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Showing 1 of 1412 conversations about:
khromov
26
Apr 28, 2015
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Got mine! Build quality is top notch, feels super sturdy. I was a little disappointed after a first listen - coming from the Audo Technica ATH-M50 the 553 Pro seem way harder to drive, and there is much less bass than the M50:s. Mids seem clearer though. Is this expected? Any suggestions for an amp to use?
skystealth
24
Apr 29, 2015
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khromovThat is exactly what you should get, the highs should be smoother too. I can't wait to put my M50x on Ebay after I get my hands on these cans.
MeteoImpact
34
Apr 29, 2015
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khromovPretty much any amp will be able to drive these no problem, though something with low output impedance is preferable (general rule is less than 1/8 the headphone impedance, so under 4 ohms would be optimal). Lower end Schiit and FiiO products are pretty popular, so you might want to look at those. Personally, I just run mine out of the Monoprice DAC/Amp when I want to use them on my desktop (instead of my q701's), even though the output impedance really isn't optimal for the k553's.
On the sound, you should also be able to notice that, while the bass isn't as boisterous as it is on the m50's, it should have better detail. In general, I find the m50's sound much, "rounder", than the k553's; kickdrums on the m50's, "whump", versus a more defined, "thump", on the k553's, for example. Really, the k553's should sound clearer across the whole range compared to the m50's.
On the sound, you should also be able to notice that, while the bass isn't as boisterous as it is on the m50's, it should have better detail. In general, I find the m50's sound much, "rounder", than the k553's; kickdrums on the m50's, "whump", versus a more defined, "thump", on the k553's, for example. Really, the k553's should sound clearer across the whole range compared to the m50's.
khromov
26
Apr 29, 2015
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MeteoImpactThanks for answering in such detail MeteoImpact. Guess I have to acclimatize to the 553 soundstage. You are right about 553 sounding clearer across the range. Quite good for mixing tracks I would imagine. I'll keep my M50 though. :-)
skystealth
24
Apr 29, 2015
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MeteoImpactDo you have a portable setup ? Like a DAP with and amp combo ? I'm looking to buy a DAP but i don't know what to look for. I've heard good things about FiiO's X5.
MeteoImpact
34
Apr 29, 2015
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skystealthUnfortunately, I don't have the budget to play around with DAC/Amps as much as I'd like to, so I really don't know much beyond what community opinions seem to say. All I can recommend is that you check out the reviews (http://www.head-fi.org/products/category/amp-dacs) and forums over at Head-Fi and see what more experienced audiophiles have to say. For use with these headphones, you only really need to be concerned if/how a DAC/Amp, "colours", the sound and what its output impedance is (lower is better, but it might not even matter much due to the k553's nearly-flat impedance across all audible frequencies); power should be a non-issue as I doubt there's an amp on the market that can't drive 32 ohm headphones like the k553.
Temporarilyidle
11
Apr 29, 2015
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MeteoImpactI have an old sony receiver: STR-DE885 5.1 that I use to listen to these on vinyl (I got it free). People keep mentioning stand alone amps or amps/DAC's. Obviously a DAC isn't needed for vinyl, but is this Sony receiver giving me a good enough power? Would I benefit from spending anything less than a hundred dollars on another amp for these headphones?
I know I'm harassing the boards a lot. I'm researching online, but the waters are pretty muddy when it comes to this stuff....
I know I'm harassing the boards a lot. I'm researching online, but the waters are pretty muddy when it comes to this stuff....
poseidon8118
17
Apr 29, 2015
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TemporarilyidleYour good, I listen to these through my 1987 Kyocera R661 receiver, PL701 turntable with AT cartridge with Shibata stylus (white). Plenty of power! I also have a Fiio Amp/DAC running into (via line output) a Bravo V2 amp at the present: Sylvania NOS JAN 1967 tube installed. The ladder is my digital computer setup not my home rig...Just tested through my cassette deck's headphone output as well with no power issues...enjoy! [img:Computer.vec.JPG] [img:Stereo.pcd.JPG]
Temporarilyidle
11
Apr 29, 2015
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poseidon8118Sweet. So if I wanted to listen with these on my computer would you recommend the Bravo V2? I already looked it up on review boards. I guess it depends on how much I wanna spend but...these are the highest end headphones I'll ever own, I want a DAC/AMP that's great for these, but doesn't need to be for anything better, if that makes sense.
poseidon8118
17
Apr 30, 2015
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TemporarilyidleI would start with the Fiio E10k Amp/DAC...the Bravo is just an amp...you will need an outboard DAC to achieve better sound...after that you can move to a hybrid tube amp or something else. Schiit makes a good stand alone DAC but the Fiio would be an all in one solution Amp and DAC together... at a better price...I'm sure Massdrop has some amp/dac combos as well in stock...you can give those a look as well...
MeteoImpact
34
May 1, 2015
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SpookThat's a bit tough to answer, heh. Short answer is that I ultimately prefer to use the q701's with my desktop setup as the k553's simply cannot replicate the airy, open presentation of the open-backed q701's, which is beneficial to the large majority of the music I listen to, but the k553's are my go-to cans for every device that isn't my desktop.
