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The AKG K553's are closed back headphones, yet, they provide the spacious, and transparency of open-back headphones. Featuring 50mm transducers to provide top of the line, professional quality sound to your ears. The soft, extra-large, ear pads provide great comfort for long periods of time while the detachable cable prevents stress on connector points, pro-longing the life of the cable. Great for Music Listening, critical listening, mixing and recording applications. Open-back feel, closed-back design: There are benefits to both closed and open-back headphones. Normally closed-back headphones are preferred for recording since the enclosure of the headphone around the ear prevents sound from leaking into the microphone. The problem with an enclosure is that the bass frequencies tend to fool your ear, giving you a false perception of what the low end is doing. Open-back headphones eliminate this problem, but fall short on the other side of the debate, allowing leakage into microphones during recording sessions. AKG aims to merge the transparency of open-back headphones with the enclosed noise-cancelling of closed-back headphones with the K553s. Features: Isolation of Closed-Back Headphones Transparency of Open-Back Headphones 50mm transducers Professional quality sound to your ears Ear pads provide great comfort for long periods of time Get your AKG K553 MKII Closed Back Studio Headphones today at the guaranteed lowest price from Sam Ash Direct with our 45-day return and 60-day price protection policy. ??Warning: Cancer and Reproductive Harm-
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AKG traces its roots to post-war Vienna, Austria, where physicist Dr. Rudolf Görike and engineer Ernst Pless founded Akustische und Kino-Geräte Gesellschaft m.b.H. in 1947. Emerging from the ruins of World War II, the duo initially supplied cinemas with loudspeakers, film projectors, and light meters, handcrafting products in a modest basement with just five employees. Rapid expansion followed, as AKG ventured into car horns, intercoms, and carbon microphone capsules, quickly gaining traction with radio stations, theaters, and jazz clubs across Europe.
The brand's product focus sharpened on professional audio excellence, pioneering headphones in 1949 and achieving global acclaim with the D12 microphone in 1953, which set standards for voice transmission. AKG became renowned for high-fidelity microphones, including iconic models like the C12 tube mic, alongside headphones, wireless systems, and phonograph cartridges. While early diversification included cinema gear, the company honed in on studio-grade transducers and monitoring tools, later incorporating digital wireless tech.
Today, under Harman International (a Samsung subsidiary since 2017), AKG holds a commanding position as a pro-audio powerhouse, favored by engineers, performers, and broadcasters for its precision and reliability. It bridges mid-tier accessibility with high-end heritage, appealing to discerning hi-fi buyers seeking reference-quality headphones and mics that deliver uncolored, transparent sound— a legacy of Austrian engineering that remains a studio staple worldwide.
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