So sad to see how AKG have developed

[idc]

AKG headphones, of which I have a few, used to be an innovative producing such clasics as the K1000 ear speakers, the K340 Electrostatic/Dynamic hybrids, the K280 Parabolics with two speakers per ear and some really interesting designs that stood out clearly as AKG.

Now, sadly it is all about celebrity tie ins and non descript designs which could be any company's with no innovation as they take existing designs and re package them.

http://www.whathifi.com/news/akg-by-tiesto-headphones-launched-by-worlds-richest-dj

I now mourn the passing of such a great brand.

 

[bigboss]

Well, it has to compete with other manufacturers like Monster Beats (or Beats by Dr. Dre) to survive in the market where every other manufacturer has now started releasing headphones.

 

[quadpatch]

I guess that's it, they feel like it's the best way that they can make money. Nothing to do with making quality equipment any more.

I'd be curious to see how companies like Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic feel effected by the influx of plastic, style-over-substance, fashion accessory headphones. They have both responded to the market in their own ways. Beyer with things like the 'Custom One Pro' and their 'Hifi Manufaktur' range, Senn by latching on to the Apple crowd and supplying things like the Amperior and Mementum as Apple exclusives.

It sounds like Denon is following in the success of Monster by copying their designs (which I find rubbish!), I wouldn't mind too much but from what some are saying it sounds like they haven't been paying attention to the sound. Oh well, I am happy with my Denons and will just go somewhere else from now on. Someone will always step in to fill the void, look at the SoundMAGIC HP100 and the soon-to-be-released VModa M-100. VModa might be stylishly designed to attract the youngsters, but they sound awesome and they have openly shunned celebrity endorsements. I'm sorry about AKG too but all is not lost.

 

[idc]

Considering the size of the headphone market, if it could support a company like AKG with innovative designs then, it must be able to now. I do hold Harman International, now AKGs brand owner as primarily responsible for the change.

 

[dalethorn]

Apparently, there are some changes in what are available to us to buy based on fashion influence.

1) Prices get pushed up for the premium items and big name mfrs., but some smaller independents are emerging.

2) Apple is garnering a lot of exclusives at top prices (overpriced in most cases), and the bigger they get the worse it is for everyone else. The sound quality of Apple's demo headphone lineup is abysmal.

3) Reputable mfrs. like Sennheiser who promoted fidelity and even helped define it, have now relegated it to dark back rooms as something only for techies, if that.

4) Headphone forums have had a very negative influence in many cases, mixing high fidelity items with "sound effects" items (extreme bass, etc. etc.), helping to erase the distinctions between them. Adding to the damage, some of those forums have promoted undue criticism of venerated designs like the HD800 as sounding too "bright", without first establishing what the proper brightness level is.

These are just examples, but where there was once a thriving publishing business in perfectionist (or nearly so) audio with magazines like Stereophile and TAS leading the way, those publications now are wildly promoting all manner of expensive junk, and much worse, they have relegated headphone commentary to analysts who think extreme bass is a viable audiophile indulgence.

 

[Frank Harvey]

It's a boom market among teenagers at the moment, so manufacturers are doing everything they can to capitalise on that. The celeb tie ins are purely a selling point. And of course, more cash for the already minted celeb - for doing nothing.

 

[Anonymous]

Why not wait for reviews or review yourself rather than 'mourn the death' of a brand?

 

[Big Aura]

it could be worse....

http://www.whathifi.com/news/ian-taylor-kicks-off-his-own-range-of-bluetooth-headphones

 

[Murdo Mathewson]

Dear 'idc',

AKG Pro's product line-up includes a huge selection of headphones, and with the arrival of 'AKG by TIESTO' that offering becomes even greater. Check not only the visual design, but also the spec, and you'll hopefully agree that the new 'phones compliment the existing range. (And are certainly not a repackaged, existing design.)

But, most of all, can I suggest you personally check out the new line as and when it hits the shops - and until then keep an open mind. And, if for whatever reason they aren't to your taste, follow this link for seriously large selection of alternatives: http://www.akg.com/site/powerslave,id,2,nodeid,2,pcategory,33,_language,EN.html

I really do feel that your rumermoungering of AKG's death has been greatly exaggerated!

Regards,

Murdo Mathewson

 

[margetti]

it could be worse....

http://www.whathifi.com/news/ian-taylor-kicks-off-his-own-range-of-bluetooth-headphones

Or... http://www.gigwise.com/news/76205/simon-cowell-to-release-high-end-headphone-line-x-headphones

 

[John Duncan]

Dear 'idc',

AKG Pro's product line-up includes a huge selection of headphones, and with the arrival of 'AKG by TIESTO' that offering becomes even greater. Check not only the visual design, but also the spec, and you'll hopefully agree that the new 'phones compliment the existing range. (And are certainly not a repackaged, existing design.)

But, most of all, can I suggest you personally check out the new line as and when it hits the shops - and until then keep an open mind. And, if for whatever reason they aren't to your taste, follow this link for seriously large selection of alternatives: http://www.akg.com/site/powerslave,id,2,nodeid,2,pcategory,33,_language,EN.html

I really do feel that your rumermoungering of AKG's death has been greatly exaggerated!

