AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones Black

After trialing many headphones in-store, I selected these headphones based on sound and comfort. I tend to prefer using desktop monitors for sound (I'm a video producer) but sometimes you just need a good pair of headphones. Today I went to us them and for some reason the left side felt "loose". I gently fiddled with it a bit and the whole left ear cup assembly came off of the head strap. Now hanging by a thread of speaker wire. Super disappointing given the cost and that I've only worn these approximately 20 times (as show by the new condition of the cup pads. Avoid!!!

I have had these headphones for almost 10 years. In these 10 years, they have been THE BEST headphones I have used for mixing. I have used a bunch of headphones and studio monitors in that time, and nothing has beat them out, not even the infamous Sony 7506 (given, cheaper, but more prevalent headphones in studios) Things to note with these headphones; they are not super low end present. If you are getting these to listen to consumer music, you may not like them because they are not "boomy" or "full". These headphones are for users who are looking for definition and clarity for making a solid mix. The other note is a MINOR complaint; the part of the headset that rests on the top of your head/hair has worn out for me. The muffs also wore out, but I replaced them. If there is a way to replace the foam under the band, please let me know because I would love to have them looking brand new again. I broke the cable that came with the headphones by accidentally vacuuming it about 2 years in (stupid, I know), but the detachable cable saved me some money. Also nice if you want to swap out different size cables. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking to invest in headphones for studio mixing.

decent enough headphones and excellent sound quality but they fell apart after 3 weeks of light use and delicate handling and storage. With putting on, and taking off a nut that gets unscrewed that holds the ear to the headband. I manually repaired them, but in the meantime got another pair of similarly specced headphones that were better for price and use cases. These headphones are not worth it, this brand is not worth it, and the engineers and designers need to be put in a gulag. Not worth the hassle especially at this price.

Recently received my AKG earphones. Totally am taken in by its sound quality. So much stereo sounding. I did encounter receiving issues, but were resolved and i finally got my hands on them. Will not be returning these ever. Thanks AKG for this great product.

Purchased one month ago. Very happy with the product

Purchased 2 years ago and use for both live performance soloing, personal listening, and some studio mixing. These headphones are very durable and comfortable, but the sound quality really sets them apart. They transport me into whatever I'm listening to. Combined with a fiios dac, they will do everything and will do it well. Unless you're looking for open back headphones, these will easily become your favorites. A+. I'll replace the earpads and cable when they finally wear out.

I bought these headphones 3 years ago, and I absolutely love them! The sound is rich and balanced. And the build is perfect for composers / producers who travel. Excellent value!!

Yeah, will do a Stax setup someday... yet with music download and plugged into my Motorola Power Android... Apologies, yet when experienced the 600s for the first time... the sensitivity, the impedance, the comfort and closure, the experience... Please, these are so perfect and will be worn work, travel, home... OMG! forgiveness please INCREDIBLE! looked long, looked for a perfect phone/kindle/email/everything... and yeah, will go bigger w/folder phone yet am now in audio nirvana... Thank you Harman (Kardon, hey have been around a bit) AKG... the K553 MKII are perfect!!!

I am a proud owner of the AKG K701 open back headphones, which is a superior set of cans. I needed a set of closed back headphones for isolation purposes. After reading countless reviews of the K553 MKII and similar products from other brands, I settled on the AKG. Glad I did. Others have noted the incredibly wide soundstage for a closed back design. I agree with that assessment, and the pinpoint locations of each instrument, voice, and sound make listening to music a lot of fun. You'll hear the reverb tail fading into the background. You'll hear fingers plucking bass strings. You'll also hear tiny consonant sounds at the ends of words in the vocals. Everything is there in a 2-D landscape. What is lacking is a sense of 3-D depth, but I've noticed the same limitation in other closed back models. The K553 MKII will not match the K701s airiness and sense of space, but that is to be expected. The K553 MKII faithfully reproduce clear, sparkling highs with no harshness. Midrange is linear with no smearing. Bass is punchy and deep with extended sub bass, with only the slightest bit of low-mid congestion. You won't get any bloat or mushiness that seems popular these days, even in some expensive consumer grade models. I am a bass guitar player with tons of studio and recording experience. I want accurate, uncolored, un-hyped bass presentation, and the 553s do a good job with this. These are fun, musical, dynamic headphones. They are worth an audition.

I think I bought these about 2 to 3 years ago. They have been great. I use them pretty much all day every day. Great for music, videos, meetings etc. I can comfortably wear them all day no problem. They look nice too. After about 2 years the leather on the ear cups start to crack and tear. Now the leather is pretty much all gone. I also have a crack in the plastic piece that holds the ear cups on. Overall I'm still very happy with these. I have tried a lot of other headphones and these are by far my favorite.

Got these a little over a month ago. I use them to game, listen to music, team chat, school zoom meetings, etc. They’re much better than my old gaming headset. I used to have the older K550(I think), this is a newer model but I really don’t like the ear cups because they feel extremely thin and I’m afraid for their longevity and I don’t even brin these anywhere.

I bought these three years ago and am EXTREMELY pleased with them. I still use them every day for music production and gaming. These are great reference headphones where you can hear everything. The cable is just now starting to have visible wear, and I will need to replace it soon, but I believe that this is more than acceptable for three years of constant use. Highly recommend, and I may buy a set to have sitting around for musicians I record.

ITs great and all but after 2 months of heavy usage with music it seems to have one ear louder or something, sounds as if like bass or some frequency "broke" through and became louder on one ear then another (going to get it fixed)

Bought because needed closed back for more isolation and wanted overear. Great sounding headphones. Balanced sound movies and music. I'm not a bass head though. I have small head size and these fit. Maybe a little pressure on top of head from headband, but only after extended wear. Pads a little warm after awhile. A little price you pay for the style. I think the cord seems a little low quality, but does fit into my phone jack protective case. Volume is fine with phone output alone. Should be on short list for style and quality if in market.

I bought these a month ago and I absolutely love them! They are so detailed and the soundstage on them is truly outstanding. I mainly use these for gaming because they are absolutely perfect for it.