AKG Y50 sounds bad - pls Write if you own this one

[breathinbreathout]

Hi all forum members,

I'm new here and I wrote because I read this forums a lot and I must say there are great talks here about headphones. I'm actually from Hungary.

I am really curious about what kind of problem I have -if I have any really- with the AKG Y50 headphones. So here the story goes:

Because I wanted to buy a good headphone where I can hear out a lot of detail in the music I used to listen to and wanted an upgraded from the sennheiser px 100, I decided to buy the akg y50 thanks to the awful lot good reviews this hp got. I bought these from a local auction site in mostly new condition. My joy of getting a new good headphone went away somewhat when I first listened to it. It was not really what I was expected. Here is how I can describe: it has good sound quality (I mean it sounds clear enough), but somewhat lacks somethings. Like its sounds from an old radio (with a little overemphasis) and I can't hear the mid's very well. Have the feeling that is lacking something; sounds good, but something is missing.

So then I've tried out different solutions. I listening this with an old HP laptop and a somewhat new smartphone: the results are the same. I thought the source was not okay (of course, I've tried with flac's) but even with my cousin's iPhone it is the unchanged (a little clearer maybe). I've tried with a 2-ring jack cable from a shop and it is the same. Tried pushing the cables, et c. So finally I sent it back just to get another one of akg y50 with the same sound..lol Then I went to a music shop because I thought It is faulty anyway, but that one just sounded the same. But there they're gave me a fiio music player with which I tried mine hp also and then It sounded better, more bass, more depth. More close with the reviews this hp get. BUT this shouldnt need an amp really I guess.

So I am really curious what is your experience with this headphone. Besides the good reviews it has I don't think it have a very good sound or am I missing something? It is possible it's just not the sound I like but I can describe this one way: it has clear sounds which is very good. Compared to my akg y30 it is more clear, the y30 is more "crispy" sounding and not as detailed. But with that I don't get the missing something feeling. Not so good but more "whole". With the y50 its sounds it's lacking that "lively" and depth feeling. It is more "held back" sounding. The mids are not as lively as even with a headphone with half the price. Vocals in y30 sounds better. Peripherial sounds (especially ambient) the y50 better because of the clarity. Oh, and I tried equalizing in foobar, that makes a lil difference but the overall lacking something character is unchanged.

Its bugging me somehow because its soo over-rated in all the reviews and for me ..its just not right. Maybe the fault is with mine somehow. Or just I don't like the sound. It could be a good hp for this price range and has the potential, but this held back mid-missing feeling ruins it a lot for me. So anyone has similar experiences with the y50?

I hope I described well enough what I hear. Basically I like the y30 more overall which is funny

Thanks for answers,
Happy listening!

 

[bixby]

Not surprised to hear your dislike for the Y50s. I had a pair of AKG 518LE which may have been similar. Absolutely awful. Comfort was poor but the sound was mostly upper mids and hyped lower treble. Bass was pretty much absent. I find may AKG headphones to be mostly focused on the upper mids lower treble. And I really don't like most. I did have a pair of 271 studios for a long time but they had no bass either. Yet the upper mids and lower treble put an interesting detail on instrument sin those areas as well as vocals.

As for reviews, you really have to take most (especially amazon) with a grain of salt. Many are written by folks with little to no experience with headphones. Many lower priced headphones may be first or second headphones they have owned. Best to look here on head-fi and see what "seasoned" members (check how long they have been here, not how many posts they have) are saying about them.

I too had Senn Px-100 way back when flying a lot. Rather soft and warmish, but a good beginning on the ear.

as for on the ear types, I have owned many. Grado, Beyer 1350 and T-51p, Sennheiser HD-25 and Amperior, Koss KSC 75, and some others I cannot remember. All have their strengths and weaknesses. My advice, try to find a pair of Beyerdynamic Custom Streets to try. Disc. but avail for around $70 or less new. Adjustable bass via port opening and really nice mids with no strong treble peaks.

In the end , you have to trust your ears, and sometimes one persons tea may not be to your liking. Good luck and welcome to HF.

This on ear comparison article may help: http://digitalaudiodirections.blogspot.com/2013/12/mini-reviews-of-6-portable-headphones.html

 

[breathinbreathout]

Hi,

Oh, it's possible I know now unfortunately what can be the error.
So I'm listened my Akg y30 on my laptop and accidentaly I gave it much much volume to it. It thought it coming from my laptop speakers (poor me) and actually It came from the headphones. Big volume about ten minutes. Then I noticed two days after that it sounds a bit dull. Like the sounds is not so clear, little bit dull and some frequencies like the mid is more "off". I wanted to add more volume to "hear" but even then it's sounds a little bit dull. Its not feeling good to my ears feeling, like its not good to your hearing. Similar to my y50 (but different in character). It's the something is missing feeling, not so bad you can't listen, but not as full as before...at least I hear this. I'm really really sorry for my headphone At least it's have 2 years warranty so I'm hoping they can change it. I hoping the best!

The lesson: be careful with big volume and amps. I taked care a lot for this hp.

And it's not gave me good feeling to know that possibly my y50 has this driver fault I guess also..

omg

 

[breathinbreathout]

Actually it's really hard to tell. Its just my paranoia or something is on. For me sound is not as wide and deep just before. It's listenable, but
like some frequencies (like percussion and the "ambient synth sounds" for example) are clear. Others are more dull, flat, and missing the depth. With volume up it's unchanged, you have the feeling something is missing. But it's really hard to tell. It's just from what I hear, feel about it. Hope warranty will be fine. I guess this is the prob. with the y50 somehow also.