[TobaccoRoad]

Quote:

Really? I've read that the HD598 is far better than the HD595.
 

 
I think what he's trying to say is that the difference between HD598 and HD595 is smaller than HD600 and HD598.

 

[Poetik]

Man, 2 years ago I started my head-fi journey moving up from the Sennheiser HD595's to the HD600's (If you plan on getting a HD595 or a HD598 please do yourself a favor and just get an HD600 instead, even underpowered they are just the better headphone and don't cost too much more from the for sale section here).  Ever since then I've owned multiple pairs of HD800's, T1's, and LA7000's but recently I've gone back to the HD600.  I came around full circle and I can say that the HD600 is one of the most balanced headphones out there.  The open naturalness, the comfort, and the neutral sound signature is just hard to beat for the price.  You can get one used for about $200-220 in great condition too.  I've had multiple pairs of HD600's and HD650's too and always preferred the HD600's due to it's non HD650 rolled off highs. 
 
This headphone may not be for everyone but it's a **** good headphone for the price.  Also I do prefer the newer version than the older version since it has more definition in the higher treble.  The older version has more bass impact but I feel that the clarity in the treble you gain with the new one is worth getting.  I would also recommend people to try de-foaming the headphone to see if you like it that way.  I feel that it opens up the soundstage and bass a little bit more than stock.  Also it's completely free and fully reversible if you don't like it.

 

[Jube]

Quote:

I have the new ones and though I love them to bits - I would never say they sound natural...they sound warm and detailed but not natural from an acoustical perspective...

Ah I see. I must not be experienced enough then. Maybe ignorance is bliss?

 

 

[N0sferatu]

Quote:

Really? I've read that the HD598 is far better than the HD595.
 

I've heard both (owned the HD595) and demoed the HD598 at a head-fi meet.  They still aren't in the same league the HD600 is a far superior headphone and worth the few extra dollars for it. 
 
Plus those who want extra bass on the HD600 just EQ up a few dB below 100Hz as I find it gives the headphone a lot more kick.  Here's the EQ of the HD600 from what I've seen so I just fixed that dip on the left.
 
 

 
My sound card (Auzentech X-Meridian) has a pretty good EQ that can adjust without causing distortion when played loud.  If you're not in that boat and want to see what it sounds like EQ'ing the HD600 on a Microsoft Windows machine install foobar2000 (and preferably the WASAPI plugin...although not necessary), enable the EQ (under View-->Equalizer) and on the last two bars (55Hz and 77Hz) move the 77Hz up 3 notches and the 55Hz up about 7 notches...then hit auto-level (so you're not causing distortion) and enable the EQ.  This doesn't sound as good as my hardware EQ (I can EQ much lower and in shorter intervals) but I've messed with this setting on my HTPC which just does HDMI audio output and it's not too shabby.  Let me know if anyone likes the extra bass kick of the HD600 this way.  I know it hits pretty close to my AH-D7000 setup this way.

 

[Poetik]

Quote:

I've heard both (owned the HD595) and demoed the HD598 at a head-fi meet.  They still aren't in the same league the HD600 is a far superior headphone and worth the few extra dollars for it. 
 
Plus those who want extra bass on the HD600 just EQ up a few dB below 100Hz as I find it gives the headphone a lot more kick.  Here's the EQ of the HD600 from what I've seen so I just fixed that dip on the left.
 
 

 
My sound card (Auzentech X-Meridian) has a pretty good EQ that can adjust without causing distortion when played loud.  If you're not in that boat and want to see what it sounds like EQ'ing the HD600 on a Microsoft Windows machine install foobar2000 (and preferably the WASAPI plugin...although not necessary), enable the EQ (under View-->Equalizer) and on the last two bars (55Hz and 77Hz) move the 77Hz up 3 notches and the 55Hz up about 7 notches...then hit auto-level (so you're not causing distortion) and enable the EQ.  This doesn't sound as good as my hardware EQ (I can EQ much lower and in shorter intervals) but I've messed with this setting on my HTPC which just does HDMI audio output and it's not too shabby.  Let me know if anyone likes the extra bass kick of the HD600 this way.  I know it hits pretty close to my AH-D7000 setup this way.

Good looking out on showing people to use subtractive EQ instead of boosting the frequencies.  I highly doubt anyone who is a fan of the HD600 will want to change it's neutrality with boosting the bass frequencies that high but the HD600's do take really well to it.
 
Also yea, I don't care if they come out with an HD599.95 and paint it orange and neon green, It's still not gonna be in the same league as the HD600.  I bought the HD595's for $165-170 brand new and I used it for like 5 years.  I wish I really knew how much better the HD600's were for only a couple dollars more.  Yes the difference is worth it and yes the instant I put on the HD600's I was very pleased yet very pissed off that I could have had a much better sound quality for only a few more dollars.  It took me 5 years of mediocre headphone performance to realize it but that's why I'm so adamant to tell people to sway from the HD595 / 598 and just go to an HD600. 
 
Don't get me wrong, the HD595 / 598 are still a decent headphone and fairly easy to drive but I was using an underpowered dac/amp in the emu0404 and still noticed the difference between them and the HD600.  Do yourself a HUGE favor and just get the HD600 and never look back. 
 

 

[N0sferatu]

Quote:

I highly doubt anyone who is a fan of the HD600 will want to change it's neutrality with boosting the bass frequencies that high but the HD600's do take really well to it.

