AKG K553 MKII is the ideal closed-back, over-ear studio headphone for monitoring, mixing and mastering. Designed for peak performance and maximum comfort, AKG K553 MKII combines the noise-isolating qualities of a closed-back headphone with the spacious, dimensional sound of an open-back design.
AKG K553 MKII is the ideal closed-back, over-ear studio headphone for monitoring, mixing and mastering. Designed for peak performance and maximum comfort, AKG K553 MKII combines the noise-isolating qualities of a closed-back headphone with the spacious, dimensional sound of an open-back design.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones right now is $247.88 at eBay.com.au, compared across 3 retailers.
The all-time low was $173.66 on 12 May 2026 — today's price is 43% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 4 July 2026.
AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones
AKG K553 MKII is the ideal closed-back, over-ear studio headphone for monitoring, mixing and mastering. Designed for peak performance and maximum comfort, AKG K553 MKII combines the noise-isolating qualities of a closed-back headphone with the spacious, dimensional sound of an open-back design.
AKG K553 MKII is the ideal closed-back, over-ear studio headphone for monitoring, mixing and mastering. Designed for peak performance and maximum comfort, AKG K553 MKII combines the noise-isolating qualities of a closed-back headphone with the spacious, dimensional sound of an open-back design.
Last updated at 04/07/2026 07:09:46
AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Akg K553 Mkii Closed Back Studio Headphones Black
Delivery $85.73
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Delivery between 8–12 July $15.52
originally posted on guitarcenter.com
I was curious as to what high end headphones are about. Since the AKG K553 mkII was on sale, I felt these would be a fair candidate. I have the K92s that I got used and I like those. As for sound, it seems to be about balance. In other words, be warned of some things. If you like "heavy loud bass" then you won't like these. Instead of the bass being excessively LOUD, the bass goes deep.....very awesomely deep from my standpoint. The midrange is great, but very dependent on the recording. There is plenty of treble WITHOUT being ear splintering excessive. If you like loud highs, you won't like these. The K553 mkII perform best with a home receiver/amplifier. They like lots of power and - as a result - don't play nice with phones. It'll work, but not very well. You ... MoreI was curious as to what high end headphones are about. Since the AKG K553 mkII was on sale, I felt these would be a fair candidate. I have the K92s that I got used and I like those. As for sound, it seems to be about balance. In other words, be warned of some things. If you like "heavy loud bass" then you won't like these. Instead of the bass being excessively LOUD, the bass goes deep.....very awesomely deep from my standpoint. The midrange is great, but very dependent on the recording. There is plenty of treble WITHOUT being ear splintering excessive. If you like loud highs, you won't like these. The K553 mkII perform best with a home receiver/amplifier. They like lots of power and - as a result - don't play nice with phones. It'll work, but not very well. You will need to experiment with the fit. These seem to be a little finicky about that. I also feel that the provided cord is too short. I would recommend getting a longer cord from AKG (or using some kind of extension with the existing one). Overall, I'm very pleased with what the K553 mkII has to offer. But be aware of the bass and treble issue the power hungry nature of these.
originally posted on guitarcenter.com
I just got this headphone to replace my pioneer DJ headphone. I tried out all the demo headphones priced between $100-$200+ in GC. This headphone has the most open and detailed sound. Response is a bit flat but good for monitoring in my case. It looks bulky but feel light and comfortable with good shield of background noise. It has low impedance so it works well with my MacBook Pro for recording and monitoring. The only thing I don't like is that the coiled cable being too short. The box said it is 5M / 16.4 ft. But it seems only 3 feet long unstressed. It is hard to believe it would stretch out to over 6 feet without pulling my laptop off the floor. So I would have to purchase a longer cable if I want to record my guitar playing.
