Thinking of ordering tonight, Senn 580s or AKG 240s?

[Svperstar]

I made a thread asking about what are the warmest cans, and I think I narrowed it down to these two.

Basically the whole reason I want these is too listen to very minimal mellow ambient music in bed, which the SA5000s don't really work well for.

I am really interested in the AKGs, but I also read the bass is muddy? I wouldn't want bass that covers everything and downs out the rest of the music, but I don't know if that is how the AKGs sound or not.

So basically anyone heard both and know which you would pick? Also any other recommendations if you like

[kramer5150]

HD580 is the better can IMHO.... BUT only if you have the amplification to do it justice. IMHO K240s sounds better with the cloth cover modded.

Garrett

[meat01]

I have both, and I would say that the HD580s are warmer. I like both of them, but I prefer the HD580s.

[Svperstar]

Originally Posted by meat01

I have both, and I would say that the HD580s are warmer. I like both of them, but I prefer the HD580s.

Really because I read the opposite in the other thread I think.

So the 580 has a more mellow sound to it to you? Not as bright? How does the bass compare?

Thanks

[fewtch]

Originally Posted by Svperstar

So the 580 has a more mellow sound to it to you?

IMO, HD-580 is the very definition of mellow (although it does stuff like symphonic peaks extremely well). Haven't heard the 240s yet, but I would strongly recommend the 580s for the type of music you mentioned.

You really *need* a proper amp for it tho... by proper, I don't mean necessarily pricey, but something that drives it with authority. BTW, I find the Headsave Go-Vibe does this reasonably well. Perhaps better than the typical Pimeta, because the unbuffered design creates a sound that feels closer to the music, less refined but more immediate.

[Svperstar]

Originally Posted by fewtch

You really *need* a proper amp for it tho... by proper, I don't mean necessarily pricey, but something that drives it with authority. BTW, I find the Headsave Go-Vibe does this reasonably well.

I think my Gilmore Lite is up to the task, see plenty of people running 650s on it.

[fewtch]

Originally Posted by Svperstar

I think my Gilmore Lite is up to the task, see plenty of people running 650s on it.

Didn't notice you had a Gilmore Lite... yep, that would likely do the job nicely . I just like to brag up the Go-Vibe tho, pay me no mind .

[sahwnfras]

Originally Posted by kramer5150

IMHO K240s sounds better with the cloth cover modded.

Garrett

What is this mod. Iv never heard of this. Can you tell me how to do it, and how does it change the sound.

[kramer5150]

Originally Posted by sahwnfras

What is this mod. Iv never heard of this. Can you tell me how to do it, and how does it change the sound.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ight=k240s+mod

I also did the DT770 earpad mod and did not like the result.

[Svperstar]

Bumpage. Anyone else have opinions on the Senn 580/AKG and such? Is there a warmer can that adds more weight to the music?

Thanks

[mahlerfan]

The 580s bass has presence but is tighter than the 240S. The 240S has really powerful bass. I initially thought that it was great, but after more listening it can be a little too boomy. This maybe just me but I find that the 240S does mids better than the 580s. The 580s have a much wider soundstage, but the 240S is kind of semi-open-- even though they are open, they do provide a little bit of isolation, which I think is a good trade off for not having an impressive soundstage. They both are comfy headphones but the 240S bads can get hot, the 580s don't. Last comment-- the 580s are more neutral, the 240S is colored, however I find that I personally love the colored sound!

[Steve999]

Senn HD580s blast AKG240S to smithereens. IMHO. The sonic impressions above are pretty accurate. The Senn HD580 is an all-time classic, one school of what a headphone should sound like taken to near-perfection, Senn doesn't seem to be able to improve on it no matter how hard they try. I wouldn't want ONLY a pair of HD580s, but I sure wouldn't want to do without mine, and I have no use for the AKG240S at all. The HD580s will make a GREAT companion for your SA5000s, while the AKG240S will just be totally outclassed. All to my ears, IMHO.

