AKG Acoustics headphones a dream of sound User Manual

headphones

surround

wireless – tv – hi-fi

a dream of sound

The world listens to AKG.

Hi-fi

TV/Home Theater

Multimedia

In the summer of 2002, nearly one

billion people were listening to AKG.

Maybe you were one of them. Re-

member the opening ceremony of

the soccer world cup in Seoul? The

sound system there used the latest

wireless technology from AKG.

One reason was that AKG is one of

the world’s leading manufacturers

of headphones and microphones

plus AKG audio equipment has

been in use in countless concert

halls, conference rooms, broadcast

and recording studios, theaters,

and rock concert venues all over the

world.

A lot of mobile phones and a grow-

ing number of cars including the

new Maybach ultra-luxury sedan

from DaimlerChrysler use AKG

technology.

So, whether you own a Maybach or

not, treat your ears to tailor-made

AKG sound and experience the

finest reproduction available.

Stage

Recording and Mixing

Studio/

Broadcast

Installed Sound

Industry

Phones for every head.

Talking about headphones, you go for the very best. So do we.

Although high quality components are a prerequisite for any high quality product including headphones, it takes more than that to make an excellent product, right?

In the case of AKG, the difference is more than 55 years of experience and know-how, painstaking attention to the smallest detail, and our constant endeavors to create better products that lead to futureoriented headphone technologies.

We do not follow short-lived trends, but strive to develop true audio innovations. Countless awards and more than 1,400 international patent applications attest that this has been a good strategy. The important thing for us is to make sure you will be satisfied with our products and services for many years.

Curious?

Why don’t you try our headphones and compare them against other models. I am sure you will find that AKG headphones do not just reproduce audio but make you enjoy what you hear. That’s the difference.

Dr. Hugo Lenhard-Backhaus

CEO, AKG Acoustics GmbH, Vienna

AKG history

“Pioneering spirit” best characterizes the ambitious work of AKG founders Dr. Rudolf Görike and Ing. Ernst Pless. After the war, people went to the movies seeking distraction from the stress of post-war life, so Rudolf Görike built movie projectors and loudspeakers, while Ernst Pless used his rucksack and bicycle to deliver the goods to constantly growing numbers of customers. Their very first customer was unable to pay in cash so he settled the bill in food, fresh from the black market.

When AKG was established in 1947, the company headquarters were located in a basement in the suburbs of Vienna. Before long, many AKG microphones

were in use, mainly at radio stations, in theaters, on small stages, and at jazz clubs.

In the early 1950s, the two founders of AKG made their business breakthrough with completely new technologies. The micro-

phones of that era had a strangely shrill and hollow sound, and AKG technology added warmth and fullness to microphone’s sound.

In 1953, the first AKG dynamic microphone in the world became an international success, and the first large-diaphragm condenser microphone with remotely selectable polar patterns set new standards for professional microphones. Almost every major radio or recording studio including BBC London, one of the first buyers, used these microphones.

The following years saw numerous new developments. Many innovations of that period are still in use today. The K 10 headphones used by the European Parliament are but one example. AKG research engineers have always loved exotic challenges. One of those was a real-life test of hydrophones for the Austrian deep-sea scientist Hans

Hass and AKG designers were happy to

spend days swimming and diving at the “Di-

ana Bad” indoor pool in downtown Vienna

that was very popular in those days. The

AKG team also fulfilled the very special

wishes of Herbert von Karajan. They had to

hide all the microphones at the first postwar Salzburg Festival because the maestro had decreed that the audio equipment must be totally invisible to the audience.

The company expanded and patents were applied for in rapid succession. AKG supplied microphones to major tape recorder manufacturers including Philips, Grundig, Uher, Loewe and others. Portable reverberation units created a new market in the 1960s and 1970s. Telephone transducers soon became a rapidly growing product line. This period also saw the advent of digital technology and AKG made its successful “digital debut” at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.

