AKG K271 Studio
Product Description
The K 271 Studio is a complete model that combines the benefits of AKG's circumaural design for extreme comfort and a closed-back design for maximum isolation from ambient noise. Thanks to its XXL transducers, the K 271 Studio sounds clean, smooth and very rich. The K 271 Studio is the perfect choice for any application where sonic bleed could cause problems such as broadcast work. Another important feature of the K 271 Studio is the addition of a switch in the headband that mutes the audio just as soon as the headphones are taken off.
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AKG K271 Studio
- Electronics: 0 pages
- Publisher: AKG
- Label: AKG
- Studio: AKG
- Average Customer Review:
 based on 9 reviews
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Avg. Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Worth the waiting! 2008-01-23
Comment: I ordered the AKG K271 Studio headphones because I had used earlier AKGs with enjoyment. I placed the order with Accessory Genie 2 days before Christmas. They were shipped promptly. Because of the slowdown during the holiday season I waited a week longer than the predicted date of arrival.
The K271s are first, a delight to look at, and second, even more delightful to place over my ears and hear perfectly reproduced music. The audio bandwidth of 16-28,000hz is amazing. A great feature is the auto turn-off when the phones are removed from my head. The cups fit around the ears and couldn't be more comfortable to wear for a long stretch of listening.
I want to thank Michael and Todd of Accessory Genie for their good product and careful follow-up.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Accurate sound, impressive noise reduction 2007-12-21
Comment: After a little research exploring the options, I settled on this set from AKG for my monitoring and mixing needs.
Noise is a concern for anyone working (or simply listening) in a noisey environment. With the ubiquity of computers in this day and age, the constant whir of fans quickly becomes an irritant and distraction from accurate listening (and the truley silent pc is still a myth, despite what any manufacturer may claim). The K271 surprised me with the noise suppresion its closed back design provided - there is no artificial noise cancellation that might alter the tone, it is purely the work of the design of the cups fitting over the ear, and it is remarkable. With the headhpones in place, the noise of two computers right beside me is reduced by half. The clack of typing on the keyboard is eliminated. People calling me from downstairs but a distant buzz. Ah, it is a marvel indeed! Conversely sound does not leak out. I have handed the set to players I have recorded to monitor themselves with, and bleed was not an issue. The automatic switch that shuts off the sound when removing the phones is a nice touch, making these a natural for a studio environment.
The quality of the audio reproduced on this set is of the highest order - I'd say it easily outclasses the bulk of other headphones (both open and closed designs) out there. Smooth and warm throughout the range, no unusual emphasis in any part of the band. Truly a reference monitor. High frequencies are a pleasure on this set, and faithfully help one weed out undesired harshness. The bass is not 'weak' as other reviews have implied, it is simply accurate. Most consumer gear has a bass boost - while some might desire this for their listening pleasure, it certainly is not all that helpful for professional music production purposes (which these phones are intended for) as it would alter your perception of how to treat the material. The bass is accurate, and surprisingly focused - sharp hits are reproduced with beautiful crispness. The bass is definetly 'tight' as many would put it.
The accuracy extends to all sorts of minutiae of sound, and listening to favourite recordings can, as others have stated, be quite the revelation.
Comfortable and durable in design, these ought to last a very long time. The long high quality cord is greatly appreciated as it provides some freedom of movement.
Recommended for music professionals, and music lovers who enjoy hearing their audio faithfully reproduced, not unlike what the engineers who recorded it did.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: The best headphones I've ever owned. 2007-08-06
Comment: Having read AKG's reputation over the last few months of searching for good headphones, I excitedly opened the box and placed these on my head. I couldn't believe how comfortable they are. The padding around my ears is snug, but not tight and the headband rests with an even amount of gentle pressure over the surface of my head, rather than applying more pressure to a few points. They are lightweight, so I'm not continually aware of their presence, allowing me to completely focus on what I'm listening to.
They appear to be very well-constructed, with even stitching and hinges and pins that are strong. I have not found the slightest flaw in any of the surfaces or between the seams of the connecting pieces. The cord connects to the left 'phone with a three-pin connector that inserts with a strong, satisfying 'Click' and I expect that the problems I've experienced with a set of truly mediocre Sony phones I own (sound cutting in and out in one ear due to cord integrity) will simply not be a problem with these. (The AKG's cord connection design allows replacement cords.)
