Looking for headphones similar to AKG K 240DF

[pinger]

I currently have AKG K 240DF phones. Been using for decades. Happy with them and looking for another pair to use on my second system in bedroom. I listen to exclusively Classical and 80% solo piano if that makes any difference. Any suggestions for models that sound close to my current phones? I'm used to the 240 model so I'm good with that sound. Price not a big issue but like to keep it below 1K. I dont do EQ FWIW and want another over the ear model and wired

 

[staticV3]

The K240 DF is not well documented regarding frequency response, so finding a similar headphone will be difficult.

Edit: Actually, we do have frequency response measurements from Innerfidelity which were converted to quasi-Harman by Jaakko:


The red Error graph tells us where this headphone deviates from the preferred headphone response.

This kind of drastic bass roll-off below 200Hz will be very difficult to find in a modern headphone.

 

[Dunring]

The AKG k371 wired version would be a nice upgrade. Pianists like George Winston and Jim Brickman sound really good on those. Harman tuning so no EQ is needed out of the box.

 

[Mr Swing King]

I’m not sure you can find a similarly tuned headphone in today’s market (looking at the frequency response provided earlier on), but I think you can get something fairly close in the new Audeze MM-100 that also exhibits the same type of ‘Difuse Field shout’ up around 3-4k. You’d be getting a huge upgrade in bass performance though, which could be somewhat of a revelation/wtf-moment if you’re not used to hearing the subbass content of your music.
In any instance this looks very much like an upgrade from the K240 DF that still retains it’s difuse field character:

Edited for spelling.

 

[pinger]

The K240 DF is not well documented regarding frequency response, so finding a similar headphone will be difficult.

Edit: Actually, we do have frequency response measurements from Innerfidelity which were converted to quasi-Harman by Jaakko:
View attachment 337604

The red Error graph tells us where this headphone deviates from the preferred headphone response.

This kind of drastic bass roll-off below 200Hz will be very difficult to find in a modern headphone.

Wow thanks for taking the time to post that graph. Very interesting

 

[pinger]

The AKG k371 wired version would be a nice upgrade. Pianists like George Winston and Jim Brickman sound really good on those. Harman tuning so no EQ is needed out of the box.

Yeah that model seems to get good reviews. Thanks for mentioning

 

[canchet]

The K240 DF is not well documented regarding frequency response, so finding a similar headphone will be difficult.

Edit: Actually, we do have frequency response measurements from Innerfidelity which were converted to quasi-Harman by Jaakko:
View attachment 337604

The red Error graph tells us where this headphone deviates from the preferred headphone response.

This kind of drastic bass roll-off below 200Hz will be very difficult to find in a modern headphone.

Thanks for sharing that graph. Which DF version do you have?
Can you share us your EQ prefer for your DFs?

Cheers!

 

[staticV3]

Thanks for sharing that graph. Which DF version do you have?
Can you share us your EQ prefer for your DFs?

Cheers!

I do not have a K240.

 

[robertom]

I have had the K240 a long time ago, they were widely used in studios and radios in the 90s for their natural midrange. Yes, they lacked bass. The K371 is a good suggestion, but they sound different of course, and have a very elevated sub-bass (too much for my personal tastes), I have sold them but they were very good cans. An alternative (which I preferred) could be the AKG K612, pretty neutral tuning (overall a bit more relaxed than the 371) and even more comfortable than the 371. Better soundstage, also. Moreover, it seems that the 371 headband is prone to flaking, while the 612 will be more durable. All of this is IMO, of course.

 

[canchet]

Do you have a K240DF or which version? The K371 is closed one, so it is a different purpose. The K612, Austrian, seems to be a winner too.

 

[twsecrest]

Several used 600-Ohm AKG K240 for sale on eBay.

 

[canchet]

Several used 600-Ohm AKG K240 for sale on eBay.

The K240DF is differnet than the other 600OHM versions (Sextett and Monitor). It is also quite rare on ebay.

 

[robertom]

Do you have a K240DF or which version? The K371 is closed one, so it is a different purpose. The K612, Austrian, seems to be a winner too.

I don't remember, it was in the 90s.. Anyway, from the graph reported by static V3 the DF version seems to be similar to the common K240 Studio, it could even roll off earlier in the bass. Similar peak at 3K followed by a dip and another peak, although at different spots. From graphs, it seems to be very similar to the 240 Studio.
From the OP request, it seems he is just looking for a neutral midrange and neutral bass: The more extended (but linear) bass of the K612 could only be welcome, in my opinion. The K371 is a lot more 'harmanish' in the bass, it would be a bigger departure from that neutral signature.