originally posted on guitarcenter.com
Extremely good sound quality with very forward vocals and instruments (this is the main focus of these headphones) with the perfect amount of Bass.Bass: If you want more bass, you can EQ it. This headphone handles the EQ pretty well but to really bring out the bass and clarity in these headphones, invest in a tube amp. I thought this headphone was really good but missed out on bass just a little. But, as soon as I added a tube amp, the quantity of bass went up to the perfect level. ADD A TUBE AMP and this headphone shines. You pretty much don't need anything else.Besides everything else, your headphone is just as good as the source quality you feed into it. So, invest in a good sound card if you have the money or if you care enough.DEFINITE BUY for an ... MoreExtremely good sound quality with very forward vocals and instruments (this is the main focus of these headphones) with the perfect amount of Bass.Bass: If you want more bass, you can EQ it. This headphone handles the EQ pretty well but to really bring out the bass and clarity in these headphones, invest in a tube amp. I thought this headphone was really good but missed out on bass just a little. But, as soon as I added a tube amp, the quantity of bass went up to the perfect level. ADD A TUBE AMP and this headphone shines. You pretty much don't need anything else.Besides everything else, your headphone is just as good as the source quality you feed into it. So, invest in a good sound card if you have the money or if you care enough.DEFINITE BUY for an audiophile headphone collector or your only headphone.
| Mounting Hardware | Ear Cushions, Headband |
| Headphones form factor | Over Ear |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Cable feature | Detachable |
AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Akg K553 Mkii Closed Back Studio Headphones Black
Delivery $85.73
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
AKG K553 MKII Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Delivery between 8–12 July $15.52
I was curious as to what high end headphones are about. Since the AKG K553 mkII was on sale, I felt these would be a fair candidate. I have the K92s that I got used and I like those. As for sound, it seems to be about balance. In other words, be warned of some things. If you like "heavy loud bass" then you won't like these. Instead of the bass being excessively LOUD, the bass goes deep.....very awesomely deep from my standpoint. The midrange is great, but very dependent on the recording. There is plenty of treble WITHOUT being ear splintering excessive. If you like loud highs, you won't like these. The K553 mkII perform best with a home receiver/amplifier. They like lots of power and - as a result - don't play nice with phones. It'll work, but not very well. You ... MoreI was curious as to what high end headphones are about. Since the AKG K553 mkII was on sale, I felt these would be a fair candidate. I have the K92s that I got used and I like those. As for sound, it seems to be about balance. In other words, be warned of some things. If you like "heavy loud bass" then you won't like these. Instead of the bass being excessively LOUD, the bass goes deep.....very awesomely deep from my standpoint. The midrange is great, but very dependent on the recording. There is plenty of treble WITHOUT being ear splintering excessive. If you like loud highs, you won't like these. The K553 mkII perform best with a home receiver/amplifier. They like lots of power and - as a result - don't play nice with phones. It'll work, but not very well. You will need to experiment with the fit. These seem to be a little finicky about that. I also feel that the provided cord is too short. I would recommend getting a longer cord from AKG (or using some kind of extension with the existing one). Overall, I'm very pleased with what the K553 mkII has to offer. But be aware of the bass and treble issue the power hungry nature of these.
I just got this headphone to replace my pioneer DJ headphone. I tried out all the demo headphones priced between $100-$200+ in GC. This headphone has the most open and detailed sound. Response is a bit flat but good for monitoring in my case. It looks bulky but feel light and comfortable with good shield of background noise. It has low impedance so it works well with my MacBook Pro for recording and monitoring. The only thing I don't like is that the coiled cable being too short. The box said it is 5M / 16.4 ft. But it seems only 3 feet long unstressed. It is hard to believe it would stretch out to over 6 feet without pulling my laptop off the floor. So I would have to purchase a longer cable if I want to record my guitar playing.
