[Dobrescu George]

  No cracking has been reported for over two years now. I think it's safe to buy.

Totally! i never knew that it had a problem.. Truth is, i did not knew of their existence until one year ago..

 

[BobSmith8901]

Regarding Senn HD598 unofficial replacement cables that have the 3 discrete contacts at the 2.5mm headphone end...Posting this to the impressions thread as this original thread is quite old. My apologies in advance but really curious about this issue. This posting was from the HD598 replacement cable thread
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/645819/sennheiser-5x8shortcable-with-3-5mm-plug-now-available-for-hd-5x8-owners/30#post_11636387
 
that faded out in Aug 2014. Quote:

  For sure it will work electrically BUT, if you look at this (and many other so called Sennheiser cable replacements) bayonet plug that plugs into the headphones you will notice that the 3.5 mm connector barrel only has three discrete contacts versus the 4 that are on the original Sennheiser cable. This means that instead of having two separate two conductor pairs that connect together in the 3.5mm connector at the source, one of each of the conductors in the pair are connected in the headphone socket. So what you say? With a nominal 50 ohm earphone impedance, sharing even a meter of common return wires reduces the channel separation and could increase crosstalk. Maybe not important for you but if you are driving these phones from a no compromise DAC and headphone amp, why risk degrading the sound of these incredible headphones? It would be better to just cut off the plug from the stock cable, make it whatever length you want and then reconnect the wires to a 3.5mm or 1/4" plug so that the two sommon wires are connected there, keeping the headphone wire pairs separate all the way to the headphones. Capice?

I realize this thread is old but I had a question that no one seems to have addressed since the above posting from oldogee:
 
I know that the official Sennheiser HD598 replacement cable (5X8ShortCable) has the 4 discrete contacts on the 2.5mm bayonet headphone side and this matches the stock cable that comes with the unit. But I notice that many folks purchase one of the many Chinese replacement cables which have only the standard 3 contacts on both ends and are quite happy with them.
 
I was wondering, does having the 4 discrete contacts on the 2.5mm plug on the headphone end make a true difference in peoples' experience? Or is it just more theoretical? I mean if Senn's official cables have the 4 on the 2.5mm end why don't the unofficial replacement cables have them too? Probably a cost and hassle issue? Any insight appreciated..

 

[Draulius]

Would the HD598 be preferable over the HD600 for gaming?
 
Thanks.

 

[Dobrescu George]

 
I realize this thread is old but I had a question that no one seems to have addressed since the above posting from oldogee:
 
I know that the official Sennheiser HD598 replacement cable (5X8ShortCable) has the 4 discrete contacts on the 2.5mm bayonet headphone side and this matches the stock cable that comes with the unit. But I notice that many folks purchase one of the many Chinese replacement cables which have only the standard 3 contacts on both ends and are quite happy with them.
 
I was wondering, does having the 4 discrete contacts on the 2.5mm plug on the headphone end make a true difference in peoples' experience? Or is it just more theoretical? I mean if Senn's official cables have the 4 on the 2.5mm end why don't the unofficial replacement cables have them too? Probably a cost and hassle issue? Any insight appreciated..

You have 3 connectors on the plug you put into your device, right?
 
Having 4 on that end is to enable usage of balanced, if it was implemented. Otherwise, it is not really a help. The connectrs on the wider part are both groun ones in normal headphones. In balanced module, they are cold signals.
 
I think that most people will hear no difference between having one or two connectors there, both contain the same signal, ground signal.

 

[Dobrescu George]

  Would the HD598 be preferable over the HD600 for gaming?
 
Thanks.

They have different signatures, you need an amp for hd600. 
 
both have smooth treble, nice mids, and good bass, but i think that I would need to ask you what do you want to hear in gaming, soundstage wise both are very good and similar, with the upper hand going to hd600. 

 

[BobSmith8901]

  You have 3 connectors on the plug you put into your device, right?
 
