Come listen to what you've been missing with AKG k 240 headphones!
Written: Feb 23 '01 (Updated Feb 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Precision highs and lows, crystal clear clarity, comfortable.
Cons: Perhaps a little pricey for the average audiophile.
The Bottom Line: Once you hear music through these headphones, you WILL NOT be able to go back to cheap headphones again!
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| fm_hunter's Full Review: AKG K 240M Professional Headphones |
I remember the very first time I used a pair of “professional” headphones. I was at the house of a self-professed audiophile and I grudgingly slid the monstrosities over my head. Up until this point in my musical life, I had only used headphones that came pre-packaged with the half-dozen or so portable electronics I had purchased.
You know the kind, sometimes they come with orange foam pads over the ear pieces, and sometimes they are simply small “buds” that fit right into the ear canal. They also boasted a cable almost thin enough to floss with, and a flimsy wire frame that fit over your head. At the time, they sounded just fine; then again, I usually had my Walkman turned on so loud it would be hard to differentiate distorted guitar blasts from the bass beats.
Eventually I got to the point in my music education where volume no longer seemed to be the measuring stick of greatness. I began to listen to more experimental bands, and reveled in discovering the nuances of their music. That fateful day when I donned a pair of my friend’s AKG K 240 headphones, I sat and listened to Pink Floyd’s “The Final Cut”. Sure, I had listened to this incredible album many times before, but never with headphones like these.
I was amazed at the sounds I heard that I never knew existed before. A good pair of headphones really adds depth to music giving you the opportunity to hear fine distinctions that the usual listener would miss. The instruments can be discerned from one another with greater clarity and the shifting of sounds from one channel to the other is readily apparent.
I immediately told my mom I wanted a set of AKG K 240 headphones for Christmas that year, and I have blissfully enjoyed them for the past 11 years. I will point out that I didn’t get much else for Christmas that year, as these babies cost a smidgen over $150. That’s a good amount of money for someone who has never set foot in a recording studio, as these are advertised as “professional” headphones.
Now, let me tell you I am no professional studio dude, but I can say that if you’re a music lover then these are worth the price. The clarity is stunningly crisp, the highs are crystal clear, and the bass is as clean as you’ll hear in a live show (maybe cleaner, lol!) These headphones are a bit bulky, especially in comparison with the units that you get with portable electronics, but the trade off is well worth the larger size.
The ear pieces actually fit over the ear (circumaural), instead of just resting against it. This gives the music a much greater sense of encompassing the listener, as well as blocking outside noises and distractions. Each side is vented so your ears don’t get all sweaty from prolonged usage, although I still found it could get kinda warm in there when you wear these headphones for several hours without break.
The cable is sturdy, and of a thick gauge, so it doesn’t feel flimsy and you won’t severe it by accidentally stepping on it (like I did with some cheap headphones once!) Another nice feature is the cable length is very generous, at least six feet. Cord length is definitely the Achilles’ heal of cheap headphones, so bad that your head usually has to remain within a 2 foot radius of the stereo!
The ear pieces are also substantially padded, making prolonged usage a no-brainer. The steel-cable, self-adjusting headband assures that these will fit even a fat head like myself, while they will easily re-adjust to those with small heads. The ¼ inch jack fits all standard headphone inputs on home stereo units, and you can use the included adapter to use these headphones with portable units that use the “smaller” jacks (1/8 inch). I’ve never actually used these headphones with portable electronics, so I’m not sure if there would be an impedance problem.
The frequency range on these babies is an impressive 15 Hz to 20,000 Hz and the impedance is 600 ohm. The sensitivity is 88 dB/mW and they weigh right about 240 grams (8.5 ounces). I stress the fact that once you use a set of headphones like the AKG K 240, you’ll have a very hard time ever using anything less again. I also highly recommend using these with your computer. They really bring out the sound effects in a game like “Unreal”, and only add to the realistic feel of most computer games. It also goes without saying that you’ll rediscover how good some music can sound when listening to them in such an intimate environment.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
fm_hunter
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Member: Hunter Paschall
Location: Portland, Oregon
Reviews written: 254
Trusted by: 247 members
About Me:
Denizen of the pacific northwest, purveyor of atypical music, & hacker of golf balls.
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