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The AKG K550 Impressions and Discussion Thread!
Sep 1, 2016 at 8:24 AM Post #2,417 of 2,848
My experience is that with non-angled Brainwavz pads the sound changes in the way @FastAndClean described, and for me it's not a good thing at all.  With the angled pads the sound doesn't change much, and it's still very much the K550 sound.
 
I find isolation improved with the Brainwavs pads, and I imagine leakage is reduced as well but I don't have any particularly good way to test that.
 
Sep 5, 2016 at 10:19 AM Post #2,418 of 2,848
faber65 said:
Pulled the trigger for the Brainwavz angled sheep skin leather ones.
Let's see how do those works.
In the meantime I need to find also a way to make the headband thicker as even if I make it as short as possible it is still
doesn't touch my skull enough to hold the transducers over my ears.
Does anyone here has a suggestion?
Click to expand...


Did I buy the right thing?







I am not able to install the ear pads.
Is it because the leather is not as elastic as the other synthetic materials?
The website of Brainwave says that those pads fits the AKG K701. Well, I have the K7XX in Italy and I will try for Xmas. I started to doubt.
 
Sep 5, 2016 at 12:51 PM Post #2,419 of 2,848
That looks like the right thing.
 
I can't speak from experience about the lambskin pads.  I have the synthetic ones, and it does take some perseverance and effort to get them on to the K550.  Are you starting at the notch in the headphone (as shown in post #2390), and sort of rotating them on?
 
Sep 5, 2016 at 6:12 PM Post #2,420 of 2,848
episiarch said:
That looks like the right thing.

I can't speak from experience about the lambskin pads.  I have the synthetic ones, and it does take some perseverance and effort to get them on to the K550.  Are you starting at the notch in the headphone (as shown in post #2390), and sort of rotating them on?
Click to expand...


Indeed, I use the notch to slide the pad lip in the groove.
I also mounted the originale pads back by using the notch and it worked very well.
 
Sep 8, 2016 at 4:20 PM Post #2,423 of 2,848
faber65 said:
I may try this weekend by using some talc to facilitate the pad to slide in the groove.
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Leather will not be as plyable as pleather is, but you can make it easier to work with. Try applying some leather balm to the ring and it may make it softer and easier to put on. You can also try working it between your fingers like you would with a leather shoe. Leather does stretch, it just streches less than many types of pleather does.

Also as far as applying it with the "notch", I actually found it far easier to just strech it by hand for the last bit. The notch method only works up to a certain point, after that you ahve to get creative.
 
Sep 9, 2016 at 2:50 PM Post #2,424 of 2,848
Some advice for my fellow K550 afficianados. Underneath the pad is a ring of white material (looks like Nylon). I just got some Brainwavz Angled pleather pads and when fitting them noticed the white ring was coming off. You can see here where it fits and what it looks like (This was after it came off, note the electrical tape under it).

 
After this white ring had come off (on both sides) I fitted the Brainwavz pads. 
 
Initial reaction was that my K550's were broken. I finally understood what people were talking about with seal issues - no bass. At all.
 
I put the original pads back on and it was a little better but still broken. 
 
When those rings fall off (felt very lightly glued) it opens up 3 ports and completely kills the bass. You can see the holes in this picture. 
 

 
I tried electrical tape (as you could see in the first picture and the bass was right back where it cam from but something wasn't right. This got me thinking about my panasonic rp htx7 phones that had somewhat flabby bass tightened up by covering a couple of holes and I remembered what I used.
 
Micro-porous tape! 

 
I'm now sat here listening to Beth Hart Fire on the Floor and I've got a huge grin on my face. My K550's are BACK! (and have the Brainwavz pads on)
 
So if your bass disappears get the Micropore out. :)
 
As these have been not been used for months but have been sat in a room that get's pretty warm at times I wonder if that's what has damaged the glue on the white rings and it also makes me wonder if that has been the issue for some people who have said these have no bass?
 
Sep 10, 2016 at 3:09 AM Post #2,425 of 2,848
zephead said:
Some advice for my fellow K550 afficianados. Underneath the pad is a ring of white material (looks like Nylon). I just got some Brainwavz Angled pleather pads and when fitting them noticed the white ring was coming off. You can see here where it fits and what it looks like (This was after it came off, note the electrical tape under it).



After this white ring had come off (on both sides) I fitted the Brainwavz pads. 

Initial reaction was that my K550's were broken. I finally understood what people were talking about with seal issues - no bass. At all.

I put the original pads back on and it was a little better but still broken. 

When those rings fall off (felt very lightly glued) it opens up 3 ports and completely kills the bass. You can see the holes in this picture. 




I tried electrical tape (as you could see in the first picture and the bass was right back where it cam from but something wasn't right. This got me thinking about my panasonic rp htx7 phones that had somewhat flabby bass tightened up by covering a couple of holes and I remembered what I used.

Micro-porous tape! 



I'm now sat here listening to Beth Hart Fire on the Floor and I've got a huge grin on my face. My K550's are BACK! (and have the Brainwavz pads on)

So if your bass disappears get the Micropore out. :)

As these have been not been used for months but have been sat in a room that get's pretty warm at times I wonder if that's what has damaged the glue on the white rings and it also makes me wonder if that has been the issue for some people who have said these have no bass?
Click to expand...


This is very strange. Those white rings came off for me too but if anything, they acted like bass ports and made the bass a little more noticeable. But then I am using the original ear pads. However, I find it strange that we have such different veiws on how the white ring being removed changes the sound.

I've been using them for probably over a year now without that ring and with the original pads and I still thing they sound fine. I sent pictures and asked on the forum earlier and I don't think I got any answers for what its purpose was.

I'm wondering if those white rings were ever stuck on properly on mine. They were both loose the first time I took the earpads off which wasn't long after bought them. I may try what you did with some electrical tape.
 
Sep 10, 2016 at 5:08 AM Post #2,426 of 2,848
They weren't completely bassless without those rings on stock pads but they definitely improved significantly with the electrical tape although I would probably say the micropore tape was a little better. I'd be interested in what you find if you do try the tape mod. 
 
Sep 10, 2016 at 6:01 AM Post #2,427 of 2,848
400
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I succeeded but....
I was really worried to crack the inner liner or the retaining lip.
Now sound test....
 
Sep 10, 2016 at 11:40 AM Post #2,430 of 2,848
episiarch said:
You got them on! How are they?
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The comfort is very good.
Unfortunately the sealing is not as good as the stock pads.
The real problem is that my head is not big and the clamping force is too low.
I have closed the headband a little buti still have problems as the headphone itself is too big.
The next step is to add something between the headband and my head.
So the weight will not be carried by the ears anymore.
In fact, as soon as I press the pads a little and I improve the sealing, the sound is back to the original.
Possibly, it is even better due to the inclination of the pads.
 
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