AKG Headphones

Reference

I like AKG headphones. It's that simple.

You don't need a special electronics package to take advantage of AKG headphones. Unlike our reference  Stax 007 (James Bond) pair, which we picked up with a special amplifier in Tokyo, Japan and were lucky to pass customs here, our review K'550 and K'375 headphones by AKG worked happily with everything we had at home.

Not being a fan of Rose gold for ourselves in any form, we were unable to grab the AKG reference 3003 ($1495.00 USD) headset for review. To our eye, the K375 was better (although the 3003 is sturdier) in both terms of design aesthetics (looks like a more expensive product), with its gun-metal grey shades, and rectangular remote housing.

Preface: If you search the internet you will find the 3003 AKG is very well reviewed. Our favourite online publication, the Absolute Sound loves it, as does the Robb report. here  We did listen and give repeat credence to this luxury model, as we hoped it would be a replacement for loudspeaker requisitions in the future. However, just as the use of Rose gold turned of off Herme's otherwise gorgeous H Bracelet ($40,000.00+) and others, we couldn't even think of ourselves with it in our ear. No diamonds. So, if you are looking for a luxury model, try waiting. We did.

However our misgivings, we we lucky to audition the AKG 3003 in-person at the Headphone Bar, and pick up for our use the reference-quality AKG K375 ($149.95), and AKG K550 ($349.95) headphones.

AKG K375 Headphone Set

The AKG K375 headphones are a handsome set. At roughly the same price, you won't find anything close to their looks.

Beautiful Imperfection is a fitting title for this product. Resolution and engagement wise, the quality is not up to the equally priced Sennheiser CX-500 in-ear headphone, and certainly far from the Focal Grand Utopia III and Bryston 28B SST2 in terms of realistic portrayal of instruments.

Listening to ASA's "The Way I Feel," you are struck by the wonderful quality of sound, driven by the Calynx Coffee headphone amplifier and Digital to Analogue (DAC) converter. It's low-fidelity and yet it's driven and good. Even grand, I would say. The air at the trombone at the end, the slide of the guitar in the Barr Brother's "Beggar in the Morning" - it's there, and as real as you would likely hear in concert, and better than the radio at home. And yet, not hi-fi, like Rotel or YBA - not free of stridency, grain and harsh distortion that plagues sound.

Just as sound engineers might at musicians request add amplification to Herbie Hancock playing a Steinway Grand in a concert hall where you could hear a penny drop from any seat in the house, and a microphone to the bell of an excellent soprano saxophone (1+1 tour with Wayne Shorter, 1997) at the Chan Center, so will listening to this price level of headphone take away from the direct and acoustic sound.

François Houle's clarinet and Benoît Delbecq's live piano (and percussion) are rendered quite qualitatively and musically well in their "Poor Pee Wee" (Because She Hoped). As a musician, you can hear the overall sound of the instruments (characteristic), the technique, and the lines of music.

Why are we reviewing these headphones, you might wonder? With our reference headphones (Stax) in the shop for re-tubing, we found a renewed interest in all things, headphone related. To this end, we picked up a Calynx Coffee DAC / Headphone amplifier, HiFi Man HE-300 Headphone (which resembled the 007), took delivery of a tube-based amplifier, the Trends Audio PA-10.1D, 3 rolls of fine silver solder by WBT, and paused with the reference Sennheiser IE800 IE at Headphone Bar.

One thing we discovered, with in-ears, particularly the IE 800, but also the AKG 375, was that the sound of the presentation could be drastically altered by the insertion into the ear. Depending on insertion level, it will be between low and medium fidelity. On some tracks, the increased bass brought by full insertion might be too much, so it's best to go east.

None of these headphones and paraphernalia could deliver the delicacy and intimate pleasure that the Stax configuration delivered, however each, including the IE 800 was under the recent cost of repair for our beloved electrostatics, and each delivered something special that renewed our practical interest in music and high fidelity (hi fi) in particular.

We were most happy with the electronica driving track, Vamp (Vinyl Edit) by Trentemoller on the AKG's, which was used at Hi Fi Centre by Totem's Vince Bruzzese to demonstrate his Totem Element Earth recommended component. Likewise the designer of the K375 must of been a cool guy or gregarious gal.

It sounds just as awesome on the K375 with iPhone in FLAC as it did on Vince's standard-raising loudspeakers.

At $149 (and $349...) it would be tempting to call these AKG headphone low-fi or even first listen. However, listening to piano in Armin van Buuren's Intense, "The Sound of the Drums", reveals a quite realistic and enjoyable piano.

Now how's that for hi fi.

AKG K375 Headphone
In ear headphone with deluxe presentation.
Medium to low fidelity sound.

Rating: 15/100
Value: 50/100
Total Points: 65/200

Price: $149.95 USD / $119.00

www.akg.com
www.amazon.com
www.headphonebar.com



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AKG K550 Headphone Set

The AKG K550 delivers at $349 some of Klipsch's KG 1.2 sound signature, qualified by a fundamental lack of deep bass and resolution, however delivering a punchy and a musically engaging sound presentation.With an iPhone 5 at max volume, playing contemporary electronica and rap such as Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, you'll get some distortion in parts, and almost enjoyable volume.

As a test, last night we went for a walk in downtown, dressed in black and grey to match the headphone, and experimented with sound and positioning.

They'd be good headphones to give to musicians, in a session. Sonically, it's an upgraded Sony MDR-V6 or V500 with similar situational uses and capabilities. Folding headphones, closed-ear design, good SPL capability, can be dropped, good cord (long...), additionally comfortable, better sounding and well-styled.

The ear-pads are fantastic. Amazing at this price and any, for that matter. Better than our Sony MDR-500, upgraded to leather Hi Fi Man HE300 and faux-leather Stax 007 earpads for comfort and durability.

We purchased an AudioQuest Dragonfly to review the K550 but found it did not work with Windows Vista, in terms of controlling the volume, but it drives the AKG quite well. We are listening to it now, "My Mistakes" by Eleanor Friedberger on her LP Last Summer, courtesy of Starbucks | iTunes.

We listened best using our Caylynx Coffee DAC / Headphone amplifier, showing that it is an easy headphone to power. A V-Moda V-Amp Versa could bring out the sound walking (and a bit more volume and crisply elegant drive) yet an iPhone or Android counterpart is quite enough in town.

The AKG is not the headphone the connoisseur will savour as the last best thing. The Auduze LCD-2 and 3 might come closer at 3 and 6x the price. To our ear it does not provide the lasting satisfaction of a fine wine or 30 year blended whiskey. The Stax 009 might be that thing.

"Dr. West" by Eminem (Relapse LP) however immediately sounds real - the voice - startlingly good at low volume as does "3 A.M", same album. Samples are samples, and you will hear the quality differences between them with the AKG K550, as you will hear microphone lack of transparency.

Walking, or sitting, like a DJ, you get a cool closed approximation of the live and recorded sound. Better than our Sony MDR-V500.

We recommend you listen.

AKG K550 Headphones (Closed, Over-Ear)

Rating: 10/100
Value: 80/100
Total Points: 90/200

Price: $349.95 USD

www.akg.com
www.amazon.com
ww.headphonebar.com

Recommended value, use and style.

Update: We purchased a second pair of AKG K375 for daily city use, after having received a good compliment at Gucci.

JP 2013/08/17
www.hifiart.ca