Extremely good sound quality with very forward vocals and instruments (this is the main focus of these headphones) with the perfect amount of Bass.Bass: If you want more bass, you can EQ it. This headphone handles the EQ pretty well but to really bring out the bass and clarity in these headphones, invest in a tube amp. I thought this headphone was really good but missed out on bass just a little. But, as soon as I added a tube amp, the quantity of bass went up to the perfect level. ADD A TUBE AMP and this headphone shines. You pretty much don't need anything else.Besides everything else, your headphone is just as good as the source quality you feed into it. So, invest in a good sound card if you have the money or if you care enough.DEFINITE BUY for an ... MoreExtremely good sound quality with very forward vocals and instruments (this is the main focus of these headphones) with the perfect amount of Bass.Bass: If you want more bass, you can EQ it. This headphone handles the EQ pretty well but to really bring out the bass and clarity in these headphones, invest in a tube amp. I thought this headphone was really good but missed out on bass just a little. But, as soon as I added a tube amp, the quantity of bass went up to the perfect level. ADD A TUBE AMP and this headphone shines. You pretty much don't need anything else.Besides everything else, your headphone is just as good as the source quality you feed into it. So, invest in a good sound card if you have the money or if you care enough.DEFINITE BUY for an audiophile headphone collector or your only headphone.
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.
Still testing it, but it's definitely not for regular music listening. It's really meant for studio/recording/tracking purposes. You'll have to use EQ if you plan to use this for casual listening. The thing I like the most is the comfort and build. It feels premium and sturdy, but not like Beyerdynamic strong. If you need a comfortable monitoring headphones, I'd say give this a shot.
So I bought this quite a while back - the sound is just great and the ear pads are ENORMOUS - the pad size makes me feel like I'm wearing a Princess Leia haircut - dating myself there.Also AKG support is excellent - all under umbrella of Harman with JBL and some others.The ONE PROBLEM with these headphones is that the bonded pleather on the ear pads started to shed within 6 months of purchase and it's not like I used them everyday. You'll find your head / ears covered with black specs and it will go on until the pad gets bald. Cheapskates like me don't throw $150 buck headphones away, but finding replacement ear pads is a real pain - on my to do list.So if AKG could change the material and bonding used for the earpads it would be great - 5 stars. As is, just ... MoreSo I bought this quite a while back - the sound is just great and the ear pads are ENORMOUS - the pad size makes me feel like I'm wearing a Princess Leia haircut - dating myself there.Also AKG support is excellent - all under umbrella of Harman with JBL and some others.The ONE PROBLEM with these headphones is that the bonded pleather on the ear pads started to shed within 6 months of purchase and it's not like I used them everyday. You'll find your head / ears covered with black specs and it will go on until the pad gets bald. Cheapskates like me don't throw $150 buck headphones away, but finding replacement ear pads is a real pain - on my to do list.So if AKG could change the material and bonding used for the earpads it would be great - 5 stars. As is, just expect that you will have to find and replace the ear pads probably every year to keep them running.hthDingo
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.
These sound good BUT.After opening I was disappointed they were too loose. When I lean forward the headband slides down. Ear cups don't press nicely against my ears. I really wanted to return them because of this. Perhaps this is their way of making them "feel comfortable."Last, while they sounded great when mixing I was disappointed with how song sounded in my car. Half of the instruments were too low and the bass was too boomy.However when using directly with my keyboard they sounded great and for that reason I decided to keep them. I am now looking for a different pair to use on the studio. Bottom line I would not buy again.
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 ... MoreI 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 also have the K245 and K275 which are really on-ear rather than over-ear headphones. The K553 is much more comfortable than either of those because the pads fit completely over your ears. Also they sound better than either the 245 or 275. The 553 has very present and more believable vocals, strings and horns without any glaring problems. They don't quite have as much low end as I was expecting, but I'm really quite pleased overall. Built quality is excellent. Delivery from B&H was super fast even with free shipping. I'm watching more music documentaries and shows like ACL than I ever have in the past.
| Mounting Hardware | Ear Cushions, Headband |
| Headphones form factor | Over Ear |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Cable feature | Detachable |
