These headphones have a really flat sound to them. The bass is not overbearing yet does make its presence felt in the music. The mids and highs also share the same character of accuracy and neutrality, with some users reporting that the highs are boosted by just a very tiny bit.
The K550 is a great option if you want to mix music using a closed back pair of headphones.
These headphones are built really well. When holding them, you can tell that you have a premium product in your hands. The build features a mix of high quality plastics and metal. These headphones also have a hefty feel to them which certainly reinforces the impression that this is a premium product.
These headphones are very comfortable to wear. The comfort is achieve through the use of high quality synthetic leather on the ear pads and headband which make the headphones' contact points with your body feel nice and smooth. The ear pads also feature memory foam material which provides a lot of cushioning.
Being closed back headphones, the AKG K550 are able to effectively keep the sound from leaking out. This makes the headphone great for use in quiet environments.
Some users report that these headphones do not seal well on their ears, giving the sound a lean and weak feel. This issue can be attributed to the softness or size of the ear pads. It would be best then for you to try these first before buying to make sure these seal well around your ears.
While the weight can give these headphones a premium quality feel, this also can put a lot of strain to a user's head. If you prefer really light headphones then these may not be the ones for you.
The sound signature is near neutral but with a little emphasis on the lower frequencies. The bass is slightly forward with good punch and tightness. Explosions will have good rumble, without overpowering the other frequencies.
The mids are warm and clear, adding extra body to the sound. Game dialogue will be easy to hear.
Highs have good clarity, but are not forward in any way, so harshness is minimized.
The H650 is popular for its near neutral sound, which makes it quite versatile. The headphones can give a great casual listening, gaming, and movie watching experience yet are accurate enough for pro audio mixing. They are also lightweight and comfortable so you won't have any issues wearing them for hours.
Clamping force is not too tight. The ear pads and headband feature memory foam which are covered by velour material. The pads feel really soft on the head and allow airflow for minimized heat build-up/sweat.
The headband also features similar cushioning materials and minimizes pressure spots on the head.
The open ear cup design allows the sound to blend with your surroundings, giving it a natural width. It will also be easier to identify the direction of sounds, which can really help immersion.
The HD-650s do not feel heavy at all. They are usable for long music listening, movie or gaming sessions without feeling pain or strain on their head and neck.
The open design means that a lot of sound can leak out the ear cups. Other people in your immediate vicinity will be able to hear your music, movie or game, which can be annoying for them.
Plugging these directly to your computer or phone will most likely result in audio that is lacking in volume or may sound too thin. To get the best listening experience, you will need to run these with a capable headphone amp.
While the cable connectors are proprietary, they can easily be removed from the ear cups with a firm pull. The popularity of these headphones means that there are a lot of aftermarket cables that can be bought.
The bass takes a bit of a back seat compared to the other frequencies, yet is still enough to give fullness and punch to the sound. The mids are the star of these headphones' sound signature. They are clear and a little bit forward, which give a lot of extra detail and presence to guitars and vocals. The highs are pretty crisp and clean, and complement the other frequencies really well.
The large ear pads feature a velour surface and a soft foam material underneath. The comfort of the headband is also notable. It features a synthetic leather material with a thick foam inside. In combination, these cushioned parts feel like pillows on the head.
This makes the headphones quite easy to store, and the cable easy to replace. Also, the attachment mechanism is a twist to lock system which minimizes the chances of the cable getting disconnected while in use.
The bass is really powerful yet also tight. The highs are boosted so audio details are quite prominent. The mids, while not as up front as the bass and the highs, are clear and present.
In-game sound effects will come as clear and detailed, while explosions, gunshots and similar sound effects are really powerful, making these really fun sounding gaming or movie headphones.
The wide soundstage heightens the feeling of immersion in in-game audio. The top-notch positional audio allows gamers to easily identify sound sources, like the movement of nearby players or the direction that bullets are coming from.
A hammock design is used for the headband. Instead of one single headband piece, this has a two-piece design. The top, solid part is what holds the ear cups together while the lower piece is primarily made out of leather and mesh. This softer and more flexible part is what comes into contact with the head, which results in substantially improved comfort over conventional headband designs.
The large ear cups go over the ear instead of sit on them, so no pressure is applied onto the ears. The ear pads on the other hand feature really soft and thick memory foam as well as high quality velour material on the pads' surface. These feel really soft on the sides of the head, and allows some air to circulate around the ears, minimizing heat.
You can just pull out the cable as needed, allowing you to easily store the headphones without the hassle of dangling cables. Also, this feature means that the cable is easily replaceable should it get damaged.
These are fairly large because of the sizeable ear cups and 2 piece headband design. Also, these are on the heavy side so if you prefer light weight headphones, these might not work for you.
The large ear cups go over the ear instead of sit on them, so no pressure is applied onto the ears. The ear pads on the other hand feature really soft and thick memory foam as well as high quality velour material on the pads' surface. These feel really soft on the sides of the head, and allows some air to circulate around the ears, minimizing heat.