AKGY500 On-Ear Foldable Wireless Bluetooth Headphones - Black (US Version)

I spent a lot of time researching bluetooth headphones and looking for a clear front-runner; to no avail, since there seems to be no consensus on the best ones and what gets a five-star rating on one site, another reviewer utterly hates. I ultimately took a plunge on these for no other reason than that as an audio engineer I'm familiar with AKG and trust them to make good stuff.These are seriously so great.The ear pads are cushy and soft, and even though they don't have active noise cancellation technology, the mere fact of having the plush ear pads pressing onto my ears provides a fair amount of isolation. The headband is comfortable and adjustable, even for my giant head. The controls are straightforward and took very little time to become second nature. They fold up quite small for transport in the little bag they come with.Music sounds stunning on these, they have a rich full low end without having the kind of dumb overhyped bass response that some consumer headphones do. The mids and highs are clear, and overall they seem to reflect a pretty balanced representation of a sound source, without any odd peaks or exaggerations that I could detect. I listened to an album that I had painstakingly mixed myself (and was therefore intimately familiar with the sound of) and it sounded deep and full and accurate. Podcasts sound a little thinner in some cases, I'm guessing because the high quality headphones are shining a spotlight on the varying production quality different podcasts have. Some sound great on these and some sound a little weak and treble-y. I didn't notice this difference as much on my cheap earbuds before.As far as Bluetooth adaptability goes, they paired with my iPhone immediately and with hardly any effort on my part, and have never come un-paired. My desktop computer wasn't Bluetooth-capable so I had to add an adapter dongle, and that's occasionally given me some hiccups but nothing I couldn't sort out by turning the headphones off and then back on again. What I was most impressed by is their ability to jump back and forth between two separate Bluetooth sources - I can be listening to my computer, hit play on my phone, and within a few seconds the headphones 'hop' over to the new thing. Fancy.If there is anything that irritates me about these - and I'm reaching to find something - the beep they make when they turn on or successfully pair with a source is strangely loud. Within a couple of uses I had developed a routine where I pick them up, turn them on, and continue holding them in my hands until I hear those two beeps, * then * put them on my head. Easy fix, but not sure why that beep is so obnoxious.Other than that one nitpick, these are meeting and exceeding my expectations. These are a joy to use. I carry them with me everywhere, they're my new sidekick.

It took me three weeks and some very frustrating interactions with the "start guide" to figure out the way these are supposed to work. On the positive side it is very simple to pair the headphones with an iPhone and our Samsung smart TV. Simply turn the phones on and the device and they'll find each other. My problem was with the "ambient" setting. When activated the ambient setting freezes the volume control at a very low level. Figuring out how to turn ambient off was the problem. The directions are very simplistic, they do not explain what the functions actually do. It took some time of trial and error to find out how to turn ambient off. A little more detail in what the functions do and how to work them would have prevented me from almost returning the headphones before I decided to keep them and "figure it out". Now they sound good, are comfortable and lightweight, and work very well. They also sound good for a small (compact) headset.

The AKG Y500 Wireless Headphones are the best over-the-ear headphones I ever owned. The ear cushions are comfortable and lightweight. The sound is full and consistent in both wired and wireless modes. The call quality is also clear in both wired and wireless modes. I was pleasantly surprised with the automatic pause feature - the music or audio stops when you take the headset off. This is a great feature in a busy office environment. You never know when your favorite song or audiobook will be interrupted. Now you do not have to miss a beat or a plot point. Another great feature is the ambient awareness feature so you can stay aware if your surroundings with a press of a button. The portability of the AKG Y500 makes you want to take them everywhere. The battery life is outstanding. I have run the AKG's for over 30 during my work week on a single charge. The packaging was premium. I knew this unit was going to be something special right out of the box. The carry bag really adds a nice touch. The bag protect the foldable headphones when they are not in use and provides a place to keep the micro USB and the detachable mic/headset cable. 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this headset for the cube farm and your daily commute.

I was a little skeptical when I discovered these were on-ear, and not over-ear. I've been disappointed in the past with a pair of Sony headphones I've bought, and I've been spoiled by the level of comfort offered by my Steelseries over-ear headphones.When they arrived, I first noticed how clear and crisp the audio was. Then I immediately noticed that, per my suspicion, they weren't very comfortable. It took a lot of adjusting to get them to be tolerable, but I actually contemplated returning them and getting a pair of on-ear headphones instead.I'm glad I decided against that! It took a while, but the cushions around the ears softened up a bit and I've gotten used to them. They're actually quite comfortable compared to other on-ear headphones I've had, but more than that they're just really good.They sound great, they look great, the battery lasts forever, and you can even use them wired if you want to.For under $100, the AKG Y500 headphones will spoil you.

As I am unable to read products Users manual do to my limlited vision, I am not able to adjust it to allow any base response through my iPhon. Therefore, I have discarded said item as it is difficult to return item as I do not return items once I open rgeir package. Additionally p, I fined there is no longer human help/support offered by todays AI driven solutions. So I give this item an “F,” for usefulness….