The AKG K280 Parabolic ranks #188 out of 479 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.

Brand: AKG

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AKG K280 Parabolic - ranked #188 of 479 Over-Ear Headphones · Editor's rating 3.7/5

#188 AKG K280 Parabolic: $195 Discontinued eBay

Pros: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 76 against the Harman target.

Cons: About 6 dB less bass than the Harman target below 150 Hz, which can sound thin on pop, hip hop and electronic music. Treble about 3 dB below target from 3 to 10 kHz, which can sound dull or veiled next to brighter headphones. Discontinued.

Is the AKG K280 Parabolic right for you?

Buy it if

you want the tuning most listeners prefer in blind tests out of the box (Harman score 76).
your taste runs warm: it scores 83 for that sound.
you are sensitive to bright or sharp treble (treble sits 3.2 dB below target).

Skip it if

you want more bass (about 6 dB below target).
you need isolation or will use it in public: open-back headphones leak sound both ways.
you want to buy it new: it is discontinued.

Back	Open
Connection	Wired (3.5mm)
Deviation From Target	2.59 dB standard deviation
Driver Type	Dynamic
Drivers	2 Dynamic
Form Factor	Over-ear
Harman Preference Score	76 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ)
Sub-bass Extension	Falls 6 dB below target at 63 Hz (-11.4 dB at 30 Hz)
Tonal Tilt	-0.36 (negative is warmer, positive brighter)

EQ Presets

Target sound

Harman target

Set a preamp of -6.3 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. Predicted Harman match with this EQ: 100 out of 100, up from 76.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.6 dB	0.70
Peak	181 Hz	-2.5 dB	0.31
Peak	8,237 Hz	+4.0 dB	1.29
Peak	1,322 Hz	+3.2 dB	2.81
Peak	806 Hz	-2.0 dB	1.55
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+1.1 dB	0.70
Peak	2,704 Hz	+2.2 dB	4.19
Peak	5,392 Hz	-6.2 dB	6.00
Peak	4,302 Hz	+2.3 dB	4.21
Peak	6,116 Hz	+2.5 dB	5.97

Neutral 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 Speaker Ranking from AutoEQ’s measurement, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Neutral match with this EQ: 92 out of 100, up from 66.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+2.3 dB	0.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+1.3 dB	0.70
Peak	23 Hz	+4.1 dB	1.93
Peak	75 Hz	-3.1 dB	1.14
Peak	214 Hz	-1.2 dB	1.09
Peak	703 Hz	-1.6 dB	0.62
Peak	1,355 Hz	+2.9 dB	6.00
Peak	2,651 Hz	+2.1 dB	3.86
Peak	5,345 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.40

Studio flat target

Set a preamp of -5.9 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from AutoEQ’s measurement, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Studio flat match with this EQ: 72 out of 100, up from 32.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+0.5 dB	0.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.70
Peak	208 Hz	-4.0 dB	0.40
Peak	2,722 Hz	+6.0 dB	1.38

Warm target

Set a preamp of -5.7 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from AutoEQ’s measurement, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Warm match with this EQ: 100 out of 100, up from 83.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+5.7 dB	0.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	-2.0 dB	0.70
Peak	266 Hz	-1.5 dB	0.43
Peak	1,353 Hz	+3.3 dB	4.63
Peak	2,679 Hz	+2.0 dB	5.44
Peak	5,316 Hz	-2.9 dB	6.00
Peak	7,945 Hz	+2.0 dB	1.05

Bass 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 Speaker Ranking from AutoEQ’s measurement, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bass match with this EQ: 94 out of 100, up from 71.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.0 dB	0.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+1.3 dB	0.70
Peak	81 Hz	+1.8 dB	2.90
Peak	248 Hz	-1.4 dB	1.38
Peak	703 Hz	-1.8 dB	0.82
Peak	1,202 Hz	+1.8 dB	4.73
Peak	1,356 Hz	+2.9 dB	6.00
Peak	2,669 Hz	+2.1 dB	4.86
Peak	5,345 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.40

Bright 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 Speaker Ranking from AutoEQ’s measurement, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted Bright match with this EQ: 72 out of 100, up from 42.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+2.3 dB	0.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.70
Peak	23 Hz	+4.1 dB	1.93
Peak	75 Hz	-3.1 dB	1.10
Peak	703 Hz	-1.7 dB	0.59
Peak	1,351 Hz	+2.4 dB	6.00
Peak	3,654 Hz	+1.2 dB	1.82
Peak	5,345 Hz	+3.6 dB	0.46
Peak	7,266 Hz	-1.8 dB	2.84

V-shaped target

Set a preamp of -6.1 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by Speaker Ranking from AutoEQ’s measurement, in the filter layout AutoEQ uses. Predicted V-shaped match with this EQ: 74 out of 100, up from 58.

Filter	Frequency	Gain	Q
Low shelf	105 Hz	+6.0 dB	0.70
High shelf	10,000 Hz	+2.0 dB	0.70
Peak	95 Hz	+2.2 dB	1.74
Peak	749 Hz	-2.5 dB	2.18
Peak	1,345 Hz	+2.5 dB	5.25
Peak	1,929 Hz	-1.4 dB	6.00
Peak	2,695 Hz	+1.9 dB	6.00
Peak	4,157 Hz	+2.3 dB	5.35
Peak	5,345 Hz	+4.0 dB	0.44
Peak	7,182 Hz	-2.4 dB	4.45

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Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- AutoEQ results for the AKG K280 Parabolic (oratory1990 measurement)

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