staticV3
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Put the K371 on the wrong way around and check whether the channel imbalance shifts to the other side.
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AKG K371 Review (closed back headphone)
- Thread starter amirm
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Play a song in mono or a voice recording, if the sound is not center, something isn’t right.
If you know your ears aren't blocked with wax, which can give false imbalance problems with headphones, and if you haven't got a rig to measure the headphone, then all you have to go on is your subjective experience. Subjective experience can be correct, I noticed channel imbalance in one of the newer HD560s I bought, I measured it on miniDSP Ears rig and indeed it had channel imbalance to the same side that I experienced when listening. So, trust your ears if they're not blocked up and perhaps send them back for a replacement indeed citing that they aren't channel balanced.
Phosphenetre
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Do you recall enough about the sound of the K371 to make a comparison to the SRH440?
K371 are warmer and more colored but with better separation.
staticV3
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Keep in mind that the original SRH440 was discontinued a while ago and can only be bought used.
Shure replaced it with the SRH440A, which is tuned worse.
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Phosphenetre
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After a couple of days of thorough comparison against other closed-back Harman-tuned or Harman-adjacent headphones, I got the AKG K371 yesterday.
When I first put them on, I was so disappointed that I thought I had a fake or a defective piece. It sounded overly mid heavy and lacking the deep bass that so many have praised. I'm also intimately familiar with the Harman Over Ear target and what it's supposed to sound like, so this just made my face fall.
Then I remembered I was wearing glasses. Took them off and it sounded like it's supposed to.
My glasses aren't particularly thick, but I've read comments by @oratory1990 and others saying the K371 can be difficult for people with glasses, and it's true. I'm aware this is a general issue with closed-backs in general though, but it seems the K371 may be worse off than some others in this respect.
When I first put them on, I was so disappointed that I thought I had a fake or a defective piece. It sounded overly mid heavy and lacking the deep bass that so many have praised. I'm also intimately familiar with the Harman Over Ear target and what it's supposed to sound like, so this just made my face fall.
Then I remembered I was wearing glasses. Took them off and it sounded like it's supposed to.
My glasses aren't particularly thick, but I've read comments by @oratory1990 and others saying the K371 can be difficult for people with glasses, and it's true. I'm aware this is a general issue with closed-backs in general though, but it seems the K371 may be worse off than some others in this respect.
bevok
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What were you listening to out of curiosity? I haven’t been disappointed with the bass but will now be comparing with glasses off!
Phosphenetre
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A bunch of my reference material across a couple of genres, including material I've mixed and mastered myself.
Your results with glasses may well be satisfactory, there's so many variables at play here, from the thickness of the arms of the glasses, to the shape of the wearer's jaw and face. I'm still going to spend some time later today, trying to find a position and fit where I can still wear my glasses and get a near-perfect seal, but I'm not too optimistic. To quote oratory1990, "yep, the K361/K371 are very susceptive to loss of sealing. If you wear glasses you're gonna have a bad time."
Feelas
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keep in mind that separation is a lottery, heavily reliant on driver matching quality
A lot relies on driver matching. But that's why you buy from retailers with a good return policy.
phoenixsong
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Agreed- tried them with glasses and they sounded abysmal
bevok
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I must have slim glasses (or am just cloth-eared) as I didn’t notice much difference if any.
Robin L
Master Contributor
I've got no problems with glasses, have plenty of bass with my frames, a little on the thick side.
Looking for help
I am a rookie of HIFI. This is a great forums, and based on the test results, i just got a K371 BT as a new year present.
But when i pluged a self made '4.4 balance to mini xlr' wiring hardness(1 L+ 2 L- 3 R+ 4 R-) , the sound goes wrong... I checked the original 3.5 wires to mini xlr are 1 L+ 2 R+ 3 GND 4 GND.
Anyone knows the mini xlr pin 3 & 4, which one is L-. which one is R-, or it`s not gonna work for a 4.4 balance?
I am a rookie of HIFI. This is a great forums, and based on the test results, i just got a K371 BT as a new year present.
But when i pluged a self made '4.4 balance to mini xlr' wiring hardness(1 L+ 2 L- 3 R+ 4 R-) , the sound goes wrong... I checked the original 3.5 wires to mini xlr are 1 L+ 2 R+ 3 GND 4 GND.
Anyone knows the mini xlr pin 3 & 4, which one is L-. which one is R-, or it`s not gonna work for a 4.4 balance?
This won't work. Although the plug at the K371bt has 4 pins it does not carry balanced audio. Either the 4th pin is disconnected and or may carry the microphone signal.
