AKG Y50 Review

AKG (Akustische und Kino-Geräte Gesellschaft mbH) was founded in Vienna in 1947 and to this day the company has been synonymous with high quality sound. They currently offer more than 80 different headphone models, and here we review the very distinctive looking Y50 closed on-ear model.

Having this many headphones on offer will of course make it easier to find the perfect pair according to personal preferences, whether it´s in-ear, on-ear, over-ear, for portable or studio use. For some the sound has top priority, while others may think that looks is more important. Whatever the case, AKG have a pair of headphones for you. The Y50 we test here is one of AKG's more affordable models ($99.95 MSRP), and this also means that it does not have any extra features like wireless bluetooth or additional functionality such as active noise reduction. In short, it is a simple headphone, although it has a microphone and a button for answering the phone and controlling your music attached to the cable.

Simple To Use

AKG Y50 comes in a stylishly designed cardboard box, containing a pouch for easy carrying of the headphones, a warranty card, a Quick Start Guide and 3.5 to 6.35mm adapter. The cable is detachable, with a straight mini-jack on one end and a 90 degrees angled mini-jack on the other end.

The cable also has a button/microphone with multiple functions. One click will answer or hang up the phone if there´s an incoming phone call. If you listen to music on a phone or portable music player, one click on the button will pause the music, two clicks will skip to the next song, and three clicks lets you go to the previous track. Quite simple and straightforward.

Construction and Build Quality

The headband is made of metal, with a printed AKG logo on the top and soft padding covered with artificial leather on the inside, which allows the headphones to rest comfortably on the head. The headband can be extended about an inch on each side, and the Y50 will fit most head sizes. Overall, the build quality is way better than we´d expect from a headphone costing less than a hundred dollars.

The earcups can be turned/swiveled about 90 degrees, making the Y50 very compact when folded. The included carrying bag will come in handy if you listen to music on the go.

Sound Quality

We listened to the AKG Y50 using both Apple and Android devices, FiiO X3 and, of course, a high quality headphone amp. We listened to the widest variety of music possible, ranging from delicate chamber quartets to extreme death and black metal.

Whatever music genre, we loved the sound - at all volume levels. The resolution of the different soundimages was excellent, with an abundance of details, and very quick and dynamic transients. AKG Y50 doesn´t suffer from any overblown bass (something that is getting increasingly popular for some reason), although it has a slight emphasis on the lower frequencies. Nonetheless, the bass still sound natural and accurate, and it does not cause any smearing of the sound or mask any of the higher frequencies. Sound insulation is also at a very high level. Closed headphones may not be for everyone, but the Y50 is designed for listening to music on the go, and in this case, good insulation is a big plus.