An Evaluation of the AKG K550 ClosedBack Reference Class Headphones

Figure 1: AKG K550 Reference Headphones http://uk.akg.com/akg-k550-uk/k-550.html

A Guide for Audio Enthusiasts and Prospective Buyers

Author: John Klusek Date: 10/23/2012

Audience and Scope

This document aims to introduce audio enthusiasts to the features of the AKG Acoustics K550 ClosedBack Reference Class Headphones. This document's author has no affiliation with AKG and no commercial motivations; however, it may provide information helpful for prospective buyers who are unsure if the K550 meets their needs. This guide aims to be an unbiased evaluation of the K550's design, sound reproduction, and intended usage.

Introduction
The AKG K550 headphones are reference headphones suitable for studio or home listening. They boast a comfortable design, rich soundstage, accurate frequency response, sound isolation, and low impedance. They are compatible with the most common audio devices in addition to studio equipment. The AKG K550 currently retails for $299.95.

Construction

Headband

Cups

Drivers

Cable

Figure 2: K550 main component diagram http://uk.akg.com/akg-k550-uk/k-550.html

The headphones are made of 4 main components: the headband, the cups, the drivers, and the cable.

The metal headband that holds the headphones together is sturdy, but bends easily. The headband will not clamp tightly against the head and cause discomfort, but some will find the headband too wide and flexible to properly fit. The padding on the headband makes the K550 comfortable for long-term use. The 2" drivers of the headphones interpret and amplify sound for listening. These drivers are among the largest offered by AKG, but deliver realistic soundstage compared to other headphones. The left and right driver are shielded by two pads made of pleather. Pleather can be manufactured to be stronger than leather and is a comfortable material against the face. Furthermore, pleather can be cleaned with a wet rag and no special solvents. However, pleather can get sticky in hot temperatures. When the K550s are fresh out of the box, the pleather scent is strong, but diminishes quickly. Owners will appreciate how easily one can orient the headphones correctly. A large white "R" and "L", reside in each cup, indicating the right and left driver of the headphones. Some movies and songs will have directional sound, making the proper orientation significant. Some design choices help the K550's portability. Both cups swivel so that the headphones can rest flat and be stored on a flat surface. The K550s weigh 305g without cable, which is impressive considering the size. The long cable and potentially loose fit mean that the K550s may not be ideal for walking around in public, but are nice for studio and home usage.

Adjustable Height
The left and right cups can be adjusted to up to 12 heights for optimal fit. Height setting labels make a symmetrical fit easier to obtain.

Figure 3: Adjustable height headband http://uk.akg.com/akg-k550-uk/k-550.html

Cable
The AKG K550 has a non-removable cable attached to the left earpiece. The non-removable cable may be a deal-breaker for those who are afraid of cable splices or would like a shorter cable. The cable is 99.99% oxygen free and 3m long. For regular usage, 3m can be cumbersome, but studio users will appreciate the length. The cable is sufficiently thick so that splitting the cable is unlikely and banging against the cable causes no sound distortion.

Jack
The default cable comes with a gold-plated 1/4" adapter attached. Unscrewing this adapter reveals a 1/8" connection, also gold-plated. Gold is efficiently conducts signal and does not oxidize.

Figure 4: K550 audio jack http://uk.akg.com/akg-k550-uk.html

Impedance
A headphone's impedance determines how much power must go into the headphones to drive sound at a proper volume. In general, a high impedance headphone will require more power than a low impedance headphone. The K550s have a low 32 Ohm impedance. As a result, the K550s are adequately powered by outputs found on laptop computers and iPods. The low impedance is a significant advantage because many competing full-sized headphones require an external amplifier to be used with common devices. The K550s are therefore more portable than high impedance headphones.

Closed Design
The closed cups prevent inside music from disturbing others, while attenuating unwanted outside noise. The AKG K550s are noteworthy because the closed design doesn't compromise sound as much as expected for a closed headphone. NOTE: The AKG K550 has a relatively large headband. If the K550 does not properly clamp the head, sound will leak from the headphones, and sound will not be directed properly into the ear. Poor seal can reduce sound quality, such as the punch of bass sounds.

Figure 5: Typical fit of the K550s http://uberding.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/akg5.jpg

Soundstage
At a live concert, one might hear a drummer to the right, while the singer is heard in the center. A headphone's soundstage is its ability to convey to a listener the direction a specific sound should originate. The AKG K550 has a surprisingly wide soundstage despite its closed design. An open headphone has more space to direct sound, and thus a better soundstage, but sound leaks from open headphones. The K550s feature closed cups. However, the large cups of the K550 compensate for area lost from the closed design and create a nearly open sound. The K550 has better soundstage than most closed headphones.

Frequency Response
Frequency response is an objective measure of a headphone's sound reproduction. To see the response plot of the K550 without explanation, see the graph on the next page. Given a sound signal, the circuitry of a headphone will either amplify or attenuate frequencies by a constant amount . In practice, this means that certain instruments will stand out more than others depending on frequency response. Please consult a frequency chart to see where specific instruments fall into the frequency spectrum. For a general idea, bass lies in the low frequency region (0-100Hz), guitar lies in the mid frequency region (100-3,000Hz), and voice lies in the high frequency region (3,000+ Hz). The standard hearing range is 2020,000 Hz. Transparent headphones minimize the effects of frequency response and represent all frequencies equally. One might assume that a transparent frequency characteristic would be a flat line (no amplification), but the human ear is biased towards certain frequencies. Sound intensity (dB) can be objectively measured by equipment, but perceived loudness (phons) is subjective to human perception. For a sound at 1kHz, a phon sounds identical to a dB, by definition. Researchers developed equalloudness contours to account for human discernment of sound. A transparent frequency response plot should resemble an equal-loudness contour, not a flat line.

Figure 6: Standard equal loudness contours http://acousticslab.org/psychoacoustics/PMFiles/PMImages/EqLoudCon.JPG

Mixing engineers typically want transparent listening equipment. The K550 is known for having a relatively transparent frequency response plot, making it suitable for studio mixing. To prove this, estimate the intensity of a typical sound at 1 kHz, find an equal loudness curve, then see how the plot below compares.

Figure 7: K550 Frequency Response http://www.headphone.com/headphones/akg-k-550.php

To interpret frequency response plots, it is helpful to compare response plots of known headphones. Websites like headroom let you overlay graphs of competing headphones to compare sound characteristics.

Conclusion
The AKG K550 is a competent headphone for those with specific needs. The K550 excels as a semiportable, closed headphone with comfortable fitting and excellent sound reproduction. The K550 is an outstanding choice for audio engineers because the transparent frequency response allows balanced playback of mixes. Those who do not find transparent frequency response enjoyable should look elsewhere for headphones. Those with small head sizes may have issues getting a proper seal with the K550 and will hear reduced sound quality.

Works Cited
1. "Homepage - AKG Shop." Homepage - AKG Shop. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://uk.akg.com/>. 2. "Introduction to Psychoacoustics and Sound Perception." Introduction to Psychoacoustics and Sound Perception. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. <http://acousticslab.org/psychoacoustics>. 3."Im Uberding-Technik-Test: Die AKG K550 Headphones." UBERDING . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://uberding.net/2012/03/19/im-uberding-test-die-akg-k550-kopfhorer/>. 4. "Headphones." AKG K550. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.headphone.com/headphones/akg-k-550.php>.