Headphones

[Mirror Image]

Are they as good as the 598s?

I would say, yes, they're as good as the 598s, but one must remember that not all headphones are the same. I'm lucky to own these and the 598s. I'll be receiving the Seinnheiser HD 600s this week, so I'm definitely looking forward to test driving those.

[Ken B]

I would say, yes, they're as good as the 598s, but one must remember that not all headphones are the same. I'm lucky to own these and the 598s. I'll be receiving the Seinnheiser HD 600s this week, so I'm definitely looking forward to test driving those.

Good enough for me. Just bought a pair from Pricefalls for $50.50 shipped.

[Mirror Image]

Good enough for me. Just bought a pair from Pricefalls for $50.50 shipped.

Very nice, Ken. Hope you enjoy them.

[Mirror Image]

Every year to year-and-half I end up buying new mid-price headphones for use at work.  This time I decided to swap out Beyerdynamic DT-1350s for Audio Technica ATH AD900x cans.  Prior to the DT 1350s, I used the ATH AD700.  The AD900x is step up.  The high are cleaner and more extended, and the bass is improved, though still on the light side.  Piano sound is definitely better.  The AD900x is also the most comfortable pair of headphones I've ever encountered, bettering the AD700 with a superior clamping mechanism.  The sensitivity is given as 100 dB/mW, and the impedance is 38 Ohms, so they are easy to drive.  When I A/Bd them with my Beyer T1s, themselves super-sensitive at 102 dB/mW but rated at 600 Ohms, the AD900xs were noticeably louder at every setting, as expected.  I should get a good year out of these before getting bored and moving on.

Those are some damn good headphones, Todd. My dad has a pair as well. They sounded great.



In other headphone news, I received my Seinnheiser HD 600s tonight and here's a few impressions I have so far:

-They are a bit tight on my ears, but I imagine them loosing up a bit as time goes on. I mean these are right out of the box.

-They have a neutral sound, which is what I'm looking for in a pair of headphones. There seems to be no kind of coloring to the sound whatsoever.

-The soundstage doesn't seem as large as my other Seinnheisers (HD 598s) or my newer Philips (SHP9500), but, again, these are straight out of the box.

-Not that the look of a headphone matters much in the grand scheme of headphone listening, these phones look awesome nonetheless.

-The cord seems to be good quality, so I won't even think about replacing as quickly as I did with my Philips.

That's all I have for now as I've only been listening to these for about an hour.

[Mirror Image]

Okay, I listened to these Seinnheiser HD 600s for about three hours now and they're not very comfortable. I don't think I would even bother giving them time to break in, so I sold them to my dad. When something is uncomfortable to me right out of the box then I usually pass them onto someone else. As much headphone listening as I do, I can't have something that isn't pleasing to wear for long periods of time. My dad found them very comfortable. He'll certainly enjoy them as they have a great sound but a great sound means nothing to me without the comfort.

So with the money I have now from selling these HD 600s, I just bought these as an upgrade to my current pair of Philips SHP9500:

Philips Fidelio X1/28 Premium Over-Ear Headphones -



Specs for these Fidelio X1/28:

Frequency response: 10 - 40 000  Hz
Impedance: 30 Ohm
Maximum power input: 500 mW
Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1mW
Speaker diameter: 50 mm
Distortion: <0.1% THD

[Ken B]

Okay, I listened to these Seinnheiser HD 600s for about three hours now and they're not very comfortable. I don't think I would even bother giving them time to break in, so I sold them to my dad. When something is uncomfortable to me right out of the box then I usually pass them onto someone else. As much headphone listening as I do, I can't have something that isn't pleasing to wear for long periods of time. My dad found them very comfortable. He'll certainly enjoy them as they have a great sound but a great sound means nothing to me without the comfort.

