AKG K240 MKII Semi-open Pro Studio Headphones Reviews

Love these AKG K240 MK2 headphones
Happy with these! Either coiled or straight cord.
Comfortable nice price point!

I needed to be able to hear what I'm playing during practice and these are very clean and clear.

My sales engineer Andrew Plassman recommended these to me. Great recommendation Andrew. I really like these. They sound great and are very lightweight. The reviews where folks say they almost forget they are wearing them… believe it.

Thanks Andrew and the Sweetwater team!

I bought these back in 2014 by recommendation from a friend. I've gone through a few ear pad replacements and a cord replacement or two, but the sound is quality is still amazing.

These are by far the most comfortable and cleanest sounding headphones I have ever purchased. I've owned at least a dozen solid pairs by now and the sound quality is superb to all of them. Even than that of their higher priced competitors. I shall not name names. I have no complaints and I highly recommend. Having the 2 cord options can be a life saver as well. Great job AKG!

These headphones have a super flat response. Mixing with them produces a clean clear mix. They are incredibly comfortable and can be worn for hours. The detachable cable is another feature that sets them apart. I'm certain they last a very long time. Please note, these are not going to be the greatest for hi-fi listening. If I were rating these as a listening headphone, I would still give them 4 stars. I would like to see these in a 50mm driver for that purpose. If you need a set of phones for mixing, look no further.

I am your "Typical" Stay at Home Musician with a pieced together Studio where I try to Produce my own Music and all that good stuff. I am also your "Typical" shopper in the way I'm usually broke and can not afford the "affordable" equipment that most people seem to be able to buy, so, when I spend $! freaking Bucks on anything, let alone a set of Headphones, I am very wary on doing so...
That all being said, I am VERY glad, Happy, & surprised with these Awesome headphones!
Made with All Great materials, with a High-End look, and comfy feel, great sound qualities, and talk about durable!
If your worried about (your) kids possibly getting their grubby hands on your brand new set of headphones than don't WORRY!.
These things hold up super well with close to unbreakable like quality. They are super light, and I immediately put the felt/fuzee ear pads on and whew! I'm confident that I will be able to Track, Record, Monitor, & do EVERYTHING I have been held back from doing because of a lack in Quality Music Equipment.
I am glad I spent my hard earned money on these Headphones!
With the reduced price these Phones are a solid investment, they are also Great for just plugging into your phone and listing to your favorites! not to mention they look pretty Sharp! so while your jamming out with these on you not only get great sound but you will look kind of Badass Too!!..
In short, Yasss!! BUY these headphones if your on the fence about it!
And if your just looking for a new pair of headphones for Recording & Audio Tech stuff that Double as regular listing
(Walking Around with your ears closed off to the world) pleasure Headphones, In my own opinion, you just can not go wrong with these Awesome Headphones!!

"DO IT!.."
(Emperor Palpatine Voice)

There are plenty of great-sounding headphones out there, but not all of them are this light and comfortable. Some of them are downright painful after a long session. The K240 MKII sound terrific, with an openness and lack of congestion that reminds me of my favorite open-back consumer headphones, only without the discomfort. Add in the replaceable cable (in your choice of coiled or straight) and earpads, and these might just be around a while.

I have never used headphones that cost a grand or more so I can't speak to how these compare, but for average audio work they sound great. I mainly got these for the open back design. I have been using a guitar modeler lately and using headphones a lot at night for extended periods. The other "closed back" phones I own seemed to build up the low end too much and make the mids and highs seem unnatural and become fatiguing. Yes I could artificially adjust with EQ, but that really didn't solve the problem and wasn't the proper thing to do IMO. These have seemed to solve that problem. They are also very comfortable and help keep my ear cool. Basically open backs are way more natural sounding at the cost of isolation. I knew that going in and honestly since these are considered "semi" open back they don't leak very much at all and still retain the benefits of open back. They come with two different cables and an extra pair (velvet & leatherette) of pads. The build quality is perfectly adequate for someone who doesn't abuse their equipment. You really can't go wrong for the price.

