For over 75 years, AKG has been a leader in professional audio, exemplified by the AKG N9 Hybrid headset. Featuring polyester membrane transducers and a compact USB-C dongle, it enhances sound quality and offers effective active noise cancellation. The headset combines premium materials for comfort and durability, with user-friendly physical controls and versatile connectivity options. The AKG app allows for personalized sound profiles, while impressive noise cancellation and a balanced audio profile make it suitable for various listening environments.
For over 75 years, AKG has cemented its position as a cornerstone in the realm of professional audio. From recording studios to live concert venues, this brand has been a trusted companion for top-tier artists and sound engineers, thanks to its unmatched expertise and relentless pursuit of excellence. The AKG N9 Hybrid headset is a testament to this illustrious legacy, combining advanced innovations with the brand’s rich heritage. At the core of this device are polyester membrane transducers, which are stylishly marketed as “liquid crystal polymer.” While the terminology may sound elaborate, the resulting performance is indisputable.
Transformative Listening Experience with AKG N9 Hybrid
One of the standout features of the AKG N9 Hybrid is its compact USB-C dongle, which significantly enhances the listening experience by overcoming the limitations commonly associated with traditional Bluetooth. This unique approach markedly improves sound quality, even when paired with devices that lack modern Bluetooth codecs.
Additionally, the AKG N9 Hybrid boasts effective active noise cancellation that stands up to industry benchmarks. Let’s explore the details.
Premium Design and Comfort of AKG N9 Hybrid
The AKG N9 Hybrid headset radiates quality from the very first touch. The carefully selected materials exhibit both durability and aesthetics, featuring a brushed metal headband that offers elegance and robustness. Generously padded memory foam ear cushions, along with substantial headband padding, ensure exceptional comfort, allowing for extended listening sessions without discomfort.
A particularly innovative design element is the shell covers, which serve more than just decorative purposes. One cover facilitates effortless volume adjustment with a simple twist using your index finger and thumb, while the other cleverly conceals the compact USB-C Bluetooth dongle, reducing the risk of misplacement. This dongle includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter, making it compatible with a range of digital devices, including smartphones and computers.
The comfort level is exemplary. The headset is lightweight, balanced, and the cushions envelop the ears perfectly without causing excessive heat, allowing for hours of enjoyable listening.
In terms of connectivity, the headset includes a mini-jack line input for analog sources, offering two operational modes: one with active ANC powered on, and another completely passive mode with the headset turned off. This versatility expands usage scenarios significantly, although the tonal balance can vary notably between the two modes.
The headset also comes with a hard storage case, featuring a textured fabric finish and a molded interior that provides a tailored space for the headset and its accessories (USB and airplane adapters, mini-jack cable), making it ideal for transportation and storage. Its compact design ensures easy portability in any travel bag.
Without touch zones, users will utilize the physical control buttons located on each ear cup. The right cup manages playback, voice assistant, and volume, while the left cup features a single button for toggling active noise cancellation or transparency mode, making it highly practical.
User-Friendly and Functional Features
The AKG N9 Hybrid headset excels with its dual approach to wireless connectivity. On one hand, it offers traditional Bluetooth pairing with your smartphone or compatible device, while on the other, it incorporates a small USB-C dongle that transforms the overall user experience.
This inconspicuous accessory brings several advantages. Its primary benefit is ease of use—simply plug it into the USB-C port of your device (smartphone, tablet, or computer) to establish an instant connection with the headset. No more lengthy pairing processes or repetitive steps each time you want to listen.
Beyond convenience, this dongle enhances audio quality, which we will discuss further in the sound performance section. It also allows a high-performance connection with devices that may not support the latest Bluetooth codecs, ensuring a premier sound experience in all situations.
Notably, this headset supports LDAC connectivity with most modern Android smartphones. Gamers will appreciate the minimal latency offered by this connection, which reduces the delay between audio and video. For those seeking perfect synchronization, the wired connection remains the top choice.
However, it’s worth noting that using the dongle may limit some features of the companion app, while still retaining essential functions like active noise cancellation. The headset’s physical controls remain fully functional, ensuring intuitive management in all scenarios.
Comprehensive and Intuitive Companion App
The AKG app, inspired by JBL (another brand under Harman International, which owns AKG), features a user-friendly interface and a wide array of settings. A highlight is the Personi-Fi modes, which tailor the sound to your unique hearing profile after a brief test—an intriguing feature for those who enjoy customization but not essential for fans of a neutral sound signature.
Spatial Audio is included as well, though it does not fully leverage titles in Dolby Atmos as Apple headphones do. While it adds some breadth, it tends to sacrifice naturalness, making it a less critical feature for the overall listening experience.
Conveniently, the Silent Now mode activates ANC for a set duration without audio playback. The preset equalization profiles cater to various music genres, and audiophiles seeking finer adjustments can utilize sliders for bass and treble. Additionally, the app offers a headset location feature and access to firmware updates.
Impressive Active Noise Cancellation Performance
The AKG N9 Hybrid headset delivers impressive active noise cancellation, though it may not surpass the records of some in-ear headphones. This is understandable, as in-ear models naturally create a seal in the ear canal, giving them a physical advantage that even the best headsets struggle to replicate.
In practical use, the effectiveness of noise cancellation varies based on the type of background noise. Low-frequency sounds nearly vanish—say goodbye to the rumble of trains and subways. Mid-range noises, like nearby conversations, are sufficiently muted but still partially audible. High-frequency sounds, however, tend to be the weak point of most ANC systems on the market.
What stood out to me was the transparency mode, which features adjustable intensity. The sound reproduction is natural enough to allow for conversations with those around you without needing to remove the headset.
Sound Quality That Appeals to All
In line with the high-quality N5 Hybrid earphones, the AKG N9 Hybrid headset showcases a well-controlled and balanced sound profile. The audio spectrum is reproduced with remarkable clarity: low frequencies are deep, solid, and satisfying without overwhelming the listener. The mid-range excels in clarity for voices and instruments, offering smoothness that avoids harshness or listener fatigue. High frequencies deliver an enjoyable level of detail and brightness without veering into harshness.
While this sound quality is already notable with standard Bluetooth connections from most smartphones, the experience reaches new heights when utilizing the included USB-C dongle. This improvement stems from several technical aspects, as the dongle provides a more direct path for the audio signal, enhances timing synchronization, and offers superior radio bandwidth. The result is an expansive and serene soundstage, where details emerge and instrument separation is distinctly perceptible.