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Updated January 10, 2024·
The AKG K361 offers a closed-back design for better noise isolation, making it suitable for noisy environments and providing some privacy for your music. They are portable with a foldable design and come with a detachable cable. On the other hand, the Philips SHP9500 has an open-back design which delivers a more expansive soundstage and natural listening experience, ideal for quiet environments. They are known for exceptional comfort, but are less portable and offer less noise isolation due to their larger size and open-back nature. While both headphones are wired and do not support active noise cancelling, the SHP9500 is typically somewhat less expensive if budget is a primary concern. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the AKG K361
Good for air travel
Advantages of the Philips SHP9500
Excellent for music
Good for gaming
Excellent for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.5/10
9.2/10
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the AKG K361 is good.
Gaming
6.3/10
7.2/10
The Philips SHP9500 is good for gaming, while the AKG K361 is only fair.
Phone Calls
3.2/10
4.9/10
The Philips SHP9500 and AKG K361 are both poor for phone calls, though the Philips SHP9500 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.0/10
8.0/10
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the AKG K361 is poor.
TV and Video
7.8/10
9.0/10
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the AKG K361 is good.
Noise Reduction
6.0/10
2.5/10
The AKG K361 is only fair for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Cost
$99
$48
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The AKG K361 has a price of $99 and the Philips SHP9500 costs $48.
"The K361 retains much of what makes the K371 such a winner, though it has a leaner sound, and the build changes made to trim the price down are immediately apparent. Still, it’s another excellent offering from AKG, and other companies in this fight should either be very worried or quickly designing updates to their old models."
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Get a great deal on the AKG K361 or the Philips SHP9500
About Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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