So with the money I have now from selling these HD 600s, I just bought these as an upgrade to my current pair of Philips SHP9500:

Philips Fidelio X1/28 Premium Over-Ear Headphones -



Specs for these Fidelio X1/28:

Frequency response: 10 - 40 000  Hz
Impedance: 30 Ohm
Maximum power input: 500 mW
Sensitivity: 100 dB @ 1mW
Speaker diameter: 50 mm
Distortion: <0.1% THD

Too bad. But yeah, comfort is the most important thing.
Doubly so if you're playing a lot of Delius, where the listening can provide no compensating pleasure. 
Uncomfortable earphones can make me feel ill actually, especially if they are hot.

[Mirror Image]

Too bad. But yeah, comfort is the most important thing.
Doubly so if you're playing a lot of Delius, where the listening can provide no compensating pleasure. 
Uncomfortable earphones can make me feel ill actually, especially if they are hot.

Actually, I decided to cancel the order for those Philips Fidelio X1/28 headphones as I read something rather discouraging: the ear pads are not replaceable! The new Philips Fidelio X2/27s, however, have replaceable ear pads, but these are currently in the $300 price range. I might wait awhile on those and just enjoy what I own for now. I'm really enjoying my Philips SHP9500 (the ones you also bought). These are lightweight, but pack quite a punch. It's going to be hard for me to take these off my head especially since I'm quite used to them now.

[Ken B]

My order got cancelled. The merchant refunded through Paypal, so no muss no fuss.
Unless I am buying through Amazon I only use paypal merchants, just for reasons like these. I had a bogus hotel on my credit card. Visa investigated and accepted a bogus reason. I finally had to talk to the hotel manager who tracked down the error, and issued a refund (and a free night coupon). It all worked out but it was a hassle.

[Mirror Image]

My order got cancelled. The merchant refunded through Paypal, so no muss no fuss.
Unless I am buying through Amazon I only use paypal merchants, just for reasons like these. I had a bogus hotel on my credit card. Visa investigated and accepted a bogus reason. I finally had to talk to the hotel manager who tracked down the error, and issued a refund (and a free night coupon). It all worked out but it was a hassle.

Sorry to hear about this, Ken. I would still try and get a pair of these. They're that good.

It's time for a small rant:

What never quite clicked with me is why sellers don't understand the simple concept of supply vs. demand. If a seller is out-of-stock or doesn't have the item, then don't list it. It seems pretty logical to me. I always leave negative feedback when a seller can't fulfill my order. It's like walking into a store and seeing something you want behind a glass counter that's for sale and then when you go ask the clerk that you'd like to buy the product, they say it's not for sale. What in the world? Don't put a product in a display case that isn't for sale. Duh!!!! The same basic principle applies to online shopping.

[Ken B]

Sorry to hear about this, Ken. I would still try and get a pair of these. They're that good.

It's time for a small rant:

What never quite clicked with me is why sellers don't understand the simple concept of supply vs. demand. If a seller is out-of-stock or doesn't have the item, then don't list it. It seems pretty logical to me. I always leave negative feedback when a seller can't fulfill my order. It's like walking into a store and seeing something you want behind a glass counter that's for sale and then when you go ask the clerk that you'd like to buy the product, they say it's not for sale. What in the world? Don't put a product in a display case that isn't for sale. Duh!!!! The same basic principle applies to online shopping.

Yes. Sometimes you pass up one seller for another who promises a better price. Then he cancels. Not really a case of no harm no foul since I passed up another good price, now gone.

[chadfeldheimer]

Lately bought the 600ohms variant of the Beyerdynamic DT880 Edition, an old classic that is for 15years or so on the market. The old ones (Sennheiser HD595 - 50ohms) simply did not fit to my headphone amplifier that really longs for high ohmic phones.
[asin]B0024NK35S[/asin] 
I'm quite happy with them. The sound really improved and in many recordings I now notice details, I did not with the Sennheisers. Of course those were also much cheaper, but I think also the better adaption phone-amplifier plays a role.

[71 dB]

The old ones (Sennheiser HD595 - 50ohms) simply did not fit to my headphone amplifier that really longs for high ohmic phones.

