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AKG K371 Review (closed back headphone)

carlcamper

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I've spent a little bit more time with these and with a good head position/seal I'm really enjoying them a lot with Oratory's PEQ applied. Obviously, I should be happy with this but I'm curious what would be the next step up? Ideally, improving the issues of this headphone like more robust construction, less fussy about position/seal and better spacial qualities with a more speaker-like presentation and less in your skull? DCA Stealth or Noire? LCD X-C?
The closed back Audeze LCD-XC 2021 are an upgrade in every way to the AKG K371 (I own both) except Harman Bass, which can be easily remedied by EQ, due to the extremely low distortion of the LCD-XC 2021
 

James-F

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The closed back Audeze LCD-XC 2021 are an upgrade in every way to the AKG K371 (I own both) except Harman Bass, which can be easily remedied by EQ, due to the extremely low distortion of the LCD-XC 2021
For more than an order of magnitude more expensive, they should be.
x12 the price, but are they x12 the upgrade?
 

carlcamper

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For more than an order of magnitude more expensive, they should be.
x12 the price, but are they x12 the upgrade?
Definitely not, but law of diminishing returns apply. IMO the LCD-XC 2021 is on par or better than the much more expensive Focal Stellia, Dan Clark Stealth, or the ZMF closed backs, as long as you are ok with EQ, so this will be my personal "End Game" cans so to speak :)
 

sharock

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The closed back Audeze LCD-XC 2021 are an upgrade in every way to the AKG K371 (I own both) except Harman Bass, which can be easily remedied by EQ, due to the extremely low distortion of the LCD-XC 2021

Thanks, I have seen a lot of praise from them.

I owned the original LCD-1 a long time ago when I used to lurk around Head-Fi (yuck) and didn't know about PEQ. Frequency response aside, I had to get rid of them because my spine and neck muscles couldn't support the weight of them for more than 10mins.:D

How does the XC do for weight and comfort?

I find the K371 comfortable overall, but I dislike the single-sided entry as I feel there is a bit of uneven weight distribution as a result.
 

carlcamper

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Thanks, I have seen a lot of praise from them.

I owned the original LCD-1 a long time ago when I used to lurk around Head-Fi (yuck) and didn't know about PEQ. Frequency response aside, I had to get rid of them because my spine and neck muscles couldn't support the weight of them for more than 10mins.:D

How does the XC do for weight and comfort?

I find the K371 comfortable overall, but I dislike the single-sided entry as I feel there is a bit of uneven weight distribution as a result.
The LCD-XC 2021 are one of the heaviest closed-backs out there, but are still ok for me since they don't clamp too much, and the headband distributes the weight evenly on my head. If weight is really an issue, I'd recommend you try IEMs (In Ear Monitors). A good starting point would be the recently launched Moondrop Aria Snow Edition at around 80 USD, I find it great for the price, and with a removable cable to go balanced if desired ( the only reason I go balanced in IEMs is to eliminate crosstalk as they don't really need the extra power )
 

solderdude

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Thanks, I have seen a lot of praise from them.

I owned the original LCD-1 a long time ago when I used to lurk around Head-Fi (yuck) and didn't know about PEQ. Frequency response aside, I had to get rid of them because my spine and neck muscles couldn't support the weight of them for more than 10mins.:D

How does the XC do for weight and comfort?

I find the K371 comfortable overall, but I dislike the single-sided entry as I feel there is a bit of uneven weight distribution as a result.

The left side (side without the connector) has some small extra weights inside, at least on the K371 not so on the K361.
 

Corvuscorone

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Equalization for these headphones of mine, which my old ears like.
 

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Stuart

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Tried AKG 702s and the wiring was complete garbage.
Thought, how bad could these be? Yeah these are garbage. I get trying to hit a price point but these are built to end up in the bin after a few years.

Harmon/Samson not doing themselves any favours here.

And yes I returned them.
 
Last edited:

Garlucky

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Okay they're here.

Quality control:
Box, packaging and headphones, nothing rattles or loose, both hinges are tight, no issues, great.
The only problem is the coiled cable is completely solid stiff like hard plastic, in the garbage it goes, the two other cables are soft and usable.
Never mind, I'll buy a much better coiled cable and good pads on Aliexpress.