Same here for me no difference. One thing to keep in mind the k371 has strong bass below 50hz. Many headphones even open backs have more bass above 50hz. where most of the bass in music happens. I don't find the Akg 371 to be particularly bassy.
I agree with almost everything that has been said here about the SQ and the Build Quality of these headphones.
So, I happened to have experienced an early 2020 batch piece of this headphone, and now have a 11/2023 batch piece.
What happened was I had ordered one off Amazon in June 2023 at a great price. The SQ was just like most of you over here say and, unfortunately, the Build Quality issues most of you experience, too were evident.
In fact, my experience was worse than some of the others.
Within the first few hours, the faux leather of the headband start peeling off badly. And within 3 weeks, the headband straight up snapped broke above the right ear cup.
When I checked the box, I realised that this was an early 2020 model and must have been lying with the Amazon reseller all through these years.
Harman, where I live, agreed to honour the warranty. Initially, I thought they will replace the headband and give my HP back, but they just kept delaying the delivery till last week. It was very frustrating - a seven month wait! - but finally they gave me a fresh piece. I insisted on an inspection, especially considering that the headband snapping issue in some 2020 batches were all over the forums and reddit.
So, what did I find? A noticeable bump in the 2023 batch piece, too, on the headband right around where my 2020 piece had snapped
The service centre folks were also surprised and took a photograph for their records, should the same problem arise again. But they were quite firm that the warranty period will not be extended and will apply only till one year from my June 2023 purchase, which is just about five months from now. Fingers crossed.
Now, to the differences I noticed between the 2020 and 2023 HPs:
2020:
1. Headband faux leather started peeling off immediately upon unboxing.
2. Headband snapped within three weeks of careful/gentle use.
3. XLR cable rubs against shirt, and snags if there are collars involved.
4. Seating was always hit and miss. Was never able to get it right in first attempt.
5. The drivers used to press against the ear.
2023:
1. No peeling after a week's use.
2. Headband has a kind of bump where the 2020 ones used to break.
3. XLR cable still has same problem.
4. Ear cup and seating has clearly been improved. Now, it is more or less the right seating on first attempt.
5. This is probably the biggest improvement - the drivers do not touch my ear. I think they have considerably increased the cup recess size.
In general, the ear cushion is slightly more rigid than the 2020 version. So, AKG does seem to have worked on improving the Build Quality.
Now, the wait goes on to see if the headband does have proper integrity. I hope it doesn't fail again. Or, if it breaks, it does so before the warranty ends in June.
Will drop updates here if anything changes.
So, I happened to have experienced an early 2020 batch piece of this headphone, and now have a 11/2023 batch piece.
What happened was I had ordered one off Amazon in June 2023 at a great price. The SQ was just like most of you over here say and, unfortunately, the Build Quality issues most of you experience, too were evident.
In fact, my experience was worse than some of the others.
Within the first few hours, the faux leather of the headband start peeling off badly. And within 3 weeks, the headband straight up snapped broke above the right ear cup.
When I checked the box, I realised that this was an early 2020 model and must have been lying with the Amazon reseller all through these years.
Harman, where I live, agreed to honour the warranty. Initially, I thought they will replace the headband and give my HP back, but they just kept delaying the delivery till last week. It was very frustrating - a seven month wait! - but finally they gave me a fresh piece. I insisted on an inspection, especially considering that the headband snapping issue in some 2020 batches were all over the forums and reddit.
So, what did I find? A noticeable bump in the 2023 batch piece, too, on the headband right around where my 2020 piece had snapped
The service centre folks were also surprised and took a photograph for their records, should the same problem arise again. But they were quite firm that the warranty period will not be extended and will apply only till one year from my June 2023 purchase, which is just about five months from now. Fingers crossed.
Now, to the differences I noticed between the 2020 and 2023 HPs:
2020:
1. Headband faux leather started peeling off immediately upon unboxing.
2. Headband snapped within three weeks of careful/gentle use.
3. XLR cable rubs against shirt, and snags if there are collars involved.
4. Seating was always hit and miss. Was never able to get it right in first attempt.
5. The drivers used to press against the ear.
2023:
1. No peeling after a week's use.
2. Headband has a kind of bump where the 2020 ones used to break.
3. XLR cable still has same problem.
4. Ear cup and seating has clearly been improved. Now, it is more or less the right seating on first attempt.
5. This is probably the biggest improvement - the drivers do not touch my ear. I think they have considerably increased the cup recess size.
In general, the ear cushion is slightly more rigid than the 2020 version. So, AKG does seem to have worked on improving the Build Quality.
Now, the wait goes on to see if the headband does have proper integrity. I hope it doesn't fail again. Or, if it breaks, it does so before the warranty ends in June.
Will drop updates here if anything changes.
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