[RockStar2005]

Which one is better for Rock music and why? 
 
Bonus: Does ANYONE know the speaker driver unit size on the HD 380s?? If so, please mention it here as well. 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
 

 
 
 
 
VS.
 

 

 

[PurpleAngel]

My gut says to get the AKG K553 Pro.

 

[RockStar2005]

Purple, 
 
I actually already own the AKG K553 Pros, so thanks for the vote of confidence! lol
 
I was just wondering what people's opinions were of the two since they're both closed-back, and very similar in price (on Amazon anyway). 
 
Any idea if the 380s have 40 mm speaker driver units or 45, 50 (I'm guessing 40)? I know the K553 Pros have a 50 mm unit, which is why their soundstage is so incredible. I don't think I will ever go back to 40 mm ones. I had the Sony MDR-1As and the Oppo PM-3s, which were $299 & $399 respectively, and neither could match the soundstage of the K553 Pros, and they only cost $169! They were a bit more portable, and both looked really nice (though I love the K553 Pros' look too), but I still liked the overall sound of the K553 Pros more. AKG rocks!!
 
Thanks again for your input! And Merry Christmas!!

 

[PurpleAngel]

I actually already own the AKG K553 Pros, so thanks for the vote of confidence! lol I was just wondering what people's opinions were of the two since they're both closed-back, and very similar in price (on Amazon anyway). 
Any idea if the 380s have 40 mm speaker driver units or 45, 50 (I'm guessing 40)? I know the K553 Pros have a 50 mm unit, which is why their sound stage is so incredible. I don't think I will ever go back to 40 mm ones. I had the Sony MDR-1As and the Oppo PM-3s, which were $299 & $399 respectively, and neither could match the soundstage of the K553 Pros, and they only cost $169! They were a bit more portable, and both looked really nice (though I love the K553 Pros' look too), but I still liked the overall sound of the K553 Pros more. AKG rocks!!
Thanks again for your input! And Merry Christmas!!

 
I've never listened to the 380 Pro and own the AKG K550.
I really thought the K550 had good sound quality and I heard the K553 are an improvement over the K550.

 

[RockStar2005]

Purple, 
 
I see. 
 
Yeah I owned the K550s a year ago, but for personal reasons (back when I didn't know better lol), I switched to the Sony MDR-1As. At the time I liked the 1As more b/c they didn't need an amp like the K550s did. But now I know A LOT more, and have since learned to accept the truth that ALL headphones benefit from not just a good amp, but more importantly, a good DAC as well. I went through a couple, but have since chosen the Oppo HA-2 which I think is incredible, has a great sleek premium look & design to it, and does a fantastic job too! I highly recommend it. 
 
The K550s were the first headphones I really loved, and now that I have also learned that to get the best soundstage it's better to have 50mm-sized speaker drivers than 40mm (i.e. 1As, PM-3s, etc), I realize how great they really were! 
 
You heard correctly. The K553s ARE an improved version of the K550s, offering an even cleaner bass feel and a more "controlled" sound in the treble region as well. A detailed account of this comparison can be found here. They both look exactly the same too, with one very minor exception: the headband cushioning on the K553s is a bit less plush than the K550s'. Initially I thought this might be an issue, but after several extended listening sessions with the K553s (1-3 hours each time), I have come to the conclusion that there's just enough cushioning there to satisfy me. The K553s also sell for cheaper than the K550s these days too. The box of the K553s is not as premium as the K550s', but that's not a big deal really. I also highly recommend checking them out if you're a fan of AKG. The fact that they outdid my 1As AND my PM-3s (both now sold off) speaks VOLUMES about their capabilities.