[TheGiantHogweed]

Totally agree with you if we are talking closed back headphones, but they do fall short of some open backed ones in the mentioned price range. Still though, the K550 does have an amazing sound stage for it's form and price.

Well my Audio Technica ATH-AD700s were 87GBP vs 129GBP that I paid for the K550s and the sound is way better in every way on my AD700s other than the quantity of bass. But then it is a little unfair to compare open and closed in this way.

 

[Rainmaker91]

Well mmy Audio Technica ATH-AD700s were 87GBP vs 129GBP tht I paid for the K550s and th sound is way better in every way on my AD700s other than the quantity of bass. But then iit is a little unfair to compare open and closed in this way.

My point was that he mentioned 300£ and up, and while the K550/551/553/MKII does perform REALLY well within their price range, they do get beaten by open back headphones in the 200£+ range. But then you actually need an open back headphone to really beat them in soundstage in that price range.

Edit:
As for anything in the same price range... The DT990 Pros does go head to head with them, but they both have their downsides and upsides.

 

[fuzun]

This vs DT770 ?

 

[Rainmaker91]

This vs DT770 ?

The DT770 is at least in my opinion a bass heavy headphone, and really does not reach up to K550 when it comes to soundstage which is really apparent in the high notes. They are two different headphones that honestly appeal to two different groups of people, but both are excellent at what they do.

edit: The DT770 has supperior build quality though, but th Beyerdnamics DT series is well known for that.

 

[3mps]

Has anyone moved away from these and gone wireless?

I have a pair and im very happy with them but im not looking at some wireleas headsets which would suit my needs better.

Im worried about a downgrade in sound quality though in general so if anyone has any thoughts the headsets im currently looking at are -

Sony mdr 1000x
B&W p7
Sennheiser momentum 2.0

 

[Rainmaker91]

Has anyone moved away from these and gone wireless?

I have a pair and im very happy with them but im not looking at some wireleas headsets which would suit my needs better.

Im worried about a downgrade in sound quality though in general so if anyone has any thoughts the headsets im currently looking at are -

Sony mdr 1000x
B&W p7
Sennheiser momentum 2.0

While I'm looking at wireless headphones as well, I really don't see them replacing my wired ones. Or at least not my full sized cans, they are simply to big for me to use them comfortably while on the move and that's honestly the only time I like using bluetooth.

Now as for sound quality... I have only really tried the Momentum and the B&W of the ones you mentioned, and they sound more or less the same as the wired version. Personally I don't like the sound of them, but you might. The P7 is better in my opinion, but sennehiser is the way to go for wireless audio (Tehy have been the go to choice for wireless audio for decades), just like Bose would be the way to go for noise cancelling headphones (again they are the go to option for professional noise cancelation). As for comparing bluetooth headsets with wired ones... They have different use areas, so I doubt youll see studio and "hi-fi" headpones in a bluetooth version anytime soon.

I would personally much rather go for a more expencive wired headphone than a bluetooth option (the bluetooth option usually cost 100-200$ more anyway) for full sized cans, or perhaps a better amp/dac rig for my setup.

 

[episiarch]

Has anyone moved away from these and gone wireless?

I have a pair and im very happy with them but im not looking at some wireleas headsets which would suit my needs better.

 
I have the AKG K845BT as well as the K550.  IMO it's a very nice wireless headphone.  It shares a lot of sonic signature with K550.  But it is not a wireless K550:  the top end is rolled off a little and is not as airy, and the bottom end is inflated somewhat — it's far from "boomy," but it's turned up more than in the K550.  Both of these make it less to my taste than the K550, but both are arguably more "popular" tunings than the K550's.

 

[AJCxZ0]

AKG Official Store through NewEgg is selling the AKG K550 - Closed Back Reference Class Headphones for $89.99 until Wed 7 Dec 2016.

 

[PakoPnF]

Hello,
 
Can you help me chose my next headphone.
 
I currently have the AKG K550 MKII.
 
I recently have buy the DT990 and the Fidelio X2 from Amazon.fr , but when compared to my AKG K550 I think they are worst indeed.
 
The voice in songs is so much present on the AKG.
 
Do you have any other sugestion?
 
I what another Headphone but it need to be way more better that the one that i own right now....
 
Thanks

 

[JBal4]

How much better really depends on your budget and what you intend to use them for, more details needed. Closed or Open, Amp or Not, Classical music or EDM....
 