This set of headphones features buttons on the tops of both earcups that once released (when the user does not have them on his/her head), silences the signal to the earcups. I thought this might be a disadvantage, but it is of no consequence. This is a design to prevent noise from the 'phones from entering a microphone or other pickup device in a studio setting -- perfect for DJ and other professional work. As a home user, this merely prevents the sound from escaping until the headphones are snugly ensconced on top of the listener's head.
As for the sound, I can't say much except these are the most wonderful-sounding 'phones I've ever owned and among the best I've ever listened through. All ranges are so clearly and beautifully rendered that it's tough to pick out one particularly magnificent quality, except that one. As mentioned by another reviewer, the bass is alive and present, but avoids overpowering all other frequencies. Listening to classical orchestral music, I noticed sounds I'd never heard through my speakers (which says something about the quality of my speakers, I guess) such as small coughs, pages turning, etc. It's just amazing. The sound washes over me and I'm completely absorbed, or rather I completely absorb it. Fantastic!
In comparing these to another recent purchase of a pair of Sennheiser wireless headphones, the Senns sound thin and tinny, although still clear and crisp. But they cannot match the depth and quality of the core-filled sounds emanating from these AKGs. I suppose few wireless sets will favorably compare to a truly great pair of corded 'phones, but the difference between the two is telling.
The AKGs are close-cupped. This is an advantage if you want the close clarity of intent listening without ambient sounds creeping in or without the sounds of what you're listening to creeping out. However, the sound has a much closer feel, as if you're in a studio rather than a reverberating hall. Thus, recordings with a high degree of reverberation will shine with these 'phones (though everything sounds wonderful with them). If you like a more open, natural sound, you might try the K 240 headphones or step up to the semi-open K 601 or K 701 sets. I plan to add the K 701s to my home theater system and I'll certainly write a review when I do! Happy listening.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: The real thing!! 2007-05-12
Comment: I have been searching for headphones for about a year.My use for them is primarily for listening to recorded music at times when it is not appropriate to indulge with my main audiophile system.(the misses and the neighbors) Most of the sets out there are way to muddy or bassy sounding. Others are tinny like the old transistor radios of my youth. The AKG 721's are the clearest and most true sounding headphones I have ever tried. The sounds are rich, and clean. Tight bass, clear highs and excellent mids. No matter what I am listening to I feel I am getting just what the producer wanted be to hear. And they are comfortable!! The auto adjust fits me wonderful with no futzing. I feel these are very much worth the price. Strongly recommended!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Customer Rating:
Summary: An excellent pair of sealed headphones for acoustic music 2007-02-24
Comment: I purchased these to replace my worn down Sennheiser HD212 Pros. They had served me well over the three years that I had had them, but was looking to upgrade to a more mature sounding headphone with more articulated mids and more refined bass. I am a classical trumpet player in college, and I do quite a bit of analysis of classical music because of it. I therefore needed a headphone with a fairly neutral frequency response that would also be comfortable for long listening periods, and be sealed for use in my dorm.
I must say that for sealed headphones, the AKGs truly do live up to their reputation as being a very refined headphone. They seem to be more marketed towards acoustic listening. Based on my observations, they do really shine in the midrange, with the mids being very clear and not tinny as can be found on others. The highs are also very detailed and not obtrusive. Note that sealed headphones by their very nature will produce a more 'boxed in' feel than open ones, and you do notice this with these, but of the sealed cans I have used, these seem to be the least noticeable.
Many people have complained about the bass response of these cans, and I can see where they are coming from if you need to have heavy bass for electronica or hip hop, but the AKG's bass is by no means woofy or obstentatious, it is simply a little recessed. It is as if someone simply turned down the volume a little on the low end, but retained the detail. I imagine that it would most likely improve with an amp. I do listen to electronica sometimes and find that the AKGs have just the right amount of punch for me without giving me a migraine in the process.
It is most likely a good idea to use a headphone amp with the AKGs. Even though they can be driven from portable players to some degree with their 55ohm impedience I found that to achieve what I consider normal listening volume I had to keep the volume bar on my iPod to about 2/3 maximum.
The fit and finish is outstanding. I was into the whole retro look with these 'phones, and the Gimbal type mechanism has them resting lightly, but securely on the head. They also adjust easily to my head due to the automatic adjustment system and soft headband, meaning I don't have to mess around with that. However, if you use them in a hot environment, the earcups will make your ears sweat, so beware. The only other thing was that the rubber on the cable could be a little better reinforced, but this shouldn't be a problem if you don't mess around with or abuse it.
Overall, I believe that AKG has graced us with a well designed, excellent sounding sealed can for acoustic music. Outstanding product.
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AKG K271 Studio
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