As early as 1974, AKG built the first wireless headphones. At that time, consumers were skeptical and many felt the new technology was too complicated. In the late 1980s, AKG launched the K 1000 headphones that were a dramatic improvement over all earlier attempts at creating a natural, binaural headphone sound. The audio community was full of praise. The new results of psychoacoustic research were presented in exhibitions at the Deutsches Museum in Munich, the Kunst Museum of Bonn, and even used by the “Audimir” space flight project. The crew on board the “MIR” performed several tests to examine the meaning of sound source localization for the humans in space.

The new AKG wireless microphone systems launched in 1996 used a new, revolutionary technology that was widely acclaimed in the marketplace. Big name pop artists such as Rod Steward, Peter Gabriel, and Simply Red used the systems on their tours and AKG became the preferred brand for many other famous musicians.

At the turn of the millennium, AKG engineers came up with the latest generation of the HEARO Family, a new line of wireless headphone systems using the latest surround technology.

And the story goes on …

1947

1949

1953

1969

1991

1996

2001

2003

2004

1967

1978

1987

AKG New Line

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Surround

Wireless

Hi-fi

Specifications

Pages 6-15

Pages 16-19

Pages 20-21

Pages 22-25

Pages 26-27

Pages 28-29

Pages 30-31

FOR TV, HOME THEATER, HI-FI FOR HI-FI PURISTS PREMIUM AUDIO SOFTWARE

hearo 777

QUADRA DELUXE

hearo 888

DIGITAL

hearo 999

AUDIOSPHERE II

hearo player

BASIC DESIGNER SYSTEMS

k 311 ir k 105 uhf k 306 afc k 406 afc k 506 afc

HARDWIRE WIRELESS

k 71 tv balance k 122 ir balance k 216 afc

STUDIO

k 171

studio

k 271

studio

k 141

monitor

k 141

studio

k 240

monitor

k 240

studio

k 240

df studio monitor

PORTABLE PORTABLE

BASIC ALLROUND

k 44 k 55 k 66 k 71 k 101 k 301 xtra

PORTABLE PORTABLE

HIGH-END

k 501 k 1000

NEW

THE HEARO FAMILY

hearo 777

QUADRA DELUXE

Pages 8-9

hearo 888

DIGITAL

Pages 10-11

hearo 999

AUDIOSPHERE II

• For TV/video/DVD/DVD(A)/Hi-fi/ (SA)CD/PC/game consoles.

•Selectable surround and stereo modes.

• For TV/video/DVD/DVD(A)/Hi-fi/(SA) CD/PC/game consoles.

• Accepts analog and digital input formats.

• Selectable surround and stereo modes.

• Three selectable sound presets: Norm/Music/Movie.

• Memory card extension for loading personal ear matching curves.

• For TV/video/DVD/DVD(A)/Hi-fi/ (SA)CD/PC/game consoles.

• Accepts analog and digital input formats.

• Selectable surround and stereo modes. Stereo mode provides three room simulations.

• Four selectable sound presets: Norm/Music/Movie/Voice.

• Six selectable ear matching curves.

Analog radio link

•Three-channel PLL UHF synthesizer tuner for reliable reception.

•AGC for automatic matching to audio source output level.

• Autotuning function.

Digital radio link

• Minimum noise.

•Digital antenna diversity receiver minimizes signal dropouts.

Digital radio link

• Minimum noise.

•Digital antenna diversity receiver and transmitter with external swiveling antenna minimize signal dropouts.

High quality headphones

•Varimotion XXL speakers for extremely accurate response.

•Sparkling sound even at high loudness.

High-end headphones

•Same performance as high-end hardwire headphones.

• XXL Varimotion speakers with computer optimized diaphragms for excellent response. Sparkling sound even at high loudness.

• Balance control for left/right volume adjustment.

•Quick-charging system (less than 2 hours).

High-end headphones

•Same performance as high-end hardwire headphones.

• XXL Varimotion speakers with computer optimized diaphragms for excellent response. Sparkling sound even at high loudness.

• Balance control for left/right volume adjustment.

•Quick-charging system (less than 2 hours).

