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AKG N9 Hybrid vs Urbanista Los Angeles: which should you buy?

On aggregated review scores the AKG N9 Hybrid comes out ahead with a HearWiki score of 86. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.

Our pick: AKG N9 Hybrid - Outstanding overall at around $289.

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

AKG N9 Hybrid leads on 5 of 7 measures.

  • AKG N9 Hybrid
  • Urbanista Los Angeles
HearWiki score
86
65
Sound
9.0
6.7
Noise cancelling
8.4
5.5
Battery
9.8
10.0
Calls
9.1
6.1
Value
9.0
6.8
Price (USD)
$290
$150

Generation & platform

The scores rank quality. This is the other question: is the newer one actually newer technology, or the same platform in a new shell?

New platform

AKG N9 Hybrid (2024) against Urbanista Los Angeles (2021). The AKG N9 Hybrid is the newer platform here: Bluetooth 5.3 against 5.0, Top codec LDAC against AAC and ANC type Adaptive against Hybrid.

  • N9 Hybrid20243 yr newer
  • Los Angeles2021
What differsN9 HybridLos Angeles

Platform

Bluetooth
5.3
5.0
Top codec
LDAC
AAC
ANC type
Adaptive
Hybrid

Everyday features

Multipoint pairing
Yes
No
Wear detection
No
Yes
Companion app
Yes
No

Level on: USB-C, Transparency mode, Custom EQ.

Specifications

N9 HybridLos Angeles
Type
Over-Ear
Over-Ear
Price (USD)
$290
$150
HearWiki score
86
65
Released
2024
2021
Availability
Still sold new
Still sold new
Driver
40 mm dynamic
40 mm dynamic
Driver type
dynamic
dynamic
Driver size
40 mm
40 mm
Drivers per side
1
1
Frequency response
10 Hz - 40 kHz
20 Hz - 20 kHz
Impedance
32 Ω
32 Ω
Sensitivity
98 dB/mW
107 dB/mW
Bluetooth
5.3
5.0
Codecs
SBC, AAC, LDAC
SBC, AAC
Multipoint pairing
Yes
No
Battery life
100 h
80 h
Battery life (ANC on)
55 h
50 h
Full charge time
180 min
120 min
Quick charge
10 min → 6 h
-
Wireless charging
No
No
Active noise cancelling
Yes
Yes
ANC type
adaptive
hybrid
Transparency mode
Yes
Yes
Companion app
Yes
No
Custom EQ
Yes
Yes
Wear detection
No
Yes
Controls
touch
buttons
Voice assistant
Google Assistant, Siri
Google Assistant, Siri
Weight
281 g
321 g
Water resistance
none
none
USB-C
Yes
Yes
Microphones
1
6

What reviewers said

AKG N9 Hybrid

The AKG N9 Hybrid is a versatile over-ear headphone that balances detailed, well-controlled sound with strong adaptive noise cancellation and an exceptionally long battery life. It offers modern connectivity including Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint, and LDAC support, plus a comfortable build suited for music, gaming, and movies. Its feature set makes it a practical choice for users who value both performance and endurance.

  • Pro:Very long battery life, even with ANC enabled
  • Pro:Adaptive noise cancelling with customizable options
  • Pro:Support for high-quality LDAC codec
  • Con:No water resistance rating
  • Con:No wireless charging support
  • Con:Only one microphone for calls

Urbanista Los Angeles

The Urbanista Los Angeles over-ear headphones pair a solar-charging panel with an impressively long battery life, offering up to 80 hours of playback with ANC off and 50 with it on. They feature hybrid active noise cancellation, a 40mm dynamic driver, and Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC and AAC codecs, though sound quality is decent rather than class-leading. The design focuses on practicality with physical buttons and a transparency mode, but lacks multipoint and app support.

  • Pro:Excellent battery life of up to 80 hours
  • Pro:Solar charging adds convenience
  • Pro:Hybrid ANC is effective
  • Con:Sound quality is not the most detailed
  • Con:No multipoint or app support
  • Con:Comfort may not suit long sessions

Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.

Compare something else

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New comparisonAKG N9 HybridUrbanista Los Angeles