Cheap headphones aren’t always useful, and useful headphones aren’t always cheap. It’s not often that you can find something that meets both of your needs. Lucky for us, we’re introduced to the wonders of AKG K240 – an all-in-one headphone fit for your studio needs.

The original AKG K240, from which these headphones come, first appeared when Huckapoo shirts and bell-bottom jeans were unironically fashionable. Even though it looks like something out of the 1970s, the AKG K240 Studio still produces good sound. With that, let’s check why these headphones are still so popular now.

What is AKG K240?

The AKG K240 Studio is a classic semi-open headphone design for discerning studio professionals. It is based on the original K240 studio headphone, which came out in the 1970s. A pair of K240s seems to have made their way into a huge number of professional studios over the past few decades. Apart from that, the design is well-known and has almost become an icon.

The claims made by AKG when they proudly display “Professional Studio Standard” on product packaging are not empty. These headphones have been a mainstay in many studios for decades, and for good reason.

Since these headphones first came out, AKG has been hard at work improving them on the inside and out. The most noticeable improvement, though, is the clear and powerful sound produced by these headphones, which will be discussed here. 

Characteristics:

Design and Feel

You can buy the K240 today, and it looks like a mix of old and new design elements. The self-adjusting dual-headrail headband design is very common and useful, but it might not be right for everyone. This design gives the cans a retro 1970s look already mentioned above. Here, the ear cups have cough-lozenge yellow highlights added to the middle, which makes the headphones look more modern. The ear cup vents are surrounded by round, metallic gold trims, and the headband has a big gold AKG logo to help you find your way around. Gold L/R indicator labels are also on the adjustment points on each side of the headband.

When it comes to comfort, the K240 Studio shines. The cans and the clamping force are both very light, which makes them comfortable to wear for long amounts of time, especially if you wear glasses. Its weight, or rather lack of it, is added by the self-adjusting headband, which is a trademark AKG design feature. It almost instantly fits the size and shape of the wearer’s head.

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Controls

The mini-XLR to 3.5mm wire that comes with the package feels strong because both ends taper into stress-relieving pieces that are reinforced. Long-term users, on the other hand, have said that the wires broke or became frayed after only a few months. In this case, you can either get a new one or ask an AKG representative if the company allows you to replace it.

Moreover, because this headset is wired, you can use lossless music files like FLAC. This means that the AKG K240 Studio is great for people who use streaming services like Qobuz, Apple Music, and Amazon Music HD.

Sound Quality

The semi-open design of the K240 meant that everyone nearby could hear what you were listening to during tests. These are not the best headphones to use on busy trains, in a quiet office, or when recording with microphones. 

The K240 sounds good overall. They are clear, spacious, and sound like real life. No complaints about the clarity as a whole; there was plenty of information at both ends of the frequency range, and the soundstage was incredibly wide, making you smile. 

However, you might be a little disappointed with how quiet and missing in “oomph” they were. Everything is there, but it all sounds a little far away. With only 55 ohms of resistance, you’d think these would be louder, more present, and punchier. Moreover, the transient response was fine, but there wasn’t much sub-bass emphasis, so you might have to push your test computer’s outputs harder than normal to get to that stank-face, head nod stage.

Technicalities

Because the semi-open design doesn’t isolate sound, when used with a digital piano, you have to turn up the volume to drown out the sound of your fingers hitting the keys. This made it easy for other people in the room to hear what we were playing. That’s also why you might want to look elsewhere if you want a set of cans to use with an electric drum kit. The noise of the sticks hitting the pads will be almost as loud as the drum sounds coming through the cans.

Furthermore, it’s clear that some people will have a problem with the bass. It has a lot of texture and subtlety, and the 240s don’t have much bass. Definitely not a deep bass, but we think you’ll like it over time. It’s the notes themselves that you start to enjoy more than the impact or weight they can give.

Takeaway

AKG has built a reputation for being one of the most reliable and efficient headphone manufacturers in today’s market. While the K240 Studio can be great for checking the stereo image of your mix or enjoying a natural, detailed sound while listening to music that doesn’t depend on bass at a moderate volume in a quiet space, there are better choices for people who make music – if you keep on looking.

Overall, the AKG K240 still has its quirks and advantages for you as a user – especially if you’re still a novice one who’s starting his/her journey in the music industry. 

Why You Should Read Reviews Before Buying

While finding a perfect set of studio monitors (or any other devices for that matter) can be a bit of a headache, you need to explore more on your options rather than settling down on the first thing that you see. As smart buyers, we know how important it is to do research on a product and think about its pros and cons before we buy it. with that, it’s great that the internet gives us access to so much information that we can learn everything we need to know about a piece of equipment before we decide to buy it. So, there should be no excuses on your part as a smart buyer.