This is a headphone for listeners who are not sure to whether get an open-back or closed-back headphone design. The AKG K240 is a semi-open headphone that is like an in-between of the earlier two design choices, providing its users with solid bass performance and clear highs. It is affordably priced as well but you will still need to fork out a little more for a good amp partner.
Like all other headphones whether open, closed or semi-open like the AKG K240, they will have their own sonic characteristics as well as strengths and limitations. To find the right amp for the K240, we will need to learn more about this headphone and gain a better knowledge of its sonic prowess. With enough data on our hands, we will be able to find matching headphones amps to pair with the AKG K240.
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Sonic Characteristics and Limitations of AKG K240
For a semi-open headphone at this price point, the AKG K240 looks more expensive than it should be and is thanks to its stylish visual design. More importantly, they are comfortable to wear and the headband provides just the right firmness for stability without adding discomfort. If we were to nitpick, it will be the headband which is not as well-padded as the ear cups. Still, you should be able to wear the K240 headphone for a long listening session. If comfort is really critical, you might want to get the AKG K240 MKII version as it has slightly more comfortable earpads than the Studio version. It is stable enough for casual music listening without any major movements and definitely not meant to be used together with physical activities such as jogging, gym, and others.
More Details at Amazon – AKG K240 MK II Stereo Headphones
The AKG K240 may be a semi-open design headphone but it doesn’t really provide much noise isolation. You can still hear the environmental noises and it will be more than likely to disturb your music listening experience. The sound leakage doesn’t fare any better and the sounds of your music will just leak out of the AKG K240. Anyone who is near you will certainly hear what you are listening to. It is a pair of headphones meant for indoors where is quiet and without disturbing others with your music. Anyway, the AKG K240 is not really portable and is probably more convenient to just use it in your own listening room without bringing them outside.
More Details at Amazon – AKG K240 Studio Semi-Open Professional Headphones
Its overall bass performance is pretty lacking especially when it comes to deep bass reproductions. This is not what we have expected from a semi-open design headphone and even at this price point, we expected a little bit more. Listeners who mainly listen to bass-heavy soundtracks might need to look elsewhere. But the lack of weight and prominence in the low ends does give us higher bass accuracy. The bass delivery is fast and taut as well, and would never muddle the midrange reproductions which also give us a more detailed and accurate mids. The AKG K240 should do better with music that is not bass-focused/heavy.
The vocal reproductions are detailed and clear, we are also able to hear the subtle nuances without the need to strain our ears which is rather impressive for headphones at this price point. The highs are crisp, airy, and don’t sound harsh, not to mention, it is easy on the ears. Music presentations are delivered smoothly and you can listen to them for hours without worrying about listeners’ fatigue. AKG K240 has a high level of clarity as well, providing us with clear overall sound reproduction. Sound staging is better than expected and is slightly more spacious than most of the closed-back headphones within the same price range.
AKG K240 is neutral sounding and can be quite flat, lacking energy in its music delivery to keep us engaged at all times. The level of music details in the upper registers that the K240 headphone can dig out is pretty impressive. All in all, the sound quality of the AKG K240 is good and is worth the time to have a listen. At this price point, there is nothing really much to complain about these semi-open headphones. You can take a look now below, for the list of the best headphone amps which you can choose to go for and partner up with the AKG K240. The prices of these amps will be taken into account too.
AKG K240 Specifications
- Type: Semi-open headphones
- Driver size: 30mm
- Maximum input power: 200mw
- Frequency response: 15Hz-25kHz
- Impedance: 55 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 104dB
- Weight: 240g (0.53lbs)
Best Amps to match with AKG K240
The FiiO New K3 headphone amplifier will be an ideal match with your AKG K240. It is an extremely highly rated headphone amp with an affordable price tag and the New K3 even has a USB-C DAC, providing even more value to its users. The FiiO New K3 has just the right power to drive the K240 headphone efficiently and the small footprint of the amp makes it easy to find a spot in your listening room. FiiO New K3 sound characteristics are neutral with a bit of warmth which makes this amp a well-suited partner for the AKG K240. If you want more bass output, you can always use the Bass Boost feature of the New K3 headphone amp.
More Details at Amazon – FiiO New K3 Headphone Amplifier
The Schiit Audio Magni 3+ is one of the best amps to go with your AKG K240 headphone and has a very modest price tag to boot. This is an entry-level headphone amp with an outstanding bass performance that will complement the K240 really well. The Schiit Audio Magni 3+ adds solidity and warmth into the overall sound reproduction, giving us a slightly more full-bodied music presentation. This also helps to deliver a punchier bass delivery which makes the overall sound reproduction AKG K240 slightly more energetic. Like the AKG headphone, the Magni 3+ doesn’t sound cringe when pushed.
More Details at Amazon – Schiit Magni 3+ Headphone Amp and Preamp
For listeners who are looking for tube headphone amps but do not want to break the bank. You might want to take a look at the Rockville TubeHead, this is an affordably priced tube amp and has enough muscle to drive the AKG K240 headphone with efficiency. TubeHead is able to produce a smooth music delivery with a touch of warmth and the data retrieval capability of the K240 headphone will help to add more details into the overall sound reproduction. If lush and fluid music presentation is your cup of tea, the Rockville TubeHead is an ideal choice for you and will also help to provide a more solid sound reproduction.
More Details at Amazon – Rockville TubeHead Tube Headphone Amp, Black
If you need a headphone amplifier with a built-in D/A converter that can playback high-resolution audio files, then the Topping DX3 Pro is an exceptional choice for you and your AKG K240 semi-open headphone. The DX3 Pro has built-in AK4493 and AK4118 chips, enabling the amp to decode DSD64 to DSD512 (Native) via USB. It can also support up to 32-bit/768kHz resolution. It has enough amp power to drive the AKG K240 without any issue and the spacious soundstage projected by the Topping DX3 Pro will complement the semi-open headphone really well. The bass performance of the headphone amp is well-textured and controlled too.
More Info at Amazon – Topping DX3 Pro LDAC Headphone Amplifier (Black)
The Drop O2 Headphone Amplifier is another amazing amp with a very modest price point that will fit most listeners’ budgets. It is rather powerful for an entry-level headphone amp at this price range and should efficiently drive the AKG K240 headphones. This is an excellent choice for listeners who don’t want to spend much on a headphone amp without compromising the sound quality. It is a nice step up for the AKG K240 and the sound quality is considered decently good. You might want to pair the Drop O2 headphone amplifier with the matching Grace SDAC in the future.
More Details at Amazon – Drop Objective 2 – Standard Gain (2.5 Low, 6.5 High)
For those who have really tight budgets or just want to invest in an amp/DAC without compromising the sound quality by too much. The FiiO E10K is an excellent choice to get for your AKG K240 semi-open headphone. It is not just friendly with our wallets but is also great for listeners who are facing space constraints. The compact size of the FiiO E10K makes it very portable and easy to keep inside a cabinet. This headphone amp has a built-in DAC chip (PCM102) supporting up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. The overall sound quality is pretty decent and at this price point, it is difficult for us to nitpick.
More Info at Amazon – FiiO E10K USB DAC Headphone Amplifier (Black)
To Sum It Up
The listed headphone amps are all quite closely matched with the AKG K240 when it comes to pricing. If you have a higher budget, you can use this list as a reference and look for slightly more expensive headphone amps. We will suggest not to spend too much on an amplifier for your AKG K240 and would rather you invest in a higher-end AKG headphone model instead. Please do arrange an audition with the potential headphone amps you are interested in before making your final decision.
