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Lets get one thing straight, the K271’s are not your average pair of headphones. They are the result of years of design, industry use and testing. The K271 model is an update of K270 model that has been in professional music and media industries for years. The major design change on the K271 was to make the whole unit much lighter.
Weighing in at just 240g, these headphones sit securely on your noggin without breaking your neck in the process. The other cool comfort feature is the headband. It is wide and elastically-loaded, so that when you put the headphones on, the headband automatically adjusts. It takes a little getting used to, but provides a very comfortable and secure fit, without fumbling around with adjustments.
A built-in switch turns off the headphones as soon as you remove them, useful in studio applications to avoid spill into microphones. Put the headphones on again and they switch on automatically. The cable is a useful 3m long and user-replaceable, it simply plugs into the headphones via a mini-XLR connector.
So, how do they sound? Fantastic. I thought my old Koss UR-30’s were great until I tried the AKG K271. While bass response is very similar (both headphones have very large diaphragms to produce great bass response) the midrange and high frequencies shine on the AKG K271. At once I could hear the tiny nuances of vocals, barely audible harmonics on guitars, and the full wooden reverberance of snares. Another thing that was apparent was the K271’s ability to reproduce the distinct difference between MP3 files and the original CD.
The clarity of these headphones make them perfectly suited to music production, mixing, and studio use. While they are not slated for DJ use, they would more than do the job. The only issue is that they don’t fold flat, so they can be a little bulky to put in your bag.
One thing you have to observe, is that these headphones have an impedance of 55 ohms, which means that you might not be able to get enough volume out of sources like portable CD players, MiniDiscs, and computers. During testing using a CD player and computer, the output in the K271’s was a little quieter than I would have liked. Studios and music producers are likely to have equipment capable of outputting much higher headphone levels, so there is no problem there. I tested the K271’s on a DJ mixer and I can tell you, they go very damn loud. However at high volumes they still maintain a very flat and clear response.
My verdict? I love them to bits. For production they are worth every penny. Clear and faithful sound and comfortable enough to wear for several hours at a time.
Score: 
Price: $399 RRP
Frequency Response: 16 to 28,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 91dB SPL/mW
Max Input Power: 200mW
Rated Impedance: 55 ohms
Weight: 240g
Review equipment supplied by Pro Light & Sound. Check out their website HERE.
