Jabra Evolve 40 vs AKG K271 MKII

Short answer: the AKG K271 MKII, if you are buying new, though neither ranks well in its class. The Jabra Evolve 40 ranks higher than it (#123 vs #124 of 134 over-ear headphones, 2.6/5 vs 2.5/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the AKG K271 MKII is still sold new at $214.38. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 134 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the Sennheiser HD 560S ranks #5 at $199.95.

Why pick the Jabra Evolve 40: Closed-back, 0.2 lbs (113 g) and a built-in microphone make this a light office headset that also works for calls. The tradeoff: Sub-bass below 60 Hz sits about 20 dB under the target, so kick drums and bass synths have almost no rumble.

What the AKG K271 MKII does well: A closed-back studio design with 104 dB sensitivity at 55 ohms, so it plays loudly from a phone or laptop without an amp. Watch for: Bass is thin, with sub-bass about 15 dB and the 60 to 200 Hz region about 8 dB under target, so music lacks weight and punch.

Buy the AKG K271 MKII if you want one new; the Jabra Evolve 40 is discontinued, so only look for it used.

Still deciding? The full Headphones rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

Related Headphone Comparisons

How Jabra Evolve 40 compares with other leading options:

• Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X vs Jabra Evolve 40
• Jabra Evolve 40 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
• AKG K271 MKII vs Sennheiser HD 569
• AKG K271 MKII vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
• Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AKG K271 MKII

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The Two Headphones In Full

Jabra Evolve 40: $142.73 Discontinued Amazon eBay

Pros: Closed-back, 113 g and a built-in microphone make this a light office headset that also works for calls. A 32 ohm impedance runs fine straight from a laptop or phone. Midrange and treble sit within about 2 dB of the Harman target from 1 kHz to 10 kHz, so voices are reasonably natural, and it suits neutral or bright tastes.

Cons: Sub-bass below 60 Hz sits about 20 dB under the target, so kick drums and bass synths have almost no rumble. A 9 dB dip near 11 kHz and air that is about 6 dB low make cymbals dull. Its preference score of 50 is middling for the class, and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 is rated higher at a similar price. Discontinued.

Full Jabra Evolve 40 review and specifications →

Released	Nov 2014 (11 years ago)
Back	Closed
Built-in Microphone	Yes
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	4.29 dB standard deviation
Drivers	1 x 28mm
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	50 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	32 ohms
Sensitivity	93.6 dB
Tonal Tilt	+0.69 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.2 lbs (113 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.2 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.1 dB	0.70
Peak	200 Hz	-4.1 dB	0.76
Peak	90 Hz	+3.4 dB	1.81
Peak	1,208 Hz	+4.4 dB	2.15
Peak	703 Hz	-2.5 dB	1.74
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.7 dB	0.70
Peak	2,662 Hz	+2.7 dB	1.26
Peak	1,969 Hz	-3.8 dB	3.23
Peak	9,699 Hz	+3.6 dB	2.55
Peak	2,750 Hz	+0.8 dB	4.49

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the Jabra Evolve 40 (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • Jabra Evolve 40 vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD500X
  • Jabra Evolve 40 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

AKG K271 MKII: $214.38 Amazon eBay

Pros: A closed-back studio design with 104 dB sensitivity at 55 ohms, so it plays loudly from a phone or laptop without an amp. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz and the lower mids land almost exactly on the Harman target in oratory1990’s measurement. A slightly bright tilt suits listeners who prefer a neutral to bright sound.

Cons: Bass is thin, with sub-bass about 15 dB and the 60 to 200 Hz region about 8 dB under target, so music lacks weight and punch. Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is down about 6 dB, with a 7.5 dB dip near 4 kHz that pulls vocals and guitars back. At 240 g with a preference score of 48, the Beats Studio3 Wireless is rated higher.

Full AKG K271 MKII review and specifications →

Released	May 2008 (18 years ago)
Back	Closed
Connection	Wired
Deviation From Target	3.85 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	1 x 30mm dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Frequency Response	16Hz - 28kHz (Manufacturer specified)
Harman Preference Score	48 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Impedance	55 ohms
Sensitivity	104 dB SPL/V
Tonal Tilt	+1.16 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)
Weight	0.5 lbs (240 g)

EQ preset to match the Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.2 dB	0.70
Peak	812 Hz	-3.2 dB	0.18
Peak	4,439 Hz	+8.0 dB	1.08
Peak	145 Hz	+6.6 dB	1.69
Peak	8,134 Hz	-4.5 dB	0.99
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.3 dB	0.70
Peak	1,771 Hz	-3.4 dB	2.92
Peak	830 Hz	+3.3 dB	2.86
Peak	2,453 Hz	+2.0 dB	2.96
Peak	650 Hz	-2.9 dB	5.06

• Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
  • AutoEQ results for the AKG K271 MKII (oratory1990 measurement)
• Head-to-Head Comparisons
  • AKG K271 MKII vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
  • AKG K271 MKII vs Sony WH-1000XM5
  • AKG K271 MKII vs Sennheiser HD 569