Having 4 on that end is to enable usage of balanced, if it was implemented. Otherwise, it is not really a help. The connectrs on the wider part are both groun ones in normal headphones. In balanced module, they are cold signals.
 
I think that most people will hear no difference between having one or two connectors there, both contain the same signal, ground signal.

Thanks for the reply. I guess what I'm asking is, on a given HD598 cable, is having the 4 contacts on the 2.5mm headphone end and 3 on the 3.5mm device end, the way Sennheiser has built the original and short replacement cables,  necessary for a 3rd party replacement cable?
 
In other words, are you going to have a degraded signal if the unofficial replacement cables have 3 contacts on both ends vs the Sennheiser design. Note: I think I've actually seen a Chinese replacement that had the 4 contacts on the 3.5mm device plug end with 3 on the 2.5mm headphone end.

 

[Dobrescu George]

 
Thanks for the reply. I guess what I'm asking is, on a given HD598 cable, is having the 4 contacts on the 2.5mm headphone end and 3 on the 3.5mm device end, the way Sennheiser has built the original and short replacement cables,  necessary for a 3rd party replacement cable?
 
In other words, are you going to have a degraded signal if the unofficial replacement cables have 3 contacts on both ends vs the Sennheiser design. Note: I think I've actually seen a Chinese replacement that had the 4 contacts on the 3.5mm device plug end with 3 on the 2.5mm headphone end.

you are going to hear exactly the same thing if there are 3 connectors on one of the plugs, it conducts the same signal. 
 
I think that there should be other things to be taken into account too, like cable itself, impedance of cable, that might change the sound more than the number of connectors

 

[Davidtech]

Can anyone comment if the 598 is compatible with the brainwavz memory foam ear-pads ?

 

[Bansaku]

 
I was wondering, does having the 4 discrete contacts on the 2.5mm plug on the headphone end make a true difference in peoples' experience? Or is it just more theoretical? I mean if Senn's official cables have the 4 on the 2.5mm end why don't the unofficial replacement cables have them too? Probably a cost and hassle issue? Any insight appreciated..

 
Don't worry about it. The stock TRRS plug simply means that the return channel for the L/R drivers are fed to two different poles. In theory this would provide less chance of feedback that can contaminate the sound. In practice having both the L/R return channels being fed to one pole on a TRS plug or two in a TRRS makes no differences since they are both connected to the same wire at the source plug (or after the poles) anyway.
 

 

[Frosty3258]

Can anyone comment if the 598 is compatible with the brainwavz memory foam ear-pads ?

Out of curiosity why do you want to switch the pads? And for your question I would say no being the 598 pads click onto the headphoNe rather than resting in a groove like every other headphone I know of. But I can't say no based off experience I just don't see how it would work

 

[streetdragon]

  Can anyone comment if the 598 is compatible with the brainwavz memory foam ear-pads ?

the HD518,558 and 598 have proprietary plastic rings stick to the earpads which click onto the earcup, so it pretty much means you can't swap earpads out with anything else

 

[Davidtech]

Well thank you both very kindly for the prompt response
 
Addressing frosty first I thought about the ear pad switch because after about five to six hours of use I find myself
adjusting the headphone cups ever slightly for better comfort. But all things considered on how wonderful the 598's are
this is a relatively minor observation as this could be more than likely the OCD part of me wishing for perfect pillows on my head.
 
Also thanks streetdragon for the input; I can certainly see why this couldn't be possible with that click mechanism. But as mentioned
the headphones are already very comfortable as they are and thinking about this even more carefully I would imagine going to a
different type of ear-pad could manipulate the sound in a negative way...............so blast the idea.
 
