I notice the Senn HD595 has won Hi-Fi Choice Best Headphone award this year, for the second time running. Which leads me to reflect yet again on why a headphone that has aroused such controversy here is so well praised elsewhere. Virtually every other comment on the Net, professional or consumer, is positive, yet here opinion seems to be split right down the middle, with some posters actually hating them.
I've had one now for nearly 3 years. I liked it right out of the box. It seemed to me easily Sennheiser's best headphone anywhere below HD650 level, and I'd listened to them all up to the HD600. (Interestingly Hi-Fi Choice claims the 595 almost achieves 650 level at half the price). I confidently expected the postings about it here to reflect my own delight in the product, but that was never the case from the beginning. Some posters, like Snufkin (who's gone on to damn the 595 elsewhere, particularly his own website) clearly couldn't get on with them at all. Others were lukewarm, considering them 'boring', or lacking bass or treble (but never midrange apparently). I found these comments puzzling as what I heard was an extremely well-balanced, neutral headphone that seemed ideal for matching into any system with any music style--a true all-rounder. The smoothest, most detailed phone ever? No, of course not, not at near budget prices, but a very fine compromise that should have disappointed nobody. However, that was not to be, and the controversy goes on to this day.
Lately I've become intrigued by postings about the Audio Technica AD900, and last week decided to order one just to see how it lines up again the 595. I may well be re-selling it, but first I want to know how it compares. I will of course post my impressions, and I think they'll be fair, as I've owned and enjoyed AT phones before, notably the 911. Meantime I'd be interested to read any thoughts on why this site in particular has been so hostile toward the 595, or even if indeed that's a fair statement.
I've had one now for nearly 3 years. I liked it right out of the box. It seemed to me easily Sennheiser's best headphone anywhere below HD650 level, and I'd listened to them all up to the HD600. (Interestingly Hi-Fi Choice claims the 595 almost achieves 650 level at half the price). I confidently expected the postings about it here to reflect my own delight in the product, but that was never the case from the beginning. Some posters, like Snufkin (who's gone on to damn the 595 elsewhere, particularly his own website) clearly couldn't get on with them at all. Others were lukewarm, considering them 'boring', or lacking bass or treble (but never midrange apparently). I found these comments puzzling as what I heard was an extremely well-balanced, neutral headphone that seemed ideal for matching into any system with any music style--a true all-rounder. The smoothest, most detailed phone ever? No, of course not, not at near budget prices, but a very fine compromise that should have disappointed nobody. However, that was not to be, and the controversy goes on to this day.
Lately I've become intrigued by postings about the Audio Technica AD900, and last week decided to order one just to see how it lines up again the 595. I may well be re-selling it, but first I want to know how it compares. I will of course post my impressions, and I think they'll be fair, as I've owned and enjoyed AT phones before, notably the 911. Meantime I'd be interested to read any thoughts on why this site in particular has been so hostile toward the 595, or even if indeed that's a fair statement.
. I would really like to get a pair of AT closed cans, a more sophisticated Grado and an another amp though, when I have cash to spare.
