Designed to compete with the likes of Beats By Dre, I will admit, I was skeptic when I saw the AKG Y55 Headphones arrive at my door. As a self-proclaimed audiophile, I’ve been unimpressed with headphones that just attempt to be bass heavy. But I’m glad I took a few days to test these bad boys out.
An update to the K619 model by the same company, the Y55 models are just as portable,. The key difference in the headphones are the detachable cord, which make foldability great when I want to throw them in my bag, since they do indeed pivot. Now I don’t have to worry about he stress of my cord having a shortage due to bending and fraying. These things are light as hell too, at about 16 ounces, they don’t feel heavy on my head at all, which matters to me.
The headphones have a memory foam like padding covered by leather which doesn’t seem as stiff and hurt my ear as much after wearing for more than a solid hour like my Beats did. Being that the headphones fit ON your ear with the volume at tolerable levels the headphones are great. Although the headphones aren’t noise-canceling, I found myself often out of sync with my surroundings when listening to music. So although you can block out some noise in your environment, you will still be able to hear your surroundings when walking or biking like I do.
The phone cord allows you to answer and end a phone call which has become a standard to phones, and helpful when in your pocket. Also the cord is long enough I don’t have to worry about it tugging when I maneuver. The attention to detail with the left and right markings in the earphone itself is genius. The remote button responds quickly, using a 1-2-3 method for each particular action you want it to do.
My concern is in the audiophile quality of these headphones. Labeled as DJ headphones, the sound quality is good, but not sure how it they would stand up testing by actual DJs. I’m pretty sure when they labeled it this, they could’ve just said top-notch audio quality or something. Despite that, these are still suitable for everyday use. I’ve been duped before into thinking paying $2-300 for quality headphones is simply “getting what I pay for”, but these AKG’s seem to do the same job most top-of-the-line brands do.
With a simple look, and a simple goal, these headphones are essentially for someone who wants to hear their music the way it should be heard. The mids and highs sound really great, the bass isn’t overwhelming to the point you can’t hear the lyrics of the song. For example, listening to Drake’s 6God doesn’t sound muddy, and the bass isn’t overwhelming. If anything they could be a bit stronger.
I’m more of the mindset I want music clarity over anything, including bass for the music I listen to. Not saying these are on par with Sennheiser HD600’s, or Audio Technica’s but they certainly do the job for a fraction of the price. The fact I could wear the same headphones for 6+ hours at work, and then wear them for the commute home make these my new favorite budget headphones. Available in four color options, the AKG Y55 DJ Headphones go for $129.95 a pop
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: The sound is crisp & not muddy; Not bulky by any means
What I Think Could Improve: Bluetooth would be a great option; Maybe an option to put headphone jack cord in either ear instead of just left side