AKG K167 Tiesto Headphones review

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The legendary DJ tries a slightly different collaboration, as we review AKGs first set of Tiesto-inspired headphones...

We've seen more great pairs of headphones in the last year or so than we can ever remember. From high end fashion like Beats Executive, to the brilliant but considerably less expensive Marshall Major Pitch Blacks, there's a huge amount of competition out there.

The result is that every company is stepping their game up. Sony, Philips, AiAiAi, Nocs... the list is seemingly endless, and they've all brought great headphones to the market in recent months. AKG has its work cut out, and it's brought in a star name to help them compete - DJ Tiesto. Can this new team make their mark with the AKG K167 Tiestos? Read on and find out.

K167 Tiesto Headphones by AKG: Design

Aesthetically, the Tiesto headphones are fairly understated. The matte black cups are very big, with soft leather encompassing the entire ear, but on the outside there is only a small Tiesto logo in the way of ostentation.

The headband is thin, and speckled with silver, but outside of this, these are a very ordinary looking pair of headphones. Ordinary is a slightly unfair word – if you're looking for something less flashy than Beats by Dre Studios, these are worth a look.

Sadly, the AKG Tiestos don't come with a case, presumably because when you're not using them, you're wearing them around your neck. If you're travelling, the cups swivel to the front, giving the headphones a very flat profile where they're easily slid into a bag.

K167 Tiesto Headphones by AKG: Audio

In the sound stakes, the Tiestos are very good quality. Though they don't have quite the same clarity and depth of the Philips Fidelio L1s and Beats Studios, they're very much in the same league. The 40mm drivers deliver really powerful, well balanced sound.
There's no active noise cancelling. On the plus side, this means no charging and no batteries, which helps to keep the cans very light.

The downside of course is that you are limited to the physical effect of the over ear cups blocking outside noise – a job that they do reasonably well, but the AKGs struggle to block out the dull rumble of a bus engine, and definitely aren't London Underground proof.

K167 Tiesto Headphones by AKG: Durability

AKG uses XRP³ glass-fibre reinforced polymer in the construction, making the Tiestos incredible light, but still durable.

There's plenty of give in the frame of the headphones, but the AKGs are quite slight of build and we're still not convinced that they would survive accidentally being trodden on the same way that 50 Cent's SMS headphones do.

The cord length is pretty good though – there's plenty of slack and a generous helping of coil so you won't get your cans tugged off your head.

K167 Tiesto Headphones by AKG: Comfort

What the Tiestos may lack in durability, they absolutely make up for in comfort. The leather ear cups are soft and plush, and encompass the entire ear rather than pressing uncomfortably on the helix.

Again, the headphones are light, so the slight support of the headband is comfy, without pressing too hard into the top of your head. We enjoyed prolonged music sessions (3 hours plus) with minimal discomfort.

K167 Tiesto Headphones by AKG: Verdict

This is only AKGs first collaborative effort with DJ Tiesto, and the partnership seems to be off to an excellent start. For £200 quid, the sound is right up there with more expensive headphones like the Philips Fidelio L1 and the Beats by Dre Studio Beats.

AKGs cans don't have the same build quality as the aforementioned headphones, but you get what you pay for. If you want a quality pair of comfortable headphones, you could do a lot worse than these.

AKG K167 Tiesto Headphones price: £199

AKG K167 Tiesto Headphones release date: Out now