[Mad Max]

  Just picked these up off ebay for $75. They really hit the sweet spot in terms of sound signature for me and are exactly what I was looking for, particularly their linear and extended bass. I'd easily pay $200 for these, so no surprise people are buying loads of them on massdrop. The only downside is the headband, it really is uncomfortable and has no padding whatsoever. Does AKG not know how to design headbands or something???

 
AKG does know how, they just goofed this time and don't care for fixing it (goofed with K550, K545, and K551, too).  Sennheiser also goofed with their HD6/7/8 DJ headphones when most of their product line is very comfortable for most people and well padded.
I put HD280 headband pads on my Sennheiser HD8 DJ and K545.  It's cheap directly from Senn USA, and the headband pad wraps around the AKG headband and clips together, to need to remove or glue anything.  The HD280 pad is thick and not too firm.
 
There are eBay sellers selling a button-on wool headband that a head-fier or two spoke well of:
 

 
Someone earlier in this thread said he put a Sennheiser HD600 headband pad on his headphone.

 

[Dobrescu George]

   
AKG does know how, they just goofed this time and don't care for fixing it (goofed with K550, K545, and K551, too).  Sennheiser also goofed with their HD6/7/8 DJ headphones when most of their product line is very comfortable for most people and well padded.
I put HD280 headband pads on my Sennheiser HD8 DJ and K545.  It's cheap directly from Senn USA, and the headband pad wraps around the AKG headband and clips together, to need to remove or glue anything.  The HD280 pad is thick and not too firm.
 
There are eBay sellers selling a button-on wool headband that a head-fier or two spoke well of:
 

 
Someone earlier in this thread said he put a Sennheiser HD600 headband pad on his headphone.

 
 
That looks so cuddly and fluffy! 
 
I want one for my other headphones! 
 
Thanks for pointing this out XD 

 
It surely won't be a preferable option during Romanian summers at 40C, but for autumn / spring / colder weather, it looks really nice! 

 

[loveha]

Getting these from MassDrop, and doing some reading, it appears that the ear pads have a tendency to fall apart. Wondering if these would work?
http://www.brainwavzaudio.com/collections/accessories/products/headphone-memory-foam-earpads-sheep-skin
They are HM5 pads, sheep skin leather, so from what I understand they should work just fine?
Also found those knit headband covers on Amazon that I will probably also pickup.

 

[Mad Max]

Any pleather (faux leather, protein leather, polyurethane pads, whatever you like to call 'em) pads will eventually flake and disintegrate with time and use.  Faster if you don't have a habit of wiping down your headphone's padding with your shirt or a towel or what have you after every use.
Even if you take care of pleather or genuine leather (which, by the way, is likely tanned using toxic chemicals that make it bad for you), the foam sponge inside that gives the pads their cushion-like attribute will flatten and become useless over time as you continue to use the pads.
 
So pads wear out, period.
 
Now if they are talking about their pads tearing, then that is most likely their own fault.  I've stretched HM5 pads onto K553 and other large headphones without tearing any pads.

 

[Kursah]

I will say I had the same worry, so seeing that AKG initially advertised the pads were replaceable on the K553's...it was a pain in the ass to order a pair.
 
Cost me about $35 shipped from Harmon Kardon (iirc)...the guy on the phone was nice, I had to pay over the phone too...whatever I did suggest they offer them online. Well the shipped me incorrect pads on shipment 1, were smaller tape on pads. I had to send pictures to prove it. Then I had to wait 5-6 weeks while they got the "right" ones in stock. Then they notified me that they shipped out my correct set It was half correct...I recieved the correct Left pad with the L marking, the R pad was not in there...but it was again one of the tape on pads. Keep in mind the tape on pads are smaller in diameter and thickness...not for use with the K55x series. Then the rep I was working with went on a week vacation, there was nobody to replace him...I sent an angry email out to every AKG and Kardon-related customer service or management inbox I could find. 
 
Eventually dude got back from vacation, all the users forwarded emails to him. He got back to me...said they'd had another inventory error and after several more weeks shipped me the correct part. This issue started in mid-March and wasn't fully resolved until late-July. I let them know how unimpressed I was, how they needed to improve their communication both in the company and to the customer, and that I'd never suggest anyone work with them to buy replacement parts. It was easier and faster to buy a second spare pair of K553's from Massdrop in May and get them BEFORE I got the pads!!! Those are still boxed up...my current pads are in good shape...I just wanted to have a spare set on-hand for the day when there wear out and liking the stock pads wanted to order some.
 
Total pain in the ass, even though they made it right in the end and it didn't cost me anymore money..still was not a good experience. I also had some words left in their customer survey...but whether anything was changed in how they handle these sorts of orders I dunno...but wouldn't expect it. I hope you guys never ever have to go through this kind of experience.
 
