Impressions of the AKG K490NC

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Tonteldoos

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With my main hifi system, I am constantly in pursuit of perfection. Audio nirvana. I want tears and goosebumps, and occasionally it?s nice to hear new details in old tunes.

With my ?secondary? listening (car, study, anywhere else) I?ve become a bit of a slut. Will quite happily try most things (except for brands I have a full-blown aversion to). I try not to buy bottom-of-the-range, but not quite the top-of-the-range either.

Since I?ve taken a new job that requires some travel, I?ve been threatening to get some noise-cancelling headphones. In typical last-minute style, I didn?t really get to it, so I found myself wandering through duty-free at OR Tambo looking at what?s on offer. They had some big BOSE?s, and then some small Sennheisers, and these (AKG K490 NC). The BOSE were HUGE, and over R3000, so they were out. The Sennheisers (PXC250) look dainty. When I did a search on the interweb, I saw that WhatHifi gave them 3 stars. By their usual standards, the Sennheisers must therefore be HORRIBLE. And that left the AKG K490 NC?

I?ve never heard of the brand in my life. A quick search revealed a well-established Austrian brand with more than 50 years? experience, and some very good reviews. But I thought it?s still a risk to spend R1,899, so I walked past. On the way to the boarding gate, I passed another branch of the same store. And this time felt compelled to buy them.

So I actually typed most of this on the way to Lagos. Laptop resting precariously on a tray designed and built somewhere in the 80?s, I hoped. The headphones were plugged into my iphone, playing with noise cancellation engaged. I then continued to use them almost all the way on flights to Nairobi and back to OR Tambo.

I?m not sure how to use the flowery words of audiophilia to describe these. All I can say is, I LOVE THESE HEADPHONES! I found ing myself tapping my feet, smiling every time a new song started, turning up the volume when it?s a favourite. I don?t know whether I heard transients, or forwards, or backwards, or bass or mid-bass. But I don?t care. I just loved listening to my music! After a couple of hours they became a little bit uncomfortable, but not so that you couldn't fix it by just moving them around a little. And we're talking several hours...

I was really worried (because I had to throw the box away to get on the plane) that I would?ve lost some value if I had to sell them on the forum. But that will very definitely NOT be happening in a hurry. I?m sure I could?ve found them cheaper elsewhere. But they?re listed at $250 on Amazon, so at R1,899 I feel like it was a good deal too.
 
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