AKG K550 - Ninja Release

[Za'afiel]

I find it surprising you compared it to the K540.    That model is somewhat sibilant, and has a hashed mid-presence that didn't really mix well with me.  If the K550 improved on the mids and has an "open" sound despite its closed design, then maybe... but honestly, I was thinking AKG would position this as a replacement to the K601.

The last time I tried out the K540 was when Marvin was still assigned to JBL High Street, and that was using the Mini³. I only looked at their product descriptions now, and seeing that the K540 is a semi-open design, the K550 is sort of a revelation because it sounded like an even better open-backed headphone despite being closed. On the airy side, the K540 still has the advantage, but definitely not as much meat than the 550.

I'm still not sure how the K601 really sounds, but marketing a closed-back headphone to replace a baby 701 doesn't seem plausible, at least to me.

[Collie]

The truth is, the K550 doesn't mesh well with my musical tastes. It's a bit on the thinner side, with more treble emphasis. Great soundstage for a closed headphone, right up there with the D7000 among the ones I've heard, and  beaten only by the Edition 8 in terms of positional imaging. Ultimately, it lacked the bass and had too much of a peaky treble for me.

It's a good headphone if you're after qualities like soundstage and treble extension. And for the price it will be released? Not such a bad deal at all.

I did mention to Joma that it needs amplification to bring out the bass and to make the sound more coherent, despite its efficiency. Unamped or with weaker amplifcation, the sound tends to get quite disjointed, like everything is playing within it's own personal space. Given a decent amp to power it, the music plays with better synergy and focus.

One thing I will say about the K550, it has very promising drivers. There's real potential in those transducers, and they could be the foundation of something greater. 

[Collie]

Here's what I wrote about it in my magazine. it's not too in depth, since I was only able to allot half a page:

AKG K550

Any headphone that AKG releases has to live up to an impressive pedigree -with the Austrian company having produced some legendary headphones over the years- from the groundbreaking K1000 to the studio staple the K240. The AKG K550 is their newest top of the line closed headphone, and it has some big shoes to fill.

The K550 is marketed as a reference closed back headphone, which means that it has to, first of all, deliver excellent sound quality. The term reference quality is not something that should be used lightly.

How well does the K550 succeed in this regard?

Before getting to the meat of the sound, there is one thing that the K550 absolutely hits out of the park: aesthetics and build quality. The K550 is a beautifully-made can, with a lightweight brushed metal headband attached to a leatherette head pad. The adjusters are sturdy and cups are well designed with the same brushed metal and an AKG logo right in the middle. The words “reference headphones” are proudly displayed below the logo. Comfort is top notch, with the soft pads resting comfortably around the ears. Make no mistake, the K550 exudes quality. It says well of AKG that, in a time when even expensive competitors turn to lower quality materials, the company still put every effort into making sure the K550 looks and feels like a world class headphone.

One of the K550’s design objectives was to create something combines the isolation of a closed headphone with the spacious sound of an open headphone. The K550 uses 50mm drivers - the largest in their stable – to reproduce a wide sense of soundstage. For a closed headphone, the K550 has one of the larger soundstages present. Instrument separation is excellent, and there is surprising depth to the music. Its sound is fairly neutral, with a tad of treble emphasis. The treble might be a problem for those with more sensitive ears, but it isn’t a deal breaker. The K550 manages to maintain good bass response – perhaps not the best in terms of quantity – but abundant in terms of quality. The midrange is laidback and not emphasized as compared to the other frequencies, adding to the large head stage-type sound.  This makes the K550 an excellent headphone for classical, jazz and acoustic music, where its relaxed sound is a perfect match. It will do well with rock, but it isn’t the best match for it.

The AKG K550 is a highly capable performer – right up there with many of the top closed headphones at its price range. While it may not appeal too much to those who prefer a more aggressive sound, people who appreciate the nuances of soundstage and detail will enjoy the K550. Its build quality alone ensures that the reference label is not wasted.

[Barabas]

i got to hear this headphone when bro sese and i visited marvin in their shop at megamall.  i liked the design very much.

[d(pedr0rdep)b]

Here's what I wrote about it in my magazine. it's not too in depth, since I was only able to allot half a page:

OT:
sir, you're some kind of editor for what magazine?
and nice write-up btw, short but comprehensive.

BTT:
k550 looks very elegant, like it's saying, "suit-up!"
but k701 still stays appealing

[Ishcabible]

Ooh, thanks for the review! How's the seal and durability? I initially took off the K550 from my possible contenders for a portable, but I have a feeling that I'll like the K550 because of the tilted sound. If they have any sense of portability, I'll look for a place to demo them in the US. Part of my really wants the K550 to be good, but everything I've read about it is less than impressive.

And bass issues can be rectified with a ZO. 

[Dyaems]

I agreed with Collie's impressions.

Comparing the k550 with the k701, the k550 has narrower soundstage, more laidback midrange, same sparkle in treble, and has thinner bass. But hey, you can now play it properly even if by just plugging the k550 in directly to you DAP/PMP/source! Unlike k701...

And I think the pads are made of real leather too, not synthetic leather.

This prolly will sound great when paired with a tubeamp.

[Collie]

Seal is pretty good for my head, but I've read some reports in head-fi that the treble will be too bright if you can't get a good seal. Durability is ace.

[ngaothientuan]

Thank Edsamac,it looks so cool

[Tacoboy]

Hopefully if the price drops enough (like under $200) in Sept. Oct. Nov. I'll motivate myself to buy the K550.
Or even better a 150-250 Ohm version.

[Ishcabible]

Hopefully if the price drops enough (like under $200) in Sept. Oct. Nov. I'll motivate myself to buy the K550.
Or even better a 150-250 Ohm version.

I wouldn't really count on a higher ohm version. AKG's been used to making >70ohm headphones for at least a decade. I can't help but think that if they made a higher ohm version, they'd sound inferior.

AKG's typically crash in price though. Sept-Oct will probably be a bit too early, but you never know! The Q701 is about the same price as the K702 now on Amazon, but that took almost a year, I think.

[wildcard]

I tried the k550s again at Megamall earlier. I think I appreciate it more this time around as a closed portable. There is still that touch of harshness, but soundstage is nice and big, bass is in control, and it's pretty comfy. I'll have to stop trying it and avoid potential poisoning.

[Ishcabible]

Gah, they're up for display at my local electronics store, but their system broke the day they got it, so I just got to handle them, along with the A900X, ESW9, and the new Pioneer headphones (in case anyone wanted impressions, which I can post in their respective threads). I talked to the manager about headphones for a bit when he explained the situation. He has a pair of HD650's, which was cool to hear. I should be able to use them next week.

Anyways, I really like the look and feel of them, and the top of the band wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. And they're ridiculously comfy and not gigantic like I assumed they'd be. Now I just have to like...hear them.

[PhoenixClaw]

I just got to try them out this morning at stereo@ion in Singapore. IMO it has a clean sound but nothing screams at you or nothing was in your face. Soundstage was good, especially for a closed can. Bass is a bit underwhelming though.

PS. I heard the K550 after trying out the HD650s, though I didn't use the same tracks to listen. (K550 out of my C2, Hd650 out of the shop's system)

[Dyaems]

^
agreed with the bass, but hopefully it will improve over time... as IMO the k/q701 has better bass than the k550, and both headphones are open.