[FlyinAg]

Alright, I just auditioned the K550s and A900Xs for about an hour at a headphone shop.  I am glad I ended up canceling the A900X order last week, because I will probably end up buying the K550s after the A/B session. Keep in mind I have no idea how long thee phones have been burned in or used, as they were demo units on the shelf. I also threw the Shure 840s in the mix because I own a pair, so I kind of used them as a benchmark. Here are my observations:
 
Build: Both sets look well built from quality materials. I had no complaints with either. The 550s do feel a little more solid just due to the fact that the A900Xs have the wing arrangement.
 
Comfort: The 550s and A900Xs were both more comfortable that the Shures. The 550s were the most comfortable. The A900Xs did feel like they were sliding down a bit. It wasn't a deal breaker, but was noticeable when you compared them to other phones. The 550 pads were softer, but I did not mind the A900X pads that others have disliked.
 
Isolation: 550s for the win again. Plain and simple, they blocked out more ambient noise than the A900Xs. Not sure about sound leakage.
 
Sound Stage: This one is a bit of a toss up. Both had awesome sound stages, especially compared to the SRH840s. I want to say the A900X has a slightly wider stage, and the 550 a wide, but slightly forward stage. Both were excellent though. I would go with either in this department.
 
Sound: Here is where things obviously get subjective. I listened to a variety of music, including Dream Theater, Periphery, Skrillex, Fair to Midland, and Tesseract. They both sounded great, but I enjoyed the 550s sound more overall. The 550s had a little more of everything across the board. The lows were more pronounced, the mids a little more forward, and highs a little crisper. Don't get me wrong, and A900Xs sounded great, but the 550s just had a little more magic to them. Both sounded way more fun and dynamic than the 840s, which sounded dull and puny by comparison. I know that is the whole point of reference phones, but I am making the comparison solely for folks who have heard the 840s and want to know what a step up to these phones is like. The A900X sounded a bit more neutral/natural. Both were detailed enough in my book.
 
My source is a Cowon D2. I felt like the A900Xs could use a little more juice, as I had to turn up the volume a bit more with them. Maybe if these were both amped, things would change, and maybe the A900Xs were not burned in. Who knows, but that is the way it went yesterday.

 

[crzycuyler]

Quote:

Alright, I just auditioned the K550s and A900Xs for about an hour at a headphone shop.  I am glad I ended up canceling the A900X order last week, because I will probably end up buying the K550s after the A/B session. Keep in mind I have no idea how long thee phones have been burned in or used, as they were demo units on the shelf. I also threw the Shure 840s in the mix because I own a pair, so I kind of used them as a benchmark. Here are my observations:
 
Build: Both sets look well built from quality materials. I had no complaints with either. The 550s do feel a little more solid just due to the fact that the A900Xs have the wing arrangement.
 
Comfort: The 550s and A900Xs were both more comfortable that the Shures. The 550s were the most comfortable. The A900Xs did feel like they were sliding down a bit. It wasn't a deal breaker, but was noticeable when you compared them to other phones. The 550 pads were softer, but I did not mind the A900X pads that others have disliked.
 
Isolation: 550s for the win again. Plain and simple, they blocked out more ambient noise than the A900Xs. Not sure about sound leakage.
 
Sound Stage: This one is a bit of a toss up. Both had awesome sound stages, especially compared to the SRH840s. I want to say the A900X has a slightly wider stage, and the 550 a wide, but slightly forward stage. Both were excellent though. I would go with either in this department.
 
Sound: Here is where things obviously get subjective. I listened to a variety of music, including Dream Theater, Periphery, Skrillex, Fair to Midland, and Tesseract. They both sounded great, but I enjoyed the 550s sound more overall. The 550s had a little more of everything across the board. The lows were more pronounced, the mids a little more forward, and highs a little crisper. Don't get me wrong, and A900Xs sounded great, but the 550s just had a little more magic to them. Both sounded way more fun and dynamic than the 840s, which sounded dull and puny by comparison. I know that is the whole point of reference phones, but I am making the comparison solely for folks who have heard the 840s and want to know what a step up to these phones is like. The A900X sounded a bit more neutral/natural. Both were detailed enough in my book.
 
My source is a Cowon D2. I felt like the A900Xs could use a little more juice, as I had to turn up the volume a bit more with them. Maybe if these were both amped, things would change, and maybe the A900Xs were not burned in. Who knows, but that is the way it went yesterday.

 
Thanks for the comparison! 

 

[PurpleAngel]

I've had my ATH-A900Xs for six days now, just starting to hear audio details that none of my other 9 headphones provided.

 

[crzycuyler]

Quote:

I've had my ATH-A900Xs for six days now, just starting to hear audio details that none of my other 9 headphones provided.

 
Well thats enjoyable, I'm sure! Did you chose these over the K550 because of price or performance?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Well that's enjoyable, I'm sure! Did you chose these over the K550 because of price or performance?

The long story.
I've always thought about getting the A900s, then when the A900Xs came out I thought about getting them, but as I already have two DT770s, so really could not come up with a good reason to buy.
Then the K550 came out and I really wanted those too, still could not justify.
Finally figured outmy ear really do not like to wear the DT770s for long periods of time (too much bass), but I live in an apartment, during the summer with open windows and four fans running, I need to used closed headphones.
So I decided I would sell off my two DT770s to justify buying new closed headphones (with less bass).
Then when I checked prices on the A900X and K550, the K550 had gone up $40 in price, costing $45 more then the A900X, so I went for the A900X.
A few reviewers liked the A900X better then the K550 (most prefer the K550), but I liked the idea of saving $45.