The trick is to use impedance reduction (=extension cable with resitors between signal and ground reducing the impedance seen by the phones) with low impedance phones. The output impedance of the headphone amp should be 1/8 of the impedance of the phones at most. 50 Ω cans need an amp with output impedance of 6 Ω or less.

Say your amp has an output impedance of 50 Ω. Using reduction resistors of 6.8 Ω gives effective output impedance:

50 Ω*6.8 Ω/(50 Ω+6.8 Ω) = 6 Ω.

I'm quite happy with them. The sound really improved and in many recordings I now notice details, I did not with the Sennheisers. Of course those were also much cheaper, but I think also the better adaption phone-amplifier plays a role.

It's good you are happy. It's damping factor thing. You blamed your Sennheiser cans when your headphone amp is to blame. The Sennheisers have all the detail when driven from low output impedance amp (e.g. Corda Jazz). My selfmade headphone adapter has an output impedance of 1 Ω + crossfeed at 6 different levels and my Sennheiser HD 598 produce insane amount of detail. There is no need to spend much money when you know what you are doing. 

[Ken B]

The trick is to use impedance reduction (=extension cable with resitors between signal and ground reducing the impedance seen by the phones) with low impedance phones. The output impedance of the headphone amp should be 1/8 of the impedance of the phones at most. 50 Ω cans need an amp with output impedance of 6 Ω or less.

Say your amp has an output impedance of 50 Ω. Using reduction resistors of 6.8 Ω gives effective output impedance:

50 Ω*6.8 Ω/(50 Ω+6.8 Ω) = 6 Ω.

It's good you are happy. It's damping factor thing. You blamed your Sennheiser cans when your headphone amp is to blame. The Sennheisers have all the detail when driven from low output impedance amp (e.g. Corda Jazz). My selfmade headphone adapter has an output impedance of 1 Ω + crossfeed at 6 different levels and my Sennheiser HD 598 produce insane amount of detail. There is no need to spend much money when you know what you are doing. 

It costs money to learn what you are doing though! 

You recommend a low impedance headphone amp in general? I will need about 15 -20 feet of cable to use headphone comfortably. But could put one in the middle.

[71 dB]

It costs money to learn what you are doing though! 

Actually in Finland university studies are free. 

Anyway, it takes time and time is money as they say...

You recommend a low impedance headphone amp in general?

Yes, I do. The lower impedance the amp has, the bigger is damping factor meaning the amp has better control of the phones meaning more precise and distortion-free sound. Not only that, but low output impedance also mean smaller frequency response errors due to not-so-flat impedance curve of the phones.

I will need about 15 -20 feet of cable to use headphone comfortably. But could put one in the middle.

Middle, end, ... ...whatever works best for you.

[Ken B]

Thanks.
Free university? How unfortunate. That means the average taxpayer subsidizes lawyers, actuaries, lasik surgeons, and the children of the rich. That this is seen as a good thing by many I attribute to tribalism -- we with degrees are superior beings -- and snobbery -- degrees produce superior beings. I prefer government spending to help the poor and those who fall between the cracks; I'm a cold unfeeling right-winger that way.

[North Star]

Free university? How unfortunate. That means the average taxpayer subsidizes lawyers, actuaries, lasik surgeons, and the children of the rich.

And they all pay much more taxes than the average taxpayer, and also subsidize free health care, libraries etc. It's all very sad. Especially considering that the poor can attend university just as easily as the rich.

[Ken B]

Especially considering that the poor can attend university just as easily as the rich.

Which is no argument for subsidizing the rich.

[Karl Henning]

Which is no argument for subsidizing the rich.

There's never an argument; it just kinda ... happens ....

[Ken B]

There's never an argument; it just kinda ... happens ....

EXACTLY!

[North Star]

Which is no argument for subsidizing the rich.

You're right! It isn't! It has nothing to do with 'subsidizing the rich'. Offering all people an equal opportunity to get an education, a job and to make money (some 50% of it for the society) is not the same thing as subsidizing the rich any more than scholarships for poor American kids are subsidies for the rich.