Regards,

Murdo Mathewson

Hi Murdo

I know that a lot of us know who you are, but just so's we're clear can you add your trade status to your signature as per the house rules please?

cheers

JD

 

[eggontoast]

I'm struggling to understand the appeal in celebrity endorsed products of any kind, personally I hold most celebrities in extremely low regards. But even if it was a celebrity who I respected........lets say Dave Gilmour released a set of headphones, I still wouldn't buy them unless they were better than alternate offerings of the same price.

I don't hold it against manufacturers though, if people want to shed vast amounts of cash on mediocre products, I would take there money too. Besides all this extra revenue can be used for R&D on their proper Hi-Fi headphones.

 

[BenLaw]

But even if it was a celebrity who I respected........lets say Dave Gilmour released a set of headphones, I still wouldn't buy them unless they were better than alternate offerings of the same price.

YOU wouldn't, but you're not representative of the market. When I was a lad and wanted to buy a snooker cue, I had no way of telling the difference between snooker cues, save for one assumed more expensive was better. So I bought the one endorsed by Steve Davis. If I'm a 17 year old wannabe DJ who respects Tiesto, I imagine it works the same way.

 

[Murdo Mathewson]

Celebrity endorsement/design cooperation is certainly not a new thing, and especially not in the world of music gear - think amps, guitars, etc. - and I think that the right artist can offer a lot when working closely with teh correct manufacturer. But the key phrase here is 'working closely with', so not just agreeing to his/her famous name being used.

Celebrity endorsement also can help bring products into the focus of those who might not normally consider them - and I think anything that helps persuade the 'man/woman/girl/boy in the street' to upgrade from 'portable player bundled buds' can pretty much only be a good thing.

Of course, not all 'celebrity headphones' deliver class-leading performance, but AKG demonstrably knows what it's doing with headphones - it has, after all, been in the headphone business for over 60 years. (And its count of over 1,400 international patents points to a somewhat innovative approach, too!)

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Idc, I am with you on not liking when products where the main appeal is celebrity endorsement are made instead of products where competent design, pefromance and build quality are a priority. When they are in addition to, though, I do not mind - if there is a market for it, somebody will make it. Recently for example I was asked to help choosing headphones (for a late teenager) and when I started to talk about sound quality I got a disappointed reaction as the models I recommended were not perceived as 'cool' - they were hoping I would endorse their choice of 'Beats'.

Anyhow, I meant to ask for your advice since long ago -

I have been checking out the main brands for a god pair of headphones but could not find what I am after:

- very high built quality and durability - must last 20 years+ (I like things that last and tend to hang on to things...)

- very accurate, undistorted, neutral sound, high dynamic range (open-back?). I liked the sound of the top Sennh for example.

- not too heavy and very comfortable (I think I prefer around the ear fit)

- real leather pads

- which makes it mid-to-high-range models I suppose. No particular budget set - can be any price range but do not have to be expensive.

Leather pads seem to be particularly rare but I do not like the vynil ones at all. Velour are slightly better but I want to find leather ones. From your experience and knowledge, do you know any that fit these requirements?

 

[Murdo Mathewson]

Busted! Actually, my signature 'was' there, but seems to have disappeared from my profile. No matter, it's back now. Cheers, John. (And, Mr Clough!)

For the record all, I am a partner in a media relations and marketing firm. We primarily handle consumer technology brands and I work with Sound Technology, exclusive distributor of AKG in the UK. Previous to this role, I worked at... What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, where I was, latterly, Tests Editor.

 

[Covenanter]

So they've brought out a pair of "celebrity" headphones. So what, it's just marketing and they do have to sell stuff. If you don't like those ones then you can get identical ones without the "celebrity" endorsement and you will find they are great. (See my review elsewhere on this forum.)

Chris

 

[bigboss]

There are 3 types of markets in the headphones sector:

1) Where style is more important than substance.

- Targeted at the majority of customers who are perfectly happy with 128 & 256 kbps mp3 songs.

- Style & celebrity endorsements are more important.

- Premium charged is based on the celebrity endorsing, or style.

- Aimed at buyers who buy products off the shelf depending on their budget.

- Sound quality is decent, especially extra bass.

2) Where substance is more important

- Aimed at the so-called "audiophiles" who form the minority of the market.

- Needs to be well reviewed, as the buyers generally research extensively online before committing to a purchase.

- The buyers are generally prepared to pay a premium for better audio quality.

- Doesn't have to be stylish.

3) Keen price

- Aimed at the "Amazon buyers" who look at the price & Amazon reviews to decide which headphones to buy.

- They should be cheap and cheerful.

- Style is an added bonus.

- Expert reviews are generally not that important, but buyers will feel smug if they happen to find a positive expert review.

If a manufacturer sticks to market 1) or 3), it will be successful but won't gain the respect of the "audiophile community". If it sticks to market 2), it is more likely to be affected by economic downturn unless complemented by products aimed at market 1) or 3) or both.

