[The Monkey]

I just received the HD 25-1 that I purchased slightly used off of ebay.

My initial impessions (I've only had 'em for a couple of hours) are very good. They seem more like my Grados than other Senns. That said, I am a bit confused about the comments I have seen here about the bass bias and bass extension of these cans. I don't find the bass particularly punchy. Tight maybe, but definitely not bassy. If anything, I think the HD 25-1 leans toward the bright side. I'm running the stock cable unamped out of an ipod. People with similar setups have raved about the bass. The other variable here is that I'm not sure how much burn in they have, if any.

I'm not a basshead, so if this is simply the HD 25-1 sound signature I'm fine with it. My main concern is that maybe the drivers have a problem if the bass is as thin as I think it is compared to others' comments.

Your observations are appreciated.

 

[Silfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey I just received the HD 25-1 that I purchased slightly used off of ebay. My initial impessions (I've only had 'em for a couple of hours) are very good. They seem more like my Grados than other Senns. That said, I am a bit confused about the comments I have seen here about the bass bias and bass extension of these cans. I don't find the bass particularly punchy. Tight maybe, but definitely not bassy. If anything, I think the HD 25-1 leans toward the bright side. I'm running the stock cable unamped out of an ipod. People with similar setups have raved about the bass. The other variable here is that I'm not sure how much burn in they have, if any. I'm not a basshead, so if this is simply the HD 25-1 sound signature I'm fine with it. My main concern is that maybe the drivers have a problem if the bass is as thin as I think it is compared to others' comments. Your observations are appreciated.

Try some more burn-in. When I first had them I felt the same way. It got a bit better with burn-in but it still remained a tight bass rather than a bassy headphone. A cable upgrade helped the bass even more. I still think these headphones give good tight deep bass but aren't bass heavy phones. Maybe just a bit...
So yes, this is the soundsignature and there is nothing wrong with that IMO. But does get better with burn-in and other cable. And not just the bass!

 

[oluv]

strange, mine are very basshavy and quite recessed in the treble... everything above 16khz is cut off quite drastically.

maybe there are different hd25-1 around?

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oluv strange, mine are very basshavy and quite recessed in the treble... everything above 16khz is cut off quite drastically. maybe there are different hd25-1 around?

This is weird. Anyone else?

 

[Kurt]

I bought one recently. From Memory mine are brighter and have a more controlled bass than the one I heard from fellow head-fier’s. The brightness could come from the stock cable. I like the controlled bass, though. Maybe Sennheiser changed the production somewhat.

 

[gx42000]

i just bought a pair of these i wonder how there gonna sound   o.0
 

 

[electropop]

I don't think they're very tight.. A bit boomy and monotonic (in the bass). Guess it's a matter of reference, but compared to my K272's, they're bass-heavy, off course. I don't mind coloration, but it's a tad monotonic as I said. Velour pads seem to make them a tad better, from what I remember from when I used them more. Portability and design in that aspect is spot on though.
 
I tried the headphone with the HD650 cable: didn't make any difference. I wouldn't go cable-modding headphones of this level... Or any in my case

 

[rhythmdevils]

The k272 is hardly a reference for bass, it has less bass than any headphone ever made. 
 
btw, 4//25/05

 

[electropop]

Quote:

The k272 is hardly a reference for bass, it has less bass than any headphone ever made. 
 
btw, 4//25/05

Hah, yes. But that's what makes them so GOOD! 

 
It may be less, but I can hear much more what's on the record, musically.

 

[roma101]

Quote:

I just received the HD 25-1 that I purchased slightly used off of ebay.

My initial impessions (I've only had 'em for a couple of hours) are very good. They seem more like my Grados than other Senns. That said, I am a bit confused about the comments I have seen here about the bass bias and bass extension of these cans. I don't find the bass particularly punchy. Tight maybe, but definitely not bassy. If anything, I think the HD 25-1 leans toward the bright side. I'm running the stock cable unamped out of an ipod. People with similar setups have raved about the bass. The other variable here is that I'm not sure how much burn in they have, if any.

I'm not a basshead, so if this is simply the HD 25-1 sound signature I'm fine with it. My main concern is that maybe the drivers have a problem if the bass is as thin as I think it is compared to others' comments.

Your observations are appreciated.

When I first got mine I had the same reaction (although it already had 100 hours of burn-in). I didn't understand what people were talking about since I thought the HD-25's were pretty bass-light. Hell, I didn't understand all the praise they were getting. I kind of had a love-hate relationship with this headphone for the longest time honestly (took me some time to get over the narrow soundstage and sibilance here and there) Over time though, I got to appreciate and understand what people meant by its punchy bass as I listened to it more. I believe the bass is more noticeable with certain genres of music. For example, I can't stop listening to Sade on my HD-25's - it just sounds so perfect and rich. The bass is just right and impactful. Very fun to listen to. I wouldn't say their extension is their strongest point (it's decent), but the bass is definitely tight and punchy with certain songs. But I certainly wouldn't call them bassy since when I see the term 'bassy', I think "large quantity of bass."
 
And yeah, they are definitely more like a Grado than other Senns. I love that. The outcast of the fam, haha. 

 

[yd2zhang]

+1 on burn in, I hated the bass response on my Hd25's when I first got them. Burned them in for about 200hrs, now its tight and punchy. Absolutely love it now.

 

[Deki]

Mine sounded very recessed and controlled in lower freq's but burning in made a (between moderate and large) difference and they sound much more punchy. A HD650 cable helped even more and a FiiO E7 added to it so now the bass is quite powerful which is important for the electronic music i listen too. Aslo unrelated but for sound isolation they are already amazing but i taped over the 4 holes on the outside of the covers underneath the adjustable band and it helped but reduced sound stage which is a worthy trade off for me.

 

[Deki]

The tape reduces the bass a bit however.