AKG Philippines launched their latest line of headsets at the Acoustical space in SM Megamall last week. The products that were introduced ranges from their low-end to their flagship K3003. Allow us to briefly walk you through each of them.
K512 MKII
Here’s an entry-level headset from AKG, the K512 MKII is the update of the K511(Obviously). I tried this using my Galaxy Note and sadly, my phone can’t drive these cans so I had to use a Fiio E11 amp. Great sound for the price, not for people on-the-go though.
SRP: Php 3,590
K514
This one was presented with an iPod nano connected to a Fiio amp too. This one might be the bang-for-the-buck headphones in the line. If you’re planning on starting out your audiophile journey then this one’s a good start.
SRP: Php 4,590
K451
You can check our review here. If I’m looking for a portable pair of headphones, I will surely get this. My Galaxy note drove these babies well and the soundstage was so wide. I enjoyed listening to my FLACs and forgot that there was an event happening.
SRP: Php 7,590
K490 NC
I am skeptical about noise-cancelling headphones, but this one just made me change the way I see/hear noise-cancelling headpohones. You can just turn the NC on and forget the world around you. You’ve got to experience it to believe it. Check them out at The Acoustic Space. The NC has no batteries and you charge them via USB.
SRP: Php 14,990
K495 NC
The big brother of the K490, this one is better built and more solid than the K490. It has the same features as the K490 but more robust.
SRP: Php 22,390
K550
Now this bad boy is one of the highlights of the event. It’s a light-weight, closed-back headphone with a 50mm high-precision driver. And even if the K550 is closed-back, the soundstage is very wide and it differentiates instruments very clearly. Again, these are not portable headphones, so you might need an amplifier to drive them right.
SRP: Php14,990
K3003/K3003i
And for the main event of the evening, AKG’s flagship in-ear headphones, handmade from the finest materials from Vienna, the K3003. The K3003 is an in-ear monitor that features 3 filters that suits different style of users. It has a hypoallergenic ear sleeve so it’s safe for everyone. One thing that bothers me is in its price range, you can get a custom in-ear monitor with the perfect seal as opposed to a universal small, medium, large earbud. The difference between the K3003 and K3003i is the inline microphone for Apple users.
SRP: Php 65,000
AKG also collaborated with the world-renown producer Quincy Jones and launched the Quincy Jones signature line of AKG earphones and headphones.
Q350
I wasn’t able to test this one but it’s the in-ear monitor of the line. It has an integrated inline remote control and microphone which is designed, again, for Apple users.
SRP: Php 5,090
Q460
Pretty much based on the K450/K451 line, it adds the Quincy Jones essence to the mix. It has a new supersoft ear pads which I find very comfortable for listening for long periods of time.
SRP: Php 8,390
Q701
The Q701 is the flagship model of the Quincy Jones line. It features a flat-wire for a tangle-free experience. The heart of these cans features a patented AKG high-performance driver which delivers crystal clear highs in the midst of accurate bass response. The earpads are soft and seals music pretty well and is very comfortable.
SRP: Php 25,990
Do check these babies out if you have the time and are looking for a new pair of cans. They have units unboxed for auditioning and experience sound in a totally different spectrum. Drop by the JBL Acoustical Space, 4th Floor, SM Megamall Building B.