Which one? Sennheiser HD 598's or Grado sr225i's?

I have yet to hear a pair of Senns that did not sound boring after a very short listen.The same word can never be used to describe the SR225i's.

From your description of the sound you want,you wont go far wrong with the Grados, plus most people that sell their 225's wish they had kept them .

Just dont be taken in with the upgrade stuff ,i only went up to 325's when my ears got to be sixty years old..
 

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Originally Posted by nimbostruck14 

Both of them for me are the same style wise. Which one has a better sound quality? Value? Stability? etc. I will be using an amp for either headphone. I'll mostly be listening to Classic Rock(fav) and some Dubstep. I would like a deep, clean bass response that is not overpowering. The mids and trebles need to be very clean and sharp. Any other suggestions? any suggestion or comment is highly thanked.

The HD-598 not only has superior mids and trebles, but a better soundstage, imaging, tonality, etc. (if you care about that stuff at all). However, they are both on the neutral/lean side of bass, which will make dubstep not that enjoyable. 

Grados have the proper speed for some rock/ metal music making it more engaging. The 598s are far more versatile overall however. Sennheisers often do sound boring in certain genres as opposed to other headphones due to their more laidback speed. The HD598 is the least laidback of the Sennheisers though, so it does warrant some consideration. 

If you care about comfort wise, the 598s are among the most comfortable headphones out there. Any of the Grados I've tried on the other hand... Grados have much more durability I believe while the 598s are quite flimsy (good plastic but still it's plastic). If you carry these outside, the Grados are more suitable. 

If you want deep bass stay away from the Sennheisers, they are probably the least bassy pair of headphones I've ever owned. That's not to say they are bad, but the Grados will be better in your situation. Also, I don't know if this is a problem for anyone else, but, I can't wear Grado headphones for an extended period of time. After about 30 minutes my ears get really hot and start to hurt for whatever reason.

Originally Posted by NimbleTurtle 

The HD-598 not only has superior mids and trebles, but a better soundstage, imaging, tonality, etc. (if you care about that stuff at all). However, they are both on the neutral/lean side of bass, which will make dubstep not that enjoyable. 

I think that to say the Senn has better trebles mids and tonality is a bit harsh as Grados including the sr225i have some of the best tonality/timbre, mids and highs of any headphone around IMO.

This probably comes down to personal taste rather than stating it as fact.

I agree on the soundstage and imaging though.

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Originally Posted by zdmetal 

If you want deep bass stay away from the Sennheisers, they are probably the least bassy pair of headphones I've ever owned. That's not to say they are bad, but the Grados will be better in your situation. Also, I don't know if this is a problem for anyone else, but, I can't wear Grado headphones for an extended period of time. After about 30 minutes my ears get really hot and start to hurt for whatever reason.

There are numerous threads you can find regarding the discomfort of Grados and the actions you can take to improve the comfort like upgrading to bigger pads, washing the pads, modifying the pads etc...  Even ear shape and size has recently been discussed as a huge factor.

You should probably look at Hifiman rather than Grado and Sennheiser per your requirements.  I haven't heard them yet, but the HE-400s are getting pretty popular bang-for-buck.  I really like my HE-6, and I've heard a lot of HE-500s which are quite good too.

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Originally Posted by GREQ 

There are numerous threads you can find regarding the discomfort of Grados and the actions you can take to improve the comfort like upgrading to bigger pads, washing the pads, modifying the pads etc...  Even ear shape and size has recently been discussed as a huge factor.

Thanks for pointing this out! I just did the reverse quarter mod on my yellow Sennheiser pads, they still aren't amazingly comfortable but it definitely helped quite a bit. I'm guessing my problem is the fact that I wear glasses, so I'll just have to get over it.

I would definitely get the sennheiser hd 598. They just sound so much better than the grados in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by nimbostruck14 

sounds good thank you everybody for the reply's. I'm kinda second gessin both of them though. so is there maybe an alternative that are like the sennheiser's except have more bass. Also style and comfort is a factor. Not toooo big but a lil important. these are going to be my  high quality sound headphones for mostly just home.