Beyerdynamic T90 is a great headphone that can be had for around $300 new. Bright sound signature, clean mids, nice punchy bass with excellent extension. Pair with a tube amp and these sound very nice. Soundstage is on par with the k55x
 
Hifiman HE-500 is one of my favorite all-around headphones. The bass and mids on the he500 are spectacular, and the treble has a nice amount of energy without causing fatigue. These are a heavier set and have an smaller soundstage. Amp is needed to run these
 
Audeze LCD2 Fazor (2016 version) is the best headphone I have listened to. Vocals are natural sounding, bass reaches all the way down, and treble is present without fatigue. There is too many good things to list about this headphone. The bad: heavy, need amp, stock cable is noisy
 
other good options koss esp950, k7xx, he560, hd800

 

[RockStar2005]

Here's a great custom EQ for Poweramp for use on the K55X series, esp K551.

 

[jerrikko]

Is consensus for pad rolling HM5 angled, whether lambskin, pleather or hybrid velour?  For folks who aren't happy with the headband's comfort stock: 1) Sennheiser HD 6xx/600/650 band pad glued on or zip tied, like I did. 2) ZMF makes a super trick, hella comfy Pilot Pad, avail in lambskin or pleather. thanks

 

[Mink]

Today my new AKG 550 MKII arrived - they were sold cheap and design-wise I find them the most desirable headphones (still) out there. Even better looking than my D5000 and Beoplay H6.
It is a shame therefore that the ear-pads are made of very thin pleather, they surely deserve real leather.
But that are just the looks...is it just me or is the K550 MKII different sounding than the MKI?
When I bought my AudioTechnica ATH-A900Xs, 5 years or so ago, I vastly prefered them over the K550s, I felt the K550s sounded thin with a pretty abrasive peak in the lower treble, similar to the high-mid peak of my Denon D5000s, but worse. The K550 MKIIs sound pretty similar to the BeoPlay H6s, open, neutral, wide and with clear highs. Maybe because of the big earcups and pads they sound a little more intimate, closed-in than the H6s, not the sound, but my preception of it. The H6s remain unique, in that I never feel I enter another sound world.
The fit of K550s ear pads are spot on, the clamping is just right. The sound is wonderful, with a lean, articulate but still solid bass, a wide soundstage and clear smooth highs. Coming from the Sony MDR-Z7s I don't feel I miss much bass and warmth, 'thin' is a sound characteristic than no longer aplies to the K550s.

 

[RockStar2005]

  Today my new AKG 550 MKII arrived - they were sold cheap and design-wise I find them the most desirable headphones (still) out there. Even better looking than my D5000 and Beoplay H6.
It is a shame therefore that the ear-pads are made of very thin pleather, they surely deserve real leather.
But that are just the looks...is it just me or is the K550 MKII different sounding than the MKI?
When I bought my AudioTechnica ATH-A900Xs, 5 years or so ago, I vastly prefered them over the K550s, I felt the K550s sounded thin with a pretty abrasive peak in the lower treble, similar to the high-mid peak of my Denon D5000s, but worse. The K550 MKIIs sound pretty similar to the BeoPlay H6s, open, neutral, wide and with clear highs. Maybe because of the big earcups and pads they sound a little more intimate, closed-in than the H6s, not the sound, but my preception of it. The H6s remain unique, in that I never feel I enter another sound world.
The fit of K550s ear pads are spot on, the clamping is just right. The sound is wonderful, with a lean, articulate but still solid bass, a wide soundstage and clear smooth highs. Coming from the Sony MDR-Z7s I don't feel I miss much bass and warmth, 'thin' is a sound characteristic than no longer aplies to the K550s.

 
Awesome! The K55X series is the best! K550 MK II is my favorite looking of the 4 (K550/K550 MK II/K551/K553), though I have the K551 only because I liked the shorter cable and still looks nice too. 
 
AKG actually admitted the K55X series ALL sound exactly the same. See my post about this here. Read all of it and the links provided as well. Someone on here provided sound charts of each one, and there actually IS a super tiny difference between each one, but I don't think the difference is detectable by the human ear, or else AKG wouldn't have admitted such a thing. lol And I myself COULD NOT hear a difference either. 

 

[Mink]

That's surprising, if that's the case I would have suspected to hear this low treble peak, but there's none... (maybe my ears have aged? The high-mid peak of the D5000s is still there though...)
Great to hear you like them a much (probably more) as I am