Headphones

Started by Bonehelm, June 10, 2007, 02:50:21 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

71 dB

Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Mirror Image

Quote from: 71 dB on December 02, 2013, 07:44:35 AM
Your HD 598 hasn't arrived yet MI?

It's funny you asked this because it's out-for-delivery right now. :)

Mirror Image

Well, I'm giving the Sennheiser HD 598 headphones a test drive right now! They sound awesome! Great treble, mids, and bass. The full sound spectrum is represented realistically. The only problem I have with them is they're a bit tight on my head, but I imagine these will loosen up in time. Anyway, they sound fantastic right out of the box! Very pleased with them so far.

71 dB

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 02, 2013, 10:08:20 AM
Well, I'm giving the Sennheiser HD 598 headphones a test drive right now!
Exciting!

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 02, 2013, 10:08:20 AMThey sound awesome! Great treble, mids, and bass. The full sound spectrum is represented realistically.
Well, they are pretty impressive phones.

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 02, 2013, 10:08:20 AMThe only problem I have with them is they're a bit tight on my head, but I imagine these will loosen up in time.
You are absolutely right about them being tight. I was a bit shocked when I put them on the first time. Even the padding felt very hard. They loose up in time but not completely. Even after 1 and a half years later they feel tight but in a good way (they stay on head even when you shake it fast). It's kind of getting used to them and the padding feels somehow softer too.

Quote from: Mirror Image on December 02, 2013, 10:08:20 AMAnyway, they sound fantastic right out of the box! Very pleased with them so far.
Good to hear you are happy with the sound quality MI.  :)
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Mirror Image

Quote from: 71 dB on December 02, 2013, 01:07:59 PM
Exciting!
Well, they are pretty impressive phones.
You are absolutely right about them being tight. I was a bit shocked when I put them on the first time. Even the padding felt very hard. They loose up in time but not completely. Even after 1 and a half years later they feel tight but in a good way (they stay on head even when you shake it fast). It's kind of getting used to them and the padding feels somehow softer too.
Good to hear you are happy with the sound quality MI.  :)

I'm sure they'll just take some to 'mold' to my head so speak as most headphones I've owned had to do. One thing that I love about them is nothing within the spectrum of sound is accentuated or 'processed' to emphasize an extreme that just doesn't exist. Like I said earlier, they're realistic and very natural sounding. They breathe with the music. Thanks for all the feedback you've given about these headphones and thanks to DavidW, too. 8)

71 dB

Here is a good page where you can listen to crossfeeded sound samples (and unprosessed versions for comparison):

http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/crossfeed.htm



Quote from: Mirror Image on December 02, 2013, 01:24:45 PM
I'm sure they'll just take some to 'mold' to my head so speak as most headphones I've owned had to do. One thing that I love about them is nothing within the spectrum of sound is accentuated or 'processed' to emphasize an extreme that just doesn't exist. Like I said earlier, they're realistic and very natural sounding. They breathe with the music. Thanks for all the feedback you've given about these headphones and thanks to DavidW, too. 8)

Yeah, HD 598 has a sound that "just feels right" so that you don't feel the need to worry about whether the frequency response is flat or not.

You are welcome MI.  ;) Nice to talk with someone who has the same headphones.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Mirror Image

Quote from: 71 dB on December 02, 2013, 01:33:21 PM
Here is a good page where you can listen to crossfeeded sound samples (and unprosessed versions for comparison):

http://www.meier-audio.homepage.t-online.de/crossfeed.htm



Yeah, HD 598 has a sound that "just feels right" so that you don't feel the need to worry about whether the frequency response is flat or not.

You are welcome MI.  ;) Nice to talk with someone who has the same headphones.

I'll have to check out that website at some point. Yes, they're certainly a great sounding pair of cans.

Mirror Image

Another report: I'm really loving my Sennheiser HD 598 headphones. Such great sound quality and comfort. These may be some of the best sounding headphones I've heard. These are absolutely great for classical music as the headphones cover such a wide range of sound. I was worried initially about them being open that there wasn't going to be hardly any bass in them and I read plenty of negative reviews about the lack of bass, but let me put this to rest here once and for all: these have PLENTY of bass. In fact, of all the open headphones I've heard, these have the most. So forget what the naysayers have said, these are spectacular sounding cans. Worth every penny.

John Copeland

Roll on Xmas when these Sennheiser HD 598 headphones come my way.  My ears are bloody well crying for them after reading such excitement based on the experience of not one but TWO GMG'ers.   ;D ;D  I can't wait.  I am throwing Beethoven discs around in sheer discontent until I get the damn things... ??? ;D

Mirror Image

Quote from: Scots John on December 05, 2013, 07:33:59 PM
Roll on Xmas when these Sennheiser HD 598 headphones come my way.  My ears are bloody well crying for them after reading such excitement based on the experience of not one but TWO GMG'ers.   ;D ;D  I can't wait.  I am throwing Beethoven discs around in sheer discontent until I get the damn things... ??? ;D

:D Actually, these headphones came highly recommended to me by DavidW. He certainly was right in saying they're great for classical. Everything is so crystal clear and articulate. There's not a sound from an instrument I don't hear unless the recording's audio didn't catch the instrument playing. That's how accurate these headphones are. You're going to love them, John.

