[Psalmanazar]

  When I went to the SF meet-up I tried everything there. They all sounded like a vibrating dog turd with metal. I love metal, I love it loud, I love feeling the kick drum hit me in the chest. Sadly, everything I tried was a whisper. Was very sad that day.

No headphones really do lower bass right or even punch. Get three driver floor standing speakers for proper low bass. For a desktop setup, get 6inch woofer or bigger nearfields with stands for proper punch in a suitable room away from the wall. For the nearfields, get dual, paired subwoofers if you want to go lower than 60hz or so.

 

[NoxNoctum]

I'm going to try to post some detailed thoughts on them later on, in a head-to-head with my LCD2.2s and HE-6 but just wanted to throw up some quick feedback as well. Just got a pair of AKG K240 Sextetts (EP version) and so far my impression is that these things are ******* amazing for metal or aggressive guitar music in general (stellar for punk). The presentation puts the guitars as far forward as I think is possible while still having a big whollop of bass. In terms of sheer emotional impact I would probably give them the edge over both the LCDs and HE-6 with a significant amount of metal/punk/hard rock. If you had not told me their price I would have assumed these things were a lot more expensive than they go for which was ~$150 for me. Everyone in here who's spent thousands on gear owe it to themselves to get these things. 

 

[Monsterzero]

  I'm going to try to post some detailed thoughts on them later on, in a head-to-head with my LCD2.2s and HE-6 but just wanted to throw up some quick feedback as well. Just got a pair of AKG K240 Sextetts (EP version) and so far my impression is that these things are ******* amazing for metal or aggressive guitar music in general (stellar for punk). The presentation puts the guitars as far forward as I think is possible while still having a big whollop of bass. In terms of sheer emotional impact I would probably give them the edge over both the LCDs and HE-6 with a significant amount of metal/punk/hard rock. If you had not told me their price I would have assumed these things were a lot more expensive than they go for which was ~$150 for me. Everyone in here who's spent thousands on gear owe it to themselves to get these things. 

Im glad someone in this thread finally listened to me! Any genre of music where guitars are prominent,sextetts are hard to beat.
Welcome to the Sextett club

 

[shuto77]

Is anyone going to see Polyphia in Philly tomorrow? I'm trying to get my gf to come out. They are so, so, so good, if you like the instrumental prog.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  Is anyone going to see Polyphia in Philly tomorrow? I'm trying to get my gf to come out. They are so, so, so good, if you like the instrumental prog.

 
I love Polyophia... I'm from Romania though, so no chance of me seeing them live anytime soon, but really in love with their music. I think I have all their albums if I'm not mistaken 

 
sometimes buying the electronic copy is not as satisfying as buying the official CD at a live concert and getting some merchenadise as well. 
 
Totally like their sound on FiiO x5ii + Meze classics 99! 

 

[drwlf]

Quite a decent gig-week in Helsinki, going for DTP/Leprous/Between The Buried And Me and Gojira.
Cba with Trivium, DT, Epica, Anthrax.

 

[shuto77]

   
I love Polyophia... I'm from Romania though, so no chance of me seeing them live anytime soon, but really in love with their music. I think I have all their albums if I'm not mistaken 

 
sometimes buying the electronic copy is not as satisfying as buying the official CD at a live concert and getting some merchenadise as well. 
 
Totally like their sound on FiiO x5ii + Meze classics 99! 

 Maybe next time!

 

[Fastnbulbous]

  Im glad someone in this thread finally listened to me! Any genre of music where guitars are prominent,sextetts are hard to beat.
Welcome to the Sextett club

 
Interesting. So that design dates back to 1975. When did the Sextet version stop production? And what exactly is the EP version? I know the LP is 600 ohms and tricky to drive. And how similar is the M220 currently on Massdrop? https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-m220-semi-open-studio-headphones?referer=7JQMLK

 

[Monsterzero]

Monsterzero's AKG K240 Sextett buying guide

Buying Sextetts can be tricky, so I will attempt to make it as easy as possible to ID sextetts from other AKG K240s, and also to explain the differences between the three versions.

<<<<<<<<<<This is a Sextett=All silver badging, Holes in headbands.*Note the term "sextett" does not appear anywhere on the HP.

K240 DF=not a sextett
k240 studio=not a sextett
K240 monitor=not a sextett
K240 MK ll= not a sextett


To repeat,must have all silver badging, and have holes in headband. If it doesnt have silver badging and holes in the headband do not even bother.

The K240DF is supposedly closest,but I cannot verify.DF=diffuser..Was used to replace the Sextetts as it was a cheaper way to make. 2022 edit. The DF is quite bass light, similar to the LP Sextett.

There are three versions of the Sextetts, EP, MP, LP. I own all three.

EP=Early Production=bass heavy
MP=Middle Production=medium bass
LP=Late Production=Light bass*some LP actually came with solid headbands.

