[Destroyer95]

I would consider it as Mid fi

 

[d3r1d3x]

DGriff0400,
 
the Hi-Fi/Lo-Fi terminology is basically a remnant from the analog era of audio. Those times, noise and distortion was a very significant factor in audio reproduction. In the digital era, most of these issues are gone, and different problems come up instead. For example, noise is practically gone (just remember the tape hissing from the recording back from the 80's), and with it the dynamic range increased. Although distortion is not completely gone, it has mainly become different. 
 
Just check the definitions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fidelity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lo-fi
 
In this old school sense, most of the equipment we use are ultra hi-fi. A noise floor of -60 dB used to be nice back in the days, now we easily have < -105 dB.
 
Take into consideration, that this has always been an audio enthusiast terminology. For most professionals, the expression hi-fi is diminutive, and mainly refers to equipment that favors enjoyable audio reproduction over accuracy. From this point of view, the k550 is quite the opposite of Hi-Fi
 
For future purchases, there are much more important factors. Such as the can's design being open or closed.
There's much less reflection in an open design, thus it's much easier to build good open headphones,
and you can definitely find open headphones in the K550's price range that might have better sound reproduction.
A closed design is always a compromise. Therefore, for a closed headphone, I wouldn't go farther than k550, because
you'd have to spend substantially more to get a substantially better headphone. For that price, you'd
be able get a pretty decent speaker system. And speakers are much more convenient than headphones. 
 

 

[Doc-holliday]

^ bravo. well explained.

+1 in terms of closed cans I find K550 one of the best I have heard around this price or lower. It is between them and my dt770 premiums which are just an entirely different (not better or worse just different) sound than the AKG.

 

[leyleq]

[size=10pt]Hello there,  Akg k550 owners;. I have a couple of question and reques for all of you. I've tried to search them in the forum and posts but could not find anything.[/size]

[size=10pt]Anyway, I’ve recently bought k550 and love the sound, details etc. But the main problem is, I was feeling like the cans were little bit unbalanced at highs.  For me, the right can was little bit quitter. At first, I suspected, it was because of seal, me or my ears (have flu nowadays). [/size]
[size=10pt]So as soon as I reversed the channels so as the problem was reversed. Now the left can was little bit quiter.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]Later I run a test called “driver matching” from  http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php  (4th one)and noticed that at high frequencies (almost at the end of the test) [/size][size=10pt]A panning was departing from its central position. It was like shaking to left to right and finished at the middle.[/size]
[size=10pt]So am i expecting too much from 300$ headphone or is it just for me? Are yours working well or failed  at this test?

Please share your thoughts and advice with me.

Finally, thank you all before any of your replies. And sorry for my poor english.

Regards.[/size]
 

 

[Doc-holliday]

That sounds awfully complex, but if there is enough of an imbalance that you can tell the difference like that, there is something wrong. Exchange them. Period. It is not "normal" to have such anomalies.

 

[audiosampling]

Quote:

[size=10pt]Later I run a test called “driver matching” from  http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php  (4th one)and noticed that at high frequencies (almost at the end of the test) [/size][size=10pt]A panning was departing from its central position. It was like shaking to left to right and finished at the middle.[/size]
[size=10pt]So am i expecting too much from 300$ headphone or is it just for me? Are yours working well or failed  at this test?[/size]

 
At higher frequencies, panning deviation may be normal. The wavelength is short, and a few millimeters imbalance in positioning the headphone on your head, will introduce phase differences that will make the panning deviate. Because of this phenomena, the sweep used for the panning sweep at audiocheck has been limited to 10kHz. Thus, if you experience panning deviations at the end of the sweep, this could be still normal.
 
Try to figure out if those deviations are consistent repeatedly, and if they flip as you are flipping your headphones. If so, this could be your headphone though...

 

[ThreeM]

Reading thru, people say that if u like bass, shouldn't get this...
damn, quite disappointing man. I wanted a flat foldable headphone and after i found out this headphone. i seem that it's not going to suit me well man~ Argh~

Is there any other headphones that is similar to k550 design? Flat Foldable, Around the Ear.

 

[plakat]

Depends very much on your definition of bass -- for my taste and definition the K550 is almost perfect...
 
Models with stronger/more emphasized bass include the V-Moda M-100 (not released yet and not folding flat though), several Ultrasone models (the old DJ 1 Pro folds flat, don't know about newer models) or the AKG Tiesto models (with the 167 already available and over-ear).
 
Edit: The older AKG K181DJ might also fit your bill if you can find a shop still carrying them...

 

[Tony6225]

mIm a basshead and i love the k550s. I can make these things vibrate on my head out of nothing but a Galaxy S3. The bass quantity of the K550 is a little more than the M50 but different and much more quality.You really need to let these things burn in for awhile. It also helps to force a little bass out of them using EQ. Youre not going to find a pair of closed cans with the soundstage and detail resolution anywhere near the price of the K550s. 

