AKGK240 Studio Professional Semi-Open, Over-Ear Headphones, High Performance design, 3.5mm and 1/4" adapters, self adjusting headband - Black and Gold

Bought these for electronic music production and just listening to music at home & they are ideal. When I took them out the box they felt incredibly light and didn't seem sturdy- they have a fairly cheap plastic-like feel. I have now had them for about half a year and have had absolutely no problems whatsoever- I have put these things in a rucksack with no case and taken them on the train and they've been fine (I wouldn't recommend doing this though). The fact that you can change the cord is a very handy feature- I have gone for the telephone style coil and have never had any problems.As for the sound they are fantastic- I would say the bass is very subtle compared to some of the headphones I have used (there is a review on here saying that the low end is overpowering- they MUST have been reviewing the wrong headphones) but it works well as it makes a lot more room for mid and high frequencies. I was looking for something fairly flat with regards to frequency response and I think these are ideal, but admittedly I haven't tried a great deal of pro headphones.The one real criticism I would have is that your ears get too hot after about 2 hours and you have to take them off for a while- but I don't know any headphones which aren't like this. I would definitely recommend these headphones to anyone for their reasonable price, sturdiness (even though they might not seem sturdy to start off with), comfort and well balanced sound.

The AKG K240 is probably the best headphone in the £50 area money can buy. Because of the long production run and moving production to China they are an incredible bargain. Before judgement can begin it needs about a week break in period, listen to them before this by all means but don't be critical. Will it suit everyone? No absolutely not, they are listed as semi open well that may be but they leak sound loudly into the environment you are in so may disturb others in same room. Let's get one thing out of the way the K240 is a difficult headphone to drive! Yes it will produce sound from a mobile phone or iPod, but such devices are completely incapable of revealing what the headphone is capable of they need a dedicated amplifier even some receiver integrated amp socket won't cope. The reason for this is the 55 ohm load and 91db. The K240 was never conceived with mobile audio in mind it was designed for studio use who have equipment with the ability to drive it. For mobile devices look for a headphone with a 32ohm load with 100+dB efficiency. So is a £50 headphone worth all this trouble? For me and many others absolutely yes. The K240 has a mesmerising mid range with a tight image that I can only describe as beguiling and addictive, this does not mean they have no bass, they do produce bass and it's not difficult to follow Ray Brown's upright bass on we get requests or the bass on Robbie Robertsons somewhere down the crazy river, but it never interferes with what's going on in the mids, vocals, guitars etc. The highs are good, cymbals, triangles etc sound good. Sound stage is not particularly wide it bearly escapes the earpieces but it's good enough to place where instruments are but don't expect a K702 outside the head experience but at £50 how could you. The cable is detachable via a mini XLR connection with many custom cables available to tweak sound to your liking. The difference between the Studio and the MkII is only the silver finish and choice of earpad velvet or pleather and straight and coiled cable on the MkII. Stick K240's on your head put on Sarah McLachlan's mirror ball and the world will just fade away

I recently bought a pair of AKG K702 open back headphones for listening to my hi fi systems late at night, so I don't disturb the neighbours. Now, those cans leak like a sieve, and you can hear everything going around you. Very similar to the Grado experience. For the price, they have superb sound. No skull throbbing bass, but a double bass, electric bass and a kick drum actually sounds different.OK, get on with it, you are here for the K271 MK2 review after all...Well, I have owned a pair of AKG Y50 wired over the ear headphones for years, and been happy with them. They block out the sound around you, don't leak too much and have a microphone, and are aesthetically pleasing. Oh, and they have a bass in profusion. I used them to listen to music when the girlfriend is listening to stuff on her tablet.Now, after a couple of weeks I've got used to the sharp detail of the 702s, but I had to pull the Y50s on to avoid hearing background noise. They were indistinct, muddled, imprecise. I needed a closed ear alternative.Having read and watched a few reviews I decided a cheaper pair of AKGs might be in order. The 740s were in the frame, but semi open backed, a close relative of the 702. I reckon well worth looking at, but the backup had to be closed back..OK, the unboxing experience. They come in a box, you open the lid, the headphones are in a plastic bag. There's a 2nd coiled XLR replacement in there, alternative velour pads and a quality 6.3 to 3.5mm adapter and some paperwork guff. Phew, that was exhilarating.Pick the headphones up, and they feel very light. The earcups are plastic- what did expect, carved granite? Tap them and they sound like solid plastic. Now, do you want something heavy on your head, and do you really tap along to music on the side of your headphones!The earcups with the attached leatherette pads are comfy, I wore them for 2 hours straight without discomfort. The headband barely contacts your head, it's unpadded, but frankly it makes no difference. Unlike the 702, it's a more flexible vinyl. The whole thing just happily sits on your head without any heavy clamping. Not had a chance to try the velour earcups, but probably as good as those on the 702. Maybe something to move over to in warm weather.Sound... Really, really precise. Stereo imaging excellent. Percussion comes over really sharp with a solid attack. Bass is there. Not some deep booming like that leaking from a boy racer's blacked out Audi, real bass instruments. Overall not as open as the 702s, but obviously from the same family.Driving them... They are not ear buds, they have a reasonably high impedance. Serviceable on my Motorola phone, better on a tablet, perfectly fine on my Marantz amplifier at 11 o'clock.OK, the cons, those plastic earcups. If you touch them or catch them on clothes you notice. The earcups are larger than most, but not the whole saucepan lid look of the 702.Advantages. Excellent detailed sound. Accurate. If you want bass, just add a little with the tone controls. Remember you are actually hearing real bass instruments, not something that vaguely wobbles like a darts player's belly. Unlike the 702s they isolate you a bit.Appearance. Well, the larger earcups and the wires over the top make you look ridiculous. Think cyberman. If you want a fashion accessory go and buy some Beats or the colourful Y50.Conclusion. Better sound than the Y50, but not as well built. If you want a better sound, and have a bigger budget 702 or similar.Well, after a few days I returned them for a refund. I found that the earcups were nosy if they rubbed against clothing. Maybe it's the design of the plastic and their shape that amplifies the noise from every bit of abrasion. The metal shell of the Y50s doesn't do that. Amazon were doing an offer on the Sennheisser 560S for £119, so I decide to upgrade, and have a different brand as an alternative sound profile. I suspect that the grille design that makes them open backed will be similar to the AKG 702, and won't act as a sounding board when they run against clothing.