 

[tendou]

Impressive. Your other 9 headphones are K242HD, K240M, DT990 Pro 250-Ohm,  HD558, Samson SR850, 2 dt770 and what 2 other headphones?
 
Would a900x gives enough clarity using very low volume?
 
I would like to try akg k550 but cannot justify the different in price. where the k550 about 40% pricier.
 

 

[Katun]

I tend to find "detail retrieval" a shady topic. While I won't lie and say I haven't heard new things with upper tiered headphones, I will say going back to even the basic of models, I usually can hear the same thing if I know what to listen for. If that makes sense.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Impressive. Your other 9 headphones are K242HD, K240M, DT990 Pro 250-Ohm,  HD558, Samson SR850, 2 DT770 and what 2 other headphones?
Would a900x gives enough clarity using very low volume?
I would like to try AKG K550 but cannot justify the different in price. where the K550 about 40% pricier.

Other two are Superlux HD-668B (currently in need of repair) and Panasonic RP-HTF600-S (w/Velour pads).
Earlier today (using the A900X) I was listening to Annie Lennox-Little Birds, an mp3 I've had for years and there was stuff in the audio I had just never noticed before.
I was using Foobar and my Essence STX, all AD797BR op-amps.
Maybe the AD797BRs had something to do with it.
Guess I should retry some of my other headphones, update my ears.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I tend to find "detail retrieval" a shady topic. While I won't lie and say I haven't heard new things with upper tiered headphones, I will say going back to even the basic of models, I usually can hear the same thing if I know what to listen for. If that makes sense.

Earlier today I was going thru my mp3, with the A900X, not really looking for anything special.
Now I've listen to my Annie Lennox little Birds mp3 at least 50 times over the past four years, stuff was poping up and my brain was going "where did not come from".
I'm thinking the A900X maybe has the best sound stage of all my headphones.

 

[TheAwesomesauceShow]

Have you tried going to Best Buys' Magnolia dept.?  Here in Florida we have them and was able to a/b test them.  The A900x has more bass(it's actually on par with my Denon D2000 imo) but the 550 has less but more controlled bass and the music sounds cleaner than the a900x, plus the 550 fits really nice when I wore it. The a900x kept slipping down from my ears so I have to hold it to really hear it properly. I used 320kbp music in various genres with my ipod 120gig/fiio E11 with LOD with settings on High gain, 0 bass EQ.  Hope that helps.  Will go back again to test the portable Audio Technica headphones out.  My next hp would probably be the 550.  If it weren't for the terrible ear slippage of the a900x, I would have chosen that for the bass and the headphone design.

 

[Katun]

Quote:

Have you tried going to Best Buys' Magnolia dept.?  Here in Florida we have them and was able to a/b test them.  The A900x has more bass(it's actually on par with my Denon D2000 imo) but the 550 has less but more controlled bass and the music sounds cleaner than the a900x, plus the 550 fits really nice when I wore it. The a900x kept slipping down from my ears so I have to hold it to really hear it properly. I used 320kbp music in various genres with my ipod 120gig/fiio E11 with LOD with settings on High gain, 0 bass EQ.  Hope that helps.  Will go back again to test the portable Audio Technica headphones out.  My next hp would probably be the 550.  If it weren't for the terrible ear slippage of the a900x, I would have chosen that for the bass and the headphone design.

 
Bass wise, the A900X seemed to have more mid bass, while the K550 had better/more sub bass. Overall, I thought the K550 had slightly more bass presence, and better quality to boot.

 

[danik97]

Have a A900X from december (purchased them on eBay). I really like sound of this head headphones. There is enough of lows, clea mids vocal and very good highs. Headphones have a "sweet" sound, but not too much I really like them. BUT can't wear them more than 20 minutes, after it hurts and pulls around a ears.
Beacuse for pair to 650's Senn ordered a K550. 

 

[TheAwesomesauceShow]

Quote:

 
Bass wise, the A900X seemed to have more mid bass, while the K550 had better/more sub bass. Overall, I thought the K550 had slightly more bass presence, and better quality to boot.

I agree on the 550's quality bass.  You could actually hear it with hip/hop or pop music that has a lot of bass.  Does the a900x's flippers it's weak link? I'm asking since the one Best Buy have is a demo unit, who knows how many people fiddled with the hp thus loosening the screws?

 

[Katun]

Quote:

I agree on the 550's quality bass.  You could actually hear it with hip/hop or pop music that has a lot of bass.  Does the a900x's flippers it's weak link? I'm asking since the one Best Buy have is a demo unit, who knows how many people fiddled with the hp thus loosening the screws?

 
I think people underestimate the bass.
 
No, the A900X wings absolutely do not work. They're uber-cheap, and incredibly flimsy. Colossal step down from their old type wings.

 

[crzycuyler]

I'm stumped. I a/bed them today, again, and felt constantly underwhelmed by the K550. It was significant enough for me to feel very strongly that I either have a very different ear than most or I am listening to a defective set. I will probably buy them both, try them out, and return that which I enjoy the least. I wish I could make that happen soon and fill everyone in on my experience, but it'll take some time.