AKG continues to give its costumers more reasons to celebrate as they deliver the unique AKG sound with each of their products. The AKG 550 is lauded as a closed back pair of headphones that sounds just like an open backed one. Music engineers and performers tend to be perfectionists in picking the right kind of headphones to use and with the AKG 550, they would not be disappointed. They are award winning, high end headphones that has been getting rave reviews ever since they came out. The AKG K550 Headphones have been touted as an excellent closed backed reference headphone that can provide a wide array of sound that would elevate the way you listen and enjoy music. It has on its own a different soundstage that sounds just like an open backed headphone.
Audio Performance of the AKG K550 Headphones
AKG is counted as one of the foremost leading companies in terms of microphones, headphones, and other audio equipment. With the AKG 550, they present a closed backed reference headphone that it is perfect for fully appreciating tunes or songs for enhanced listening experience because in terms of noise isolation, there is very low sound leakage. Although the downside is that it is necessary to find the right fit for excellent seal in order to get the best quality of sound. The bass is deep, detailed and awesome while the sound stage is very detailed and precise. There is no glaring or in your face speed problems while laying tracks or mastering. It delivers a good bass punch that is very clean and not overpowering and it has more bass than the other generations. It also has a bit of a flat response making it more open to manipulation with the equalizer to get the desired sounds.
<<Latest Prices & Customer Reviews of AKG K550 Closed-Back Reference Class Headphones>>
Build and Design
The AKG K550 Headphones are very sturdy, durable and very well-built. The theme of the AKG 550 is two toned: grey and black which is classic, simple, and elegant. What makes it unique is the size of the ear pads, they are larger than normal which might be an issue for some people but is extremely lightweight for everyday use.
- It is made mostly of metal with plastic interspaced with the ear pieces and the joints. This makes it very durable and long lasting.
- Headband – made of metal with a thin soft cushion at the top. It is also adjustable.
- Ear cups – they are huge and might look a little chunky. This might make the whole thing cumbersome and bulky but the ear cups can be laid flat for easier safekeeping. Also, if you have a relatively small head, it might dominate your whole head making them look uncomfortable to look at for other people but contrary to this, they are rotatable and have soft, plushy padding to cushion the ear comfortably. Comfort over style is often the way to go.
Additional Features:
Possesses 50mm drivers which is the biggest that AKG has to date to deliver a balance between the qualities of an open backed reference headphone on a closed back one. It can be connected to any device plus it comes with a screw on gold plated jack for connecting to amplifiers or other audio equipment. It also won the HI-Fi award for “Product of the Year” in 2014 for On Ear headphones.
Pros
- Spacious, open soundstage, no congestion – It would give you a new perspective to listening to music because it sounds like an open backed headphone
- Delivers a decent bass punch and an amazing soundstage.
- Materials are tough and durable – These assures that the headphones can withstand wear and tear.
- Noise isolation – increases the personal music experience and also you will not disturb your neighbors even if you play loud music.
- Despite their bulky built, they are very lightweight and comfortable, and it can be worn for long periods without discomfort.
Cons
- Thin padding at the top of the headband makes it uncomfortable when worn in long periods. Some even had to invest or engineer a way to make it a little thicker providing more cushion to the head.
- Ear pieces/cans are big and bulky.
- The cable is thick but not detachable or portable which makes it hard to bring it anywhere.
- The cable is too long which could spell trouble if it snags or breaks.
- There is no carry on case for storage.
- The ear cup padding is too soft making the ears touch the hard driver on the side.
- The headband might be a pain to adjust to get the right seal and mostly depends on the size of the user’s head so it might have less fit or pressure than other models.
Verdict:
All in all the AKG K550 Headphones are considered one of the best office or home headphones baring the long cable aside since it is best for enjoying music and relaxing because of it can isolate enough sounds. Plus, you can never go wrong if you are of a mindset of price to quality ratio with the awesome soundstage these provides. It is a great investment for the sake of excellent sound quality despite its mildly exorbitant price tag.
