HARMAN K81DJ Akg Closed-Back Folding Dj Headphone

by AKG

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 11.4 x 3.5 inches ; 5.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000BDD56W
• Item model number: K81DJ
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 13, 2004

Product Description

"Obviously, informal parties deserve the same kind of professional sound quality as large-scale events do. Semiprofessional DJs too need dependable equipment. The K 81 DJ fit the bill perfectly. Their closed-back earphones, for instance, provide optimum isolation from ambient noise. The K 81 DJ will take heavy usage easily, and their high SPL capability ensures excellent sound quality. Finally, their level of wearing comfort is as impressive as their powerful low end and accurate imaging. Their distinguishing features include: 3D-Axis folding mechanism for ease of handling and good user comfort. Folded down into a thin package, the k 81 dj are ready for use anytime High sound pressure level: High SPL capability for any type of event in any environment. Legendary AKG sound quality Closed-back earphones: Isolating ear cups attenuate ambient noise, keeping even quiet passages clearly audible Maximum ruggedness Detented adjustable headband "

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great performance at this price point, March 24, 2006

By 

A. Helfer (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I bought these AKGs as the result of my search for a decent sealed headphone to replace my Sennheiser PX100s, which just weren't cutting it on the train. I'm amazed at the difference. These, like the Senns, have a 32 ohm impedence, so they're easy to drive with a portable player. At first blush, they reveal much more detail in the music than the PX100s do, including a more coherent and present high end. I'm hearing a lot more detail even in songs encoded in WMA format at 128kbs. The bass is controlled but does not lack. I have had AKG reference headphones in the past (240DFs). While these are not in that league, they easily sound as good as the Sennheiser 280 Pros that I've got. Better than the 280s on a portable, too, as they are easier to drive. These are smaller, supraaural headphones. Though they're not as portable as the Sennheiser PX100s, they're much easier to wear during the commute than the 280 Pros. All in all, they're a great deal for someone with a portable player. Check them out if you're looking for a good balance of portability, noise attenuation, and sonics at a reasonable price.

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February 2007 Update:

The left channel started shorting out recently. I am sending these in to AKG for warranty service. It must be a weak wire -- I take good care of these headphones.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Headphones, November 13, 2006

By 

M. Smith (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HARMAN K81DJ Akg Closed-Back Folding Dj Headphone (Electronics)

I did a looot of research when looking for a pair of headphones to ease the transition to dorm life. My only comparison was a pair of 70s or 80s Panasonic se-30a's--good headphones, but fading. Over the course of 2 weeks I shopped here, tigerdirect, newegg, and the internet at large, with the excellent help of [...] I settled on these particular cans for a number of reasons:

1st: They had a large cult following at [...]

2nd: I could get them for $50 new on ebay

3rd: They had a reputation of being at least partially noise canceling and being a good value in general.

After using them for two months in a loud living situation, I've come to be of the following opinion:

Pros:

-Excellent noise canceling when playing music-- Enough to block out the chatter of my roommate and his girlfriend, not enough to block out a train (although I've never tried). A lot of this I think has to do with quality noise saturation. Put on some high fidelity music and rock out, nothing is going to stop you.

-Excellent general listening experience-- As previously mentioned, my experience has been with apple's white earbuds, Panny se30A's, and a few bad pairs of sony buds/cheap supra-aurals. These definitely beat out the competition, allowing me to hear previously unexplored facets of my collection. A collection that includes rock, metal, jazz, inde, pop, hip-hop, country/bluegrass, and everything in between. The AKG K81DJ's handle all with grace, providing solid bass, sweet mids and passionate highs. They provide a fuller and richer experience than my Harmon Kardon Champagne's, with which, unlike many it appears, I have had no problems at all.

-No distortion at high volumes. Because I want my skull to vibrate how the artist wants it to, not how the headphones want.

Cons

-They can be a bit tight. Being optically challenged, I place the earpieces of my glasses on top of the headphones. This wouldn't be possible with circumaural headphones. Even with this adjustment they can be painful after extended wear. When studying for midterms I find I can adjust them or take a short break every time they do and not have to worry about losing time.

-The cable is a tad bit thin, and equally irreplaceable. I've not run into any problems as of yet and don't expect to, but we'll see. It is also a good length for a DJ or for getting caught under a chair leg. Easily fixable.

All in all, they are a lovely pair of headphones. I would not want any others, and I don't think that the supra-aural set up compromised the noise canceling enough to matter. No, I am not a DJ, but I am an audiophile in training. I would recommend these to both groups with confidence, as well as anyone else looking for a quality pair of headphones at a good price.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly good for this price range, June 10, 2006

By 

kalyson (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

First, I want to share my audio preferences in order to put the review into perspective. I'm a drummer and I don't generally go for a flat EQ. I like to hear both bass and treble very clearly. I'm extremely sensitive to distortion and have no tolerance for muddy sound reproduction. I'm using these as portable headphones with an MP3 player (creative zen). I listen to a lot of types of music: rock, blues, hip-hop, folk, jazz, classical, and choral. I'd been using the Sennheiser PX100s (which are great headphones), but I wanted something a bit better. These AKG K 81 DJ phones are fantastic. They cost twice as much as the PX 100s, but are definitely better. The AKGs have a lot of warmth and depth of sound, are very clear, and I really like the frequency distribution. The bass is certainly present, but they are not too bassy (unlike the smaller AKG K 26 P) and have a very nice balance of highs and lows.

The only cons I can think of are that they are a little bigger than I'd like for portable headphones, but I can't give up the quality of sound so I'll just deal with that. Their fairly low impedance means they work fine with portable players, so I can still use them in that capacity.

It is true that they might be a bit tight for a large head. I have a pretty small head so this is not an issue for me. I actually jog with them and they don't slip at all.

They do seal noise in/out better than regular open headphones.

For less than $100, I've not been able to find any better, and I've purchased quite a few headphones in the past year.