[appar111]

Well, I now have some Christmas fun money to play with and I'm looking at getting a new set of headphones. They need to be good for rock and classic rock and pop, and they have to sound good unamped (a slightly warmer sound signature would be nice, and they have to sound musical. I don't want to get back in to analyzing music, I just want to enjoy it.

Here are my choices:

AKG K240 Mk II
AKG K141 Mk II

Also, being able to lay down and listen to tunes in bed would be a bonus-- I remeber being able to do that ok with K240S's ok since they didn't clamp too tight, but also didn't fall off my head when laying down.

Do the K240 Mk II's sound just like the last K240S's? Also, how does the new K141 sound by comparison to the K240S?

thanks!
J.

 

[Lagatp]

I own the AKG K242 HD and I have tried the AKG K240 Mk II,K240S and the AKG K142 HD.

Why did you chose the studio version over the personal version? To me the only value they have is the changeable cable and I forgot, maybe they got the thingy that stops playing music when you put them off? I dunno. To me its just more expensive and more importantly, the studio version sounds too raw for me and I don't own a full collection of flacs and cds, it might not even benefit much from them. But I must say that the difference between the AKG's personal and studio version isn't that vast that you could see them as the same as I write.

To me, the K242s seem to have a bit more resolution over the K240S sonically, though not really that big of a difference: It was hard to hear one on an A/B test.

I haven't tried the K142 much since I just couldn't stand their comfort. Unlike the 242s, they don't cover you ear completely but crushes your whole ear entirely with a small whole in the middle. Even though both models used comfy velor pads, the comfort level really varies, I would totally go for the 242 for the comfort and sound.

I just never really can sleep with my K242, you can't turn you head with them, though I still listen to them for a few hours in bed lying down before sleep. I have just recently bought the Westone UM1, an IEM that fits pretty flat in your ear with nothing sticking out, you can turn your head a dozen times and it won't fall of, it may not sound as good as full sized cans but it certainly is my favorite for bed times.

 

[appar111]

From the places I looked around, the HD series was more expensive than the xx2 MkII series. I have a cat in the house, so an extra cable with the package is nice, as well as a couple different pad options (the Mk II's all come with velour and pleather, right?) I just checked online and the K240 Mk II is around $145, and the K242 HD is more like $270-- I'd like to limit the cost to around $150.

Does the K240 Mk II have the thing that shuts them off when you take them off your head? I thought only the K271's had those. I don't know if I'd like that function too much.

I don't mind not being able to lay on my side when listening to music, as long as the headphone cup size isn't so huge that it precludes me from doing so. I can't do IEM's, did those once before and you gotta be religious with cleaning them-- I wasn't and got a nasty ear infection because of it.

 

[Lagatp]

wow I'm glad that I got my K242 for 170. Checked their webste, doesn't seem to have. I got that idea cause my friend got a K271.

 

[the search never ends]

J&R sells the 242 for less than 200, great value! I am sure it can be found elsewhere for under 200, this 242 hd is serious value!