The AKG K-511 fills the entry-level spot of the
Austrian audio manufacturer’s current multi-purpose headphones lineup.
Let’s see if there’s more to this than its affordable price.
Design-wise, there isn’t much of a difference between this headphone and the AKG K 514 MKII which we did a review of last June, so we suggest revisiting that post to find out more about the AKG K 511’s design. The only significant difference between these cans and the other (besides the color of course) is the use of synthetic leather for the cups’ cushion instead of cloth.
Much like the K 514, the majority of the K 511’s body is made out of
plastic which makes it lightweight and comfortable when worn. The
self-adjusting headband has just the right clamping force for a cozy
fit, but I still have my doubts about it in terms of durability.
However, since the band applies lesser force than most of us are used
to, sound leakage can sometimes become an issue. Although it’s fairly
minimal, it’s one of the loudest I’ve heard from a closed-back,
circumaural headphones. When indoors, the headphones provide a fair
amount of noise cancellation, it’s still pretty decent when you’re
outside but it isn’t that good especially when you’re in a crowded area
or riding an ordinary bus.
The sound quality is decent enough, nothing really exceptional but
definitely not that crappy. One thing that we noticed with the K 511 and
the K 514 is that both of them give an airy or spacious feel when you
listened to it. When it comes to this, it’s really a matter of
preference and the tunes that you intend to listen to with these
headphones. I personally don’t dig the “airy” feel of the K 511, but you
might a have different opinion about it when you get to try it on for
yourself.
I’m not so sure if this is still part of the “airy” feel of these
headphones but I feel like the overall sound output is a little bit
muffled which almost feels there’s a blanket in between your ears and
the headphones. It has a balanced sound output for the most part, but we
did feel like the bass could use a little boost as it lacked oomph and
is a little bit recessed. The highs aren’t that sparkly as we would like
it to be and mids are a bit hollow but nothing really bothersome.
This headphone may not be the best sounding headphone out there but
we’ve seen or should I say heard worse from a headphone in the same
price range. If you’re on a tight budget but don’t want to settle for
Beats knock-offs which is roughly around the same price range and isn’t
too particular or technical with how your headphones sounds, then we
highly suggest the AKG K 511. As we usually say on our headphone
reviews, it’s always best to “try extensively before you buy”.
The AKG K 511’s price ranges from Php2,099 to Php2,799
with Egghead having the cheapest offer with a two year warranty. Better
yet if you’re living around Ortigas or Mandaluyong area you can drop by
AKG’s concept store at the 4th floor SM Megamall Building B CyberZone.
