AKG has a 80-year long reputation for building high-performing, and innovative audio technology. Let’s see if the K371 headphones hold up to our expectations.
Final verdict
The AKG K371 are easily the best closed-back studio headphones you can find in this price range. Incredibly flat and accurate sound, with nearly no hype whatsoever.
The build quality and comfort may be less than ideal, but what more can you expect from a budget pair of cans.
What I like
- Neutral, accurate sound.
- Comfortable.
- Great value for money.
- Plenty of cables/accessories.
What I don’t like
- Poor isolation.
Why you should trust this review
I’ve been producing and engineering for over 15 years.
During that time, I’ve had hands-on experience with a wide array of monitoring setups – from high-end monitors and studio headphones to crappy earbuds and repurposed car speakers.
I know how to stretch a budget, and I know when a piece of gear doesn’t perform up to its asking price.
This experience, along with years of problem-solving in a variety of recording environments, has taught me what gear is worth your investment – and what isn’t.
Sound quality 4.6
The AKG K371 headphones have a fairly wide frequency response, extending from 5 Hz to 40 kHz.
They have an impedance of 32 ohms, so you won’t need to worry about having an amp or anything to get the best performance out of these – any standard audio interface should be fine.
The low end of these headphones is phenomenal. There’s a slight emphasis around the 20-60 Hz range, which will be more felt than heard, adding a bit more thump. Likewise, the midrange and high end are equally accurate.
There aren’t any notable inconsistencies until around 5 kHz, where I notice a dip of about 2 dB followed by some questionable peaks and valleys.
I don’t see this as a major issue though, as most of the response from this range onwards will not be audible to most listeners.
Build and design 3.0
The AKG K371 headphones are mostly made out of plastic. There are a few parts made out of leather and metal to give the illusion of higher quality, but overall, they feel rather fragile and cheap.
Comfort 4.3
Despite the questionable build quality, these headphones are very comfortable to wear. The ear padding is soft and thick, and the headband doesn’t clamp so hard over the head. This will prove useful for longer sessions where fatigue may become an issue.
With that said, if you have larger ears, they may touch up against the drivers which might have the opposite effect.
Considering these are fairly light headphones with not a lot of clamping force, they are not the most stable. I wouldn’t recommend going for a jog wearing these, as they will easily slip off.
Isolation 2.5
Sadly, these headphones don’t do a great job when it comes to isolation. They work fine when it comes to blocking out light chatter, but do absolutely nothing when it comes to cancelling out lower frequencies. Any passing trains, planes, and automobiles will be noticed.
Accessories 5.0
When you buy your pair of AKG K371, you will receive the headphones, a carrying pouch, a manual, a 1/8 to 1/4-inch adapter, a 10-foot cable, a 4-foot cable, and a coiled cable as well.
This is above and beyond what is usually to be expected. The fact that these have detachable cables is a huge plus for me as well.
Compared to other headphones
Here are a few alternatives to consider before hopping on the K371 bandwagon.
AKG K371 vs AKG K361
There aren’t many differences between these two sets of cans despite their response to high end information.
The K371 are much warmer, where the K361 are brighter. In my opinion, I like the K371 better but this is a purely subjective take.
AKG K371 vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
The DT 770 Pro are rather sibilant-heavy with how high the treble peaks, but this can be used to your advantage when it comes to highlighting problem areas in your mix.
The K371 on the other hand, are much warmer, and have a much more neutral response.
Read the full Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro review
AKG K371 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
Without a doubt, the AKG K371 are the superior headphones. They’re much better tuned than the Audio-Technicas, so it’s a bit of a no-brainer for me.
Read the full Audio-Technica ATH-M40x review
Who are the AKG K371 headphones best suited for?
The AKG K371 headphones are ideal for any producer or audio engineer looking for an accurate-sounding pair of closed-backs on a budget.
See current price at: SweetwaterAmazon
