So after they break in...let's hear a review.
I try to keep up on Head-fi too, but it seems
that opinions are all over the map. Tyll liked
them on inner fidelity.
Hibuck...
I probably won't attempt a full review. But these are my first thoughts that I have shared offline:
I have been enjoying my Audio Technica AH M50 headphones, but like all audiophiles, I get kind of picky. I felt they are a bit bassy even a little flabby in the bass. And recently I have been pursuing a different kind of sound in my main system - accuracy. So I bought the recently introduced closed headphone, the AKG K500.
My first impression of the AKG K550 is that they are giving me the sound I wanted over the Audio Technica AH M50. More controlled and less boomy/flabby bass. More linear and neutral without being as cold and analytical as I recall the Sennheiser HD800 I gave away. Not sure if burning in will change much, but I think the O2 (which I have ordered and am waiting for) might help them with the iPad which is what I will use them with for the most part.
Beyond that the soundstage is wider than my LCD2. And when cranked up a bit, they have lots of punch, slam, and weight in the bass. The high end is very bright and crisp without being harsh like the HD800. But on one cut (Steely Dan, Do It Again) there was the strange double image of the vocalist. I wonder what that's about.
Overall, my first impression is that these headphones have a sound somewhat like the Axiom M80 speakers I bought a few months ago, meaning that they have the kind of linearity and accuracy that requires some getting used to. This is probably even more true for a headphone where most people, including me, have looked for a sweeter and mellower sound. The HD800 was the very opposite of this, so I just didn't enjoy them, ever. But the linearity and accuracy of the K550 seems like it, too, will be like the M80 linear, accurate, but over time, very enjoyable.
There has been a lot of chatter online about getting the seal right. So far that hasn't been a problem for me. They are very comfortable, but like all the closed headphones I've had, they get a little warm after awhile. My ears, as some have complained, do touch the inner earcups, but I don't find that a problem. I along with many others would have preferred a detachable coiled cord, but since this headphone is large, I don't think, at least for me, genuine portable use is in the cards; therefore, I have no need for a case.
On a purely subjective point, I have owned and tried many, many headphones ranging way up the price scale. The looks of a headphone mean a lot to many people, but of course when using them, naturally you're not seeing them, and I, for one, can't imagine them as a fashion accessory as some do. On the other hand, to my eye, they are the most beautiful headphones I've seen - clean, simple, sleak. Something that easily could have been designed by Apple.
Dave