I bought these 5 years ago. Or thereabout. Around that time I bought other headphones by Beyerdynamics. I used the Beryerdynamics more. They were more comfortable. I thought they sounded better. Ater these AKGs sat for a while I picked them up again after using the others for a couple of years. My first thought was, why am I using those other ones. These sound much better. So I have been using these since. They seem to have gotten better with use. I sleep with them on and listen to music as I sleep. SO they are well broken in by now. I am still blown away when I hear a well-recorded song. I use Qobuz and Tidal with a DAC and headphone amp. I still get blown away by how good these sound. I admit I never heard a high-end headphones before. I'm sure I would be blown away. But I also wonder how much better can they sound? But I'm sure they do. But for the money, I know these are the best I have heard. I have thought of getting a better set. But how much would I have to spend to get something that sounds better? I only have one complaint about these. I hate the large loop of metal wired that go over your head. I wish they were just like regular headphones. But if that somehow helps these sound so good, I will live with it. And the pads are not the most comfortable. I just ordered a new set. So after 5 years, 3 years of daily use, the pads are finally needed to be replaced. I hope the new ones don't affect the sound and are more comfortable then the originals. I would highly recommend these headphones. But do yourself a favor and use a DAC and headphone amp.

These are nice headphones really comfy , good sound and not too expensive . They arrived right on time .
Another great shopping experience at Sweetwater .

I am loving these headphones. I am editing and mastering audiobooks for hours on end and these are the most comfortable headphones I have ever owned. The sound is pure and unaltered, so I know what I hear is what the end-user is going to hear.

Just used these for a virtual opera performance, and they were awesome! Great sound quality, and I could still hear myself sing without losing the track. And surprisingly comfortable - sometimes I really forgot I was wearing them.

Every single item that I have purchased from Caleb Lowery at Sweetwater. Has been a perfect addition to my studio. The reason behind this 100% satisfaction rate is due to the caring and time spent with my sales professional ( Caleb ) making sure that the items chosen are really what I want. I completely commend Chuck Surack who is the main man behind this organization, for assembling one of the greatest group of sales professionals that I have ever been fortunate enough to use. Since finding Sweetwater, I will NEVER shop at any of the other online music warehouses. My rating would be ten stars if allowed!!!

These headphones are really comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. This makes them great for tracking, mixing, mastering or just simply enjoying music. They are pretty flat in the frequency line which makes them perfect for NOT coloring the sound with too heavy bottom end or sizzling high end. Right now I am enjoying them while listening to vinyl records. Other headphones I have tried in the past either color the sound or don't fit nice for extended usage. I am really happy with the AKG K240's that I purchased and I am really happy with the customer service at Sweetwater. I have purchased from Sweetwater on multiple occasions and the customer service is top notch.

fit over the ear, and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. great sound, and they don't block outside noises.

Saw these… and immediately call Mr. Jerrod DeMott to order these! I simply love AKG headphones.. They are the ones that fit my ears the most comfortable and I simply love their flat response which don't give me ear fatigue! The music simply sounds fantastic on these headphones.. No over powering bass, midrange or highend!! Just simply very flat and smooth response :):)

Again, Thank you very much for your assistance Mr. Jerrod DeMott.

They work good!

These headphones were highly recommended for transcribing Jazz solos. They just arrived today, but I liked them immediately. I'm coming from closed back Sennheiser HD280 Pro cans, which were very good sounding, but much heavier than these. The semi-open was immediately obvious. Surprisingly, these have more bass than the Sennheisers. Even though these are a lower ohmage, they are quieter, which is not a bad thing. They can take more volume without over-saturating your ears. The leakage from these is very minimal and quiet. I like both sets, these and the Sennheisers. Both very good headphones, just different. If anything happens to these, I will definitely buy them again.

