[hema]

akg announces new products
 
http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/akg-k323-xs-red/4505-7877_7-35827228.html
 
what interests me is its in-ear offer akg k323 xs claiming studio quality sound at very low price($39)
 
any comments..???

 

[Headzone]

Looks interesting, but claiming for studio sound is pretty far from actually being that..
 
My local shop has these in stock, might go there to see if I can try them out

 

[derp4life]

I'm also looking to buy those but still cant find it anywhere in my town

. Though I doubt this so-called "studio quality", I believe it should at least show some good value for money

 

[hema]

available now on akg site

 

[callej]

So I picked up a set the other day.. To my ears they sound pretty good, the smaller tips can be inserted deep into the ear canal but I found with larger tips I got better bass response. All in all very good on the details, kinda v-shape sound but decent soundstage, good punchy bass, and they way outperform their price. We are approaching a time that its going to not make sense to spend 3-400 bucks/euro on a set of earphones.

 

[callej]

Man so just added sony hybrid tips, awesome. I think these will soon be a headfi hit. Whats cool with these is you can hear a ridiculous amount of detail, and at very low volume.

 

[hema]

you first mentioned v-shaped sound... also you can hear details at low volume levels...
 
are you sure they are not neutral..?

 

[callej]

Hi,

So after changing tips, they are actually fairly bass heavy, with highs not a lot of mids. At high volume maybe even slightly bloated but I'm not sure yet. Massive soundstage for such little ear buds though. I'm not a wifi nerd so I can't articulate the nuances as well as some can.. They are dynamic drivers. I can tell you the highs are fantastic, mids lacking but they have a thick fat soundstage which I think is highly dependent in getting a good seal or with good tips.
 
To my ears they sound every bit as good as 100+ phones that i have tried but hey everyone has there own preferences. My favourite IEM is the IE80 so I like a fat soundstage and a engaging & fun sound with good depth.. For 40-50 bucks they over deliver IMO.. Super comfy you forget their in your ears and light. Build quality looks ok for the price. The cables are thick, maybe thicker than they need to be but maybe they will hold up. No cable noise and they stick in your ear when running. Thats always my thing I run a lot so I'm always looking for a in ear with good sound that stays in my ear. I break earphones really quickly which is why I like the IE80 since I can swap the cables out. 

 

[victorshikhman]

Hey callej, any updates on your experience with the akg k323?
A friend is offering me a pair. I like that they're small, but Amazon reviews say the sound is very tiny.
Mostly will be used for gym/running, like you. I don't want them drowned out by street sounds.

 

[callej]

They are pretty good IMO, I think it probably depends on the seal I think there are somewhat bass heavy, a bit dark sounding. They are by no means a high end but for running and the gym they are pretty great. Just when you run outside with them you can't hear outside noise at all or at least I can't so watch out that you don't get hit by a bus  

 

[victorshikhman]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I think for $20 I'll get them. I'll post a review once I've tried them out. I have small ear canals, which has meant most IEMs hurt, so these tiny things might be a good fit.

 

[dweaver]

They are an excellent $20 iem sounding like more expensive IEM's with no serious flaws I'm the sound. They are also very tiny in ear.

 

[Andeby]

Just got a pair of these, have to say I'm impressed so far. Only thing I'm a bit worried about I guess would be build quality, they seem sturdy and well-made but they are also tiny so I bet the cables will give out soon enough.

 

[callej]

Cables seem pretty tough, in fact maybe too big considering the size of the earbud itself. For the money its really not a bad deal..

 

[slick1ru2]

I have a pair since release and I love them. Matter of fact I had to dig out some of my full size headphones this week and give them some attention! And they are durable, I've been rough on them, still sound great.