IMHO the LP doesnt have enough bass for metal,YMMV, etc....I like both the EP and MP for metal, actually prefer the MP, but both will work. The way to ID which version is to look at the color of the six radiators.

Orange=EP sextett=bass heavy


Cream color w/ faint orange on edges=MP sextett=medium bass


Solid white=LP sextett=bass light.

You do not need to disassemble the headphones to ID which version of sextett youre considering. Simply have seller take a photo or two with a flash of inside of cup.

Price: I purchased all three of mine within the last year and didnt pay over 150.00 for any of them. Typically the EP is the most expensive, mostly due to rarity, followed by MP and LP respectively.

I have seen them listed as high as 350.00. Occasionally a pair with original packaging pops up.If that appeals to you then I guess I'd go 200.00 on that but its entirely up to you and your budget.

As Nox mentioned the sound far exceeds the price.They do not sound like 150.00 headphones! The only headphone that I have heard that combines the speed, thump, clarity and forward guitar presentation of the sextett is the original ATH AD2000(non X version), which is actually harder to find than the sextetts. I think the sextett is a more musical headphone than the AD2000, while the 2000s are faster and have a drier sound...both kick ass for metal!


Wear and tear are to be expected on 40+ year old headphones. The elastic headband suspension is one of the first things to go on these HPs, which is a laughably easy fix. If your pair of sextetts sag down while on your head a couple elastic hair ties will remedy this situation.

Amping:I drive mine using vintage receivers, and the combo is great, which isnt surprising since both were made in the same era of audio,when dedicated HP amps and easy to drive HPs didnt exist...so they were kinda made for one another.

Lower tier Schiit amps do not have enough to power these to their fullest capabilities. Hansotek reports great results from his Milo...im suspecting that theres a happy medium somewhere between a Magni,a vintage receiver and a Milo,though.



For further info:

http://www.innerfidelity.com/conten...340-electrostatic-dynamic#Zwha7oZ6gM1TkVxu.97

http://www.head-fi.org/t/243339/akg-k240-sextett-gradod-akg

 

[Monsterzero]

   
Interesting. So that design dates back to 1975. When did the Sextet version stop production? And what exactly is the EP version? I know the LP is 600 ohms and tricky to drive. And how similar is the M220 currently on Massdrop? https://www.massdrop.com/buy/akg-m220-semi-open-studio-headphones?referer=7JQMLK

Im not sure on the timeline of the sextett production but it ran from mid to late 70s...they were discontinued in favor of the K240 DF,which used diffuser material instead of the differently tuned passive radiators to save  production costs. 

All sextetts are 600 ohms.My vintage receivers get them screaming at 9 o'clock on the volume knob.My Magni Uber 2 doesnt have enough power to make them sound great IMO.

Other than the cup design I doubt there is much similarity between the Massdrop and sextetts.Its the six radiators that are working the magic in sextetts.

 

[Fastnbulbous]

Cool. To answer my own question, it appears they stopped production in 1979.

 

[vipervick]

  No headphones really do lower bass right or even punch. Get three driver floor standing speakers for proper low bass. For a desktop setup, get 6inch woofer or bigger nearfields with stands for proper punch in a suitable room away from the wall. For the nearfields, get dual, paired subwoofers if you want to go lower than 60hz or so.

I already have a decent home theater and a computer audio setup. What I want are decent IEM's for on-the-go. Must produce decent bass, be reasonably fast for metal, and not leave the tips stuck in my ears.
 
Home Theater
Aperion Audio 6T's, 6C, 4BP's, SVS PC-13 Ultra, Denon AVR-X4200W, PS4 Pro, Samsung 65KS8000.
 
Computer
Logitech Z5500
 
Desktop Headphones
Schiit Magni/Modi stack, Mr. Speakers Alpha Dogs

 

[vipervick]

  many years ago the same used to happen to me,so I just super glued the damn tips to the IEMs,problem solved...to this day over 10 years theyre still attached.

I may have to do this...

 

[Monsterzero]

  I may have to do this...

I used super glue on rubber tips,not foam or any other types,so YMMV.

After gluing them the tips would often come out of my ears attached to the IEMs but inverted,so i just popped em back the correct way,but again,after 10 years,those tips are still attached to my IEMs.

I used to wear them on the Skytrain in Bangkok and I'd take them off getting on/off the train...I lost so many tips that way,but glue solved it.Good luck man.

 

[Hofy]

@monsterzero .  Back in November I said I was looking for a pair of AKG K240 Sextett.  Well they are finally here. I am glad I held out for a pair of MP.  Now these are really going to cost me as the Vali2 isnt really up to the job of driving them properly.  I have been thinking of building a Bottlehead Crack.  I also have a Pioneer SX-737 from 1974 that is in need of a rebuild.