[cel4145]

Well, I never said anything about dedicated DAPs. I enjoy my K550 quite a bit out of my X5, much more so than from my iPhone 5s.

I simply think it's not fair to say that people who enjoy better amplification are "conned" in to it. Perhaps the attitude was not required on my part.

I still think that the output from a mobile phone won't match an external amp/DAC, or DAP, in clarity and soundstage. IMO. If it's good enough for others that's cool, I'm glad for them. Just don't tread on others for their choices.

To contribute to the question about the Pan Am, I can say that I like the sound and it's good when I want that tube sound. For clarity I actually prefer the sound from the X5 with the K550 over the Pan Am. The X5 paired with the e12 to the K550 is even better for soundstage and dynamics. The bass is also better as well as the instrument separation.

True. You didn't mention DAPs. But the X5 is hardly representative of most DAPs. And there are mobile phones that can match (or improve upon) the clarity, soundstage, and dynamics of many consumer DAPs.

 

[cel4145]

thanks. so if you put e12, it improves dynamics? interesting.

Dynamics depend on three factors: the power output of the amp, your listening volume, and the characteristics of the headphones themselves (eg., sensitivity of the headphones).

The first thing to do would be to figure out how hard you are driving your amp with the K550s. If you can turn it up above your typical listening volume, and there is still good output before they start to distort, then probably no need to worry about getting a more powerful amp. More power simply doesn't provide any additional benefits in itself if an amp is not reaching its limits.

 

[vaibhavp]

Dynamics depend on three factors: the power output of the amp, your listening volume, and the characteristics of the headphones themselves (eg., sensitivity of the headphones).

The first thing to do would be to figure out how hard you are driving your amp with the K550s. If you can turn it up above your typical listening volume, and there is still good output before they start to distort, then probably no need to worry about getting a more powerful amp. More power simply doesn't provide any additional benefits in itself if an amp is not reaching its limits.

 
my amp can drive them above my listening levels at about 50% volume. i think there is lots of headroom.
 
i guess an audition will make it clear, if getting a good dac/amp will result in tangible improvement.
 
somehow I think akg are more capable than what my audinst hud mini is showing to me, cause I sometime ago auditioned Q701 with pan am, and right now these are not even close. (assuming k550 are in same ballpark as q701)

 

[cel4145]

my amp can drive them above my listening levels at about 50% volume. i think there is lots of headroom.

i guess an audition will make it clear, if getting a good dac/amp will result in tangible improvement.

somehow I think akg are more capable than what my audinst hud mini is showing to me, cause I sometime ago auditioned Q701 with pan am, and right now these are not even close. (assuming k550 are in same ballpark as q701)

Well, make sure you are not judging volume by the position on the knob but by how loud they go in sound. The volume knob on an amp controls the gain. It's not necessarily at 50% volume when the knob is turned half way up. Could be more or less depending on the particular amp and the particular headphones.

But it sounds like you don't need more power for more dynamics. Better amps can provide increased transparency and clarity.

The AKG K550s are quite good for a closed headphone, but they do not have the clarity and detail of the Q701s. If you want that kind of sound, you need the Q701s (or another headphone in the K7xx series) AND a better amp. The Q701s are much more difficult to drive than the K550s.

 

[vaibhavp]

But it sounds like you don't need more power for more dynamics. Better amps can provide increased transparency and clarity.

The AKG K550s are quite good for a closed headphone, but they do not have the clarity and detail of the Q701s. If you want that kind of sound, you need the Q701s (or another headphone in the K7xx series) AND a better amp. The Q701s are much more difficult to drive than the K550s.

 
that would be good as well. I think tone and timber will improve.
 
right now there is a sort of veil that makes all instruments sound like different shades of same color.

