A pro unit with lots of flexibility, versatility and sound quality. Transmitter base can be used as a preamp in a simple setup, and with an input switchbox added it can function as a preamp in a more complex system. Comes in a nice padded carrying case for pro users needing a portable reference monitor. Outstanding audio quality. Good build quality.

Many users will fail to maximize the capability of the unit due to poor utilization of the many control features. Not for the very casual listener or young children. Guests will be puzzled by all the buttons and knobs on the front panel and there is little hope of them setting things correctly without reading the manual. Realatively short headphone battery life. Pro gear is not for everybody. Not for headbangers who want to go deaf sooner than the 104 dB max loudness will allow.

This product gets a 5-star rating because it is professional grade and the very best at what it does, and offers incredible value and versatility to the advanced user. You want the top shelf product? Here it is. Because of the flexibility, there are a lot of things that a less-than-proficient user can screw up and reduce the performance. A person must spend considerable time studying the manual and trying different settings to determine what works best in a given situation. It is critical you set the input volume correctly as too high and you get clipping at any headphone volume level and if too low you can't get sufficient volume. You will have to set this level with different movies or CD's. The setting will vary widely according to source as well. You may also need to engage the dynamic function to prevent clipping and lack of low volume on very wide range digital recordings.

Music CD's sound best when using the direct mode. Expect to spend several days becoming comfortable with the unit to find the best settings. Buy an extra headset if long playing time is to be encountered. Short headphone battery life is the only real limitation of the unit. You can get about 3 continuous hours at very loud level with new alkaline batteries. The NiMH battery will recharge quickly before the other headset goes dead, so 2 headsets are necessary and adequate for pro users. The max loudness is only 104 dB, so not a good headset for headbangers. However, it is plenty loud for users who want to avoid deafness by listening at moderate levels longterm. The hardwired headphone amp will drive the most inefficient AKG headphones to ear busting levels if needing to check playback at extremely loud levels. If you can't get a good sound out of this unit, something is wrong. Sound quality is similar to my B&K Pro-10MC headphone amp from either the hardwire or wireless output, but the hardwire outlet has more volume capability.

The base unit will function as a preamp in a lot of systems as it has switchable inputs; 2 digital and 1 analog input. The DSP automaticaliy picks between the two digital inputs. The analog output is varied from the input volume control and will control an analog power amplifier directly. This is how you get your Vmax surround sound. If you need extra inputs simply add a switching box such as a Manley Skipjack. The unit can be inserted into the theater loop of a modern C-J preamp or similar type preamp with unity gain as it has its own volume control. Headphone volume and balance is controlled from the rotary potentiometer wheels on the right headphone can. You will get reliable reception coverage in an average apartment, studio or house if the tramsmitter is centrally located. If you want AKG's wireless headphone technology in a less expensive package, then look at the HEARO 787. It has an extended range over the 999, but much less flexibility as for one thing it does not have a hardwired headphone amp.

Audiophiles tended to ignore this system, thinking all wireless headphones are the same. The sound quality is the best in wireless headphones, and that should come as no surprise as it is one of the most expensive wireless headsets on the market. The sound quality compares favorably to wired headphones. Some have complained about not hearing the subwoofer channel, but subwoofer bass is not really hearable on headphones as it is felt more than heard. Hook up a subwoofer if that is your trip. Imagine a cross between a Betyerdynamic DT880 and an AKG K601, and you get an idea of what the headphones sound like. The AKG midrange magic is still there. Lovely with female vocals, or any vocals for that matter. Within the max loudness range, this is a clean and dynamic sounding headphone which allows high quality monitoring. Please understand that the Hearo 999 is a reference digital surround processor as well as a wirelsss headphone. If you just want a wireless headphone for watching movies and casual music listening, then the HEARO 999 is probably way too much for you. The headphones are not the lightest and the battery life is short as sound quality and flexibility comes first over many other considerations such as weight and cost. Three transmitter base units can transmit simultaneously and you can switch between them on the right headphone can.

Too much to fully describe in a short review. You have to get this unit and play around with it for some time before you really appreciate it. Pro users needing a portable monitor will cherish this unit.

Customer Service

If an AKG product ever fails me, I will find out. No problems with previous AKG headphones.

Similar Products Used:

AKG K610 and Beyerdynamic DT880 for sound comparison to wireless headset.

Incredible Wonderful sound with IVA ("virual speaker"-sound). No noise!

Due to weaknesses in the transmissionsystem the 999 was unusable to me. It was like having a broken cord. If you moved just a little, even if just sitting 2 m away from the transmitter in the sofa and reaching for something on the sofa table, sometimes (to often) the sound dissapears for like half a second! Sometimes even when I just turned my head!! It´s like having a broken cable that sometimes loses contact when it moves. Forget walking around! I returned them even though it was very frustrating because I´ve never heard better sounding headphones. I´m going to try the Hearo 777 with analog transmission instead.

Unusable due to transmission problems.

Clear, wide open sound, superb tonal balance, excellent surround decoder

NO!

This pair of wireless headphones will bow your mind off... Not only that they are wireless (and using digital audio signal to transmitt, so the noise level is arround -94dB!) but the transmitter incorporates Dolby Pro logic and Dolby Digital decoder! Also included is AKG's patented IVA system, which simulates 8 types of earlobes so that when You are listening to ordinara stereo material You get the feeling as You would listen to the speakers because it seem as the sound is coming from somewhere in fron of You and not from inside Your head as it is always the case when listening music via ordinary pair of headphones. This RULES!!!

Similar Products Used:

AKG K 141 M, K 240 M, HEARO 777