These are still my favorite go-to headphones, and knowing I now have spare pads and a spare pair of cans NIB, I'll be set for some time! Hopefully I'll not need to contact HK audio in a long long time. You have been warned and sorry I didn't share sooner.

 

[Merlo79]

Originally Posted by NickyaKillah /img/forum/go_quote.gif
...but the lows are near nonexistent. I'm going to try to burn them in for at least the rest of the week, but if the lows don't come out soon, I'm selling them. 
 
Anyone else having/had the same issue, or do I have another defective pair?

 
Mine are like that as well. I bought them and use them for work, but figured they must be great for music too since they're way more expensive than PortaPros I own, but it turned out not so much.
The bass does sound much better in comparison, but it's barely present. I'm a bass player so I'm accustomed to listening for bass frequencies in music and never need or like to boost them artificially, but with these I'm only somewhat aware that bass is present in songs that are not bass-heavy, and there's no way I could say what exactly is going on down there. This would make me turn up the volume, which then becomes painful as some of the middle frequencies seem really sharp. I followed the topic on headphone calibration and the sine wave showed something similar as well. There is little sub bass and bass makes a rather modest appearance, pleasant but overwhelmed by other frequencies.

 

[AKGunkie]

   
Mine are like that as well. I bought them and use them for work, but figured they must be great for music too since they're way more expensive than PortaPros I own, but it turned out not so much.
The bass does sound much better in comparison, but it's barely present. I'm a bass player so I'm accustomed to listening for bass frequencies in music and never need or like to boost them artificially, but with these I'm only somewhat aware that bass is present in songs that are not bass-heavy, and there's no way I could say what exactly is going on down there. This would make me turn up the volume, which then becomes painful as some of the middle frequencies seem really sharp. I followed the topic on headphone calibration and the sine wave showed something similar as well. There is little sub bass and bass makes a rather modest appearance, pleasant but overwhelmed by other frequencies.

sounds like you aren't getting a very good seal.try angling the pads more and moving them forward on your head. bad seal = no bass with a closed back.

 

[Merlo79]

You're right, thank you. I experimented with the position and moving them forward sounds best, whereas breaking the seal makes for a really thin sound.
After writing that post I got inspired to go through my house collection of cheap headphones again and I think I got closer to what my problem might be.
Having imperfect ears I've learned to discern bass frequencies by that punch/vibration/moving the air sensation which I don't get with these, so even
with much worse headphones I can say "okay, that pulsating low frequency is the bass, and that other one is some other instrument", while with these
they kind of mesh together in my ears.

 

[AKGunkie]

You're right, thank you. I experimented with the position and moving them forward sounds best, whereas breaking the seal makes for a really thin sound.
After writing that post I got inspired to go through my house collection of cheap headphones again and I think I got closer to what my problem might be.
Having imperfect ears I've learned to discern bass frequencies by that punch/vibration/moving the air sensation which I don't get with these, so even
with much worse headphones I can say "okay, that pulsating low frequency is the bass, and that other one is some other instrument", while with these
they kind of mesh together in my ears.

always glad to help. One fun thing in audio is sharing what you know and learning from others.

 

[SomeTechNoob]

I sent an e-mail to AKG asking how much replacement K553 pads would cost and they quoted me:
 

3280M12010       $21.60ea              EARPAD L 3280M12020       $21.60ea              EARPAD R
+$7.00 shipping +CA tax

 
Seems a little bit steep for pads which I know will wear out rather quickly.  Anyone have good alternatives that don't make the K553 sound super tinny and harsh?

 

[JohnnyOps]

Just picked these up on Massdrop, and adore them with my Schiit Fulla 2.  They can make so-so recordings sound so-so, so... I keep my more forgiving set of closed cans (Sennheiser HD 598 Cs) around for those older jazz recordings and compressed rock.  But i adore the AKGs so far, having fun going back and listening to things I haven't listened to in a while.

 

[B9Scrambler]

 
 Anyone have good alternatives that don't make the K553 sound super tinny and harsh?

 
I can tell you which pads not to pair with the K553 Pro; HM5 Hybrid pleather/velour. Great pads, but wow do they pair poorly with the K553, haha. Greatly accentuates the treble and reduces bass. Makes them sound as if you're never getting a seal. The pure pleather HM5 pads would probably work well, or just something that's not ventilated.

 

[SomeTechNoob]

I tried the regular pleather HM5s. It's a no go. Highs are way up there and the bass went byebye.

 

[B9Scrambler]

I tried the regular pleather HM5s. It's a no go. Highs are way up there and the bass went byebye.

 
Really? That sucks...good thing I didn't order those too. The only cans I own that the pleathers work well with are the KZ's in my signature.
 
I love the K553 Pro with the stock pads so as long as those survive I'll be a happy camper. So far they show no signs of wear. *fingers crossed*

 

[Mad Max]

You lose bass with HM5 pads if they don't seal properly onto your head, like with all closed-back headphones.