I've had these headphones about a decade now. To say they are dependable and accurate is an understatement.

On a technical side, these things are FLAT. After a decade of use, I'm still endlessly impressed by how clean the low end is and how wide the spectrum range is. Full-frequency spectrum EDM tracks mixed on them translate superbly. The stereo field is spot-on and there are no harsh peaks or dips in frequencies. I can listen for hours without noticable fatigue.

One of the biggest reasons I chose AKGs is the headstrap - unlike other headphones, there are no joints to make squeaky noises or pinch hair. The around-the-ear construction and velvet pads massively contribute to long-session comfort. They have NEVER been uncomfortable or sweaty. No hyped EQ or compression. Just like any good tool, they disappear when you put them on, and it's just you and the music.

But on their dependability... These things have given me the ability to mix full tracks WELL even when I had nothing else - whether moving states, monitors dying - heck, when I had to move out because of family drama and all I had was a laptop, these headphones were there for me!

No matter how many hours they spent neglected on my desk with audio running through them while I mixed on monitors, or how many times the vacuum or the cat threatened the cord, no matter how many road trips and hotel stays and guest musicians they endured, they never let me down. They've genuinely transcended past just being a piece of gear into the same emotional catagory as a warrior's trusty sword or that old truck that just keeps hauling.

This spring I'm building a new computer, custom crafting a new desk, upgrading monitors, adding a sub, researching microphones and acoustic treatment - EVERYTHING is getting an upgrade... But there's one part of my setup that isn't changing:
My AKG K240 MKII's.

Delighted with the quality and comfort of these headphones, which were reasonably priced, and super impressed by the knowledge and professionalism of Joe Secu, who assisted us over the phone and followed up a few days later to see if we were happy. Joe not only asked what we would be using the headphones for but also listened to the answer and recommended a set that met our needs and our budget.

I would highly recommend Sweetwater both in terms of product quality, price and service.

I have always loved the smooth and flat response of the AKG headphones.. You can listen to music for long periods of time at moderate leves without running into ear fatigue :) :) Simply AKG are my favorites.

Mr. DeMott had the best deal on these...!!

Also The Sweetwater Team still holds Customer Service at High Standards...

Great Job Folks :):):):)

This set of headphones were gave yo me ,but they are the best I have ever used,There super!!!!

This set of headphones were gave yo me ,but they are the best I have ever used,There super!!!!

I had few experience in music studio. There was big speakers, and few tech guys. After few months, there I happened to notice a headphone. One of the tech guy told me about the importance of headphone. So, I went to the market and bought it.
I am a hobbyist. So, I do not have developed ear. But, what I have learned is, this akg k240 mkii is a must behind 8 inch speakers.

Usually, here tech guys do not show this but when they are alone, they use it.

Buy it ! Don't think.

So comfortable and so great sounding---freakin' awesome

Love them. So comfortable, Sometimes I fall asleep with them on.
thank you

With all due respect for some of the known top of the line series of headphones, I can say the 240 MK II are definitely a standard for project and home studios. I have used my headphones in the studio and live - comfortable, clear sound that is balanced and not overbearing. In my experience in studio and live recordings I have always used AKG headphones, and as a drummer/percussionist I never have to concentrate on not doing something too physical that will cause me to think about something as not involved as headphones. Simply said they stay put and give consistant fantastic sound.

Keep a pair of these in your studio gear bag!!!

I went through five pairs of $200 headphones before I settled on these. I bought cuter ones first (beatz, bose, sol republic) but an apple tech support guy (who happened to be a studio engineer) recommended both these babies, and Sweetwater. Am I ever happy I spoke to him! These guys sound fantastic, are comfortable, work perfectly, and I even like how they look.

