“Great ideas are born in silence” are the slightly counterintuitive words stamped onto the interior lid of AKG’s new K371 wired headphones. Silence, however, isn’t what comes to mind when talking about the K371, the new wired counterpart to the capable Bluetooth K371-BT model.
We found the BT version's sonics stood out in a crowded wireless market, and it’s mostly the same story with this new wired offering. Boasting a big, broad sound and some seriously impressive audio clout, the AKG K371 deliver a great listening experience for a reasonable fee.
They also have the numbers to match – AKG claims around 5Hz to 40kHz frequency bandwidth, substantial 50mm drivers and a meagre weight of just 255g. If you’re looking for a relatively affordable pair of cans that can still pack a punch, you should certainly consider AKG’s K371 model.
Comfort
The wired K371 cans deliver pleasing levels of comfort and style. Different experiences are inevitable, but most ears will be snugly covered, even if we did feel a little excess pressure at the top of the cup during longer listening sessions.
Given the muscle of the K371’s delivery, you might be worried that even a mid-volume listening session could end up filling your room with unwanted audio spillover. Happily, the closed-back K371 have no such problems keeping their sound where it belongs, i.e. in your ears and not splashing across a crowded sound studio or bemused office space.
Build
AKG has once again delivered polished levels of build quality. Scratch a fingernail over the headband’s cushioned material or the exterior of the plastic earcup and you’ll barely make a mark across the pristine surface.
Being a pair of wired headphones, the K371 cans don’t offer a huge number of bells and whistles to play with. Instead, a choice of three wires (one short, straight 1.2m; one long, straight 3m; one coiled 3m) and a 6.3mm adaptor to complement the basic 3.5mm jack ensures users won’t be restricted by an excessively short lead, and all three leads fit into the headphone socket via a Mini-XLR plug.
Type Closed-back over-ear
Drivers 50mm
Claimed Frequency response 5Hz – 40kHz
Cables Coiled 3m, straight 3m, straight 1.2m
Weight 255g
The headband's neat and well-designed aluminium slider mechanism, meanwhile, allows the earcups to move back and forth and rotate backwards into the headband for storage, and at no point in this process do you ever worry you’re about to snap your precious headphones in half and watch your money evaporate in one fell crack. It’s not an entirely unique feature, but it’s still a relatively rare one at this price point.
We did harbour concerns that the similarly-designed BT model may reveal a potential weak point where the slider and headband meet due to some inflexibility at the band’s outer edges, but AKG has assured us that there have been no issues with breakages of its Bluetooth cans.
Sound
AKG markets the K371 as perfect for professional functions such as streaming, vlogging, music production and studio monitoring, but there’s nothing to stop you from using them as your own personal headphones for enjoying your music at home or on the go.
In fact, the K371 offer great sound for the more casual buyer as well as for the studio professional. What you’ll notice immediately is how meaty the bass is, giving plenty of oomph at the sonic spectrum’s lower end. Tracks such as Muse’s Hysteria or Liars’ Big Appetite benefit from the K371’s weighty sound, even if more nuanced offerings such as Elliot Smith’s Between The Bars will be coloured by the cans’ slight bass emphasis.
Yet there’s no mistaking how clear and insightful AKG’s headphones can be, and it’s only when they are compared with their main rival, Røde’s crystal clear NTH-100, that you might detect any room for improvement with regard to the latter’s more detailed soundscape and greater bass precision. Still, if you favour a bit more oomph for some grungey rock, heavy hip-hop or pulsing musical soundtracks, AKG has certainly delivered on that promise.
Verdict
AKG has once again delivered a truly solid pair of headphones suitable for anyone from the professional studio mixer to a casual music lover. The K371 are an impressive pair of cans that benefit from careful construction and a robust sound, not to mention high levels of comfort and quality.
Potential buyers should bear in mind Røde’s NTH-100 which go a little further in terms of nuance and subtlety, but AKG’s effort offers a powerful, enjoyable sonic experience with confidence and enthusiasm at this price. For making you feel the music you’re listening to, the K371 headphones are a really solid investment.
SCORES
- Sound 4
- Comfort 4
- Build 4
MORE:
Read our review of the Røde NTH-100
Also consider Austrian Audio's Hi-X15
Read our Grado SR80x review
Best over-ear headphones: wired and wireless over-ears for every budget
