I have them at home now as well and can confirm the impressions. AKG really released a nice little gem so great in value, it actually rehighlighted a price bracket which I abandoned years ago not only because I went for much more expensive headphones but also because I didn't find much value there after
selling my modded DT770 600, V-Moda M-100, Soundmagic HP-100 and a few others because as closebacks they never really appealed to me for longterm use and much more expensive close backs didn't either. T5p2, LCD-XC, Signature DJ etc. None of them did it for me over a long time.
The only closed back I kept were the Mobius but more because they have an overall package that makes them a keeper. Anyway...
Never expected this to change to be honest, also because headphones kept getting more and more expensive. And now we are here.
Dynamics are pretty good. These headphones don't leave you lying on the floor, they instantly make you headbob or get up. Sure that's a very subjective impression but I'm willing to bet that most users will relate. 3(!) different cables make sure you are equipped well enough for every dancefloor.
If you expect a mellow smooth candle light experience, yes, these will do it when the music calls for it and then kick you in the nuts and uppercut you if you fire up an Amon Tobin track like Lost & Found or Banjo by Clark. They translate the experience very well thanks to their strong technicalities, especially low distortion.
They don't fall apart when driven loud, can sustain quite a bit of power and still sound quite clean. Cranking them up is thus pretty easy so be extra careful about your hearing because these really keep you going.
The subbass is boosted a bit but not so much that it masks important detail or showers you with its decay, but it is slightly longing a bit for attention. Nothing to worry about and probably very welcome for most users. I like it but I'm also used to the TH-900.
Mids are clean, rather well behaved, they rise up a bit at the upper spectrum but I like that accentuation as it gives voices the illusion of slighty more clarity/openness in the context of the FR and these being closed backs. Probably intentional.
Not much to say about the treble and that's actually a good thing. Just don't expect HD 600/650 or even 800 levels of treble detail or these being worldbeaters, just be extra happy about them being clean, very well behaved with neither being offense, overly accentuated or even fake detailling like a few Beyers.
No metallic zingyness, no harshness that makes you grind your teeth. Nothing. I can't even say polite because that would mean these being limp. They are not.
Don't mind the lower resolution if you own gear that resolves better or are used to it, the FR is so agreeable, the overall tuning done so broad in appeal and yet so unique it's not falling into the "master of none" pitfall. It simply ticks a lot of boxes.
Soundstage is not something to write home about but it's no "spooky voice in the head" type of soundstage, I think it suffices, I don't mind it and I'm a soundstage nut. Just don't expect them to be your main gaming/movie can. However I didn't use them with it. Could do if wanted.
It's the best "fire and forget" headbopping, wide genre compatible, technically capable affordable closed back headphone that you can buy and I don't remember any other headphone in recent times to really shake any price brackets like these, except the Verum 1.
And they prove how big of a trait masterful out of the box tuning is.
Yes, there's Elegia and Stellia but they are not as well tuned out of the box. Also cost 20 times more. Their pads alone probably cost as much as one AKG K371. What happend to this love of ours? Oh yeah, the K371!
These are so good you want to gift them. Yes, 145€ is still a lot of money and the value perspective has been distorted over all these many years but you can do much much worse with 145€. These should be gifted if you want to make someone happy who simply wants to enjoy his music.
And now a few tracks I listened to with them:
