[AngryGoldfish]

  I know it's not helpful, but Dude, I am SO sorry.  That SUCKS.

 
Thanks, mate. I was so disappointed with myself. I had been drinking Irish whiskey for about two hours whilst watching Interstellar. After the film, I would normally have made myself something to eat to help replenish the bodies' necessary minerals and vitamins (best way I've found to avoid a hangover) and gone to bed, but I instead decided to jump online and start playing a video game, got mad with my dodgy connection, and leapt from my seat to restart my router too quickly, pulling the headphone cable with me. At first it was just the front panel audio jack that was broken, but then when I tried to straighten the 3.5mm jack of the K550's—that were at the time time still working—the left-hand audio tip just fell off. At first I felt like crying, but in hindsight, if I had started to use the rear headphone output instead of the front panel output as I had planned, the tip of the jack could have fallen out inside the motherboard. This might have been impossible to retrieve, and it would have ruined the onboard audio of the the motherboard. Right now, all I have to do is replace the cable/jack of my K550's and use the input at the back of the computer. My Sony MDR-1R's don't reach that far, and I don't like them enough for gaming to buy an extension. I bought them for portable use, but I prefer to use IEM's for out and about. I'll probably end up selling them to fund a pair of Fidelio X2's. Whilst I absolutely adore the K550's, I don't want to simply buy them again. I'd rather buy the X2's, which I had already planned on doing eventually, along with a NFB-15, again something I planned, and completely bypass the motherboard audio except voice chat. And if I can also fix the K550's, wonderful. I'll use those for watching films in my bedroom.
 

  @AngryGoldfish This thread is your best bet: http://www.head-fi.org/t/764773/how-to-akg-k553-pro-detachable-cable-mod-and-for-k550-and-k551-lot-of-images

 
Thanks, mate! I'll read the thread.

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

   
Thanks, mate. I was so disappointed with myself. I had been drinking Irish whiskey for about two hours whilst watching Interstellar. After the film, I would normally have made myself something to eat to help replenish the bodies' necessary minerals and vitamins (best way I've found to avoid a hangover) and gone to bed, but I instead decided to jump online and start playing a video game, got mad with my dodgy connection, and leapt from my seat to restart my router too quickly, pulling the headphone cable with me. At first it was just the front panel audio jack that was broken, but then when I tried to straighten the 3.5mm jack of the K550's—that were at the time time still working—the left-hand audio tip just fell off. At first I felt like crying, but in hindsight, if I had started to use the rear headphone output instead of the front panel output as I had planned, the tip of the jack could have fallen out inside the motherboard. This might have been impossible to retrieve, and it would have ruined the onboard audio of the the motherboard. Right now, all I have to do is replace the cable/jack of my K550's and use the input at the back of the computer. My Sony MDR-1R's don't reach that far, and I don't like them enough for gaming to buy an extension. I bought them for portable use, but I prefer to use IEM's for out and about. I'll probably end up selling them to fund a pair of Fidelio X2's. Whilst I absolutely adore the K550's, I don't want to simply buy them again. I'd rather buy the X2's, which I had already planned on doing eventually, along with a NFB-15, again something I planned, and completely bypass the motherboard audio except voice chat. And if I can also fix the K550's, wonderful. I'll use those for watching films in my bedroom.
 
 
 

Is most of the cable still in good condition?
 
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/35mm-metal-stereo-plug-fj99h
 
You could try cutting the original end of, stripping the sleeving and wiring the 3 cores to this. I have done this with 2 of these. I wanted some good quality coiled audio cable. I could only find it the length I wanted if it has 6.3mm plugs. I just cut them off and soldered 1 of these at each end. They stay on very well so long at you tighten them well. They are a little tricky to do if you haven't done anything like this before. You just need to make sure that you don't get the left and right channel mixed up. You may need to read about how to do this if you are not familiar with it.
 
The build quality is great and I have pretty much been put off that these things being gold plated makes all the difference. You can get identical plugs that are gold too though. You can also get plastic ones that have no soldering required. This will me much more cost effective than getting a whole new cable if your cable is still in decent condition.

 

[SunTanScanMan]

Hi all. It's been a little over a month since I purchased the K550 (mk1) and I have been very impressed with it. It was intended to be used in the university library where isolation was an important requirement. Its clamping, seal, isolation and fit is excellent. Build quality very solid, and at such a bargain at £100!!!

I was worried about the treble but I'm happy to find the sound very balanced throughout the range. The treble does not intrude like it did with the T1. Nor does it sound unnatural to me.
 
Most of the music I listen to at the moment are classical string quartets. 
 
It sounds open, though it's less airy and it doesn't image as well as my W5000. The earpads are slightly shallow which affects the comfort. But I do like the memory foam material, as it seals well even when I have my glasses on.

I place it as an alternative to my HD650, which I enjoy tremendously with classical genres. I recently moved to a new place where my room is next to a busy road, and therefore end up reaching for closed cans most of the time.
 
I run the K550 through the laptop and HRT microstreamer (portable) or the meier stack at home.

 

[Arttt]

try k550 with more powerful amps like OTL tube amps or solid state amps like beyerdynamic A1 ( its crazy powerful ) and you will see what happens

 

[SunTanScanMan]

Power-wise I don't think the K550 requires much.

I haven't tried it with an OTL amp so won't discount the effects tubes may bring to the sound. Not experienced the A1 either. But I would have thought the 100ohm output impedance of the beyer amp might affect the damping of the 35ohm K550.