 

[SuicideSquid]

I currently have AKG K 240DF phones. Been using for decades. Happy with them and looking for another pair to use on my second system in bedroom. I listen to exclusively Classical and 80% solo piano if that makes any difference. Any suggestions for models that sound close to my current phones? I'm used to the 240 model so I'm good with that sound. Price not a big issue but like to keep it below 1K. I dont do EQ FWIW and want another over the ear model and wired

If you like the fit and feel of the 240, consider trying the AKG 271mkII. It's an upgrade over the 240 in pretty much every respect while maintaining a similar overall sonic character, as well as a similar look and feel.

The 361 and 371, as recommended above, more closely track the Harman curve but fit very differently from the 271 and 240.

The 702 fits closer to the 240 and the 271 but has a much more open sound with better soundstage and treble. Lacks a bit in the bass region without EQ, though, and is harder to drive than the 240 or the 271.

 

[twsecrest]

Drop (Massdrop) HE5XX planar headphones, I like their sound.
And they come in way under budget.

 

[Peewee12]

I came to this thread with the exact same hope: to find a replacement for my cherished K240DFs that I purchased over 20 years ago. They are impossible to find on eBay (authentic ones, I bought a pair years ago for parts or as a backup and they had the wrong drivers in them), but they are also not expensive when they do pop up. I have heard some people say that something like the Sennheiser HD 800 might be a worthy replacement, especially for classical music. But wow those are in a different league price-wise. I have been using HD 600 for a long time, hoping to get used to them and transition away from the K240DFs eventually, because they are addictive. It sounds silly but they are. Anyway, I haven’t found a way to replace them yet. It would really require actually listening to them at home back to back. I’d be willing to spend the money on something like HD 800s if I could listen for a week or so and then decide.
I worked in studios and mastering suites and dealt with Benchmark DACs and these K240DFs daily and every time I use them, it’s never tiring and so immersive as well as having crazy amounts of loudness without distortion, that I just don’t think I’ll find anything else.

 

[staticV3]

I worked in studios and mastering suites and dealt with Benchmark DACs and these K240DFs daily and every time I use them, it’s never tiring and so immersive as well as having crazy amounts of loudness without distortion, that I just don’t think I’ll find anything else.

That should be relatively easy to replicate.

Just apply a high-pass filter in software to a regular pair of headphones, to mimic the K240DF's drastic bass roll-off, and you should gain a lot of clean loudness.

 

[canchet]

I came to this thread with the exact same hope: to find a replacement for my cherished K240DFs that I purchased over 20 years ago. They are impossible to find on eBay (authentic ones, I bought a pair years ago for parts or as a backup and they had the wrong drivers in them), but they are also not expensive when they do pop up. I have heard some people say that something like the Sennheiser HD 800 might be a worthy replacement, especially for classical music. But wow those are in a different league price-wise. I have been using HD 600 for a long time, hoping to get used to them and transition away from the K240DFs eventually, because they are addictive. It sounds silly but they are. Anyway, I haven’t found a way to replace them yet. It would really require actually listening to them at home back to back. I’d be willing to spend the money on something like HD 800s if I could listen for a week or so and then decide.
I worked in studios and mastering suites and dealt with Benchmark DACs and these K240DFs daily and every time I use them, it’s never tiring and so immersive as well as having crazy amounts of loudness without distortion, that I just don’t think I’ll find anything else.

I still have 2 pairs from the late production from 2000-2001, they are still fantastic for today’s standards, I don’t find them lacking on bass. You just need a proper amplifier.

Why don’t you try the K812s? I have the K872s with the inner foam ring removed and they truly sound fantastic.

 

[Peewee12]

That should be relatively easy to replicate.

Just apply a high-pass filter in software to a regular pair of headphones, to mimic the K240DF's drastic bass roll-off, and you should gain a lot of clean loudness.

Funny. That’s not how it works in my experience. The DFs have such an amazingly fast response in all the upper frequencies that they don’t sparkle at all. They are just plain more airy and clear in the upper ranges without distorting at all. It’s fun to listen to big classical music pieces or even rock music with them when the music has a lot of dynamic range. Since they a lot of missing bass, they are useful for mixing and even mastering upper range frequencies but not for bass. But that can be done on other stuff like actual monitors.

 

[Peewee12]

I still have 2 pairs from the late production from 2000-2001, they are still fantastic for today’s standards, I don’t find them lacking on bass. You just need a proper amplifier.

Why don’t you try the K812s? I have the K872s with the inner foam ring removed and they truly sound fantastic.

That’s a lot to spend on something I would have to listen to first. Does something like that exist?