View attachment 215502

Comfort:
Ears don't touch the inner part, my ears are quite flat against the head anyway.
Pads seal the entire ear with no extra pressure at all, great fit.
Overall great.

Sound:
No coloration at all to my ear, even boring if I might say.
Nothing stands out, including the sub-bass, if it's not in the song it's not in the headphones.
Remarkably similar to my Behringer B3030A monitors (they are superb) which I calibrate with IK Multimedia ARC 3 in the flat setting.
I also don't hear any random inconsistency in sound when I put them on, so I don't know what's the "bad consistency" stories all about.
Compared to my Sundara 2020, again, remarkably similar, maybe a tiny bit less higher treble ('air') and more subbass-bass thump but very similar, after a few seconds of listening I wouldn't care which is which.

Feast your eyes and call me names. :cool:
The only moving/bending part now is the top of the steel reinforced headband, how it was supposed to be if Samsung wasn't cheap.
Plus, it is completely reversible, but why would I want to reverse something as necessary as this? :)

View attachment 215508
I find the same thing with the sub bass. When listening to music with sub bass the k371 gives it to you. But if I'm listening to say rock music which doesn't have much sub bass, I find the k371's are bass neutral.
 

Kevbaz

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I got a pair of AKG K371's at the weekend, I'm running them off my iPad or Macbook with the Hidizs S8 streaming from Qobuz (CD quality) and so far I'm really impressed with them. I use them on the sofa or at my desk so hopefully wont hit any reliability issues.
I love the Harman Target, works with my very varied music taste from classical, Choral, Orchestra, Jazz, Enya/Female vocals, Movie Music (Bladerunner soundtrack is amazing through these).
For the price they are fantastic sounding, comfortable and as a Yorkshireman the fact they are relatively (in this hobby) cheap is a huge plus.
Kev
 

Kevbaz

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Hi @amirm are these the most compliant headphones without EQ to the Target excluding the Dan Clark Stealths you have tested.
I Have a pair of K371 and find without EQ they sound better than my Dan Clark Drop X closed.
Kind regards
Kev
 

Kevbaz

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Ive applied the recommended EQ in the review and these really do sound good, so much you can’t help but tap your foot and nod your head to the music. This then raises the issue that the damn cable is really noisy when rubbing against your clothes
 

RHO

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Ive applied the recommended EQ in the review and these really do sound good, so much you can’t help but tap your foot and nod your head to the music. This then raises the issue that the damn cable is really noisy when rubbing against your clothes
There are very cheap replacement cables available online. I think you know where to look.
 

thyristor

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Tried AKG 702s and the wiring was complete garbage.
Thought, how bad could these be? Yeah these are garbage. I get trying to hit a price point but these are built to end up in the bin after a few years.

Harmon/Samson not doing themselves any favours here.

And yes I returned them.
I'm always amazed how some people break everything they got.

Sure these headphones aren't build like tank but the headband doesn't just snap in normal use if you don't abuse them.

Then again I take good care of my gear.
 

nyxnyxnyx

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k371 are nice but due to how the community praises it over time they become kinda overrated imo. Bought it and felt disappointed after reading so many good receptions. Maybe I did let my expectation fly higher than it should.
 

markanini

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k371 are nice but due to how the community praises it over time they become kinda overrated imo. Bought it and felt disappointed after reading so many good receptions. Maybe I did let my expectation fly higher than it should.
My view is simple.
Fit: worth $20
Sound: worth $2000
 

RHO

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My view is simple.
Fit: worth $20
Sound: worth $2000
I use brainwavz pads on them. Fits much better.
Oratory1990 has a nice EQ for that. But even without EQ they still sound great with those pads.
 

Feelas

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k371 are nice but due to how the community praises it over time they become kinda overrated imo. Bought it and felt disappointed after reading so many good receptions. Maybe I did let my expectation fly higher than it should.
Simply put, a properly voiced experimental model (calling it that due to lack of replacement parts) with exemplary bass for cans and THD problems around upper midrange and with a terrible fit. Nothing more, nothing less.
Hopefully a MkII or so will come someday...
 
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