AKG K361 50mm Wired Over-Ear Closed-Back Foldable Studio Headphones $159 Delivered @ StoreDJ

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• 

  ThatsCheap on 04/07/2020 - 14:30

  +1

  If you click on the previous deal you linked. Amazon have it for $141 (free delivery with Prime) right now. So still cheaper than this deal for Prime users.

• 

  jasswolf on 04/07/2020 - 14:34

  +3

  Cheaper at Amazon, with Prime.

  Will be cheaper again when the price drops back down to USD $80, but at these prices, I'd probably recommend looking at the Takstar Pro 82 v2 or the Takstar GM200, which go down to around $70-$80 delivered when coupons, sales and cashbacks align (as they did 3 weeks ago, and will again in August, October and particularly November). The AKG K361 is apparently a fairly flat sound signature that doesn't really reach in terms of detail, even at the price point, while those two are a better and more detailed spin on that sort of thing.

  $45 more gets you the AKG K371 at Amazon too, and that's more along the lines of the Harman tuning that you'd be seeking an AKG closed back for. And up at that $200 price point, you're starting to compete with classics like the:

  • Fostex T50RP MK3
  • Sennheiser HD58X
  • Sennheiser HD6XX
  • Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro
  • Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro

  Which probably offer way more value for money, if not that quite that same tuning.

  • 

    Skinnerr on 04/07/2020 - 14:44

    Not to mention Sony MDR7506, which are better than these, at the same price now and have been cheaper.

    • 

      jasswolf on 04/07/2020 - 15:23

      +1

      I would be steering most people away from genuine monitoring headphones due to how unforgiving the treble can be, but yes they'd be a competitive option alongside the DT770 and the AKG K371.

      For most people, the Takstars would probably be better overall sound quality if you're not beholden to the Harman signature, with the Pro 82 v2 being a musical take on flat, and the GM200 bringing the bass back into the signature while slightly thickening the mids.

  • 

    rednammoc on 04/07/2020 - 16:19

    @jasswolf What would be an upgrade to my Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 from above list? Im pairing it with a LG V30. Momentum 2.0 are bit warmer for my taste and female vocals are little harsh here and there. Im thinking of going for an openback this time but Can't decide what to choose.

    • 

      jasswolf on 04/07/2020 - 16:39

      +2

      Open back: Sennheiser HD6XX ($270ish when it goes on sale from Addicted to Audio)
      Closed back: Takstar Pro 82 v2 ($75ish when AliE sales line up), Takstar GM200 (same), AKG K371 ($200 right now, but you might want to use an EQ to tame the treble very slightly).

      Sony MDR-7506 are solid closed back as well, as mentioned by /u/Skinnerr

      The HD6XX is a slightly warm and dark take on neutral, but nothing like the Momentum. Vocals will be smooth and clarity beautiful, but soundstage is pretty meagre for an open back.

      If you're wanting to experiment a bit more, you can opt for Takstar's open-back planar model, the HF-580 ($170 if AliE deals line up) and grab these pads for $25.

      I currently use the Pro 82 v2 as a daily driver, and they are extremely light weight for an over-ear, without looking too garish if you're using them outdoors. I'll be getting the HF-580 at some point, then I'll be A/Bing them against the HD6XX (I'll probably end up with those as well).

      If you're looking for something at home that's got less compromises in its sound and you're prepared to spend $550-$600, you can opt for the following:

      • Massdrop x Koss ESP/95X Electrostats - $580ish on sale and with first time Drop purchase; beautifully presented, slightly mid-forward, minimal sub-bass due to electrostat design, big soundstage but not portable
      • HifiMAN Sundara - $540ish on sale - neutralish planars that are the tiniest bit recessed in the mids (as most affordable planars are), but a step up from the HF-580 in clarity and soundstage.

      Keep in mind the Sundaras have dropped from USD $500 at launch down to USD $350, and may drop again to $200 in the next 18 months to replace the HE400i as the entry level planar from HiFiMAN (at least, that's the rumour).

