AKG K-450 Mini Headphones review

AKG may be best known for its professional and studio headphones, but this set, dubbed K-450, is the first pair we've seen released to have been designed specifically for consumers rather than professional users.

First impressions are good - a smart carry case houses the headphones and a neat system of modular cables increases versatility. Two cables are included that both end in standard 3.5mm jacks - one is 60cm long, the other 110cm - and a couple of smaller modifiers mean that the K-450s can be used with both 6.3mm devices, such as large hi-fi systems, and smartphones, thanks to a 2.5mm jack.

The headphones themselves are relatively compact, but still light and comfortable. They're not noise-cancelling, so a fair amount of sound does escape the cans, but we hardly even noticed their presence as we wore them. Those with large heads will be pleased that each earphone can extend by almost two inches from the headband, and each earphone also folds inwards and flatwise to make storage easy.

Unfortunately, though,the all-important sound quality can't quite match up to the rest of the AKG's package. It's nothing more than adequate: treble and mid-range sounds are very flat, creating a bland overall sound that no amount of decent bass can save.

The disappointing sound quality means we're unable to give the K-450s an unreserved recommendation. They may be versatile, attractive and well-designed but when it comes to the crunch these headphones fall short where it really matters.

Author: Mike Jennings