[Hifi Man]

So I generally use headphones at home on a portable amplifier or directly out of my iPod. I've been VERY interested in the K550 for a few weeks. I'm looking for good isolation. That brings me to a few things that have made me a bit apprehensive about buying these headphones. 
 
- Isolation: I hear they don't provide a very good seal
 
- no detachable cable: I'm worried about sound going out on them.
 
- I hear they don't have very good bass. What I want to know is how they compare to the AKG K240. If I'm used to the K240 will I not mind the bass on these, or is it actually less than the 240? 
 
Next to the V-Moda and Momentum, these are the cheapest semi-portable phones. I feel very limited in options for portable phones around this price range. If someone could reassure me why I would want these I would appreciate it.
 
 
I'm into shoegaze, indie, death metal, black metal and ambient, including:
Sun Devoured Earth, Mütiilation, Artillery, Swans, The Chasm, Kreator, Coroner, Slayer, Acid Bath, The Ruins of Beverast, Defeated Sanity, Beherit, My Bloody Valentine, Gorement, Joy Division, Lifelover, Death, Vektor, Xasthur, Dawn, Electric Wizard, Bathory, Midnight, Protector, Paysage d'Hiver, Vinterland, Demilich, Have a Nice Life, Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band, Sepultura, Morpheus Descends, Hellhammer, Windir, Mercyful Fate, Toxik, Metallica, King Diamond, Sodom, Ulver, The Chameleons, Madvillain, Vio-Lence, Koji Kondo, Obtained Enslavement, Taake, Deathspell Omega, Moonblood, Deteriorate, Agent Steel, The Microphones.

 

[plakat]

As many others I've never had problems with the seal when using the K550... but that is not universally the case obviously. I guess you'll have to try...
 
What do you mean by "very good bass"? They have very deep reaching, clear bass with more emphasis on sub- than mid-bass (which is fortunately the way I prefer it) but they are not bass-heavy in the sense over over-emphasized, overwhelming bass.
 
Quote:

- no detachable cable: I'm worried about sound going out on them.
 

What do you mean by that? Not being able to easily change the cable has nothing to do with sound leakage if that is your worry.

 

[Lorspeaker]

If u have an average sized head with some fats on the face...
Not the modeling chiseled face,
Chances are the seal of the k550 should be good.
Okkk...just conjecturing.

If u can live with the k240, it's a piece of cake on the k550.

Cables....try not to swing the can like a lasso.

 

[Hifi Man]

Quote:

As many others I've never had problems with the seal when using the K550... but that is not universally the case obviously. I guess you'll have to try...
 
What do you mean by "very good bass"? They have very deep reaching, clear bass with more emphasis on sub- than mid-bass (which is fortunately the way I prefer it) but they are not bass-heavy in the sense over over-emphasized, overwhelming bass.
 
What do you mean by that? Not being able to easily change the cable has nothing to do with sound leakage if that is your worry.

By not being able to change the cables I mean I'm afraid if the cord accidentally gets stepped on caught on something and breaks then I won't be able to replace it.
 
And maybe it wasn't the bass I heard about. I think it was the treble and mids.

 

[JakeJack_2008]

Quote:

By not being able to change the cables I mean I'm afraid if the cord accidentally gets stepped on caught on something and breaks then I won't be able to replace it.
 
And maybe it wasn't the bass I heard about. I think it was the treble and mids.

You got it right. It's the upper mid spikes

 they've been talking about.
 
Here's an example:
 
 
Quote:

Great for SEALED, requires significant burn-in time!,
 
....
SOUND QUALITY
...
The midrange is a bit inconsistent. There are odd spikes that soften over time (I will discuss burn-in later). ...
 
BURN-IN
....
and burned them in for and additional 50+ hours. Most of my issues with these cans disappeared. There is still a note or two in the upper-mids that spikes and hurts my ear, but I hope this goes away in time.
..
*UPDATE*
..
The sound stage is absolutely incredible now. I am raising my 4 star rating to 5 star. Mind you, I've considerably burned these in also. These cans as I've stated above require an incredible amount of burn-in. These cans are now playing everything I throw at it. VERY versatile. Even the upper mid spikes are going away if not completely gone.
 

 
http://www.amazon.com/AKG-550-Reference-Classic-Headphones/product-reviews/B006IBILRO/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_five?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addFiveStar&showViewpoints=0
 
 
 
 
So, miracles do happen, ie. the infamous

  spikes are gone.
 
 
Any comments from the owners of the K 550.
 
I am considering the K 550, ATH-A900X or ATH-AD900X.

 

[viralcow]

I've owned two K550s (one bought at release and the other as a refurb a year later) and they both had some upper-mid resonance due to the plastic housing. If you listen to a lot of female vocals this might be a dealbreaker like it was for me. But I do suspect burn-in reduces it somewhat- it was more noticeable on the refurb out of the box than my first pair which had 400+ hours on it.

