27 November 2016

REVIEW: AKG K52 Headphones

Meanwhile, in the studio...

With an increasing number of people out there creating their own content – be it for a blog, website, YouTube, or just for the sheer hell of it – there is a greater demand for professional quality kit at affordable prices. Looking for a pair of headphones that would not only let us hear everything we tinker with during a video and audio edit, but also keep the sound from drifting into the ears of passers-by, we checked out the AKG K52 Headphones by Harman.



Despite the relatively low price, these over-ear wired headphones pack quite a punch. First up, the design seems to be as minimal as possible, with a thin flexible headband connected to each can, with a suspended cushioned pad for your head. The band is adjustable, so once the headphones are on they are very comfortable to wear for extended periods. Which is kind of the point.


AKG are clearly aiming at musicians and sound editors with these, be they professionals or not. As well as being comfortable and immersive, they feature a closed-back functionality. This basically means that there is almost no sound leak at all from them, even at quite high volume levels. This makes them perfect for studio work (as the mics don't pick up feedback from the cans), and also for editing out in public. If you like to mix your latest track while sipping espresso in your local coffee shop, you need not worry about bothering other people with the annoying tish tish tish from your headphones.

And it genuinely does work very well. With music blaring (to a safe level) on one of our number's head, we were unable to hear it leaking out, even at relatively close distances. So great for recording work and making voice-overs, and for general courtesy. Which is so rock and roll.


In terms of use, the AKG K52 Headphones reproduce an incredible amount of detail: far more than we were expecting from headphones of this price. Everything sounded exceptionally well balanced, and there is no evidence of any bullshit tinkering to make things sound beefier and bassier, à la Beats Headphones. High and lows were crisp and clear, but it was the sheer amount of intricate detail that could be picked up that made them stand out. A lot of that is aided by the secure fit over the ears, the leatherette cushions, and closed-back design.


As we said, they're wired, coming with a standard 3.5mm jack and no other way of connecting. That shouldn't really be an issue though, as these are certainly not designed for anything other than sitting and listening to/recording your music. Try going for a jog in these and you'll look like a massive prat.

But hey... they're around £30. That's pretty unbelievable considering what the AKG K52 Headphones are and what they can achieve. Even if you have no intention of recording or editing music, get them simply as a solid pair of cans what reproduce your favourite tracks cleaning and truthfully. A great pair indeed.

Around £30-35





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