AKG new headphone K545?
Apr 30, 2014 at 8:43 PM Post #1,367 of 1,753
May 1, 2014 at 4:14 PM Post #1,368 of 1,753
Alright, the HM5 replacement earpads just arrived over the mail, and basically this mod has been an easier installation and I was many times more impressed than this over the XL pad change to the M-100.
 
Sonically, I can't tell a difference although with a larger earpad, although my placebo bias tells me that the highs may have improved; I blame that on myself on trying to "hear" a difference.
 
Ultimately, this mod solves about four problems that I had with the stock pads.
 
1. How long it took to adjust the earcups before I had a comfortable fit. Now I just put on the headphones, maybe do a little swivel on the earcup and I'm all good to go.
 
2. Wearing glasses with it.
 
3. Ears not touching driver anymore. (This MAY or simply may not change the sound because of the way how sound travels) Edit: Yep, it's changed the sound (you can check by pressing the earcups closer towards your head with the new pads on). Basically, when you push them towards your ears, you get louder sound (hass effect, to combat this, just raise the volume a tiny bit) and better bass response. So in a nutshell basically the new pads slightly pushes the K545 towards being a K550. I guess for some people, it makes it more balanced?
 
4. Pressure on the head is slightly increased but it is compensated by the overall softer material.
 
Oh, and there's also no more L and R printed on the earpads so I guess that can be a plus or a negative depending from person to person but I liked it not being there myself.
 
The earpads are actually quite large and I was afraid that they might not fit but looking at where they hook onto the earcup, it was only slightly wider due to the oval design.
 
And now I can wear glasses with it easier because you can actually swivel the earcups to be sideways so that your glasses don't disturb the seal for your ears.
 
Very good improvement, one of the better 17 dollar investments I've made on headphones.
 
Here are some pictures for the curious. They do look a little sillier when worn; oversized earpads on a tiny earcup on a large headband.
 


 
May 1, 2014 at 7:42 PM Post #1,369 of 1,753
How much air a driver controls between your ears and the baffle affects the whole sound.  Those pads are allowing a little more air in front of the driver so it is no placebo.  The same applies even to in-ears.  Whether the resulting change in sound is beneficial or not is up to you.  Some headphones will benefit, others may become utterly shrill or bass-shy, and it goes on.  It looks like the difference between the two pads in inner dimensions isn't a lot, so a small difference is right.
 
May 1, 2014 at 7:48 PM Post #1,370 of 1,753
I honestly think it's quite fitting. The bass was always at a good level and I use digital "enhancements" on foobar9k and viper4android on well.. android. The drivers on the K545 are 50mm so they've got a high ceiling on what you can do with the bass without bloating. Using an amp also makes it much better.
 
Overall, the total "volume" has decreased simply because of the distance of the ears to the driver and the extra space inside the earpads. The most noticeably affected is the bass but I hardly notice it because I usually set my bass slightly higher than everything else and also because it would be too annoying to try to notice the sonic differences between the two earpads all the time (wouldn't make listening to music very fun lol).
 
Ultimately, the increases in comfort completely overwhelms whatever sound differences I may or may not have missed out on. Since the oval earpads are on a circular track, it adds a fourth level of custom fit (first three being headband and swivel + tilt on the earcups) where you can turn the earpads till they conform to your head the best.
 
May 3, 2014 at 7:10 PM Post #1,372 of 1,753
These headphones sound great unamped. When amped, the difference is subtle (just improvements in bass here and there) and not very noticeable. I just prefer an amp because of better gain options.
 
May 13, 2014 at 10:02 AM Post #1,373 of 1,753
http://www.runaroundtech.com/2013/11/13/review-akg-k545-headphones/
 
Just thought I would post this review because I found the "Sound" paragraph interesting to read. The reviewer saying the K545 doing just OK with bass-heavy genres and having underrepresented treble makes it sound like he's used to that good old V shape. But then he praises the mids, calling them the "saving grace" of the 545. I know exactly where he's coming from. When your ears are conditioned to boosted bass and treble like mine were as a kid, it's a real ear-opener to hear that midrange that's been missing your whole music-listening life. 
 
May 13, 2014 at 11:42 AM Post #1,375 of 1,753
The treble of the K545 is not rolled off but is gentler than the treble of the SRH-1540. I actually like both but the K545 is more natural in my opinion.
 
May 13, 2014 at 3:39 PM Post #1,376 of 1,753
Both of you are spot on, relatively.
 
The lower treble is a bit bright, sometimes a little too much so, or it could be my particular 545.
 
May 14, 2014 at 2:08 AM Post #1,377 of 1,753
Went to bestbuy and gave it a listen, they sounded not good to me, especially the vocals are like disperse in the air not cohesive enough, switching to the logan 90 right next to it, the vocals are more cohesive like comes from in front of me, k545's soundstage wasn't as big as I thought either. 
Could someone tell me that if it is going to change over burn-in, coz based on my impression, it is very different from those comments?
 
May 14, 2014 at 3:21 AM Post #1,378 of 1,753
  Went to bestbuy and gave it a listen, they sounded not good to me, especially the vocals are like disperse in the air not cohesive enough, switching to the logan 90 right next to it, the vocals are more cohesive like comes from in front of me, k545's soundstage wasn't as big as I thought either. 
Could someone tell me that if it is going to change over burn-in, coz based on my impression, it is very different from those comments?

 
What's the source at BB? This sounds very much like a lack of power from the source.....................even though the drivers are very efficient i.e. you can get deafening volume from virtually any source, the large drivers need good power for want of control.
 
The 545 vocals are not upfront at all but extremely cohesive, even out of the box. Soundstage ranges from good to wonderful depending on source.
 
My 2 cents.
 
May 14, 2014 at 4:00 AM Post #1,379 of 1,753
   
What's the source at BB? This sounds very much like a lack of power from the source.....................even though the drivers are very efficient i.e. you can get deafening volume from virtually any source, the large drivers need good power for want of control.
 
The 545 vocals are not upfront at all but extremely cohesive, even out of the box. Soundstage ranges from good to wonderful depending on source.
 
My 2 cents.

It was from my phone (sony xperia z2), but it was amp through the BB setup. Now that I think of it, it could be the thick glasses of mine that changed the sound.
 
May 14, 2014 at 4:59 AM Post #1,380 of 1,753
  It was from my phone (sony xperia z2), but it was amp through the BB setup. Now that I think of it, it could be the thick glasses of mine that changed the sound.

 
Maybe it's the BB amp setup, but yes glasses play a big part especially for around-ear phones, and yes I myself experienced deteriorated sound quality with none other than the K545 myself when I was wearing glasses (I dun wear glasses most of the time).
 

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