When comparing Philips Fidelio X2 vs AKG K550, the Slant community recommends AKG K550 for most people. In the question“What are the best over/on ear headphones around $300?” AKG K550 is ranked 1st while Philips Fidelio X2 is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose AKG K550 is:
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. This makes the headphones a great option if you want to mix music using a closed back pair of headphones.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Headphone cable is removable
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.
Pro Large ear pads are comfortable
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.
Pro Pressure on the head is significantly minimized
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.
Pro Wide sound stage can result in an immersive audio experience
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.
Pro Fun sound signature with powerful bass and crisp, detailed treble
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.
Pro Neutral sound signature
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. This makes the headphones a great option if you want to mix music using a closed back pair of headphones.
Pro Great build quality
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.
Pro Comfortable
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.
Pro They compete with headphones that cost twice or thrice as much
Many people prefer these headphones to giants in the market like the Sehneiser HD 600, HD 650, HD800, Beyerdynamic P70, or even the T1.
Pro Good sound isolation
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.
Pro Spatial representation
They have a spatial representation unheard of before in closed back headphones.
Pro Bass extension
These headphones extend the sound reproduction to frequencies lower than most.
Cons
Con Highs can be too harsh
High pitched sound effects can be more pronounced and can be quite fatiguing to those sensitive to treble.
Con These leak a lot of sound
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.
Con Bulky and quite heavy
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.
Con Has some ear pad-sealing issues
Some users report that these headphones do not seal well on their ears, which makes the sound come off as lean and lacking in power. This issue can be attributed to the softness or size of the ear pads. It would be best then for you to try these headphones first before buying for you to ascertain if these seal well on your ears.
Con Large and heavy
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.
Con Hard wired cable
You cannot detach the cord.