article and site - thank you!
Celebrity Headphone Deathmatch - AKG and Koss
Old folks need headphones, too.
The NPD report "Celebrity Endorsements Do Indeed Sell Headphones" claims "... [celebrity] endorsements are extremely/very important to nearly 30 percent of consumers when deciding what headphones to buy." With about 27% of the population over age 50, and the stiff competition in rapper can market, it's not surprising to see companies looking to lure the aging baby boomers into buying headphones with old school celebrity endorsements.
AKG and Quincy Jones
AKG has a long and laudable history making headphones, and have been a staple in recording studios for decades. AKG, now a part of Harmon International, manufactures a complete line of headphones from inexpensive ear buds, to studio quality full-sized headphones and pretty much everything in between.
With the headphone market moving very fast, it comes as no surprise that AKG took the speedy route of doing some cosmetic upgrades of existing products for Quincy Jones to endorse.
Quincy Jones Q701 ($399) The AKG K701 was introduced in 2006 and was quickly recognized as a world class headphone at that time. The K702 with removable cable was introduced a few years after. The Q701 is fundamentally a K702 with cosmetic changes.
This headphone is notorious among headphone enthusiasts as needing a long time to break-in, but once settled, it's a terrific sounding headphone. The Q701 has a quick, articulate, and open sound, though it tends to lack some oomph in the bass. This is a handsome, well-made, and comfortable headphone. I think Quincy Jones did well endorsing these headphones. I can recommend alternatives like the Sennheiser HD 650 (for a more laid back sound), or the Beyerdynamic DT880 (for a brighter sound), but they would be side-steps with different, but not necessarily better, sound. InnerFidelity Q701 Full Review Here
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Quincy Jones Q460 ($169) This small, on-ear, sealed headphone is a cosmetically upgraded AKG K450, which is a headphone I don't like very much. The mids sound boxy and congested, and the treble significantly recessed. The combined result for me was a bit of a muffled and honky mess.
I think AKG and Quincy Jones missed a great opportunity here. The AKG K81DJ is only slightly larger and it's a great sounding headphone in its category. The K518LE is a varient of the K81DJ and come in a variety of colors ... including Quincy Jones green. All they would have had to do was change to a green cable, and poof, they'd have had another great headphone for Mr. Jones. Oh well. Alternate recommendations would be the above mentioned and somewhat larger AKG K81DJ; and the terrific sounding and significantly smaller Sennheiser PX 200-II. |
Koss and Tony Bennett
Koss traveled a path similar to AKG and decided to appeal to the older generations with a cosmetic upgrade to an existing headphone --- this time endorsed by octogenarian crooner Tony Bennett.
Like AKG, Koss has been around for a long time, but the major focus of their business has been relatively inexpensive consumer headphones. Many of the Radio Shack headphones, for example, have been made by Koss.
Koss TBSE1 ($149)
The Tony Bennett Special Edition is an upgraded Koss DJ100. The TBSE1 is different in that it has a detachable cable, a sturdy carrying case, a code to download Tony Bennett's album "Duets," and it has Tony Bennett's signature embossed on the headband and the outside of the earpieces. Other than that, I think the two headphones are identicle. (I'll be measuring some DJ100s soon to verify.)
The TBSE1 is a somewhat dry sounding headphone (opposite direction of liquid or lush), and has a sort of old school, mids-forward sound. I liked them once I got accustom to the sound --- they're good, but not great. A better sounding alternative celebrity headphone of the same type and price would be the Skullcandy Roc Nation Aviator. |
Next Sennheiser has a celebrity headphone ... of sorts ...
Article Continues: - Sennheiser adidas »
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Comments
Great article, and great
Submitted by jvlgato on December 12, 2011 - 12:11pm.
Great article, and great picture! Thanks!
Thanks, Tyll
Submitted by Brentagon on December 12, 2011 - 12:13pm.
A lot of work obviously went into this article. Nice job, Tyll! Here's hoping that, in 2012, we'll be able to see a similar round-up of all the new headphones being produced by speaker companies, which seems to be the trend for the next year.
.... sigh ...
Submitted by Tyll Hertsens on December 12, 2011 - 3:44pm.
It's a dirty job ... but someone's gotta do it.
Love these articles Tyll!
Submitted by Draygonn on December 12, 2011 - 3:55pm.
I hope the V-Moda custom engraving catches on.
Great article!
Submitted by Pars on December 13, 2011 - 5:34pm.
Keep it up, this is great! And love the pic, BTW 
V-moda
Submitted by JoeMarioZ on December 14, 2011 - 7:18am.
Hi Tyll! Are those GREEN V-Moda a special edition they sent you? Or can you costumize them besides de engraving? Because I see the bezel is green also... I love green but I can't seem to find them at any online store...
Sorry ...
Submitted by Tyll Hertsens on December 14, 2011 - 10:08am.
I'm afraid I don't know. Val is coming up with new stuff fast and furious at the moment. Just call V-Moda and ask, I suppose.
How can anyone expect......
Submitted by shstrang98 on December 14, 2011 - 12:07pm.
headphones endorsed by Dr Dre to actually sound decent?
Kids don't bother to read anymore?
Submitted by Dr.Phil on December 14, 2011 - 3:18pm.
Reading the comments on youtube I find it amazing that the crowd looking for this kind of headphones can be so lazy to the point of watching your video and then go asking how the headphone you just reviewed in the article sound.
What does this tell us?
I did it
Submitted by dalethorn on December 15, 2011 - 12:43pm.
