Toting headphones back and forth across the country ( or the metropolis ) is one of the good ways to unwrap their design fault . Can the new AKG K495 NC racket - strike down headphones , with their burly build and audiophile pedigree , endure up that sort of penalization while deliver dulcet tones ? Is this at last the ideal traveller ’s kit ?
What Is It?
Beautiful , on - ear , participating disturbance - canceling headphones . They cost the same ( $ 350 ) as the popularBose QuietComfort 3headphones .
observe : The intersection ’s original release date was design for late March , but AKG has pushed the launch until April 30 .
Who’s it For?
Frequent flyers , subway riders , and other the great unwashed who take loud heap transit , abuse their gear , and unceremoniously stuff it in a bag .
Design
Compact , lightweight , and as close to indestructible as a pair of 8.3 - ounce headphones are going to get . They fold flat and they collapse along a sturdy metallic element hinge above the ear cups , so they ’ll contort to match into your carry - on ’s cramped pocket .
Using It
You turn the noise - canceling on and off by rotating a ring on the unexpended pinna cup . The disturbance offset stylins are power an internal battery — charge ’em with either the included USB cable or wall quid . Unlike the Bose cans , these headphone will work when the batteries are bushed .
The Best Part
A flip - up between the heavyset , tough pattern and the immersive , textured sound .
Tragic Flaw
They could sit a little more snugly on the ears . The beefy leather spike launch area give the headphones a swell seal , so sound quality does n’t suffer , but they run to slip around on your head .
This Is Weird…
The phone shut down every which way , so they ’re easy to cram into a backpack , but they do n’t collapse into a symmetric package like other cans . Disconcerting when you actually endeavor to pack them up “ properly ” and see yourself holding a brainteaser .
Test Notes
• Subtlety and shade of recordings is on par with studio apartment headphone . Dizzying sentiency of depth . Get ready to find some amazing restlessness on recordings with batch of drastic leave - to - right pans — specifically , the guitar solo on T. Rex ’s Electric Warrior .
• Not much boom on the bottom - end as others , but the bass voice is n’t thin either . For example , the headphone deftly handle the ace - broken organ bass part line on “ Auntie ’s Lock / Infinitum ” by Flying Lotus .
• Bass better noticeably with the noise canceling turned on .
• AKG ’s racket - canceling algorithm do a neat job of immobilize out the racquet of subway system noise , and does n’t color the music or create noticeable atmospheric anomalies like hiss .
• Leather pinna pads break in after about a calendar week , making these some of the most comfortable on - ear headphones , period . Initially , the stitching on the inside of the ear cup was irritating , but over time , the threads softened to the point that it ’s unnoticeable .
• While slimly heavier than some of their competitors , the sturdy , flexible physique of more than made up for the difference .
Should You Buy It?
Yes , peculiarly if you ’re on the move a batch . These are n’t the only great - fathom , noise - canceling headphones out there , but none are better build for your backpack or traveling bag .
• driver : 40 mm , dynamic
• Sensitivity : 121 dB
• stamp battery : intragroup , with USB - courser , and three travel adaptors included
• Price : $ 350
•Giz Rank : 4 wiz
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