleast implied in a post that the 240M and 240S are similiar sounding (with the 240S being more extended in the highs). Anyone want to challenge? He also said the 240DF is the least colored of the 240s.
 
Oct 28, 2002 at 6:12 PM Post #8 of 11
BenG: The K240S sounds much more extended and musical than the K240M to my ears - with deep and punchy bass, too. Nevertheless, the K240DF might indeed be the least coloured in the series (though coloration generally doesn't seem to be a serious problems with all K240s), but when I tried it (back in the 80s, when I was about to purchase my second K240M), it sounded so lifeless and rather dull to me - so I found myself better served with the K240M at that time.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Oct 28, 2002 at 9:46 PM Post #9 of 11
The older AKG's are basically midrange phones, and do fine in that band of frequencies. 240S fills out both extremes which I think is stated in product descriptions. It definitely has a better bass response than the K501, which in turn had better bass response than even the 240M/DF. I'd imagine them to sound similar within midrange only, in which case AKG's typically do have some signature traits in their midrange. And even then the definition of "similar sounding" is correct in response to the target audience. Someone who is used to the old K240M should not find their mixes suddenly sounding totally alien to them on the K240S.

Older AKG's both lacked sensitivity and efficiency, the AKG240S is much more efficient, but still lacks enough sensitivity to make it questionable from usage straight out of portables(but still much much better than trying 600 ohms with even lest sensitivity from the same jack).

I would rather have the AKG240S over the Senn280 if isolation isn't a factor.
 
Oct 28, 2002 at 9:52 PM Post #10 of 11
Quote:

Originally posted by Tim D


I would rather have the AKG240S over the Senn280 if isolation isn't a factor.


Why is this exactly? Is it the reportedly recessed bass response of the Senn280s, or do the AKG240s just have a better overall presentation? Or perhaps some other factor?
 

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