I asked my Sweetwater Sales engineer what phones I should use for recording vocals and mixing in my portable studio, without breaking the bank. He recommended these because they are semi-open for accurate sound reproduction and very comfortable. I am using Shure SRH440's for the vocalists because they are closed back, but they are a bit too tight on my head for extended wearing, AND they artificially boost the bass because of the closed design. As the engineer, I am far enough away from the microphones that I don't worry about sound emanating from the semi-open back. Again, this was all based on the recommendation of my VERY knowledgeable sales engineer, and everything works as I expected based on the information I received from him. For the price of these headphones, I seriously doubt I could have done better. Check out my review of the AKG K 271 phones I used at my last studio session.

I bought a pair in January of 2011 for my in-home studio where I read and record books. These cans reproduce the human voice so well.
They let me hear even the smallest adjustments to my EQ, and are really the only way to go when it comes to editing.

The ear pads are extremely comfortable. I have worn them for five hours straight on many occasions, and I believe I could have kept them on the rest of the day. The semi-open back allows me to hear sounds around me which is very helpful when recording, because if I can hear it then so can the microphone.

find these to be ok for the price. A little heavier and harder on the ears but good for a hour of two. Sound quality as expected.

I've owned a lot of headphones in my day but these truly have the cleanest sound of them all. It could be a little deeper and richer imo so i took off half a star. I have been using these for mixing/mastering and they work great. Very satisfied with the product and end result.

First of all, these are COMFORTABLE. I was using the ATH-M40x but my head would begin to hurt about after 10 minutes of wearing them. So I began looking into what may be a more comfortable alternative, and set my eyes on these after reading positive reviews. I did swap the stock muffs for the cloth ones they came with and now I can wear these headphones for hours without fatigue or discomfort.

As for the sound, I believe others describe it as a "flat response". It's clean, clear, and untouched. No boosts to any frequency means what you hear is as true to the signal source as possible. I use these to mix and record electronic music, so these are exactly what I needed. All that's left is to purchase some monitors to hear through the semi-open headphones.

I did just receive them, so can't say how long I may expect them to last since they do appear a bit fragile. But they ought to easily last years and years with proper care and storage :)

So while they may look or feel flimsy to some people, the comfort and sound quality make it worth the investment.

Really nice headphones. Pretty light, nice coiled cable or long cable, and it generally feels like my ears can breathe and listen. My ears touch the inner side of the ear cups which I don't like, but I think the quality makes it passable.

I record audio for broadcast and do a lot mixing on headphones. My venerable Sony MDR 7506 were getting pretty ragged. Called my Sweetwater guy Matt Masek and talked with him about good choices in my price range. He was very helpful and steered me to the AKG K240. What a surprise, when they arrived, I opened the box and two detachable cables, one coiled, one straight. Plus and extra pair of ear cushions, leatherette on the phones and an extra pair with a velour like covering. Very nice. A little more subdued than my bright in-your-face Sony's and seem they like to be driven a little harder, probably because of the flatter response. What comfort. The Sony's seemed to press on my ears a little and after a three hour session, I would have to give my ears some space. The K240 fit over my ears and I hardly notice I have them on. Thanks Matt! You have always been so helpful.

I needed a new pair of headphones and was on a budget. I was looking at the Beyerdynamic DT770 that are in the same price range and was ultimately drawn to the velvet earpads. After additional research, recommendation after recommendation said to go with these instead. Little did I know that these came with replacement velvet earpads in the box so I pulled the trigger. Man was I glad I did. They sound amazing! Very open and airy sound, clear and flat (no added boost in any frequency range) that I could tell. They are also lightweight compared to the two pairs of Senheiser HD280 that I have finally replaced. I no longer have an isolated private studio so mixing on monitors late at night is not allowed with two young kids. I haven't mixed on these yet but I am so looking forward to it and the outcome.

Really glad I didn't spend a fortune on some more expensive 'phones in pursuit of that last amount of sonic bliss. These babies are very neutral, comfortable, and the semi-open design makes for a good compromise between open back and closed WITHOUT the penalty of sound escaping to disturb anyone else.

