AKG Y600NC

£199

We’re always excited to welcome a new pair of Y-series AKG headphones into the office – and not just because it gives us an excuse for some ‘why?’ and ‘why not?’ puns. AKG’S headphones are normally there or thereabouts when it comes to the important performanceper-pound ratio and now it’s the turn of the Y600NC – bigger, more expensive and with a reputation to uphold.

The Y600NC look quite distinctive. Their earcups are large and almost perfectly circular, and the point where they meet their headband is remarkably brief. The memory-foam under synthetic-leather earpads are big, comfortable and stay cool even if you’ve had them on your ears for hours. Even the headband padding, which looks a little scant at first, proves entirely acceptable as far as comfort is concerned.

The weight of 322g is about par for the course, and there’s nothing burdensome about the Y600NC when it comes to longer listening sessions. There’s plenty of adjustment in the headband, so even those blessed with bigger or wider heads than the average should have no trouble getting comfy inside the AKGS.

In terms of build quality, the Y600NC are constructed with obvious skill and care, and feel ready to last for the long haul. The carry pouch isn’t exactly substantial, but will help prevent the smooth finish from getting scratched.

The earcups house 40mm full-range dynamic drivers – but, as is usual with wireless over-ear models, they have additional responsibilities too. The right-hand earcup, for instance, has a switch handling ‘power on/off/bluetooth pairing’, a USB-C socket for charging, and lastly a ‘smart ambient’ button, the function of which can be assigned in AKG’S neat control app.

Out of control

‘Smart ambient’ can be defined as either ‘talk thru’ (which boosts external sound and reduces playback volume) or ‘ambient aware’ (which boosts ambient sound). The app also allows you to fiddle with EQ levels and save your favourite settings, but that’s about it as far as ‘control’ goes. It’s not possible to finesse the level of noise-cancelling – it’s on, all the time, whether you like it or not.

Over on the left earcup, meanwhile, is a slide/push switch dealing with ‘play/ pause’ and ‘skip forwards/backwards’ functions, as well as a 3.5mm input for the provided cable (with in-line remote) should the worst happen in terms of battery life. The AKGS are good for an average 25 hours of wireless playback from a single charge or 35 hours when hard-wired. A ten-minute charging burst should hold you for four hours.

The entire surface of the left earcup rotates to adjust the volume level. Annoyingly, though, it’s not a question of ‘twist and hold’ to ramp up the volume, but rather repeated ‘twist and release’ to knock it up one level at a time.

We play a hi-res file of Thom Yorke’s I Am A Very Rude Person via Bluetooth 5.0 and there’s no arguing with the refinement of the Y600NC’S sound. It’s easy-going, but the smoothness of the midrange and treble response goes a long way towards delivering a likeable overall sonic signature. The midrange is detailed enough to allow Yorke’s muttering proper expression and, at the top end, the AKGS summon almost enough attack to sound decisive.

The soundfield they generate is respectably wide and properly defined, giving every competing element of a recording enough space to do its thing without impacting on any other. At the same time, the Y600NC integrate these individual aspects together into a respectably coherent whole.

However, as far as broad tonality is concerned, some aspects of the AKGS’ low-frequency reproduction are problematic. The Y600NC aren’t short of bass weight or extension, but they’re rather short of detail – and that’s the case no matter how much we fiddle with the app-based EQ settings. Low-end response is rather heavy-handed and unsubtle, and doesn’t share a great deal in common with the frequency information above it. As a consequence, the lack of bass articulacy can leave the bottom end sounding detached.

Lacking the necessary bite

There’s also a shortage of dynamic heft, which contributes to the easy-listening nature of the AKGS. A listen to the Montreal Symphony Orchestra having at Saint-saëns’ Danse Macabre is refined and enjoyable, but lacks the necessary bite and agility to bring the piece to life.

The always-on active noise-cancelling falls into the ‘good, not great’ category, too. Outside noise is diminished but not, strictly speaking, cancelled, and because there’s no way to adjust it, let alone turn it off, it’s a one size fits all solution that doesn’t really fit anyone all that well.

If you’re after some attack and positivity from your wireless noisecancelling headphones, you’ve almost certainly stopped reading already. But if you value a smooth ride, few sonic surprises and a listenable balance, the Y600NC do enough to warrant being on your radar. Just as long as ‘refinement’ beats ‘excitement’ in your book.