AKG K553 Pro vs Bose QuietControl 30

The K553 Pro's earpads feature pleather materials which feel supple on the skin. Inside, the quality foam should provide ample cushioning. The headband also features a pleather surface and has some padding, which should help ease the pressure off of your head.

The sound is clear and accurate, and it should be very easy for the listener to pick out the details in the music. The bass level is just right without sounding boomy or muddy. The mids sound natural and neutral so these frequencies do not jump out of the mix. The highs are slightly extended, but do not make the sound harsh in any way.

These headphones have very good build quality. Solid plastic and durable-feeling plastic is used for most of the headphones' parts. The matte finish adds a softer and more premium feel to the plastic surfaces. The headband is made of metal so it can handle some flex without breaking.

The closed design helps to greatly minimize sound leakage from these headphones. People near you will not hear what you are listening to when using these headphones. Also, the pleather pads allow for a great seal which further helps to minimize sound isolation and block outside noise from interfering with your listening experience.

You can get around 8 to 10 hours of use from a full charge.

The earpieces won’t easily fall from your ears when using these on the go. You get Bose’s StayHear+ wing tips which securely fit inside the ears. Also, since the noise cancelling electronics are in the collar instead of an inline module, there is not a lot of weight that pulls down on the earpieces.

While the noise cancelling does not eliminate all of the ambient noise, it does a good job of preventing most of it from mixing in with your music. With the audio turned up to a good volume, you aren’t likely to hear your surroundings except for the loudest of sounds.

You can dial in the level of noise-cancelling that you want using the Bose Connect app which is available for Android and iOS. This gives you more flexibility with active noise cancelling compared to other earphones.

The bass of the Quiet Control 30 sounds full, with good punch and power. It doesn’t add any bloat though, preventing the sound from getting too muddy. The mids are quite forward with a slight boost. Vocals and guitars can easily be appreciated, though heavy guitars may sound quite aggressive due to the slight elevation. The highs are clear and offer a good level of detail yet do not get harsh in any way. These earphones are good for general music listening, and should excel in vocal-heavy tracks.