[project86]

Don't forget, it's all about the fit..... and those big pads (in diameter) make for a lot of placement options. If I let mine ride a bit further back on my head I get significantly worse sound. So I push them all the way forward so the pads practically slide behind my ears. It's not the most natural placement so it would be easy to miss and thus not be all that impressed with the K553. 
 
That's just me, others may just not like the sound for whatever reason. I won't argue with that. 

 

[SSandDigital]

Fit/placement in center works for me.  I did the same to K553 that I did with K550, bend the headband A LOT to get the seal I wanted.  But it's still lacking for a closed headphone, it leaks and isolates poorly.  It's not suitable for portable use IMO.

 

[squee116]

Still waiting to get mine in
East to west coast shipping time is killing me.  I don't have the K550 to compare it to, so it will be a new experience for me either way.

 

[lonewolfe2015]

I bought a pair of these to try, probably not the best ones to use as my first (Sony MDR-V600's don't count) closed headphones. Compared to my HD650's I'm having a hard time continuing to use them, I just don't hear a very rich sound. Not sure if it is the 650's being simply better, open design or a bit of both.

 

[Travv801]

After hearing the harsh review, i'm questioning this purchase. I did just buy an AK240, so I'll be needing an upgrade anyways.

For just getting into hifi, i'm spending so much >.<

 

[nmatheis]

I bought a pair of these to try, probably not the best ones to use as my first (Sony MDR-V600's don't count) closed headphones. Compared to my HD650's I'm having a hard time continuing to use them, I just don't hear a very rich sound. Not sure if it is the 650's being simply better, open design or a bit of both.

Isn't a leaner sound from AKG vs richer sound from Sennheiser to be expected?

 

[project86]

  Fit/placement in center works for me.  I did the same to K553 that I did with K550, bend the headband A LOT to get the seal I wanted.  But it's still lacking for a closed headphone, it leaks and isolates poorly.  It's not suitable for portable use IMO.

 
 
Agreed! I don't know how we (HeadFi) somehow arrived at the conclusion that any sealed headphone = portable. The K553 is one of the larger headphones you'll find, has a long cable, and doesn't attenuate a ton of sound. Nothing about that says "portable" to me.

 

[squee116]

Isn't a leaner sound from AKG vs richer sound from Sennheiser to be expected?

I was kind of thinking the same thing.  It just sounds like a general preference to Sennheiser house sound vs AKG.

 

[lonewolfe2015]

Isn't a leaner sound from AKG vs richer sound from Sennheiser to be expected?

  I was kind of thinking the same thing.  It just sounds like a general preference to Sennheiser house sound vs AKG.

 
I'm still in the process of learning things like that, I wasn't aware it was a general rule of thumb the two brands were expected to have that type of sound signature difference.
 
That being said, I did end up listening to them all night and I started to appreciate them a little bit better as I found the right placement and the right music. When I was putting music with better vocals through them the flat-ness in comparison wasn't as bothersome. I only have a Magni/Modi 2 Uber stack though and I tend to stream my music so I didn't have any ability to tweak the equalizer.

 

[Sonido]

It's far exceeded my expectations. I don't understand the criticism, but I don't have the HD650 to compare. For me the K553 is a pretty fun headphone. Has a sub bass slam comparable to planars and forward mids. The soundstage can be congested at times and there's occasionally a lower treble harshness, but for $120 it's great. Honestly I preferred it to the HD800 for many contemporary pop songs.

 

[SSandDigital]

I bought a pair of these to try, probably not the best ones to use as my first (Sony MDR-V600's don't count) closed headphones. Compared to my HD650's I'm having a hard time continuing to use them, I just don't hear a very rich sound. Not sure if it is the 650's being simply better, open design or a bit of both.

HD650 is better than any closed headphone I have heard. And K563 is not best closed I have heard.

 

[squee116]

   
I'm still in the process of learning things like that, I wasn't aware it was a general rule of thumb the two brands were expected to have that type of sound signature difference.
 
That being said, I did end up listening to them all night and I started to appreciate them a little bit better as I found the right placement and the right music. When I was putting music with better vocals through them the flat-ness in comparison wasn't as bothersome. I only have a Magni/Modi 2 Uber stack though and I tend to stream my music so I didn't have any ability to tweak the equalizer.

I haven't gotten my K553 yet, so I'm not sure how it sounds.  From what I've gathered thus far, AKGs generally have a neutral to bright sound, and I think the HD650 leans to the warmer side?  I will say that my K712 nails orchestral music, even more so with my Modi 2 Uber (which just arrived yesterday), but the pairing also made bad recordings way more apparent.  Without the Modi 2, AAC music was still in the realm of acceptable to listen to (out of a PC Mobo DAC), but now many of the recordings just sound, for lack of a better word, bloated.

 

[Coolsax]

Received mine today.. listening to them now and i'm quite impressed with them..., I agree with some previous posters though that it would have been nice if it came with a bag of some sort or shorter cable, but so far for $120 I"m impressed with it so far.  my normal closed can is the UE 6000.  I don't have the 6000s at home this weekend to do a direct comparison but i'm pretty sure the AKGs actually sound better.  definitely not as portable but i can't see myself bringing the AKGs on a plane or out and about, they are definitely for for at home or work use.

 

[SSandDigital]

For 120$ these are amazing. I liked the K550… but I am disappointed because AKG released a new iteration as pro. I exect better isolation and pads for a closed headphone meant for mixing/producing. I expected the treble to be rectified to have a more natural sound. I am not happy with the lack of notable improvements/fixes.

My assessment or bashing was, if you already have K550, don't bother with K553. And if feel K550 lacking, HP50 does everything but soundstage better. I was hoping AKG had heard the HP50 and been reading forums with the complaints for years and looking forward to a K550 with better isopation, natural neutral sound with the same expansive soundstage airiness. Nope.

 

[emze]

Just received these today.  They are my first pair of headphones, and had my eye on the NAD HP50's but jumped on these for the $120 price.  Now I'm not sure if I should just keep the box sealed and sell them off and get something better, or enjoy them for what the are and know I only paid $120 for them.