[396208]

New K550 owner here. They have replaced Momentum as my working headphones since they don't clamp and I wear glasses. Top notch comfort! I don't need to adjust the headband, they fit perfectly out of the package. And I don't feel the slightest that they are bass-light. I would even say if they are a bit more bass-light, I will like them better. Braided the cable to make them for portable use. And my gf thinks that I look good with them on my head!

 

[x RELIC x]

New K550 owner here. They have replaced Momentum as my working headphones since they don't clamp and I wear glasses. Top notch comfort! I don't need to adjust the headband, they fit perfectly out of the package. And I don't feel the slightest that they are bass-light. I would even say if they are a bit more bass-light, I will like them better. Braided the cable to make them for portable use. And my gf thinks that I look good with them on my head!

Girlfriend approval is half the battle to good SQ!

 

[cfbruck]

Hi!
 
So the k551 has really dropped in price in europe. Around $130. The cable is a problem, but thinking of re-cabling one, which looks easy. If you fix the cable, any reason it would not sound as good as 550?

 

[GirgleMirt]

One thing though is that they get warm! Not an issue if you're in a cool or normal environment, but if it is at all warm, you probably won't be able to keep them on for more than 15 minutes... The Sony V6 does a lot better there because of the material and the fact that they cover your ears instead of half your face and head!

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

I have always found the cable a little bit annoying on the K550s and for some reason the the rubber casing on the cable slid out of the part on the picture. It turned out that all I needed to do was pull on the rubber sleeve around the cable from the other end to get it to go back in. I find that the rubber is just too soft that it ends up sliding up and down the cables inside. I also saw that there was some white string or something inside which I suppose could be to protect it more.  It could do with being a bit tighter in my opinion. In the picture, I am comparing it to my Audio Technica ATH-AD700s and they cost much less and I have had them for much longer. The cable on them feels like it will never ever break. The cable on the AD700s is very hard yet flexible and the cable doesn't slip around at all. I am not sure if anybody will be having a similar issue to me with the cable.
 
Here is my image:

I have got it sorted out now as I said but this is one of the only niggles I have about the K550s. I really like them as both HUGE portable headphones and for home listening when I don't want to disturb people.

 

[ratinox]

Braided the cable to make them for portable use.

There's probably something so simple here that I've missed it, but how does one braid a single cord?

 

[396208]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt-m6C5-T0M

 

[TheGiantHogweed]

Now I have watched that video, I now think it will be much easier to use these things as portable headphones! I would prefer to leave them like that all the time so I don't damage them. I will use a 2m extension when I use them at home. They do feel a little heavy on one side when I use the extension cable too. But that will be because the whole weight of the cable will be on the left side. I think I will get used to it sometime.
Another good thing is that If you decide that you don't like it, you can just undo it all.
 
Thanks for the link.

 

[ratinox]

Yep, I was missing something obvious.

The other way I know to shorten a cord is chaining slipknots but that's knots and I wouldn't do that with anything electrical.

 

[porschephille]

Ok, so I bought the k550s. I always thought that my head was larger than most, but I was wrong. I bent them in (a bit, they don't seem to bend well), and put cotton in the cups. Still no low end to speak of. Then I did the rubber band trick, and there were my headphones I was wanting. Wow, such extension in the low end, and very smooth until the treble. I feel there is some funkiness in the 8k range, but I am hoping to smooth that out with time. I prefer flat detailed cans (I love my dt880-250s), and my monitor speakers are extremely high end, very flat Meyer speakers. But I do want a little oomph in the low end. I don't think that these will ever be my "fun" just listening to music headphones, but they will work for working (I am a theatrical sound designer by profession). Very good closed cans.

 

[SSandDigital]

  Hi!
 
So the k551 has really dropped in price in europe. Around $130. The cable is a problem, but thinking of re-cabling one, which looks easy. If you fix the cable, any reason it would not sound as good as 550?

 
Yes I've noticed too and I already have my cables braided and ready to be soldered if the 551 cable really is an issue.  I'm just trying to get a definitive answer if the 551 sonically differs from 550.  I've heard the 550 and enjoyed the sound, but if I can get the 551 at half price for same sound?  For mic, it's a moot issue since I'll never buy an Apple product.

 

[ratinox]

've heard the 550 and enjoyed the sound, but if I can get the 551 at half price for same sound?

According to solderdude, K551 is "basically almost an K550 but with a mic and remote added in the cord, slightly different colour scheme and shorter cable (intended for portable usage)." Ask Google about him and K551 and you'll find his measurements.

 

[Baycode]

Any benefits in sq department (after recabling)? I can go for that option too. But if the gain in sq is not high enough I can live with that cable...

 

[396208]

Yes I've noticed too and I already have my cables braided and ready to be soldered if the 551 cable really is an issue.  I'm just trying to get a definitive answer if the 551 sonically differs from 550.  I've heard the 550 and enjoyed the sound, but if I can get the 551 at half price for same sound?  For mic, it's a moot issue since I'll never buy an Apple product.

I have 550 and my friend has 551. We can't tell any difference.

 

[SSandDigital]

AKG K551 white version arrived.  They sound fine.  Mic works with Android, but mic quality is underwhelming.  The controls for volume don't work, only the mute/pause does.
 
The cable is the worst cable I've ever seen on a full-sized headphone, so with the above, yup, recabling.
 
This cable is so bad I can feel the wires under the cable covering, like twisting strands of your hair between your fingers.  I feel like I could just tear it apart.
 
Sounds fine, I'm using this for public use, so I just wanted a comfortable, well made, durable headphone to replace the SRH-840 and these seem to do fine.  The white scheme is also attractive.  The blue cable is ugly.