I bought a couple of expensive headphones partly because of the look. I say partly as my personal disclaimer, so I don't come off looking dumb here when I look so smart and natty with my bling-bling headphones.
The sound? No problem. You don't have to buy the worst of them, after all. That's how Innerfidelity helps, by screening out the crud so we can make these decisions with a clear conscience.
Uh oh, confession time
Submitted by dalethorn on December 15, 2011 - 1:49pm.
Well, er, the Vmoda V80 for one. I couldn't resist the extra red and the True Blood insignia. However, I didn't get the extra custom plates yet. But since I use it every day now, I'm gonna have to take the plunge. Note to Dale: Order the plates.
The other was the red/blue earcup Beyerdynamic.. Pure indulgence? No, no - it was, ummmm, it goes good with my red and blue netbooks. (It does, actually...)
Marley Stir it Up,... Truly good?
Submitted by helluvapixel on December 19, 2011 - 1:20pm.
Can someone tell me if the Marley Stir it Up are truly decent? I tried the others in the line and found the bass too bloomy... too artificial.
I'm looking for something more smooth and laid back to compliment when I'm not using my P5's and while I'd like the Senn HD25-ii, $300 is hard to drop.
The Stir It Up is very bassy
Submitted by Tyll Hertsens on December 20, 2011 - 6:14am.
The Stir It Up is very bassy and has very withdrawn highs. I thought the Exodus was great though. May I suggest the V-Moda M-80 or V-80, very nice for $200.
Tyll, I am tempted. I liked
Submitted by helluvapixel on December 20, 2011 - 9:46am.
Tyll, I am tempted. I liked the Crossfade LP for their construction but found the bass a bit boomy and the highs too subdued. Although, funny enough decent enough to watch tv/movies since shows seem quite amped in mid to high.
You mention the new M/V-80 are more neutral. I may give them a shot, I'm a sucker for just buying headphones... it's almost an addiction
Addicted maybe, but you won't
Submitted by Tyll Hertsens on December 20, 2011 - 2:22pm.
Addicted maybe, but you won't be the only one around here with that afliction.
Vmoda
Submitted by dalethorn on December 20, 2011 - 4:24pm.
I don't use the V80 (M80) in the house a lot because I have a couple other items I use more, but it's my exclusive portable headphone. There's nothing I can think about it that I don't like. It looks pretty good as is, and you can snazz it up with custom side-plates too.
Good islolation too.
Submitted by helluvapixel on December 21, 2011 - 2:14pm.
@dalethorn,
You find the isolation good too? I thought they were quite good, definitely more so than P5 since they have the large ear cup.
Isolation of M80
Submitted by dalethorn on December 31, 2011 - 8:43am.
I tested the isolation of the M80 in my small apartment with someone in the kitchen making kitchen noises about 15 feet away, and there was not much isolation. Now that's a plastic earpad and the humidity was low, so I'm wondering if I waited longer if maybe the earpads would seal a little better when they got warmer and conformed better to my head. But it still isn't as good as a lot of closed circumaural 'phones.
Innerfidelity rocks
Submitted by MittWaffen on December 27, 2011 - 5:34pm.
Thanks, I tried a whole bunch from future-shop.
Bose, were OK.
Beats, they sucked.
Marley, they sucked.
I ordered the M80s, thank you VERY VERY much for your advice and reviews; seriously you must save thousands of people from making product purchasing mistakes.
Tyll, as always, U DA MAN!
Submitted by jimmyjames on December 21, 2011 - 11:21am.
Tyll, as always, U DA MAN! but the AKG K701's were the worst sounding headphones I ever owned and I've owned a lot in the $0 to $600 price range. Maybe they never broke in but if not then I would never have lived long enough for them to do so.
Your article is very timely as it seems Consumer Reports just came out with a Xmas Headphone round up and it came out just like you might expect any CR review of audio equipment would. Argh!
Cheers! Merry Xmas! and keep out of my neighborhood, I mean keep up the good work!
thank you Tyll
Submitted by souluser12 on December 26, 2011 - 5:57am.
I was choosing between the skullcandy aviators and the soul by ludacris sl 150. i ended up getting the souls just because the passive isolation was there where as with the skullcandy it wasnt and also because the bass was a lot more prominent. thank you for helping me with a big decision your reviews are very helpful considering you know what true audio is. Thanks again.
You're welcome, mate.
Submitted by Tyll Hertsens on December 27, 2011 - 6:08am.
You're welcome, mate.
The thing about the whole "celebrity 'phone" racket...
Submitted by amateriat on December 29, 2011 - 11:54pm.
...is that it's basically lifting a page from the athletic-shoe marketing playbook: Monster's Beats by Dr. Dre are the audio industry's Air Jordans, overinflated price-tags and all, with others falling over each other for the proverbial piece of the action. It might be a bit cutting to liken Noel Lee to a 21st-century P.T. Barnum, but I'm having a hell of a time shaking that analogy.
I recently auditioned, among others, AKG's K450s while in search of an iPod-friendly headphone, and, like you. found their sound quality close to execrable. Putting Quincy Jones' imprimatur on those 'phones was a major marketing misfire from a company that should know better. (I ended up with non-rebranded Sennheiser HD 25-1 II 'phones...love 'em.)
Great work you've done here, and great site!
Help
Submitted by Shop on December 30, 2011 - 10:53am.
Great article by the way. Would like to find out which one would be better out of the two, Soul sl150 or the V-Moda V-80? I've tested the sl150, and they were great, just wondering if the V-80 would be similar or better. Thanks in advance.
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