My best 'phones so far were a used pair of Sennheiser HD590 which might have offered a smidgen more detail in the mids and upper end but were definitely better in low bass definition and clarity. We're talking double the price to get that performance though now.

No regrets about taking the suggestions of some of the Sweetwater gurus on these headphones.

These headphones sound great and I can wear them for hours comfortably.

They're light, comfortable and sound great. Highly recommended!

Love these, they work well in the studio.

First of all, when I bought these several years ago, they only came with the coiled cord; there was no straight cord option. I really don't like the coiled cord at all, especially because it makes it a pain to wind them up for storage.

Aside from that, the sound is very clean and flat, as has been mentioned here repeatedly. My biggest issue is that, within about a year and a half of light to moderate use - maybe a few times a month on average - the cable already developed a short at the jack end. I like the phones, so I'm ordering a replacement cable, but I expected better quality control from a $ pair of headphones.

Meanwhile, the two pair of Behringer headphones I have, which have gotten much more use because I use them for everyday listening, are still going strong 10 years later. Go figure.

Worked great. Love the detachable cord, and the spare coil cord that came in addition to the regular cord. Nice.
Loved the fit. Very comfortable. I have never had a pair of Semi Open cans before. I like the sound. seemed to be an even response overall. Not made for extreme volume, but I don't use them for that. I am the late night edit and mix guy, and then the next day monitor on my Adams S3A's. So far for the money, Kick Butt.

I might have just order the wrong product because the volume is very low. I wanted to return them for a different pair but waited too long. Everything else I've ordered from SW has always been a great experience. No complaints here.

Love the sound, super crisp, really lets the music artist's vision be realized. The build is kinda weak though. For a pair of $ headphones, you'd expect them to be built with higher quality materials and not plastic.

I bought my first K240 headphones in the 1970's. They tend to short out on one side and the cord is not replaceable, but they have lasted almost 50 years. My second set bought in the 1990's work fine. This is my third set. I needed another for my home studio and decided to try these higher end phones. I don't hear a difference, but they're certainly every bit as good as the regular K240's. They come with extra pads and an extra cord. That extra cord will come in handy in 50 years!

Ok I got my order from Sweetwater, came quick with usual good service. However the headphones are not nearly as good as I expected. So I'll start with the positives. 1. They sound pretty good, not as harsh or trebly as the cheap audio technica ones I been using. 2 They are pretty comfortable on my head. 3. They have your choice of two different types of cords, and extra pads so you can pick what you like best, and save the others for when they wear out. 4. They have a nice look to them. Now the Negatives. 1. They are not loud at all! Only gets about 2/3rds as loud as my cheap AT ones. 2 The built quality is cheap plastic that really doesn't look like it will last very long. 3. When I went to change the cord to the curly one, the button you have to press to disengage the cord from the headphones would not disengage the cord.had to press it super hard and pull very hard on the cord before it would come out. And since it's made of cheap plastic I think it's not a good idea to change the cords back and forth unless you really need to. Overall, I don't necessarily think they sound that bad, but they don't sound as good as they were made out to sound in the reviews in my opinion.4. No way you can use these on one ear, they are built not to turn to outside. I think they are overpriced. And I know that $ isn't that much now days, but I also think I could have gotten a $ pair that would have equaled the quality and sound of these. Can only give them 3 stars.

I have two pairs of AKGs the K240 MKII and the K240s. Yea they get the job done BUT I have long hair and EVERY time I take them off they pull at least 3 hairs from my head by the roots! others I have do not pull hair! They know how to play nice! lol :)

Designed for boys.

I produce EDM, the response is nice and even. An honest sound, but holy shniz my hair gets ripped out if I forget to put my long locks in a pony tail. The worst feeling is finishing a mix down and taking your earphones off, only to get your hair pulled out of your skull in a clump. Worth the price if you can keep your hair away from the band. I'm keeping my review score low since the only problem I've found is glaringly obnoxious.