 
Oh but before I go I'd like to share something. Listening to these cans for about three weeks now I found there's nothing quite like
having green tea while listening to the well mastered 
 
8Dio Studio Sopranos: "Rolling Hills" by Mike Hastings
https://soundcloud.com/8dawn/8dio-studio-sopranos-rolling-hills-by-mike-hastings
 
and
 
3D Sound - 
Binaural Recording of a Musical Performance (feat. Peter and Kerry)
https://youtu.be/itLxXeyM2aM
 
Enjoy 

 

[diliff]

I just upgraded from Sennheiser HD555s to Sennheiser HD598s. I was very happy with the HD555s, I've had them for about 10 years but the velour foam cups were starting to lose their foaminess to the point where my ears were just touching the inner grill. I figured I'd treat myself with an upgrade to the HD598s, but on first impressions, I'm bitterly disappointed. The sound is significantly inferior particularly weaker mids (almost absent), the bass sounds about the same, and the treble is much 'sharper'. It sounds very tinny compared to the HD555s and requires a higher volume (maybe 20%) to get the same amount of sound out of them. My first thoughts were that maybe it needed some burn-in time, but I had read elsewhere that this isn't really needed on the HD598s, and in any case, I'd be surprised to hear such a difference in sound.
 
Is this normal? I'm very tempted to send them back and just replace the foam cups instead for the HD555s instead, but I thought I'd double check with you guys first if I'm missing something here. I'm driving the headphones via a Logitech PC speaker amp ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Z-4-Speaker-System-Black/dp/B000BSTXFE ) which I know is not the highest quality, but I've never had any problems with it before and I thought the HD598s are fairly easily driven. I also have AKG K550s which I don't have a problem with on this set up. It did occur to me that some of the differences in the sound I'm hearing might actually be because the foam is so old and worn, and the drivers are essentially closer to my ears though.

 

[streetdragon]

  I just upgraded from Sennheiser HD555s to Sennheiser HD598s. I was very happy with the HD555s, I've had them for about 10 years but the velour foam cups were starting to lose their foaminess to the point where my ears were just touching the inner grill. I figured I'd treat myself with an upgrade to the HD598s, but on first impressions, I'm bitterly disappointed. The sound is significantly inferior particularly weaker mids (almost absent), the bass sounds about the same, and the treble is much 'sharper'. It sounds very tinny compared to the HD555s and requires a higher volume (maybe 20%) to get the same amount of sound out of them. My first thoughts were that maybe it needed some burn-in time, but I had read elsewhere that this isn't really needed on the HD598s, and in any case, I'd be surprised to hear such a difference in sound.
 
Is this normal? I'm very tempted to send them back and just replace the foam cups instead for the HD555s instead, but I thought I'd double check with you guys first if I'm missing something here. I'm driving the headphones via a Logitech PC speaker amp ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Z-4-Speaker-System-Black/dp/B000BSTXFE ) which I know is not the highest quality, but I've never had any problems with it before and I thought the HD598s are fairly easily driven. I also have AKG K550s which I don't have a problem with on this set up. It did occur to me that some of the differences in the sound I'm hearing might actually be because the foam is so old and worn, and the drivers are essentially closer to my ears though.

Actually I believe this is due to the stiffer earpads of the new HD598's. I've personally switched earpads twice already for my HD558 and the difference between 1 year old earpads and fresh ones is almost like the difference between a HD650 and a HD700 (which is a lot)

So you can actually try to use your old HD555 earpads on the HD598 and see how you find them. 

 

[pp312]

There could be a number of factors at play here, but to relate my own experience as a once long-time owner of both 555 and 595: I naturally wanted to try the 598 and was also disappointed--in fact I se-sold them after a week.  I've always felt that Sennheiser got it very right with the 555/595 series and for me the new phones just miss the mark. I found the treble harsh--not excessive (I currently own a Beyer DT880 Pro) but just harsh, resonant...just not quite right. I don't want to run the 598 down in this thread, but you should know that you're not alone in your dissatisfaction and that, even if you addressed the issues of a better amp, burn in etc, you still may not ever like these phones.