Headphones

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

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Mirror Image

Quote from: Ken B on July 07, 2014, 12:37:33 PM
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.  :'(

You'll pay more money, but get the Sennheiser HD 598s or HD 600s. You can't go wrong here IMHO.

DavidW

Sorry to hear that.  I agree with 71 dB and MI about the 558 and 598.  If you're on a budget, I rec the Shure 440s which are great for classical.

Holden

The Shure 840s are even better but they are closed back. They are superb with classical music and are easy to drive. If you decide to go with the 600s then you will need a headphone amp IMO.
Cheers

Holden

Ken B

Thanks all for the comments.

71 dB

Quote from: Holden on July 07, 2014, 03:49:23 PM
If you decide to go with the 600s then you will need a headphone amp IMO.

With HD-598 especially low output impedance ( 10Ω or less ) is also important for flat bass response.
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"

Mookalafalas

I have the Shure 840 and Sennheiser 598.  The latter gets my vote.   
It's all good...

DavidW

btw if you haven't returned it yet, these are my settings to make the 518 sound neutral and good for classical.  Sorry I didn't think to share them earlier.

Ken B

Quote from: DavidW on July 09, 2014, 05:46:43 PM
btw if you haven't returned it yet, these are my settings to make the 518 sound neutral and good for classical.  Sorry I didn't think to share them earlier.
Thanks! I returned em. Thinking Senn 598 or shure 440s.
Is the 598 just the 595 restyled?

Mirror Image

Quote from: Ken B on July 09, 2014, 05:56:57 PM
Is the 598 just the 595 restyled?

Pretty much. They both boost the same specs IIRC. Forget about the Shure. I would go with Sennheiser 598s. You'll thank me later. I certainly thanked Dave after highly recommending them to me a few years ago. They sound great with classical, jazz, or rock, but I imagine they would handle anything you pit the against quite well. I would think of getting a headphone amplifier, though. What will you be listening to music through with the headphones?

Ken B

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 06:15:24 PM
Pretty much. They both boost the same specs IIRC. Forget about the Shure. I would go with Sennheiser 598s. You'll thank me later. I certainly thanked Dave after highly recommending them to me a few years ago. They sound great with classical, jazz, or rock, but I imagine they would handle anything you pit the against quite well. I would think of getting a headphone amplifier, though. What will you be listening to music through with the headphones?
I have a couple uses in mind.
Late night plugged into my amp. The open back isn't a problem.
Spotify connected to the ipad.
Not thinking of work.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Ken B on July 09, 2014, 06:24:50 PM
I have a couple uses in mind.
Late night plugged into my amp. The open back isn't a problem.
Spotify connected to the ipad.
Not thinking of work.

I prefer open back headphones to closed any day of the week. You would think because the Senn 598s are open back that they would lose bass but this isn't the case at all. I prefer a natural soundstage. Anyway, if you listen some like an iPod through a headphone amplifier be sure to not have any EQ turned on. The EQs on the iPod are some of the worst I've ever heard.

Ken B

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 06:31:29 PM
I prefer open back headphones to closed any day of the week. You would think because the Senn 598s are open back that they would lose bass but this isn't the case at all. I prefer a natural soundstage. Anyway, if you listen some like an iPod through a headphone amplifier be sure to not have any EQ turned on. The EQs on the iPod are some of the worst I've ever heard.
Feeling tempted. Can get new 598s for $125. Seems a decent price. Is it?

Mirror Image

Quote from: Ken B on July 09, 2014, 06:41:56 PM
Feeling tempted. Can get new 598s for $125. Seems a decent price. Is it?

That's a great price. Cheaper than what I paid actually.

Ken B

Quote from: Mirror Image on July 09, 2014, 06:45:29 PM
That's a great price. Cheaper than what I paid actually.
Sigh. Sore wallet syndrome. You oughta be in sales John.  ;D
Thanks, and thanks to all, 598s for 125 it is.

Mirror Image

Quote from: Ken B on July 09, 2014, 07:00:19 PM
Sigh. Sore wallet syndrome. You oughta be in sales John.  ;D
Thanks, and thanks to all, 598s for 125 it is.

Lol...well I hope you enjoy them. No joke. That's a great price. I believe I paid $185 for mine. Let me also say that if something happened to my pair, I would replace them in a heartbeat. That's how much I love these.

Mookalafalas

$125!? I just bought mine for about $200. ??? 
It's all good...

Ken B

Quote from: Baklavaboy on July 09, 2014, 07:56:44 PM
$125!? I just bought mine for about $200. ???
eBay. New. I lost the auction, my last bid being 125, but then i got, on my eBay page, a "second chance". So maybe the winning bidders dropped out, which seems ublikely as it ended just today and I was significantly outbid, or maybe they had several in stock and took the top n bidders. Anyway, seems like the best price I am likely to get.
It is being shipped from Taiwan I think ...  ;D

DavidW

Quote from: Ken B on July 09, 2014, 05:56:57 PM
Thanks! I returned em. Thinking Senn 598 or shure 440s.
Is the 598 just the 595 restyled?

No they have different drivers.  Funny enough though the 518, 558 and 598 all have the same drivers!  It's just the casings that change the sound.  The 518s are semi-closed on one end, and the 598s are fully open on the other.


DavidW

Quote from: Ken B on July 09, 2014, 08:18:46 PM
eBay. New. I lost the auction, my last bid being 125, but then i got, on my eBay page, a "second chance". So maybe the winning bidders dropped out, which seems ublikely as it ended just today and I was significantly outbid, or maybe they had several in stock and took the top n bidders. Anyway, seems like the best price I am likely to get.
It is being shipped from Taiwan I think ...  ;D

Cool... um... except did you check that they were an authorized dealer?  Chinese knockoffs are very common for Sennheiser headphones.  I mean very, very, very common.  Almost every headphone and earphone they make.

Ken B

Quote from: DavidW on July 09, 2014, 08:32:52 PM
Cool... um... except did you check that they were an authorized dealer?  Chinese knockoffs are very common for Sennheiser headphones.  I mean very, very, very common.  Almost every headphone and earphone they make.
I was just teasing Al who lives in Taiwan. These are coming from Texas, and should be here Wed the note says.