Customer Ratings & Reviews

As a long time owner of Bose Triports I got fed up with them breaking due to normal wear year after year. On my 3rd (and final) pair, I relentlessly tried holding them together with strategically placed zip ties. I sewed the ear cups closed after the factory glue wore off, separating them at the seams and exposed the foam. I tried my best to squeeze every last minute out of them until they snapped again, underneath the zip tie and I called it quits. So I was in the market for a new pair of quality headphones that would hopefully last me a while, but I had no idea where to start. After researching reviews for high-end headphones I decided on the K 172 HD's based mainly on general quality/durability, comfort, and price. I assumed it was a given that the sound quality would already be an upgrade, but I knew I wanted a pair with a closed-back design, similar to the Triports. While I can't yet comment on the durability/sustainability of the K 172 HD's, I CAN say that after strapping them on my head I was honestly instantly relieved. These are quality headphones. It was clear I had made the right decision. Even though it's just not fair to compare them to the Triports, I will briefly! The Triports seem to be designed for the average consumer. The AKG K 172 HD's were built for audio professionals. They're only a bit larger and are far more comfortable. The ear cups are cloth, so they won't flake off after a year like the faux leather cups on the Triports. They're also made in Austria as opposed to China. I was a bit hesitant because of the price (about double the price of the Triports) however they are about $100 cheaper than the K 272 HD's. You definitely get what you pay for. My music sounds "cleaner" and more detailed, they're extremely comfortable and lightweight. The cord length is perfect, the auto-fit feature works great. They're just the right size so they don't slide around on my head, even after quickly moving my head around or putting one of the ear cups behind an ear. Overall I am super happy with my purchase. I will have to add another review about a year from now on how they hold up. I'm very optimistic though and would definitely recommend them someone looking for a headphone upgrade.

I was looking for a pair of high end headphones to replace my ageing triports that would impress me like they once did and these are terrible. These have no bass at all I tried over and over to get use to them and just couldn't. I tried them on several different sound sources (e.g. mp3 players home theatre receivers) and they did not amaze me like my triports did when I first bought them. Don't waste your time or money even if their on sale. I sent these back. You can get the 172, 272 or even the $399 quincy jones signature series and still sound weak.

For anyone bashing these headphones for not getting a low end bass sound out of them, You are using them for the wrong purpose. AKG is more of a studio brand made for mixing music professionally. I suggest doing some research before buying something u know nothing about.