[lawrecedent]

Hi, I have just bought myself a pair of these and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I just wondered if someone in the know could help out with a query. Having followed a few of these online I have noticed what seems like two different colourways on the metal parts of the headphones. Some look almost black or very dark silver whereas some appear almost brown. I wondered whether this is just the light in the photographs or if there is indeed different coloured models?

 

[michaelios]

DAC is for isolating stage from noise? Maaan you must be joking. Plugged to PC hole any descent headphone will show only a little part of their ability. DAC is a must have.

Отправлено с моего GT-I9100 через Tapatalk

 

[raidenwolff]

DAC is for isolating stage from noise? Maaan you must be joking. Plugged to PC hole any descent headphone will show only a little part of their ability. DAC is a must have.

Отправлено с моего GT-I9100 через Tapatalk

And why are you so sure? lol. 
 
 

Hi, I have just bought myself a pair of these and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I just wondered if someone in the know could help out with a query. Having followed a few of these online I have noticed what seems like two different colourways on the metal parts of the headphones. Some look almost black or very dark silver whereas some appear almost brown. I wondered whether this is just the light in the photographs or if there is indeed different coloured models?

It's just the photographs. The only different colourway is the K551! No worries!

 

[jaja]

Just got a k550 and its quite gorgeous.  I have to play with it a bit each time to get a good seal but once that is accomplished it is very competent.  I'm going to compare it directly to the q701 that I love.  So far after about 30 min of comparing I have come to these quick conclusions.  Keep in mind I bought a used pair so it should have ample time on them.  I don't have any dedicated headphone amps but use my headphones with a m-audio profire 610 interface(quite a high quality interface despite the m-audio name).
 
K550 compared to q701
 
Overall:  It is a tad cold and analytical, however I like that sound signature.  Appropriate for producing/mixing which I do. 
 
Bass: 
Quiet a bit more sub bass emphasis than q701 but seems a tad looser.  Bass seems to occupy more 3d space on the k550 as well.  Easily enough bass for me(same can be said with the q701).  Not much of a bass head myself(on occasion a fun warm bassy headphone is nice though with certain music).  Impact is quite similar between the two (neither have strong impact). 
 
Mids
The mids on the k550 sound a little thinner and cloudier.  There seems to be a very very slight 800-1k emphasis over q701 which gives is a slight cup emphasis reminiscent of some closed headphones, although its very slight.  It might also have to do with the soundstage being a bit more brick walled on the k550.  Upper midrange detail is a little behind q701 I feel.  Not bad at all though and they are a bit similar.  I still enjoy the midrange just fine on them but more so on q701.   
 
Treble
This one surprised me a bit.  I was expecting the k550 to be harsh here judging by what some people were saying.  The treble presentation is quite a bit less aggressive than the q701 and less sibilance comes through.  Overall it sounds a little darker and also rolls of a bit earlier.  It is reasonably detailed.  Maybe an amp for the q701 might change things a little more?  I still like the q701's forward treble however but the k550 is less fatiguing.  Not to say that the k550 is dark as it really isn't.  Still a brighter headphone than my HD558's.
 
Soundstage and imaging
Pretty apparent differences here.  On k550 soundstage seems more egg shaped.  I feel there is actually more emphasis on stereo information on k550.  However this makes the center image a little less defined.  q701 center image is quite a bit better in the respect as well as other 3d information.  Also the stereo image hits more of a brick wall on the k550's outer edges where as the q701 seems more expansive.  K550 imaging is a little more cluttered overall.  Despite that it is still fantastic for a closed headphone.  
 
This is definitely a nice addition to my collection and I feel I will grow to love them.  I was hoping to get a closed version of a k/q series and this delivered to an extent.  It does not replace it but the sound is still about as enjoyable on some occasions. 

 

[csan]

Hi, I have just bought myself a pair of these and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I just wondered if someone in the know could help out with a query. Having followed a few of these online I have noticed what seems like two different colourways on the metal parts of the headphones. Some look almost black or very dark silver whereas some appear almost brown. I wondered whether this is just the light in the photographs or if there is indeed different coloured models?

I would say bronze metal colour and black... at least on mine...

 

[ratinox]

DAC is for isolating stage from noise? Maaan you must be joking. Plugged to PC hole any descent headphone will show only a little part of their ability. DAC is a must have.

The analog output stage of a sound card is a DAC. How do you think it turns digital bits into sound? Put another way, an external DAC is nothing but a sound card without the analog inputs and ADC. Fact is, even inexpensive sound cards these days are transparent or close enough, and most use the same "high-end" DAC chips that expensive external DACs use. So no, not only is an external DAC not a "must have", it's a waste of money. A waste, that is, unless the sound card is picking up noise from the host power system.

To the original poster: If it sounds good to you then it sounds good to you, so don't waste your money on gadgets that you don't need.

 

[michaelios]

The analog output stage of a sound card is a DAC. How do you think it turns digital bits into sound? Put another way, an external DAC is nothing but a sound card without the analog inputs and ADC. Fact is, even inexpensive sound cards these days are transparent or close enough, and most use the same "high-end" DAC chips that expensive external DACs use. So no, not only is an external DAC not a "must have", it's a waste of money. A waste, that is, unless the sound card is picking up noise from the host power system.

To the original poster: If it sounds good to you then it sounds good to you, so don't waste your money on gadgets that you don't need.

 
You right.
Live with this knowledge.
Let this dumbheads waste they money on stupid gadgets.
But... Cowon C2 player sounds far better than PC hole with AKG 550, anyway I use Eq with different genres. But.... useless Colorfly C4 gadget sounds far better than Cowon and there is no need in EQ. But... Eastern Electric powered with headphone amp ( of course bought not for 550's) sounds faaar better than Colorfly. But... to infinity.
Why bother about sound quality? Don't waste your time looking for something better. Buy 5 bucks hp's plug into your chippo cellular 'cause iphones and galaxies are useles gadgets too. If it sounds good to you then it sounds good to you, so don't waste your money on gadgets that you don't need.

 

[raidenwolff]

ratinox vs michaelios rofl
Imma enjoy this one 

 

[Crzomgwtf]

@jaja
thx for the review

 

[ratinox]

But... Cowon C2 player sounds far better than PC hole with AKG 550,

That's because the line out jack is a line out jack with too high output impedance for K 550. The fault isn't the sound card; it's you plugging low impedance headphones directly into a line out jack.

 

[lawrecedent]

I would say bronze metal colour and black... at least on mine...

Ah that is how it has appeared in the pictures, bronze is a much better description than brown. Still, why is there nothing written anywhere about this? Even on the official akg site there is no information about different colour options. Should this be regarded as suspicious? or is it simply older and newer versions perhaps?

 

[lawrecedent]

They have finally arrived and I'm enjoying spending some time with them and they're the black model (not bronze) which I'm pleased about. I can see why people might feel them a little wanting in the bass department but expected this when people described them as flat and uncoloured. The only problem is it's my birthday so managed to pick up a pair of Grado sr325is today too which means I can't really do either justice.

 

[raidenwolff]

I'm pretty sure it's just the different photos ... there are no different colors offered ... 

 

[ratinox]

but expected this when people described them as flat and uncoloured.

Which is usually what one wants in a reference-grade headphone.

I'm pretty sure it's just the different photos ... there are no different colors offered ... 

This. K 550 has only one color option which can look a bit bronze under certain lighting. K 551 has two color models but neither is bronze.

 

[lawrecedent]

All true, but someone did describe theirs as bronze which did seem to confirm the photos. Anyway spent most of the day listening to them on my note 2 through a fiio end and love the sound. With high gain and bass boost 2 they sound epic.