Software plug-in for Windows Media® Player 9 Series for natural, spatial sound through headphones

•IVA processing and LOGIC7 surround decoder.

• Five selectable sound presets (Rock/Pop, Classical, Jazz, Movie, Norm).

• Automatic processing level adjustment to available computing power.

Download your copy from:

www.akg.com/hearoplayer

Headphone amplifier with D/A converter and room simulator

“Portable control room” provides consistent monitor sound for tracking, mixing, and editing.

For information visit www.akg.com

Integrated Dolby Surround Pro-Logic and LOGIC7 surround decoders.

Integrated Dolby Surround Pro-Logic and LOGIC7 surround decoders

Integrated Dolby Surround Pro-Logic and Dolby Digital decoders

Wireless eight-channel surround headphone system for TV, home theater, hi-fi use

Wireless eight-channel surround headphone system with digital radio link for use with high-end systems

Completely digital wireless headphone system with Dolby Digital decoder for audiophile individualists.

hearo 999

AUDIOSPHERE DIGITAL PROCESSOR

hearo player

Pages 12-13

Page 15

For technical explanations, see page 14.

Available from spring 2004

Patented IVA processing provides a natural, spatial sound through headphones.

NEW

How to upgrade your stereo*

to surround without using

loudspeakers or cables.

Experience fantastic theater surround sound at home with no

extra loudspeakers. The wireless headphones of the HEARO

Family turn any conventional stereo source into an advanced

surround system.

All you need to do is connect the HEARO transmitter to your TV

set, VCR, or DVD player. Of course, you can upgrade your hi-fi,

PC, or game console as well. Each HEARO transmitter incor-

porates one or more surround decoders so you’ll need no extra

equipment.

The HEARO PLAYER plug-in is a special goody for PC users. It

has been developed for Windows Media® Player, the standard

audio player for Windows, and upgrades your stereo head-

phones to surround phones with no expensive peripherals or

complicated modifications.

Home theater · TV / DVD / VCR · Hi-fi / (SA)CD / DVD(A) · PC / game consoles

HEARO STANDS

FOR SURROUND.

We will be happy

to send you a separate,

detailed HEARO Family

folder:

advertising@akg.com

Or visit www.akg.com

for more information.

Wireless eight-channel surround headphone system.

Going to the movies.

Going to the movies now means cuddling up on your sofa and putting on your favorite DVD. All you need is a HEARO – no extra decoder, no extra loudspeakers, no extra cables.

Ta ke some time to enjoy IVA processing. The sound won’t seem to come from your headphones but from where the loudspeakers would normally sit. You will hear details you’ve never heard before.

Now switch in one of the surround decoders. Select Dolby

Surround Pro-Logic and experience the typical surround sound

from four directions. Or enjoy the full eight channels of the LOGIC7

decoder from high-end audio equipment manufacturer LEXICON.

Yo u will feel as if you were at the movies. The XXL speakers with patented AKG Varimotion diaphragms provide powerful sound and ensure accurate reproduction even at high volume levels. This feature has made HEARO Family headphones very popular with hi-fi enthusiasts, too.

For technical explanations, see page 14.

TRANSMITTER

- Integrated Dolby Surround Pro-Logic and LOGIC7 surround decoders.

- AKG IVA processing for natural, spatial sound.

- For TV/video/DVD/DVD(A)/Hi-fi/(SA)CD/PC/game consoles.

- Three-channel PLL synthesizer for reliable reception.

- Auto-tuning feature automatically tunes receiver to transmitter frequency at the push of a button.

- Ease of connection to any audio source, Automatic Gain Control sets optimum audio levels continuously.

- Selectable surround and stereo modes.

- 3-in-1 base station: transmitter, charger, and storage cradle for the headphones.

HEADPHONES

- Semi-open, dynamic design.

- Varimotion XXL transducers for extremely accurate response.

- Optimum radio transmission through walls and ceilings. Max. range: 330 ft. (100 m)*.

- Choice of comfortable, detachable, easy-to-clean, fabric-covered or velour ear pads.

- A single transmitter can be used with several sets of headphones.

