Audio-Technica ATH-M50x vs AKG K550

The ATH-M50x are great sounding headphones with a sound that may fall in the neutral category, but with very slight boosts to the bass and highs; a slightly V-shaped sound. The bass is full and has a lot of power. The sub bass has a hint of elevation though, which can make the bass sound a bit loose on hip-hop or EDM tracks. The mids are fairly neutral with no elevation. The highs are also slightly elevated, which does not add harshness but instead gives the sound a shimmery and detailed feel.

This sound signature of the M50x makes it versatile. It is neutral enough for monitoring use, yet also has just the right qualities to make it a great choice for enjoying music.

The bass of these headphones sound full with a slight boost. This makes the bass quite punchy without drowning the mids or highs.

You get a lot from what you pay for with these headphones. Aside from the great sound, they are also well built and come with a lot of accessories.

The ATH M50x is made from high quality matte plastics which are quite resistant to damage without being too heavy. The hinges move smoothly and do not have unnecessary creaks.

Audio-Technica finally updated the M50's built in cable to a detachable cable. The M50x even comes with three cables, a 1.2 m - 3.0 m coiled cable, a 3.0 m straight cable, and a 1.2 m straight cable. None of the cables have in-line controls though.

The ear cups and pads are able to keep the sound in and block outside noise. These are suitable for a noisy office as even low volume music is enough to drown out those noisy office mates.

The ear cups can be folded into the headband, reducing its footprint. Combined with the carrying pouch and detachable cables, you can easily chuck these headphones into your bag when going out.

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.

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.

Many people prefer these headphones to giants in the market like the Sehneiser HD 600, HD 650, HD800, Beyerdynamic P70, or even the T1.

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.

They have a spatial representation unheard of before in closed back headphones.

These headphones extend the sound reproduction to frequencies lower than most.