If you're wearing these at home, you shouldn't even give a damn about the looks. No offense intended. Hide them from your family if they look ugly because otherwise, you're not going to see yourself wear these yourself unless you have a mirror in front of you. 

Sennheisers in general have a very different kind of signature from other brands. Smooth and laidback. I think for your genres, you need a bit more speed. HD650s have a lot of bass - little too much - and I don't like that type of bass. But who knows, maybe you'll like it. The HE-400 that someone recommended apparently has really nice bass extension. I never heard them but they should work well with your genres. Comfort wise, they look a little heavy.You could look into the D2000 or DT880/990... they had decent amount of bass. The denons do have a more noticeable recessed midrange but once again, depending on the genre you listen to, it's not a huge problem. I think the reason why I don't like either brands though is both the Denons / Beyerdynamics have a bit of a harsh treble that takes some time to get used to. 

Grado bass is very articulate, clean and accurate...part of the reason why I love them...but they won't extend as deep as other options. Imaging is often spot on, and sound stage is natural, but not "large". They are typically airy and will give you tons of detail, and they are among the best headphones you can buy in terms of timbre and tonality. Comfort level is really up in the air depending on whose wearing them. Personally I've never had any complaint at all about their comfort, especially after throwing my ear pads in with the wash (with fabric softener). My SR80s are extremely comfortable as a result...cant even tell they are on my head. 

So basically, if you want a large sound stage and/or you prefer an emphasized low end, I'd consider the Senns you mentioned or other options. If you want headphones that are very detailed and airy, on the bright side of neutral, with very natural sounding bass and timbre, and with stable imaging, then give the Grados a go. Personally, except for those who consider themselves bass heads, I really feel that everyone who loves headphones should give Grados an audition at least once. :)  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Focker 

Grado bass is very articulate, clean and accurate...part of the reason why I love them...but they won't extend as deep as other options. Imaging is often spot on, and sound stage is natural, but not "large". They are typically airy and will give you tons of detail, and they are among the best headphones you can buy in terms of timbre and tonality. Comfort level is really up in the air depending on whose wearing them. Personally I've never had any complaint at all about their comfort, especially after throwing my ear pads in with the wash (with fabric softener). My SR80s are extremely comfortable as a result...cant even tell they are on my head. 

 

So basically, if you want a large sound stage and/or you prefer an emphasized low end, I'd consider the Senns you mentioned or other options. If you want headphones that are very detailed and airy, on the bright side of neutral, with very natural sounding bass and timbre, and with stable imaging, then give the Grados a go. Personally, except for those who consider themselves bass heads, I really feel that everyone who loves headphones should give Grados an audition at least once. :)  

I agree Grados and Sennheisers are like near opposites, and therefore, everyone should audition them at least once, to see if it suits their favorite music. 

I agree with the sentiment above about Grados having tight and controlled bass.  A used SR225 at $140-160 is a good entry into headphone-land.  The problem with the Grados is that they can be really uncomfortable to wear depending on your head and ear anatomy, and how tolerant you are of those coarse pads pressing against ears.  I really recommend demoing both the Grado and Sennheiser through a decent amp before making a decision, as the two are not really similar in any way.  Knowing what I do now, if I was getting started in headphones, I'd start with a good entry-level ortho, and an affordable amp and dac.  There are lots of great options these days.

Again, I haven't heard the HE400, but I've heard a lot of HE500s and own the HE6, and if the HE400 is voiced similarly, I think the HE400 would be a great entry-level ortho and would do a lot of things better than both the Grado and Sennheiser.  Used HE400s seem to go between $320-360.

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Originally Posted by NimbleTurtle 

I agree Grados and Sennheisers are like near opposites, and therefore, everyone should audition them at least once, to see if it suits their favorite music. 

Definitely. And the thing with Grados is that, for the most part, there exists a "house sound" that you can find from the little SR60s all the way up through the flagship PS1000s. That's why I will often recommend that people consider spending $79 and getting the 60s (or 80s) to start with, and then if they connect with them consider moving up the line.