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UPDATE: I have read that a lot of current buyers of these headphones find them to have overblown, boomy bass that dominates the sound. This certainly isn't the case with the pair I have heard, and it is widely suspected that AKG has changed the sound of these headphones. If you can find the "old" kind that sound good, consider my review applicable, if not, tread with caution.

These are in my opinion the best bang for the buck cans on the market right now, performing as good or better than a number of larger or more expensive cans, while maintaining a small, super-portable comfortable form factor.

They have a nice well-balanced sound, with good bass extension and definition, as well as the customary nice AKG midrange. The high end is more detailed than one would expect, with a bit of roll-off, but the cans still sound close enough to transparent for aggressive music to be exciting. The soundstage is on the small side, but very well defined, with good frontal imaging that makes you swear they must be much larger headphones.

The isolation is only OK, but about what one expects from small, supra-aural closed cans. Leakage is very low, until you start listening very loudly, when it becomes noticeable, but still tempered (a vast improvement over any open cans or earbuds). The build feels pretty decent for the price, but I would not treat these too harshly, unless you want to risk it. Comfort is good, as they don't press on the ears very hard at all, and their light weight makes impact on the head minimal. Amping them tightens up the bass, and really shows you how these cans outperform their form and price.

Unless you need the uber-isolation of canalphones, or their super-small form, there is no better headphone for the money than the K26P. It bests even a number of open headphones for sound quality, with the convenience of being closed. For $40 it's hard not to want another pair.

My ratings:
Bass Extension: 5
Bass Impact: 5
Bass Quality: 5
Mids Quality: 5
Highs Quality: 4
Soundstage: 4
Detail: 4
Portability: 7
Isolation: 3
Comfort: 5
Durability: 4
Improvement with Amplification: 3
Value for the Money: 9

Consider this review a contrast to the one below. My AKG K-26P headphones must be of recent vintage, as the bass is very (VERY) much the dominating frequency. Even after extended run-in they are still bass heavy. Running them through a portable headphone amp does little to make them better.

But, and it's a big but, run straight out of an iPod (for example), their added bass is a boon to the overall sonic spectrum. iPod's are notorious for their weak bass output due in no small part to the impeadance rise at low frequencies), so the added bass comes across as smooth, well integrated. Not the last word in soundstageing or detail (heck, not the first word either), but for cheap, portable, on the go closed back headphones with good isolation and good comfort, played straight out of your portable player, they work very well.

Bass heavy headphones. Too much for me to handle and I'm into trance, house and hip-hop music. The bass just takes over everything and its not the good kind of bass either. Just boomy and bloated bass. No highs to speak of. Very fatiguing and not the least bit enjoyable. The only good things these cans have going for them is their portability and comfort. Just my 2 cents.