Test the Cans

[Jaime B]

Hi,

Today I ordered new headphones which should arrive shortly. I am sure you will know them if you know about cans. They are Sennheiser 595s (if you have them and don't like them don't share that with me, please!  )
Well I would like to know what you recommend I listen to to try them out when I get them or to 'break them in'. I have some ideas but I'd be curious to see what pieces (and recordings) you would recommend.

Thanks !

Jai

[Bulldog]

There are so many good testing discs, but I'd first go with Mozart's Great Mass in C minor conducted by Raymond Leppard. 

[Holden]

I'm looking for a number of things with cans so I use the following CDs to test them out.

Bass response - Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel), Physical Presence (Level 42), Virgil Fox - Heavy Organ. The right organ CD will show you how deep your cans go with accurate reproduction of the bass notes.

Stereo separation for both width and depth - any well mastered SQ recording, Lives in the Balance (Jackson Browne),m Private Investigations (Pink Floyd)

Treble response - Telemann recorder sonatas

Human voice - Schubert lieder from SATB (B could be either bass or baritone)

Overall sound - Any decent piano recording. The piano is the hardest instrument to reproduce and you will know instantly if your cans are doing this. I find the Mozart sonatas are excellent in this regard.


I do this test using my hi fi, my PC and my MP3 player to get a true indication of the sound of the cans as it allows me to take into account the sonic signature of the source.

[DavidW]

Holden-- great test discs!

Jai, if you are looking for break-in material, you want pink noise.  If you want testing material you want something like Holden's list.

For pink noise go here-- http://www.burninwave.com/ it will give you equal treatment (for power that is) across the spectrum, better than white noise for breaking it in.  Don't listen to it, just use it on your headphones when you're not using them.

I am not really into the "breaking in" phenomenon, I think it does a take few hours of listening to loosen the drivers up and have the real sound signature emerge, but I'm not into that whole burn with pink noise for 100 hours before even touching it cult.

[Jaime B]

Thanks for advice guys. I will let you know what I think of them if your interested.

[Valentino]

Great. I have a pair of old HD580 Precision myself.
There is a "Headphones" thread down at The Diner, BTW.

And welcome to the forum!

[Holden]

Great. I have a pair of old HD580 Precision myself.
There is a "Headphones" thread down at The Diner, BTW.

And welcome to the forum!

The 580s are legendary but I can't find them for sale anywhere!

[DavidW]

The 580s are legendary but I can't find them for sale anywhere!

Go to head-fi and post a wtb 580 thread in the buy/sell room, then you'll get it.  Or you can bite the bullet and buy the 600.

If you want to buy the 580s new, well they haven't made him in years, you're probably out of luck.

[Holden]

Go to head-fi and post a wtb 580 thread in the buy/sell room, then you'll get it.  Or you can bite the bullet and buy the 600.

If you want to buy the 580s new, well they haven't made him in years, you're probably out of luck.

Thanks for that - I'm happy to pick up a second hand pair.