Sony MDR-1R vs AKG K550

The included carrying pouch of these headphones adds extra protection against dust, scratches, and minor impact. Also, the pouch looks well made and stylish, making it a great inclusion to the headphone package.

The ear cups of the MDR-1R can be folded flat. This gives the headphones a slimmer profile which makes them easily fit in bags for utmost portability.

The cable can be easily detached from the headphone. This makes the wire much easier to organize and makes the headphone much more convenient to take on the go.

The MDR-1R is designed to be a studio headphone and its sound signature follows that design. These headphones are very balanced with little emphasis on either bass, mids, or highs. As a result this headphone will work well for a wide range of music. But if you're looking for an emphasis on bass you may need to look elsewhere.

For a headphone with a closed-back design, the MDR-1R has been noted to have impressive soundstage.

The MDR-1 is really comfortable to wear and can be worn for many hours straight. The ear pads and headband feature synthetic leather surfaces, but this material actually feels very supple and soft on the skin. This is complimented by the ample padding which makes these materials seem like pillows on the user's head.

The bass of the MDR-1R is not overly powerful with a neutral bass response.

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.