upgrading srh840 to HD598 OR D2000?

Pick the D2000 if you prefer better bass extension and punch, sparkly highs, and an overall fun, yet balanced sound signature.

 

Pick the HD598 if you prefer a great midrange, a nice soundstage, and an overall smooth/natural sound. They sound thin compared to the D2000 (less bass extension and punch), but at the same time, the D2000 can sound more dull depending on the music due to more emphasized bass (can sound boomy in comparison) and mids that aren't quite as good as the HD598's.

 

Or get the D2000s and turn them into open-backed headphones. You'll get the best of both worlds that way. ;) If you do pick the D2000s, you can try the open-backed mod in a completely reversible, easy way. Takes less than 5 minutes. :)

Edited by hans030390 - 11/8/11 at 4:03pm

What is wrong with the SRH840? Sound or the terrible comfort?

To my ears the D2000 is boomy and uninteresting. Only D7000 is bearable for me on the Denon line.

HD598 again is not a outright upgrade, you are not going to get the slam from the SRH840. Its a nice phone for the price though.

HD 598 needs really decent amplification to sound it's best.

 

Agreed, HD 598 will sound more open but otherwise the sound signature is not going to be

a huge departure assuming you detest the 840 for what ever reason.

Edited by Gwarmi - 11/9/11 at 1:13am

It's going to be tough Hughkk without $$$$$,

 

When you say 'a new better phone' do you mean more clarity, bass quality/texture,

extended highs, realistic mids?

 

Guess what I'm driving at is that without some idea of what could be improved on

with the SRH840 then you might just be taking chances with your hard earned cash.

 

My advice?

 

Assuming you just wanted a headphone that is very similar - just all round, better at everything.

 

Sennheiser HD600 + entry level DAC + best amplifier you can afford.

 

This is a headphone that you can grow with, it will keep getting better with different DAC's

and amps. My recommendation would be to get something ok from the start.

 

Eg, HRT Streamer II + Matrix M-Stage. Affordable yet a very solid performer for the dollars

spent.

Quote:

The HD598s are a bit harder to power than the D2000. Both benefit from an amp. If you were to put the D2000 at like a 3 (1-10 on how much it benefits from an amp), the HD598 might be like a 4 or 5. That said, neither is very difficult to power, and both sound great from about any source. They do not need expensive equipment to get close to their best sound.

 

you are stuck in a conundrum.

you have a headphone in your possession right now - the shure srh840 - that will scale up almost as far as you're willing to take it.

 

but, you want to hear something different.

 

but, i'll tell you this:  if you want a better headphone, you're going to be in the $300 range and up.

think:  hd650, K702, D7000. 

That class of headphones is the true upgrade from the 840.

 

but here's where the conundrum comes in:

that class of headphones will out-class your audinst rig.

big time.

 

so - as i was guilty of doing many times over, you keep bouncing around between headphones because something is naggingly wrong.

well.  it's the source and amp.

 

don't overlook it.

 

example:

i own the 840.  i own 2 of them in fact.

and i still love it.  love it, love it, love it.

for what it does, there is not a single headphone out there at its price point that comes within a football field of the 840.

 

take it from me.

i own LCD-2, T1, HD800, Ed.8, D7000, HE-6, and many others.

and the 840 isn't going anywhere.

 

so...  i'd recommend you save up your money and improve your rig first.

get your rig ready to receive the better headphones.

Otherwise, those headphones will just punish your ears, and make you wish for something more forgiving.

 

 

 

 

i don't know specifically about that amp.  i've never heard it.  but, yes, generally speaking. 

I had the SRH840 and swapped them for the Denon D2000...... I like the Denons a LOT more then the Shures, I found the Shures sounded thin and boring relatively to the Denons... I tried the Sennheiser 598 in a shop and didnt like them at all.... For the most exciting listen with the best bass I would go for the Denons definately...

Hughkk, I am basically in the same situation as you.  I, too, use an Audinst HUD-mx1 with the Shure 840s (I have the ATH-M50s as well).  I recently bought the Matrix M-Stage to pair with the Audinst.  With this setup, I can definitely say that the Shure 840 sound improves (slightly, but noticeable).  For a while I targeted the Denon D2000s as my next headphone upgrade but now I intend to get open cans instead.

 

So far I'm considering:

Grado PS500

HifiMan HE-300

AKG Q701