 

[50Groszy]

I recently bought this headphones and I'm so disappointed. Sound is so harsh and spiky in trebles, separation could be better and the bass is kind of strange. I was using Koss Ur-40 for past 4 years and the seem superior in every way, the soundstage, more liquid sound.
I knew it would't be best for rock and metal but I almost cant listen to this genres because of sand and grainy like sound and lack of separation. They sound good in classcial music but even here the are somewhat dry.
Please tell me it's because of the burn in proces (AKG was already after 24h sesion). I hoped to recive way better sound for 3x price of Ur-40

 

[SWLIU]

  I recently bought this headphones and I'm so disappointed. Sound is so harsh and spiky in trebles, separation could be better and the bass is kind of strange. I was using Koss Ur-40 for past 4 years and the seem superior in every way, the soundstage, more liquid sound.
I knew it would't be best for rock and metal but I almost cant listen to this genres because of sand and grainy like sound and lack of separation. They sound good in classcial music but even here the are somewhat dry.
Please tell me it's because of the burn in proces (AKG was already after 24h sesion). I hoped to recive way better sound for 3x price of Ur-40

For me the sound quality improved substantially after about 200 hours of burning in time. And it became my primary headphones (my other headphones are Sony MA900, Sony MDR-7506, Sennheiser HD439, and Logitech UE6000).

 

[50Groszy]

Thank's thats my only hope... It's not like they are super bad right now, but electric guitar's sound terrible like the are super gained and overdrived. Bass sometimes is quite deep and entertaining but sometimes is sound just flat. Trebles are my biggest problem if music is getting louder they are like little spikes pircing my ear and whole soundstage is filled with sand.

But if it will get better that's ok. I read somwhere about these 200h, so maybe that's something.

 

[sludgeogre]

  Thank's thats my only hope... It's not like they are super bad right now, but electric guitar's sound terrible like the are super gained and overdrived. Bass sometimes is quite deep and entertaining but sometimes is sound just flat. Trebles are my biggest problem if music is getting louder they are like little spikes pircing my ear and whole soundstage is filled with sand.

But if it will get better that's ok. I read somwhere about these 200h, so maybe that's something.

Burn in is certainly a huge factor. I listen to my 550s with death metal all the time and I love them. They're pretty damn smooth.
 
I really notice a lack of bass depth and extension when running from my iPhone or straight out of a computer. These headphones might be very efficient and technically easy to drive, but they benefit immensely from good amplification. Pick up a Schiit Magni for 100 bucks and you'll be insanely happy. If you're mobile pick up a Fiio E11 or E12.

 

[50Groszy]

Thank you Right now they play straight from PC so as you said it can be my problem (aside from burn in). I was thinking about buying a tube amp (aune t1) in the future. But I will consider a Fiio as I will be using them in Bus quite often. 

 

[ratinox]

Thank you Right now they play straight from PC

There's your problem. Efficient, easy to drive headphones like K55x sound like crap from most computer sound cards. The strange-sounding bass is probably bass roll-off due to the too-high impedance of the sound card's hybrid line out amplifier, and the grainy sound is probably you diving through the amplifier's noise floor. It's a bad match, plain and simple.

 

[SSandDigital]

I just think the K550 sound amazing while I'm on my commute on the train or walking around town/city.  If I need an amp, I'm using the K712 or AD900x.  Both to me sound better than the K550.

 

[x RELIC x]

Thank you Right now they play straight from PC so as you said it can be my problem (aside from burn in). I was thinking about buying a tube amp (aune t1) in the future. But I will consider a Fiio as I will be using them in Bus quite often. 

Straight from PC isn't the most pleasant sound regardless of headphones used and your K550's are showing you this. The Fiio e12 pairs really well with the K550 and the bass boost is very good, better than the e11 without a doubt.

Edit: Have you considered a DAP for your K550 commute? Something like the Fiio X3 isn't that expensive but it's DAC and built in amp drive the K550's very well and they have hardware based bass/treble control so it's very easy to achieve your preferred sound.

 

[ratinox]

Straight from PC isn't the most pleasant sound regardless of headphones used and your K550's are showing you this. The Fiio e12 pairs really well with the K550 and the bass boost is very good, better than the e11 without a doubt.

Depends on the sound card and the headhpones. A good SoundBlaster sounds just fine with 200+ ohm headphones. It's just that, well, use the search function:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/613707/the-akg-k550-appreciation-discussion-thread/1320#post_10393889

Edit: Have you considered a DAP for your K550 commute? Something like the Fiio X3 isn't that expensive but it's DAC and built in amp drive the K550's very well and they have hardware based bass/treble control so it's very easy to achieve your preferred sound.

Anything pushing 10mW or more with an output impedance of less than 4 ohms will drive K55x just fine.

 

[SWLIU]

K550 with Fiio X3 (the latest 3.0 firmware, or better yet, 2.14b) is a perfect match. Highly recommend it.