Karl Henning

Quote from: Scots John on December 05, 2013, 07:33:59 PM
Roll on Xmas when these Sennheiser HD 598 headphones come my way.  My ears are bloody well crying for them after reading such excitement based on the experience of not one but TWO GMG'ers.   ;D ;D  I can't wait.  I am throwing Beethoven discs around in sheer discontent until I get the damn things... ??? ;D

And here we thought that Beethoven-hurling was an annual solstice ritual . . . .
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

#691
My Dad bought the discontinued Sennheiser HD 595 last night and they're the same specs as my 598:



Specs for the HD 598/595 -

Nominal impedance: 50 Ohm
Contact pressure: 3,5 N
Weight w/o cable: 270 g
Jack plug: 6,3 mmstereo (3,5 mm Adapter)
Transducer principle (Headphones): open, dynamic
Ear coupling: circumaural
Cable length: 3 m
Frequency response (headphones): 12-38500 Hz
Sound pressure level (SPL): 112 dB(1 kHz and 1 Veff)
THD, total harmonic distortion: < 0,1 %

DavidW

Glad to know that you love those 598s MI!

The 595s had a problem that I didn't like-- the angled drivers would bump up against my ears.

71 dB-- nice amp you've got there.

71 dB

Quote from: DavidW on December 16, 2013, 05:27:55 PM
71 dB-- nice amp you've got there.

Thanks David  ;)

Technically it is not an amp. It's a passive adapter connected to the B-speaker terminals of my amplifier. My amplifier thinks it's driving weird loudspeakers having 10 times higher impedance than normal loudspeakers (very easy for the amplifier). The adapter drops the signal about 30 dB since loudspeakers need about 1 000-10 000 times more power than headphones. The adapter is based on Linkwitz-Moy circuit but is impedance matched and modified (more crossfeed levels and other features) for this use. I spend my last summer vacation designing it carefully. It replaces my previous headphone adapter that had "only" three crossfeed levels to choose from.
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"

Mirror Image

Quote from: DavidW on December 16, 2013, 05:27:55 PM
Glad to know that you love those 598s MI!

The 595s had a problem that I didn't like-- the angled drivers would bump up against my ears.

Thanks, Dave. Yeah, I'm really enjoying these headphones a lot. And let's face it, I was going to buy them anyway. I just knew that these headphones were for me based off the specs alone. As for the 595s, I listened to my Dad's the other night and they sounded fantastic. :) I experienced no problems with them whatsoever, but our ears and how we react with each headphone is going to be different.

Papy Oli

I have been enjoying the Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohm quite a lot in the last 4-5 months.



The DT880 was one of the contenders with the Sennheiser HD 650 and the AKG K701 seven years ago or so when I looked at "proper" headphones back then. I have lived very happily with the HD650 and got engrossed in their warm and comforting sound signature all these years for hours on end. Curiosity eventually got the better of me last year, wanting to try a different sound style.

The DT880 are much brighter, clearer also (I can see why people would feel the HD650 had a "veil" in comparison) and wider spacious feel. I particularly enjoy it more on orchestral works. You're positioned further away from the orchestra itself but the clarity between instruments is much better. I find it spot on as well for string quartets also, so much more detail there too (Vegh LvB or Mosaiques Haydn). Superb balance and impact on rock albums like Dire straits, Elton John, Depeche Mode, etc... Coming from Sennheiser however, it may be sound a bit too harsh at times or depending on the recordings, it takes some getting used to.

Comfort is as good as the HD650, with very soft pads, although I do actually prefer the tighter grip of the Sennheiser. The DT880 could easily fall off your head if, ahem, for instance, you get carried away into some air guitaring of some kind...you know...if that's your kind of thing... then go for the grippy HD650...you don't want to hold back on the air guitaring now, would you...  8)

HD650 remains my headphones of choice for piano music, lieder and choral works. I prefer the closer and warmer feel with those types of works.

All in all, I enjoy them both and they both serve complementary purposes. This obviously relates to my ears and my system only (Arcam CD73 > Graham Slee Ultra Solo Linear + PSU1) . My ears are happy as pig in sh.. but your impressions may vary  :).
Olivier

Ken B

Needed to replace my old on ear Senns. These showed up at a superb price, under $80 delivered, so I decided to try over ear. I have bad memories of hot ears from when I was in radio, but these are opn, so we shall see.
Waiting on my doorstep today. They sound great so far.

[asin]B0042A68R8[/asin]

DavidW

The 518s are so bassy that they verge on muddy, fine for pop and rock, not listenable (for me) for classical.

Ken B

Quote from: DavidW on July 07, 2014, 11:54:10 AM
The 518s are so bassy that they verge on muddy, fine for pop and rock, not listenable (for me) for classical.
That is what I am discovering now, listening to Watchorn's WTC.  :(
And some Savall.  :(
And Glass,s Tympani Concerto  :(
The Brahms Violin Sonata 2 sounds great but the cello sonata 1 rumbles.  :(

I can return them and will.  :'(

71 dB

The cheaper Sennheiser models are targeted at young bassheads and are bass heavy. HD-558 and HD-598 are much more neutral (bass is similar to HD-600).
Spatial distortion is a serious problem deteriorating headphone listening.
Crossfeeders reduce spatial distortion and make the sound more natural
and less tiresome in headphone listening.

My Sound Cloud page <-- NEW Jan. 2024 "Harpeggiator"