 

[BenLaw]

2) Where substance is more important . . .

If it sticks to market 2), it is more likely to be affected by economic downturn unless complemented by products aimed at market 1) or 3) or both.

While I agree with your post generally, I'm really not sure about the part quoted above. Successful businesses in difficult economic times tend to be those with a high quality product and frequently with a premium price tag where the target market is fairly affluent and maintains a decent disposable income. As you said yourself:

- Aimed at the so-called "audiophiles" who form the minority of the market.

- The buyers are generally prepared to pay a premium for better audio quality

I would expect high quality products aimed at a discerning market ought to have fairly consistent (albeit small, compared to markets 1 & 3) sales whatever the economic climate.

I suppose the real point is that there aren't any large headphone manufacturers who do aim solely at Market 2, they've aimed at at least 2 of them for some time now. It's only fairly esoteric hifi companies who are Market 2 only; I suspect they've carried on regardless whatever the economic climate.

 

[Big Aura]

I'm interested to know how much involvement the celebrity has in the development of the product.

With, for example, Quincy Jones K701 - did he spend weeks/months with the design team to get the look, sound and feel of the headphones, which (incidentally) look an awful lot like the standard K701s (but more expensive) and share the same tech specs.

How do the Quincy Jones ones differ (other than colour).

thanks

 

[DandyCobalt]

Busted! Actually, my signature 'was' there, but seems to have dissapeared from my profile. No matter, it's back now. Cheers, John. (And, Mr Clough!)

For the record all, I am a partner in a media relations and marketing firm. We primarily handle consumer technology brands and I work with Sound Technology, exclusive distributor of AKG in the UK. Previous to this role, I worked at... What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, where I was, latterly, Tests Editor.

So you can bill AKG for every post you make here? Good skills !!

(I'd say an hour per reflection/response would be the going rate?)

 

[eggontoast]

I'm interested to know how much involvement the celebrity has in the development of the product.

With, for example, Quincy Jones K701 - did he spend weeks/months with the design team to get the look, sound and feel of the headphones, which (incidentally) look an awful lot like the standard K701s (but more expensive) and share the same tech specs.

How do the Quincy Jones ones differ (other than colour).

thanks

Unfortunately the Quincy branded AKG's are exactly the same as the standard versions albeit a different colour. This info was posted as a response by AKG to that exact question on the net, can't exactly remember where it was but I linked it in a different thread earlier on in the year.

EDIT : I think it was on their Facebook page upon the launch of the Quincy range.

 

[Big Aura]

thanks eggontoast.

Celebrity endorsement/design cooperation is certainly not a new thing, and especially not in the world of music gear - think amps, guitars, etc. - and I think that the right artist can offer a lot when working closely with teh correct manufacturer. But the key phrase here is 'working closely with', so not just agreeing to his/her famous name being used.

so this was a naming-check rather than a "working closely". Which "is exactly what you'd expect from one of the most gifted, successful and admired music icons the world has ever heard".

Out of interest, does Mr Jones get the entire £50 price uplift in the Q701s, or does some of that go to the price of the (ahem) vibrant lime green plastic.

 

[Murdo Mathewson]

It's great to see that people remain as passionate as ever about music equipment! I'm not sure I can perfectly respond to all points/queries, other than to say, I am personally feel Quincy Jones knows what he's doing when it comes to identifiyling an effective set of pro headphones.

Also, here is a quote from AKG's original Quincy Jones line press announcement, 'A share of the proceeds from every set of Quincy Jones Signature Line by AKG headphones sold will go toward the Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium, a foundation dedicated to making music education an ongoing part of the lives of American children.'

Over (ears) and out.

 

[bigboss]

2) Where substance is more important . . .

If it sticks to market 2), it is more likely to be affected by economic downturn unless complemented by products aimed at market 1) or 3) or both.

While I agree with your post generally, I'm really not sure about the part quoted above. Successful businesses in difficult economic times tend to be those with a high quality product and frequently with a premium price tag where the target market is fairly affluent and maintains a decent disposable income. As you said yourself:

- Aimed at the so-called "audiophiles" who form the minority of the market.

- The buyers are generally prepared to pay a premium for better audio quality

I would expect high quality products aimed at a discerning market ought to have fairly consistent (albeit small, compared to markets 1 & 3) sales whatever the economic climate.

I suppose the real point is that there aren't any large headphone manufacturers who do aim solely at Market 2, they've aimed at at least 2 of them for some time now. It's only fairly esoteric hifi companies who are Market 2 only; I suspect they've carried on regardless whatever the economic climate.

I was specifically speaking with AKG in mind.

I think it really depends on what ambitions you have with the market. Take TVs for example, B&O and Loewe survived while Kuro ceased to exist. All of them concentrate(d) on a small sector of TV business. While Pioneer had smaller models for the mass market, it never really concentrated on them.

Of course, there won't be large manufacturers solely concentrating only on 2), as the segment itself is small!

Companies like AKG clearly are more ambitious than that. If it concentrated only on market 2, I doubt if this latest line of headphones endorsed by a DJ would have ever come.