I had previously purchased a 100ohm and 75ohm resistor adaptor when I was playing around with different OIs with the beyer T1. My current amp has 0 OI, and I've tried the 100ohm resistor with the K550. The effect is subtle but I find the sound has more detail/presence particularly in the lower frequencies without the resistor. It's more noticeable with string quartets than with piano sonatas.

 

 

[Arttt]

i recommend you visit local hifi shop and plug in k550 in a powerful amp of a higher end.  
even thou AKG present k550 as a portable low impedance headphone with its 35ohms , it sound thin and tense if not proper amped.
this drivers are barely moving if not amped.
 
low end is simply not there ...
mids are very thin and cold, tense
highs are muddy and artificial  , you get that plastic feeling ...
 
now with high end source and powerful amp k550 is smooth and detailed headphone with huge soundstage , open and airy ...
notes hang longer in the air , separation between instruments become much better.
 
Simply put without amp k550 sounds dull and muddy with no bass and artificial cold sound.
 
I wouldn't recommend use k550 as portable headphone!
 
Personally i noticed how much k550 scales with a high end source , and a powerful amp.  I wouldn't listen to k550 straight out of laptop or a dap or a smartphone, it sounds dull ...

 

[sludgeogre]

 I agree that the K550 benefits from decent amplification especially in the low end. I don't think it does much for the mids for me, but I do agree that the headphones sound anemic, loose significant bass impact, and the soundstage closes in slightly when using them with a phone or some other crappy power source. The other lusciousness that people observe might be coming from tubes or different amp implementations, but when using a neutral amp, bass impact is certainly improved.

 

[Arttt]

I run k550mk2 with Beyerdynamic A1.
Among solid state amps , Beyerdynamic A1 is an example of neutrality and accuracy  , it has studio like neutrality character , no " coloring " no attempt to impress you with details or tube like warmth , simple transparent accurate and very powerful sound , dynamics are great!
 
As for source , i use Hegel HD20  dac, HEGEL is also known for its natural , organic sound and considered one of the best dacs on the market, no matter price.   
 
My comments on how K550mk2 scales, depends on the high end gear i use with it. Thats one of the reasons i notice changes in whole FR, and not just low end...
 
By the way K550mk2 is remarkable fun with acoustic music , where sound coming from instruments actually touched the air...
Chesky records sound amazing on K550mk2 !

 

[Voxel-1]

What are some good alternative pads for these headphones?

 

[drofeel71]

What are some good alternative pads for these headphones?

The HM5 pads are said to work well.

 

[Voxel-1]

I just got the HM5 pads, and I can't seem to get it on. I tried to stretch one of the pads, but it ripped.

 

[Yazen]

  I just got the HM5 pads, and I can't seem to get it on. I tried to stretch one of the pads, but it ripped.

I had a similar experience with my ATH-A900.  I have seen other people fit them, however the ones I ordered did not look like they would fit.  Tried anyways, and they ripped XD

 

[Voxel-1]

Even when I got them to fit, they made the bass louder and the mids + treble less accented. Luckily, I ordered some replacement pads from AKG.

 

[squyzz]

Hi guys, i'm a happy listener of the AKG K550 headphone from about a year.
I like a lot it's overall sound signature but i have some ergonomic issues with it and i want to upgrade up to 600€
 
Soundwise from the k550 i'd like to keep  : sound signature / open scene sound
But i want more details, speed and a little more bass (sub-bass).
And of course i want a closed back headphone (i will use it at home and in the train)
 
About ergonomics :
- i want circumaural with  large and deep pads (i hate when my ears touches the pads or the drivers)
- i'd like good sound isolation (passive, no NC)
- good clamping
 
I use a portable source gear mostly, it's a Fiio X5II at the moment.
I have a Fiio E18 amplifier if usefull.
 
I'm looking the Oppo PM-3 and the Beyer DT1770Pro right now
 
Could you help me to choose wisely (i'm not against other headphones)
 
Thx

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

Hi guys, i'm a happy listener of the AKG K550 headphone from about a year.
I like a lot it's overall sound signature but i have some ergonomic issues with it and i want to upgrade up to 600€

Soundwise from the k550 i'd like to keep  : sound signature / open scene sound
But i want more details, speed and a little more bass (sub-bass).
And of course i want a closed back headphone (i will use it at home and in the train)

About ergonomics :
- i want circumaural with  large and deep pads (i hate when my ears touches the pads or the drivers)
- i'd like good sound isolation (passive, no NC)
- good clamping

I use a portable source gear mostly, it's a Fiio X5II at the moment.
I have a Fiio E18 amplifier if usefull.

I'm looking the Oppo PM-3 and the Beyer DT1770Pro right now

Could you help me to choose wisely (i'm not against other headphones)

Thx

To save money, you could try doing something with the original K550 pads. Stuffing them with cotton wool does make them quite a lot deeper and prevents my ears from pressing against the drivers and it also improoved how well they stayed on my head. As the headphones were presing a little harder against my head, the bass was actually increased by quite a lot. An example of this would be if you pressed against the ear cups slightly. You may well notice that the bass does increase. I don't get that bothered about my ears touching the back of the ear pads though so I didn't bother keeping the ear pads stuffed. To increase the bass, I just use the bass boost of my FiiO X3.

As people have said before, by doing thingswith the earpads or even changing them to different ones, you can change or even improve the sound of these headphones.


I don't really know what headphones to reccomend over these though.