- Easy battery charging: just place headphones on receiver. No risk of overcharging.

- High-power NiMh rechargeable batteries included for approx. 20 hours battery life.

- Audio bandwidth: 20 Hz to 24 kHz

hearo 777 QUADRA DELUXE

* under ideal transmission conditions (free-field)

Press clippings

Best grade

1/02

1/03

“Full home theater sound…”

“… creates a brilliant 3-D sound – as if you were at the movie theater or concert hall.”

Dec. 20, ’01

12/01

Dec. 11, ’01

“… a real masterpiece – a complete portable home theater worth every Euro.”

“Ingenious.”

“…‘IVA LOGIC7’ generates ‘soundscapes’ with eight virtual sound sources from any mono or stereo program.”

REVIEW

8/02

“… provided a full sound with fascinating 3-D effects …”

REVIEW

2/02

“… future-oriented and affordable alternative to loudspeaker systems…”

3/02

“Lean back and enjoy … Top class.”

Price/performance:

Excellent

REVIEW

DOLBY SURROUND

PR O • LO GI C

Feb. 1528/’01

Upper class

Price/performance: good to excellent

Number 12/2001

excellent

Price/performance:

Authentic theater surround sound.

SURROUND

FOR TV / HOME THEATER / HI-FI

hearo 777

QUADRA DELUXE

Welcome to digital Cloud 9.

The hearo 888 digital is a digital surround personal listening system with the kind of wireless headphones that high-end enthusiasts have been waiting for. Digital radio transmission and

digital antenna diversity circuitry afford virtually noise and dropout-

free reception. Incredible as it may seem, the hearo 888 digital actually provides the same audio quality as comparable hardwired headphones.

Patented IVA processing makes the headphone sound seem to come from loudspeakers, while the integrated Dolby Surround

Pro-Logic and LOGIC7 surround decoders add surround sound

signals.

So, if you are looking for headphones that are equally good at dramatic movie sound effects, crystal-clear dialog, accurate music reproduction as well as the most delicate violin sound, the quietest piano notes, or the most ethereal guitar overtones, then the Hearo 888 digital is the best choice for your discriminating ears.

For technical explanations, see page 14.

Wireless eight-channel surround headphone system with digital radio link for use with high-end equipment.

TRANSMITTER

- Integrated Dolby Surround Pro-Logic and LOGIC7 surround de-

coders.

- AKG IVA processing for natural, spatial sound.

- Digital and analog inputs.

- For TV/video/DVD/DVD(A)/Hi-fi/(SA)CD/PC/game consoles.

- Perfectly suited for high-resolution media such as DVD(A) and SACD.

- Digital radio link for minimum noise.

- ACS for zero delay between picture and sound.

- Three selectable radio channels.

- Three selectable sound presets: Norm/Music/Movie.

- Memory card extension for loading personal ear-matching curves from memory cards.

- Selectable surround and stereo modes.

- 3-in-1 base station: transmitter, charger, and storage cradle for the headphones.

Available from spring 2004

HEADPHONES

- Same performance as high-end hardwired headphones.

- Digital antenna diversity receiver minimizes signal dropouts.

- XXL transducers with computer-optimized Varimotion diaphragm geometry for excellent hi-fi reproduction. Sparkling sound even at high volume levels.

- Balance control for left/right volume adjustment.

- Unbreakable metal arches.

- Exquisite leather headband.

- Semi-open, circum-aural dynamic earphones.

- Optimum radio transmission through walls and ceilings. Max. range: 165 ft. (50 m)*.

- A single transmitter can be used with several sets of headphones.

- Comfortable velour ear pads.

- Easy battery charging: just place headphones on receiver. No risk of overcharging.

- High-power NiMh rechargeable batteries included for approx. 5 hours battery life.

- Quick-charging – full power restored in less than 2 hours.

- Audio bandwidth: 18 Hz to 24 kHz

DOLBY SURROUND

PR O • LO GI C

hearo 888 DIGITAL

* under ideal transmission conditions (free-field)

+ 22 hidden pages