 

[JakeJack_2008]

Quote:

I've owned two K550s (one bought at release and the other as a refurb a year later) and they both had some upper-mid resonance due to the plastic housing. If you listen to a lot of female vocals this might be a dealbreaker like it was for me. But I do suspect burn-in reduces it somewhat- it was more noticeable on the refurb out of the box than my first pair which had 400+ hours on it.

Thank You very much. So there's something going on in the upper-mid - the spikes

 -
especially when one is listening to female vocals.
Well, I guess I might go for the ATH-900X or ATH-AD900X. I'm not sure yet.
The problem is that  both of them are leaking sound to the outside world, ie. in a quiet library or a coffee shop.

 

[Lorspeaker]

i added some felt to the back of the k550 drivers, took some pics a few pages back.
that has taken the spikes off my ears quite effectively.
 
i actually did a sidebyside comparison betw the ad900x n q701 a month back..
i find the sound rendition of the ad900x kind of tincan-ny,
sold it in a jiffty. 

 

[inasafeplace]

The comfort on these is good for 1 minute with the original pads cause they get all sticky. Blame the AKG pleather pads, they are awful.

 

[Lorspeaker]

ya...i need to stick some old leather around the flat circumference. 
hate to dish out 100bucks to get some branded pads.

 

[JakeJack_2008]

Quote:

i added some felt to the back of the k550 drivers, took some pics a few pages back.
that has taken the spikes off my ears quite effectively.
 
i actually did a sidebyside comparison betw the ad900x n q701 a month back..
i find the sound rendition of the ad900x kind of tincan-ny,
sold it in a jiffty. 

This is very interesting. Thank You.
 
I've listened to the ATH-900X and the K550 in BestBuy, but you know how it is.
People are talking around you, home theater explosions, noise.
The ATH-900X sounded more juicy. I cannot comment on the comfort of the K500s or ATH-900X as of yet.
They both seemed comfortable. But again the envinronment around me was quite noisy.
 
P.S.
I want to buy the K550 or ATH-900X or ATH-AD900X (or some other headphones under $250)
to listen in a quiet envinronment around me.
I've got the DT 880 (250 Ohm) and Sennheiser HD 595 and I am very happy with both of them.
Nevertheless I want to explore other headphones which do not leak too much sound
in the quiet library, quiet coffe shop, at home.

 

[lltfdaniel]

Quote:

Do you guys use the akg k550 as your main headphone?

Getting more head time than the rest.
 
I am prehaps one of those who love this headphone.
 
With the immense sound quality details etc..feels like i am melting away in the music and the soundstage or spacious sound feels 3d to me.
 
I own alot of headphones but these are so immense with how clear it sounds the bass everything i am just enjoying them.
 
Makes me want to listen to them more and tap my feet, out of my collection none has done that i just like the way these present sound.
 
It impressive it just moves you to fall in love with them, other cans in my collection well no this yes, says alot.
 
Not the best headphone compared to t1, hd 800 and lcd3.

 

[Lorspeaker]

glad it made the topchoice in your headfonechest..

 
in terms of clarity, i think the k550 competes reasonably close to hd800/T1 for me not to miss them.
Too much clarity can make a can lose out on intimacy. No? 

 
 
And i prefer a closed can for my personal circumstance. 
K550 is surprisingly airy and huge for soundstage, in a closedcan.
 
And save up the money for cables/dac upgrade. 
Comfortwise, its great, i just need a layer of leather...
hmmm...need to salvage from some old leather bags.

 

[dxanex]

^ I agree mostly although I'd say in terms of clarity- properly driven, the HD 800 is leagues beyond the K550. Haven't heard the T1 yet, so I can't comment there. It does help that the K550 is one of the most "grain-less" I've ever heard though. Makes my Grado SR80i sound like sandpaper.
 
Though out of all the headphones I've ever owned the K550 constantly surprises me. I'll spend a few weeks away from it, then I'll put them back on and just be amazed that I ever stopped listening to them for that long. Recently after spending a long time with my HE-400, I listened to the K550's again and, much to my chagrin, I prefer the K550 over the HE-400. There's something lacking in the mids on the HE-400 for me, and even though the HE-400 bass may be a touch more refined and detailed, it lacks the body and slam that the K550 has.
 
Needless to say it looks like my HE-400 will be hitting the for sale section sooner rather than later.

 

[lltfdaniel]

Your surprised well these cans made me jump out of my collection (spooked) only this and yea the bass is what i like makes me want to tap my feet and i own quite alot of cans including he 4 which i didn't like.
 
Only can in my collection that somehow makes me want to listen to them more and more.