Today we will talk about the differences between AKG K361 and AKG K371 and see who is the winner of the AKG K361 vs K371 comparison. I own both pairs so I decided to make this detailed comparison to help you decide which pair to get and I hope that you will find this publication useful.
K361 and K371 are both closed back headphones from AKG. At the time of the making of this comparison, the MSRP for K361 was $115 and MSRP for K371 was $175. But usually you can find them with a good discount. Both pairs were initially released in 2018, but to this day there is a never ending debate regarding which one is better.
Packaging and accessories
AKG K361 comes with two cables – a 3m straight cable and a shorter, 1.2m straight cable. AKG K371 comes with three cables – a 3m straight cable, a shorter 1.2m straight cable and a 3m coiled cable.
Both pairs also come with a 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm adapter and a carrying pouch. The K361 weighs 219 grams and the K371 weighs 255 grams.
There are some differences in build and design
AKG K371 has a rubberised outer headband, while the AKG K361 has a flat plastic outer headband. The top of the headband on the K371 has a more expensive look and feel.
The clamping force of the headband on the K371 is slightly higher than on the K361. I compared my pairs with a few more pairs and there is indeed a difference between the K361 and K371 clamping force. Due to more clamping force on K371, in my case, the earpads are pressed harder to my ears which gives me a better seal.
The headband adjustment mechanism on the other hand is tighter on the K361, and the yokes sit more snugly in the groove. Headphones fold equally well. From the visual perspective, the side logo on the K371 looks prettier and, in general, the visual presentation of K371, in my opinion, is a little bit better.
Another difference between these headphones is the type of cable connection. Both pairs come with detachable cables, but K361 uses a 2.5mm locking connector while K371 uses a Mini XLR connector.
With 2.5 mm connector there are surely more options of aftermarket cables, but the locking connector mechanism on K361 makes the selection of aftermarket cables quite limited
Now lets look at the drivers
Unfortunately I was not able to get the exact information about the driver and capsule model directly from AKG, but I believe it’s just the different variations of the same driver. In addition I think that the drivers for the K 371 are more carefully selected.
If you look at the below photo of both drivers, there are some visual differences in the design. The AKG K371 driver has three rows of holes around the perimeter of the capsule. The first row is open, and the second and third rows of smaller holes are covered with acoustic paper. In addition the acoustic ports are larger on K371 and are covered with acoustic paper as well.
On the AKG K361, the situation is opposite. The first row of large holes is covered with black acoustic paper, and there is a thin nylon fabric that is glued on top of the paper. This nylon fabric also partially covers the second row of small holes. Headphone drivers also differ in the number of acoustic ports. The size of the outer part of the driver is 50 mm and is same for both models. The capsule size is 43 mm in diameter.
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AKG K361 vs K371 comparison sound difference
The impedance of both pairs is 32 ohms, and the sensitivity is 99 dB/mW. AKG K361 frequency response is from 15Hz to 28kHz, and frequency response of AKG K371 ranges from 5Hz to 40kHz. I have been comparing K361 and K371 for some time and sound wise I came to the following conclusions.
K371 have a warmer, thicker and richer sound and this makes them more appealing to a casual listener. The K361 on the other hand are brighter, but sometimes they lack a note weight and sound a bit hollow compared to the K371.
Both pairs are tuned to follow the Harman neutral FR curve, but I think that K371 does it better. The difference in low frequencies between these two pairs is measurable, but it is not as pronounced as it may look on the graphs. However, the K361 has less sub-bass, which is the reason that the K371 sound more bassy
The upper mids on K361 have some more pronounced peaks and this is the reason the vocals on the K361 can sometimes be a little harsh. If mids are important to you, I think the K371 are a the better choice due to its more neutral tonality. If you are ok with some upper mids boost then you are safe with K361.
The K361 also has a little bit more treble energy than K371. This, in combination with a less bass makes the K361 a brighter headphone. In addition to my ears the soundstage of the K371 is slightly wider.
Should you get the Bluetooth version?
AKG K361-BT and AKG K371-BT sound different to their wired counter parts, even when they are used in wired mode. This is due to the fact that BT versions have additional electronics and batteries located in the earcups.
In general, with wired headphones the ear cups usually have a lot of unused space, which can be either left empty or filled with dampening materials. With Bluetooth versions, this space is occupied with Bluetooth receiver, DAC/amplifier, battery and charging circuitry, and this often negates some of the acoustical research and development behind the wired versions.
Even if the wired connection completely bypasses all electronics, no manufacturer can guarantee you that BT versions will sound exactly the same as wired versions. I personally recommend you to get a wired version, unless you absolutely need to have a pair of wireless headphones.
AKG K361 driver upgrade?
I came across a few articles on the internet that describe how you can upgrade AKG K361 and make them sound exactly like AKG K371. But unfortunately it’s not completely true.
As a result of manipulation with the driver, which by the way is irreversible, the appearance of the K361 driver and it’s functionality will be quite close to K371 driver. In addition you will get improved treble, which will be really close to the treble on K371. But with this modification, you won’t get the sub-bass response of the K371 driver. Although, with this upgrade, your pair of K361 will sound more similar to the K371, I won’t go that far to call it a K371 clone. So please proceed at your own risk.
Conclusions
For me personally, the AKG K371 is a better headphone, and upgrading from K361 was well worth it.
But this in no way neglects all the advantages of the AKG K361, which are still one of the best closed-back headphones in the sub-$100 price range and I still keep this pair in my collection.
I hope this review has been helpful and if you’d like to see more content like this, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for future updates. Thank you for joining me, and until next time, goodbye!
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