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AKG K550 - NEW!!
Dec 15, 2011 at 10:11 AM Post #737 of 1,494

Well at that price it's not going to replace my SRH940 for Shure! 
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. Also I just got my Fostex T50rp to sing so I'm no longer looking for close back full size. (For now anyway)
Quote:
montyjess said:
 


No, they still have the update from Dec. 1 -- that they're not taking any more pre-orders until they know more about when they'll actually have the 550s.  Unfortunately, the price has gone from $250 to $300 in the last day or so...
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Dec 15, 2011 at 7:02 PM Post #738 of 1,494
update from headphone bar. good news! 
 
 
Hello Jay.
AKG today said they have confirmed shipping for the K550 next week. The price also went up, now $299, which leads me to believe that this time its true. Pricing at akg's international websites have all been set and the deliveries have begun worldwide.
 
They will be shipping the headphones express to the store and we'll get them out to customers asap. The holidays may slow things down a touch, but we'll let you know when they are in and provide a tracking # when they ship.
 
The preorder price of $249 you paid looks even better now, if that helps cushion the wait a bit.
 
still looking at late december but that's good news if i've ever heard.  Hopefully now that the general public can get ahold of them, we will see more hifi reviews popping up.
 
Dec 15, 2011 at 7:21 PM Post #739 of 1,494
Subscribed.
 
If these isolate well I might be on board.  I need a closed back portable that isolates better than the 940.
 
The HD448 is nice, but I wouldn't mind an upgrade in the "plug and play" department
 
Dec 16, 2011 at 12:38 PM Post #743 of 1,494
I'm listening to these cans right now. I really like them. These are my first cans in this price range and I've got nothing to compare them to, so I can't tell you much useable info about it, but I can tell you what I feel:
I have never heard so many details in my music, and it feels live, like I am in the middle of the band. It feels like there is lots of space between the instruments and it hust sounds very good to me:)
 
The comfort is great. They feel light, and fits my head very well. I am sure I will be able to use these for hours and hours before getting tired of wearing them.
Of course, I still have nothing to compare them to, but I also think they isolate very well and still not too much. I can enjoy music without being disturbed by television, my family :), and even the noisy vacuum cleaner nearly disappears.
 
Well, I like em :)
 
Dec 16, 2011 at 1:25 PM Post #744 of 1,494
Just bought a pair of these with next day delivery for $299 from J&R!! Basically they cut $30 off the price since it's saturday delivery.
If you call, you might be able to get the same deal and get a pair on Saturday too. Talk to Kenny at ext 1013 if you don't have any luck.
 
I shouldn't be buying headphones since I just bought the SR-325is and A250, but I couldn't resist.
 
I'll let everyone know how these compare to my K400, K601 and Q701.
 
Maybe they'll even be better than my old favorite the DJ100
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Got a guilty conscience about buying these, but oh well. Hopefully it goes away when I listen to them!
 
Dec 17, 2011 at 3:19 AM Post #746 of 1,494


Quote:
muppetface said:
I ordered a pair from J&R, and they'll be arriving later today. I'll most likely post some impressions of these vs. the Q701 over the weekend.
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lucky lucky
 
 
AGAIN. 
 
YES
 
AGAIN
 
THE UK LOOKS TO BE THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH THESE WILL BE RELEASED.
 
 
I've checked in 'specialist' london headphone shops, and searched the net all over. One german seller on amazon uk selling these for £320. I ain't giving him a healthy £100 over rrp for these, now way!!!
 
 
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:57 AM Post #748 of 1,494
Some very early impressions. Keep in mind that I don't believe in burn-in beyond psychological acclimatization. So for those of you who do believe in burn-in, these are still "un burnt."
 
Packaging on these is really nice. The box is thick and sturdy, with a plastic window in front showing off the headphones. Similar to the K701 / Q701 but more heavy duty. You get a single cable, which enters into one earcup rather than a dual entry with a Y splitter. The jack is a 1/8 that has a 1/4 inch adapter that screws on over it seamlessly. The cable is similar to the Q701's, but the plug is nicer with a soft powder metal finish.
 
The headphones themselves are built much nicer than I expected. They're definitely more robust compared to the Q701. Instead of plastic, you get metal and a sort of rubbery material coating various parts. Very classy given the price point. The headband is metal and a solid band rather than the wire arc assembly of the Q701. The headpad is a thin rubbery leather piece directly on the band rather than the leather strap in the Q701 assembly. It's neither here nor there in terms of comfort for me. If these were heavier cans, then it might put too much pressure on the head. But the cans are lightweight so it's not too noticeable. Pretty sure the earpads are synthetic leather. They're cushy though, and provide a comfortable seal that does a fairly decent job at isolating. Rather than the self adjusting arc assembly of the Q701, you get a manual adjustment mechanism on the K550. However there's a handy ruler on the headband that looks pretty cool as you adjust them, and the clicking mechanism is satisfying to work and tactilely responsive. Overall the Q701 are slightly more comfortable to me. They're lighter and seem to float on my head. The K550 is still comfortable enough to not be problematic however, and the slightly weightier feeling due to the better quality construction is welcome. The K550 definitely looks and feels like a classier headphone.
 
So how do they sound? Straight out of a MacBook Pro, they're a bit too bright. They're not painfully bright, but having listened to the Audez'e LCD-3 and Ultrasone Signature Pro all weekend it's definitely noticeable right off the bat. The sound is a little thin and brittle. Soundstage is impressive for closed headphones, perhaps smaller than the Q701's but not by much. It still has a nice dimensional feel to it. Mids are forward and sound rich, but not colored. Some of the delicacy of the Q701 seems lost, replaced by a more energetic presentation on the K550. One of the more noticeable issues is that the bass presence is rather lacking in impact and fullness, especially considering these are closed headphones. I'd say it's about the same as the Q701. Overall detail level is impressive at this price point, and from an analytic standpoint these are definitely capturing everything there in the music. Out of the Zana Deux SE the K550 gains some body and resolution, sounding more detailed and fuller, less thin. They seem less bright up top as well. Unfortunately the bass remains a touch anemic. Soundstage is is still impressive, gaining more dimensionality when amped, and while lacking some of the airiness of the Q701 it is still immersive.
 
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