      Some of these you might want to audition before buying, with the non-Drop variants of the HD6XX and the ESP/95X being the HD650 and the ESP/950 respectively. Hope that helps!

      • 

        rednammoc on 04/07/2020 - 17:49

        Thanks heaps. Maybe it's best to wait till 6xx prices go down. But then again Sundara is on Amazon for 562$(international delivery).you think Sundara is worth double the price of 6xx?

        Takstar seems pretty good specially the weight/comfort and price. How is the sound of these on par to 6xx?

        • 

          rednammoc on 04/07/2020 - 18:10

          @rednammoc: Btw I can't find any "Pro 82 v2" on Ali. I think there are only Pro 82 atm :(

          • 

            jasswolf on 04/07/2020 - 18:51

            +2

            @rednammoc: There are two known sources:

            1. TakstarAudio Store (which I linked in the first comment)
            2. Official Takstar Store (currently charging $15-$25 for shipping)

            The cheaper Pro 82 seller pages commonly use mismatched or rejected drivers (Takstar make these drivers for multiple headphone producers, alongside their own product series, such as Cooler Master).

            Just pay the extra $8-10 to get your headphones packed properly, and a reasonably QC'd product.

        • 

          jasswolf on 04/07/2020 - 19:02

          +2

          @rednammoc: I would say they probably miss a little bit of the well-regard timbre of the HD6XX and may sound a tiny bit more narrow and lacking in the mids, but I haven't A/B compared them properly. They're both amazing for the price point, whereas the AKG K371 have a sound signature that people love, but they aren't as technically proficient in delivering the treble and upper mids.

          The Sundara is available for $590 locally right now, so don't stress about buying that right this second. If you're able to go to an Addicted to Audio store in your capital city, you should be able to demo:

          • the Fostex T50RP Mk3 (though you won't be using the stock pads for that)
          • the Sundara
          • the Koss ESP/950 (again, the Massdrop version comes with different, but better pads, from the perspective of sound reproduction)
          • the HD6XX
          • the HD58X
          • the AKG K361
          • the AKG K371

          At this point I'd recommend you either demo or start doing your own research so you can understand some audiophile terms that describe the sound signature of all these headphones, namely: dark/bright/neutral, warm/analytical/flat/mid-forward, attack/decay/congestion/muddy.

          • 

            rednammoc on 04/07/2020 - 21:17

            @jasswolf: Thanks for your suggestions and tips. I live in Canberra Unfortunately so Demoing is an issue. But you have given enough to start researching.

            • 

              jasswolf on 04/07/2020 - 21:48

              +2

              @rednammoc: https://www.bettermusic.com.au/ - has the AKG models, the Sennheiser HD650, and the Beyerdynamic models. They also have the Neumann NDH20 closed backs, which would be worth a test.

              https://www.mirandahifi.com/ - these guys have the Stax SR-L300, which will give you a good demonstration of electrostatic headphones like the Koss ESP/95X. Different sound signature, but you'll get a feel of the driver technology. They also have some Meze and Dan Clark headphones, most of them planar magnetic (like the Takstar HF-580 and HifiMAN Sundara).

              All the best!

  • 

    ausmomo on 12/07/2020 - 15:28

    Can I please ask - are these kinds of headphones any good for standard PC? Stuff like gaming, listening to music, watching shows?
    thanks!

    • 

      jasswolf on 12/07/2020 - 16:16

      In the entire comment tree? Everything but the Fostexs would work OK out of a standard jack, but some of them will reveal noise in your chain.

      Some may not sound particularly great at higher volumes, but you can certainly use them as a starting point, then buy a DAC and an amp (or a DAC/amp combo) down the line.

      In terms of all-rounder choices for your requirements, they're all pretty great, but the biggest differentiator will be the music genres you typically listen to, as some are some are a little flat, meaning they may lack the bass punch you're hoping for (depending on how the tracks you're listening to were recorded and mixed).

      Most fall around neutral, though some of the open will lack sub-bass (the physical thump you feel), notably the HD6XX and the Takstar Pro 82.