HD 228 Sounds muffled and dull

HD228s are rather dark sounding and lack some detail. The smaller and foldable PX200-II is much better really.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywalkra 

HD228s are rather dark sounding and lack some detail. The smaller and foldable PX200-II is much better really.

I agree. And HD228 are not that easy to drive well from portable sources. I've tried all 218/228/238. Sold the 218 to a friend, too much bass, lack of details and "slow" sounding. The only one I've kept and keep using from time to time is the open 238. Still, I like it much less than when I first had it. PX200-II are much better in everything IMHO.

Regards

K.

PX 100 PX200......almost anything sounds better than the HD2xx series to my ears. They are fuzzy. The HD 428, and 448 are not as bad, but the 438 is also dark and lousy. The 428 and 448 are more clear and clean, but lack bass. To the OP.....I loved the HD280 sound, but the clamping force on my large noggin wore me down.  These new senn portable aimed headphones seem subpar to the senn name.

The HD228 is a tricky one... I bought my pair around 6 months ago for portable use (at home I listen to Grado, Sony, Ultrasone, Sennheiser, Yamaha and Fostex headphones). They are a bit insensitive for mp3 players, but still work fine with my iRiver and D2+.

Placement on the ear is crucial for treble response - move it slightly forward/backward and upside/down to find the sweetspot. Also remove the center foam piece in the pads if you want more treble.

Lastly, some strange findings when I returned to the headphones after a couple of months not using them. When I looked at the drivers I found that both had several small dents in the diaphragms (the outer suspension part) which must have been there all the time since the drivers are protected by a perforated baffle and pad. These dents were easily fixed with a small piece of cell tape at the end of a tooth pick (no sharp point!). Carefully place the taped end on the membrane until it sticks, pull gently and the diaphragm will return to its original shape. You may have to repeat this a few times. These dents must have been the result of careless factory handling (or maybe fluctuating air pressure during air freights? - the membrane is very thin), so I recommend all HD228 owners to check their drivers.

When I listened to the HD228 after this (a thorough burn-in and restored diaphragms) they sounded very good, much better than I remembered, with an extended and clear treble, aside from the full bass that is the headphones' signum.

I use them regularly and prefer them to the PX100 as outdoor phones.

Hey kurtzi,

How do the PX100-II compare to the PX200-II and HD 238? Thinking of getting my first open headphone soon.

EDIT:

@ MDR, thanks for that info. I went to bust the ear pads away and have a look at the magnet drivers. And you're right! There's 3 dents on the drivers on the right side. But there's no signs or traces of damage on the left one. However, I wouldn't want to unscrew yet as the screws are covered by small patches of plastic sealers. Removing them will might mean being voided of the 2 year warranty. Will go down to my local Senn service center to have the drivers fixed as well as request for a re-cable job as there's intermittent sound (happened 5 times already!)

To be honest, I don't like the PX100-II so much. I received them as a Christmas gift and to my ears they sound really "thick" and "fat" with a strong tuning towards the low zone of the range. PX200-II have better clarity and speed and they are more balanced overall. I still think the old PX100 are a bit better than the new one. And HD238 are a tad better too, especially in the trebles. If you couple them with a warm sounding source they are not that great, but with a neutral sounding source they are more enjoyable. Maybe it's just me that I'm getting too used to closed cans and how they sound, but  when I switch to these new open Senns I can't no more stand how their bass sounds loose and congested. If you like your PX200-II, it's better you try the 100-II before buying them, cause they really sound different IMHO.

Best Regards

K.

I'm all good with the PX200-II, but I would want a deeper and wider soundstage compared to what I have now. I know the PX200-II sounds much more airy than its closed counterparts (HD202 and HD228), and I've read that open cans generally have better soundstages compared to closed cans. But considering your comments and other head-fiers, there might be some issues with the bass being a little too strong.

I'll have a go and try out the PX100-II while I send my HD 228 for servicing at my local service center. Thing is that prices for the newer PXs haven't drop a single cent in Singapore...

Quote:

Originally Posted by MDR30 

Lastly, some strange findings when I returned to the headphones after a couple of months not using them. When I looked at the drivers I found that both had several small dents in the diaphragms (the outer suspension part) which must have been there all the time since the drivers are protected by a perforated baffle and pad. These dents were easily fixed with a small piece of cell tape at the end of a tooth pick (no sharp point!). Carefully place the taped end on the membrane until it sticks, pull gently and the diaphragm will return to its original shape. You may have to repeat this a few times. These dents must have been the result of careless factory handling (or maybe fluctuating air pressure during air freights? - the membrane is very thin), so I recommend all HD228 owners to check their drivers.

 

When I listened to the HD228 after this (a thorough burn-in and restored diaphragms) they sounded very good, much better than I remembered, with an extended and clear treble, aside from the full bass that is the headphones' signum.

As the other poster has said, even though I am replying in 2012, I have found this post useful as there were small dents. As the described method above, I would like to add a few more details.

Get a toothpick with only one side sharp, i.e. the other side is flat. Then grab some tape, place a small piece of it and wrap it around the flat-end of the toothpick, with the STICKY side facing outwards. Make sure you leave a little bit of space between the tape and the flat-end of the toothpick.

It should look like this

Tape at a is to hold the entire piece of tape on the toothpick

b shows the section of the tape as described

c shows the gap, which can be slightly bigger

Next, find the location of the dent and position c above the dent. Using the flat end of the toothpick, brush the flat-end of the toothpick into the non-sticky end at c, so the sticky side makes contact onto the diaphragm surface, then pull. :)