The long answer, however, is that these are very different cans, and there is a lot to like about the k553's over the q701's. For starters, I'm actually not a big fan of the natural sound signature of the q701's, and have invested a large amount of time equalising them to suit my preference (here's a visualisation:
). The 2k range makes vocals a bit brassy for me, the 6k range makes snare drums and chimes too bright, ~8.5k is bizarrely quiet, sibilance over 10k is death to me... you get the idea. Really this is fixing my own hearing as much as fixing the headphones; the effect my ears get from this is a relatively smooth crescendo all the way from the lowest audible frequencies up to around 10k, then fading out from there--I doubt it would sound the same to anyone else. By contrast, the only issues I have with the k553 sound sig is that I like a little bit more 4k range to give a some more accent to electric guitars and female vocals, and 10k sibilance still murders me (less than with the q701's though). IMO, the k553's have a more amiable and less fatiguing sound signature than the q701's, which makes them much easier to use across devices, especially with their relatively low impedance. The closed design and the way if affects the sound, however, is a fundamental difference that the k553's just can't overcome, as hard as they try (they do sound fairly, "open", for closed phones--better than the m50's, that's for sure).
So while I prefer the q701's with my desktop, I do find them a very finicky set of cans, and I'd be very afraid to plug them into anything else. The k553's, on the other hand, are a lot less picky, and I use them with everything that isn't my desktop (my phone, my 3ds, etc...). If I had to choose based on the natural sound signature, I'd probably end up going with the k553's, but with EQ'ing as an option, I can't resist the open soundstage of the q701's. I suppose I should make it clear that these are just personal opinions with regards to the sound signatures, and others might very well prefer the natural sig of the q701's to the k553's; my ears just don't.
The long answer, however, is that these are very different cans, and there is a lot to like about the k553's over the q701's. For starters, I'm actually not a big fan of the natural sound signature of the q701's, and have invested a large amount of time equalising them to suit my preference (here's a visualisation:
). The 2k range makes vocals a bit brassy for me, the 6k range makes snare drums and chimes too bright, ~8.5k is bizarrely quiet, sibilance over 10k is death to me... you get the idea. Really this is fixing my own hearing as much as fixing the headphones; the effect my ears get from this is a relatively smooth crescendo all the way from the lowest audible frequencies up to around 10k, then fading out from there--I doubt it would sound the same to anyone else. By contrast, the only issues I have with the k553 sound sig is that I like a little bit more 4k range to give a some more accent to electric guitars and female vocals, and 10k sibilance still murders me (less than with the q701's though). IMO, the k553's have a more amiable and less fatiguing sound signature than the q701's, which makes them much easier to use across devices, especially with their relatively low impedance. The closed design and the way if affects the sound, however, is a fundamental difference that the k553's just can't overcome, as hard as they try (they do sound fairly, "open", for closed phones--better than the m50's, that's for sure).
So while I prefer the q701's with my desktop, I do find them a very finicky set of cans, and I'd be very afraid to plug them into anything else. The k553's, on the other hand, are a lot less picky, and I use them with everything that isn't my desktop (my phone, my 3ds, etc...). If I had to choose based on the natural sound signature, I'd probably end up going with the k553's, but with EQ'ing as an option, I can't resist the open soundstage of the q701's. I suppose I should make it clear that these are just personal opinions with regards to the sound signatures, and others might very well prefer the natural sig of the q701's to the k553's; my ears just don't.
kazama
59
May 1, 2015
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khromovI would actually disagree on the build quality... the K553s feel flimsy to me compared to the M50, and the headband is noticeably less comfortable compared to the M50 (I don't have enough hair on my head to compensate, it's noticeably less comfortable).
In all fairness, though, if I stepped on them both, I am pretty sure the K553 would be more likely to survive intact, but the M50s *feel* sturdier to me. Purely subjective of course.
That said, I do really like these cans. I wish it had a detachable cord and/or an option for a squiggle cord. I haven't spent enough time with them to comment on the sound quality, but it seems like the sound is better than the M50s overall, although the lows may not be up to snuff, I don't know, I need to listen to them a little more and fully break them in before I jump to any conclusions.
In all fairness, though, if I stepped on them both, I am pretty sure the K553 would be more likely to survive intact, but the M50s *feel* sturdier to me. Purely subjective of course.
That said, I do really like these cans. I wish it had a detachable cord and/or an option for a squiggle cord. I haven't spent enough time with them to comment on the sound quality, but it seems like the sound is better than the M50s overall, although the lows may not be up to snuff, I don't know, I need to listen to them a little more and fully break them in before I jump to any conclusions.
ShawnP.Watson
155
May 3, 2015
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kazamaGive the 553 time to break in and the bass to tighten up. They will destroy the M50's sloppy bass. And the dynamics.....much better than the M50. So much so that I sold my M50x.
Sagii
15
May 3, 2015
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ShawnP.WatsonFrom what I've heard/read the AKGs need an extraordinarily long time to break in! I also read that one over at head fi switched the pads for alpha pads, plus some new foam he had, and apparently it improved the sound quality a lot
tytryi
19
May 7, 2015
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SagiiThis AKG doesn't. I don't even know if it even needs break in. I noticed the sound getting better after about 30 minutes of tinkering about, but that might just be my head getting used to the sound.
Also when you switch earpads in headphones, you're always trading away a part of sonic accuracy for comfort. Some may not notice it, or some may just be imagining things, but it's impossible to just slap on a pair of better earpads and suddenly get better sound.
While it's true that the soundstage may become more open, you'll be trading it for more muddied bass, less sharper trebles, and so forth.
Also when you switch earpads in headphones, you're always trading away a part of sonic accuracy for comfort. Some may not notice it, or some may just be imagining things, but it's impossible to just slap on a pair of better earpads and suddenly get better sound.
While it's true that the soundstage may become more open, you'll be trading it for more muddied bass, less sharper trebles, and so forth.
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