13 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Perhaps the Best Budget Headphones.
Date of Review: Jan 13, 2002
The Bottom Line: For a price that is the level of cheapos from Sony and Philips, the sound is astoundingly audiophile grade.
The Good:
My Philips HP510 was nearing the end of its life prompting me to look for a replacement. As I was replacing a less than $50 dollar headphones that served me well for more than 2 years, my budget was still pegged at $50. Unfortunately the CD shop where I got the HP510 does not have that model anymore offering me the HP840 which was a lot more expensive. Then as I was wading through the internet for budget phones, I got linked to a site where Craig David is a featured artist wearing an AKG headphone. It looked cool and having Craig David promote it, must be good. I then searched the item in the AKG website and found out it was even one of their budget headphones, the AKG K-66.
Bought one in an audio-video specialty shop near my place for $36 and boy was I satisfied. My immediate reaction was WOW when I listened to the Corrs album. Before proceeding with my experience, I will first list the features and specs. as seen at the back of the packaging:
*Type: Circumaural, semi-open, dynamic
*Audio bandwidth: 18-22,000 Hz
*Sensitivity: 96 dB/mW
*Max. Input Power: 200 mW
*Rated Impedance: 32 Ohm
*Cable Cord Length: 10 ft.
*Stereo adaptor: 1/8 to 1/4 in.
*Weight (without cable): 210 g.
The unit is unbelievably light like carrying a single CD with case due practically to all plastic parts except for the transducers. At first glance I thought I would not get any decent sound with headphones as light as these. However, I was seriously mistaken. I will get to the sound later. The unit comes with a long 10-ft. cord which is perfect when you want to lie down on a couch away from your audio component. What's better is that the cord attaches only to one side of the headphones (left side) minimizing tangling which was my problem before. Next is the suspension system that AKG designed. If perfect is the word for it then it is. Does not put any stress on your ears and head while at the same time holding the phone cassettes sturdily. It was like wear and forget (really). Also, unlike most headphones available now, AKG has maintained the faux leather cover on their cushion which was a pleasure on my ears. Lastly and another WOW in the specs. is the 32 ohm impedance rating which meant my portable CD and MD players can drive the headphones. This was a big plus.
Now proceeding to the sound. I immediately burned-in the headphones with two albums of contrasting music, the Corrs and my Depeche Mode collection. I picked the Corrs because of the lush string arrangements (middle and high notes) while the Depeche Mode for the strong bass and synthesizer arrangements. The sound is simply a joy to experience. Well balanced in all of the frequency range without having a muddy bass. It was so natural that none of the tones overpower the others. Because of its semi-open design, the sound was a bit airy reducing the fatigue one experiences from the sound that seemed to emanate inside your head. The sonic environment created is simply positive, crisp clear and uplifting. I don't believe I can get any better headphones for this price.
The Bad:
It is hard to mention any for I was so delighted but I think in terms of purpose of use, there are some. One, it does not look good as portable headphones because of its bulky look. Next is that DJs cannot use it as the phone cassettes don't flip. Lastly because it is all plastic, I doubt its sturdiness. In fact I always alert myself not to fall to sleep with it which I tell you is a big challenge.
Again, for $36 what more can you ask!
