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Sennheiser HD580 sounding like HD600?

post #1 of 22
8/21/06 at 12:29am
Thread Starter 
I have a pair of Sennheiser HD580 headphones and I am slightly modding them (cheaply) by changing the grilles to HD600 grilles (already done) and soon changing the cabling to HD650 cable. My question is this.. how would this new setup sound in comparison to a true stock HD600? Am I getting the same or better sound? I don't have the HD600 to compare with. So I am asking those that might know. Thanks!

Jon
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post #2 of 22
8/21/06 at 1:03am
AFAIK, the HD580 and HD600 have identical drivers. Their only difference should lie in their build materials (plastics vs carbon fiber, I think).
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post #3 of 22
8/21/06 at 1:19am
fake carbon fiber
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post #4 of 22
8/21/06 at 3:55am
Cool you too?

Im thoroughly enjoying mine. Listening to some Kamelot, amped with my pimeta as I type this.

Sorry... Ive never A/B'd with a 600.

Garrett

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post #5 of 22
8/21/06 at 7:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by meat01
fake carbon fiber
I really don't know where the "carbon fiber" is either... The housing material is definately just plastic, as well as the headband... The only obvious "carbon fiber" is the paint pattern that chips off easily. Some people have suggested that the driver assembly is made of a different material but it sure doesn't look like carbon fiber to me and looks identical among all three (580, 600, 650).

BUT!!! The HD580 is noticeably lighter than the others, which I like (don't like heavy headphones). Are the headbands of HD600/HD650 actually of a different grade composite/plastic material? The added mass of the headphone assembly might actually produce an audible difference due to enhanced mechanical damping, etc... and my guess is that this is probably the main factor that's contributing to the sound difference between the HD600 and HD580.

Anyway. I have my HD580s cabled with HD650 cable and balanced, and this sounds absolutely fantastic to me. I actually much prefer this to my previous balanced HD650s (which sounded great too, but not quite). And I saved $200!
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post #6 of 22
8/21/06 at 8:08am
About 7 years or so ago I briefly heard the 580 and 600 side by side in a store. What I rememebr was that the 600 had a little more bass extension nad maybe aq little more treble extension over the 580.
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post #7 of 22
8/21/06 at 8:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt. Z
About 7 years or so ago I briefly heard the 580 and 600 side by side in a store. What I rememebr was that the 600 had a little more bass extension nad maybe aq little more treble extension over the 580.
Yup, that's what I heard too. Things were a bit cleaner and fuller on the 600, but overall sound signatures were basically the same.
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post #8 of 22
8/21/06 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kramer5150
Cool you too?

Im thoroughly enjoying mine. Listening to some Kamelot, amped with my pimeta as I type this.

Sorry... Ive never A/B'd with a 600.

Garrett
Kramer, is what you've done to your 580s this?: 650 cable, 600 grills, and did you paint the headband black? Do the grills change the sound any, or is it cosmetic?
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post #9 of 22
8/21/06 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by doobooloo
Yup, that's what I heard too. Things were a bit cleaner and fuller on the 600, but overall sound signatures were basically the same.
Fuller? I owned both headphones for quite a long time, and actually noticed more 'fullness' (reverbation-type coloration) with the HD580, while the HD600s sounded cleaner/more neutral and also a bit thinner due to less midrange warmth.
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post #10 of 22
8/21/06 at 11:54am
Does anyone know if the 600 grills are still available?
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post #11 of 22
8/21/06 at 12:02pm
If the grills make a difference, than the sound with out the grills make a difference too.


Has anyone tried?
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post #12 of 22
8/21/06 at 12:39pm
I tried this a long time ago with my HD580's and wasn't able to notice any sonic differences. However, I had this eerie feeling that the soundstage had a bit more air to it, but I'd honestly chalk that up to my brain telling me the grilles were less restrictive.
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post #13 of 22
8/21/06 at 1:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bperboy
Kramer, is what you've done to your 580s this?: 650 cable, 600 grills, and did you paint the headband black? Do the grills change the sound any, or is it cosmetic?
I used some paint - stripper and took off all the paint. Its just the bare rubber/plastic in the pic. See the URL link in my profile.

I did try my 580 with the grilles removed and it did seem more "spread out" and open. Although I'm sure some of that impression is a placebo. I can't tell a difference between the 600 and 580 grilles.

edit...
mods include stripped paint, 600 grilles, 650 cable and socket modded foam.
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post #14 of 22
8/21/06 at 1:22pm
You can make carbon fibre impregnated plastic, which is what I think is going on with the 600 and 650. The 580 is plain plastic.
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post #15 of 22
8/21/06 at 1:27pm
I would be surprised if the plastic materials are different.

The Senn www site lists the replacement driver assemblies as the same part#, that includes the plastic driver baffle.
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