The C551s came in yesterday. I let them play through party shuffle on iTunes last night to start the burn in process.
First impressions so far are good! Fit wise, they are smaller than the C700s which is nice for my ears. Not as fatiguing.
The material seems to be made of the same metal as the C700s. I remember reading some sites saying it was a plastic material (Audiocubes, I think), but it feels like the same metal as the C700s. Hard to tell because the chamber itself is smaller than the C700s.
The cord is not the same as the cord of the C700s which is made by "magical elves". They do tangle more than, but that's not really a problem for me because the main cord is shorter and comes with an extension. The cord is a Y cable. This is good because I use a Shure microphone adapter with my iPhone and overall it's a good length.
The headphones also come with a nice small and sturdy case. It has a pouch for the additional ear tips (comes with S/M/L tips). I use the smallest ones and they fit well.
I recently had to return my C700s, but from memory, the C551s provide very similar sound stage as the C700s. The sound is very wide and very clear.
The bass is still present and is fun and filling. Seems to be a little more present than the C700s though. The C551s are able to produce a lower bass sound than the q-Jays. Some songs where the q-Jays would cause distortion at a lower level, the C551 (as well as the C700s) would be able to push through a clearer bass response.
If anything, I would compare these to the V-Moda Vibes, but with better clarity at all levels. Vocals are clear also. They are not "in your head", but seem to be a little forward and in front. The C551s do produce a very similar sound to the C700s though. Overall I am happy with the purchase!
As for comparing them to the q-Jays, the q-Jays are able to separate out instruments better. The C551s do have the clarity, but you are able to pick out instruments easier with the q-Jays.
Both phones rock though!