[ReDVsion]

Originally Posted by Svperstar

Bumpage. Anyone else have opinions on the Senn 580/AKG and such? Is there a warmer can that adds more weight to the music?
Thanks

The K240S definitely adds more weight to the music than any other headphone I've ever heard, but sometimes it's just too much. I think it's much more likely that you'll enjoy the HD580 than the K240S, and the Senns are better from a technical standpoint. Personally I prefer the AKGs because their presentation of the music is so unique and *not* your typical hi-fi sound. Thing is, you're taking a real risk with the AKGs, coming from something like the SA5000, but if you want to take that risk and go balls-out for a colored, warm, thick-sounding headphone, the AKGs are where it's at... but I sure as hell wouldn't in your shoes.

[tradja]

Originally Posted by mahlerfan

The 580s bass has presence but is tighter than the 240S. The 240S has really powerful bass. I initially thought that it was great, but after more listening it can be a little too boomy. This maybe just me but I find that the 240S does mids better than the 580s. The 580s have a much wider soundstage, but the 240S is kind of semi-open-- even though they are open, they do provide a little bit of isolation, which I think is a good trade off for not having an impressive soundstage. They both are comfy headphones but the 240S bads can get hot, the 580s don't. Last comment-- the 580s are more neutral, the 240S is colored, however I find that I personally love the colored sound!

As an owner of both cans, I agree most of the other obserations in this thread, but especially these. Indeed, the K240s mids are really something special, and IMHO are thicker, more natural and more satisfying than the mids on the HD580, the one area that the K240s beats the HD580. I have found this most apparent and valuable with intimate-recorded female vocals (Cowboy Junkies, Diana Krall, Billie, some 10K Manics), and much less of an issue with other music, like ambient. This is only how *I* "use" the kind mids though, YMMV.

Svperstar, I don't know exactly how minimal your ambient is, but I listen to a fair amount of ambient (Orb, Muslimgauze, banco de gaia, that cool "DI.fm Chillout" stream on iTunes) late at night, and for the $$$, I think the K240s is a great choice. I think that music with a sparse, minimalist arrangement shines on these cans, and lessens what I consider to be the K240s greatest weakness (strength?) -- congestion. OTOH, there are many fans here of what some call the "close, snuggly, wrapped-in-music, velvety lounge" feel that the K240s provide. The HD580's could indeed be better all-rounders for many users, but specifically for late-night chillout cans, the K240s might be better.

Also, if I were to fall asleep in bed with the cans, I would much rather risk falling asleep with the relatively robust K240s, rather than risk rolling over on the HD580's and their relatively delicate cable connectors (re: dreaded HD580 intermittency).

Both are deservedly popular cans that seem to hold their value around here. Of course, you know that the only way to REALLY put your curiousity to rest is to get BOTH and sell one!

[Svperstar]

Originally Posted by tradja

As an owner of both cans, I agree most of the other obserations in this thread, but especially these. Indeed, the K240s mids are really something special, and IMHO are thicker, more natural and more satisfying than the mids on the HD580, the one area that the K240s beats the HD580. I have found this most apparent and valuable with intimate-recorded female vocals (Cowboy Junkies, Diana Krall, Billie, some 10K Manics), and much less of an issue with other music, like ambient. This is only how *I* "use" the kind mids though, YMMV.

Svperstar, I don't know exactly how minimal your ambient is, but I listen to a fair amount of ambient (Orb, Muslimgauze, banco de gaia, that cool "DI.fm Chillout" stream on iTunes) late at night, and for the $$$, I think the K240s is a great choice. I think that music with a sparse, minimalist arrangement shines on these cans, and lessens what I consider to be the K240s greatest weakness (strength?) -- congestion. OTOH, there are many fans here of what some call the "close, snuggly, wrapped-in-music, velvety lounge" feel that the K240s provide. The HD580's could indeed be better all-rounders for many users, but specifically for late-night chillout cans, the K240s might be better.

Thanks for the input. I the groups I listen to mainly for ambient are Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Volume 2, Biosphere, and Brian Eno. Many others also but those few will give you the gist of what I like. Biosphere more than any other is the main group that shows how thin the SA5000s can sound.

I am a big fan of www.matthewflorianz.com he is probably my favorite.

I also listen to a lot of internet radio at Sleep Bot ( http://www.sleepbot.com/ambience/cgi...cgi/listen.pls) and Drone Zone ( http://www.somafm.com/dronezone.pls ).

So you think the AKGs add more weight to thin music but they have a smaller soundstage?

Decisions decisions lol.