 

[leyleq]

Quote:

 
At higher frequencies, panning deviation may be normal. The wavelength is short, and a few millimeters imbalance in positioning the headphone on your head, will introduce phase differences that will make the panning deviate. Because of this phenomena, the sweep used for the panning sweep at audiocheck has been limited to 10kHz. Thus, if you experience panning deviations at the end of the sweep, this could be still normal.
 
Try to figure out if those deviations are consistent repeatedly, and if they flip as you are flipping your headphones. If so, this could be your headphone though...

 

[size=10pt]Well I’ve tried many combinations on positioning my ears and my headphones. Even I’ve tried on other people, the results were same. They all said that,  it was like panning left to right vice versa. I believe the deviation stars at 3-4 kHz not for sure but definitely at high frequencies. And finally I’ve reversed the headphone (left can was now was in my right ear) but results were same again.

But as you said before, it may still because of the position of HP or some kind of sealing problem. I just want to be sure that other do the owners have the same problem or not? Anyone had done test yet?[/size]
 
[size=10pt]Btw, my um1’s sound fine at this test.[/size]

 

[ThreeM]

Depends very much on your definition of bass -- for my taste and definition the K550 is almost perfect...

Models with stronger/more emphasized bass include the V-Moda M-100 (not released yet and not folding flat though), several Ultrasone models (the old DJ 1 Pro folds flat, don't know about newer models) or the AKG Tiesto models (with the 167 already available and over-ear).

Edit: The older AKG K181DJ might also fit your bill if you can find a shop still carrying them...

WOW!

Nice!~


Im looking at the tiesto.

Looks cool man~ The 50mm Tiesto 2xx Series aint out yet~ Hmm~

 

[plakat]

Yes, the 267 looks quite promising... unfortunately the release was delayed again I've heard. They might be even bigger than the K550, might not be so easy to use on the go... Nevertheless nice to see AKG produce some interesting new models lately

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Quote:

Yes, the 267 looks quite promising... unfortunately the release was delayed again I've heard. They might be even bigger than the K550, might not be so easy to use on the go... Nevertheless nice to see AKG produce some interesting new models lately

Based on some early images of them, they look like they'll be between the M50 and AKG K550 in terms of size. ​

 ​

 

​

 ​

I love the look of 'em, and the detachable cable and bass boost are a big plus. I've been looking for a headphone to replace my M50's for a while now, and I believe the AKG K267 will be it - hopefully. I've tried the M-100, but the build is finnicky and the sound is a bit too bassy; both are big reasons why I have high hopes for these, seeing as they have a stylish, sharp design, coupled with the adjustable bass for matching all the different music I listen to.
 
About that - what are the expectations by previous AKG K550 owners on this set of cans? Apparently the K167 is a more detailed, punchier version of the K550 sound-wise, so I hope these are a step up from that. Are people expecting the 'studio' setting to be relatively balanced, and the other settings simply add bass? How have AKG's past adjustable sound headphones ended up?

 

[reload]

I wouldn't say that. The Sennheiser HD 280 PROs has more bass than these. I like using the Digizoid zo2, red and pink light to feel the bass.  

mIm a basshead and i love the k550s. I can make these things vibrate on my head out of nothing but a Galaxy S3. The bass quantity of the K550 is a little more than the M50 but different and much more quality.You really need to let these things burn in for awhile. It also helps to force a little bass out of them using EQ. Youre not going to find a pair of closed cans with the soundstage and detail resolution anywhere near the price of the K550s. 

 

[plakat]

Quote:

Based on some early images of them, they look like they'll be between the M50 and AKG K550 in terms of size. ​

 ​

 

​

 ​

I love the look of 'em, and the detachable cable and bass boost are a big plus. I've been looking for a headphone to replace my M50's for a while now, and I believe the AKG K267 will be it - hopefully. I've tried the M-100, but the build is finnicky and the sound is a bit too bassy; both are big reasons why I have high hopes for these, seeing as they have a stylish, sharp design, coupled with the adjustable bass for matching all the different music I listen to.
 
About that - what are the expectations by previous AKG K550 owners on this set of cans? Apparently the K167 is a more detailed, punchier version of the K550 sound-wise, so I hope these are a step up from that. Are people expecting the 'studio' setting to be relatively balanced, and the other settings simply add bass? How have AKG's past adjustable sound headphones ended up?

 
They definitely look nice, maintaining recent AKG design elements, but not repeating another models look.
 
I always thought I love bass, but through many hours I learned that I need a quite balanced sound signature to really like a headphone / sound system. I've a preorder for the M100 (second batch) running, but the more I read about them the less I can imagine to really like them beyond initial new-toy-status... The many reports of problems with shallow cups does not help...
 
As I really like the sound of the K550 I'd very much like a robust version of that headphone to take out with me. A bit more bass would not be a problem to me (though I don't need that), but being able to tune them to my preference is an interesting possibility of course. If they are indeed a bit smaller than the K550 that'd perfect.
 
I once had the K181DJ, the only AKG model with adjustable sound signature I know. Unfortunately thats too long ago to compare to the K550... but I remember it as quite nice sounding with some serious impact. Used it mainly for DJing though as comfort was not its strong point.