Crazykiwi
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2014
- Posts
- 20
- Likes
- 14
Link for photos and process: http://imgur.com/gallery/BYN1J
I found some badly damaged vintage AKG K340 Electrostat-Dynamic headphones on Kajiji for $30. It is a rare model with a unique technology combination that never took off. In addition to a standard driver for the mid and low end, these use an electrete tweeter to reproduce high frequencies which gives them a spectacular high end.
Despite this odd dual driver configuration the K340's sound, to my ears, is cohesive and natural across the frequency range. The mids are present, the lows are confident, a touch slow and a little rolled off but overall the sound comes off as fairly balanced (I believe I may have the bass light pair). However, those are not the area these headphones excel at. The K340 posses the ability to create sparkling, shimmering treble when reproducing string instruments. There are dynamic headphones that can produce this kind of sound but I sometimes think it takes an electrostat to really master this kind of detail. Guitar strings are just magic and it is possible to vividly visualise the string vibrating by your ear.
The K340 are forgiving and despite the quality of the treble it is not pushed in your face. I feel the signature is fairly laid back and musical. Analytical these are not and when compared with a modern pair of AKG K550 the mid and low end had a hind of murkiness. However for a headphone released in the late 70's I felt these created a cleaner more realistic sound than the acclaimed Koss 4AA.
With an impedance of 360 ohm these headphones benefit from a powerful amp. Not only that but they are an entirely different beast with a tube amp. Solid state amplification (M-Stage Matrix) felt a touch closed in and dry. When hooked to my vintage tube based Reel to Reel (odd but fantastic), the K340 took on a new life. The soundstage expanded and instruments spread out. When compared to the AKG K550 the soundstage was similar. Shockingly large for a closed headphone and enough to compete with some open headphones (i.e. SR225i, HD650).
Looking for suggestions on how to properly connect those four incoming wires to the new Plug I purchased.
I found some badly damaged vintage AKG K340 Electrostat-Dynamic headphones on Kajiji for $30. It is a rare model with a unique technology combination that never took off. In addition to a standard driver for the mid and low end, these use an electrete tweeter to reproduce high frequencies which gives them a spectacular high end.
Despite this odd dual driver configuration the K340's sound, to my ears, is cohesive and natural across the frequency range. The mids are present, the lows are confident, a touch slow and a little rolled off but overall the sound comes off as fairly balanced (I believe I may have the bass light pair). However, those are not the area these headphones excel at. The K340 posses the ability to create sparkling, shimmering treble when reproducing string instruments. There are dynamic headphones that can produce this kind of sound but I sometimes think it takes an electrostat to really master this kind of detail. Guitar strings are just magic and it is possible to vividly visualise the string vibrating by your ear.
The K340 are forgiving and despite the quality of the treble it is not pushed in your face. I feel the signature is fairly laid back and musical. Analytical these are not and when compared with a modern pair of AKG K550 the mid and low end had a hind of murkiness. However for a headphone released in the late 70's I felt these created a cleaner more realistic sound than the acclaimed Koss 4AA.
With an impedance of 360 ohm these headphones benefit from a powerful amp. Not only that but they are an entirely different beast with a tube amp. Solid state amplification (M-Stage Matrix) felt a touch closed in and dry. When hooked to my vintage tube based Reel to Reel (odd but fantastic), the K340 took on a new life. The soundstage expanded and instruments spread out. When compared to the AKG K550 the soundstage was similar. Shockingly large for a closed headphone and enough to compete with some open headphones (i.e. SR225i, HD650).
Looking for suggestions on how to properly connect those four incoming wires to the new Plug I purchased.