While it may remain neutral that curve shows me it runs flat in the low end bass so I'm just "flattening the curve" so to speak to bring it level with the rest of the frequency response.  It certainly isn't overwhelming and ridiculous.  Give it a try Poetik if you can and let me know what you think of the sound change.  The rest of the headphone sounds identical just has more "kick" in the bass as it should.  HD650 what?    The HD600's driver has enough oomph to hit bass hard that's for sure.  I was shocked considering I know how hard the AH-D7000 hit.

 

[sysfail]

Thanks guys. I'll just stick with my HD600s then. Don't think I'll need the HD598.

 

[Poetik]

Quote:

While it may remain neutral that curve shows me it runs flat in the low end bass so I'm just "flattening the curve" so to speak to bring it level with the rest of the frequency response.  It certainly isn't overwhelming and ridiculous.  Give it a try Poetik if you can and let me know what you think of the sound change.  The rest of the headphone sounds identical just has more "kick" in the bass as it should.  HD650 what?    The HD600's driver has enough oomph to hit bass hard that's for sure.  I was shocked considering I know how hard the AH-D7000 hit.

That was one of the things I tried a couple years ago when had my HD600's and got my first pair of D2000's.  It was the final straw before I ended up selling my HD600's to go the Denon route.  I like the bass boost it gives but it kind of takes away from the neutrality of the headphone.  I don't know but after owning all that gear and being solely with my LA7000's for over a year, I think I've acquired a more sophisticated taste in my sound.  It's not to say that a bassy headphone like the Denon is bad but I think I just fully realized the "fun" of a neutral headphone.  I know the word fun doesn't necessarily go with the word neutral but I don't know how else to put it.  I feel as if I can finally appreciate the headphones for it's finer and subtle details now. 
 

 

[N0sferatu]

Quote:

I like the bass boost it gives but it kind of takes away from the neutrality of the headphone.  I don't know but after owning all that gear and being solely with my LA7000's for over a year, I think I've acquired a more sophisticated taste in my sound.  It's not to say that a bassy headphone like the Denon is bad but I think I just fully realized the "fun" of a neutral headphone.  I know the word fun doesn't necessarily go with the word neutral but I don't know how else to put it.  I feel as if I can finally appreciate the headphones for it's finer and subtle details now. 
 

I still don't see how level'ing out the frequency response in the bass department is taking away from the neutral aspect of the HD600.  The rest of the frequency response is still "neutral" as I haven't touched any other aspect of the sound signature.
 
Speaking of neutral, some say the AKG 701/702 are a neutral can but I find them downright depressing to listen to while the HD600 are just phenomenal. 

 

[Syan25]

not at all man. That is just my opinion. As a musician, I spend alot time with instruments both acoustic and electric. The HD600 square greatly with electronic instruments. Acoustic instruments sound less natural to me - they still sound awesome on the HD600 but not natural in the way I hear them live. 
 
Now that said - recordings and amps taken into account - some recordings and amps are going to sound better than others on the HD600s. Certain amps make the HD600 sound very natural with acoustic instruments - but in this sense - I think it is the amp providing a realistic rendition more than the cans...
 
In the end - it is hard to say whether it is the source, amp or cans that is providing the realism - probably a mixture of the three...
 
Still I am NOT knocking these phones. I absolutely LOVE them....Just I don't think natural is a word I would use
 
Quote:

Ah I see. I must not be experienced enough then. Maybe ignorance is bliss?

 

 
 

 

[Jube]

Quote:

While it may remain neutral that curve shows me it runs flat in the low end bass so I'm just "flattening the curve" so to speak to bring it level with the rest of the frequency response.  It certainly isn't overwhelming and ridiculous.  Give it a try Poetik if you can and let me know what you think of the sound change.  The rest of the headphone sounds identical just has more "kick" in the bass as it should.  HD650 what?    The HD600's driver has enough oomph to hit bass hard that's for sure.  I was shocked considering I know how hard the AH-D7000 hit.

I like this, I'm giving it a try right now in MediaMonkey on Windows. Gonna have to play with it a bit because at first I set it with too much bass, but I like the idea of making the cans even more neutral through equalizer.

 

[Poetik]

Quote:

I still don't see how level'ing out the frequency response in the bass department is taking away from the neutral aspect of the HD600.  The rest of the frequency response is still "neutral" as I haven't touched any other aspect of the sound signature.
 
Speaking of neutral, some say the AKG 701/702 are a neutral can but I find them downright depressing to listen to while the HD600 are just phenomenal. 

 
By neutral I was referring to the stock sound of the HD600 with no EQ.
 
 

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

not at all man. That is just my opinion. As a musician, I spend alot time with instruments both acoustic and electric. The HD600 square greatly with electronic instruments. Acoustic instruments sound less natural to me - they still sound awesome on the HD600 but not natural in the way I hear them live. 
 
Now that said - recordings and amps taken into account - some recordings and amps are going to sound better than others on the HD600s. Certain amps make the HD600 sound very natural with acoustic instruments - but in this sense - I think it is the amp providing a realistic rendition more than the cans...
 
In the end - it is hard to say whether it is the source, amp or cans that is providing the realism - probably a mixture of the three...
 
Still I am NOT knocking these phones. I absolutely LOVE them....Just I don't think natural is a word I would use

That's interesting.  What cans do you feel are natural with acoustic instruments?  Have you heard LCD-2s?  If I had to vote with timbre in mind, it's among the best I've heard at it.
 

 

[Syan25]

Funnily enough so far the T1s and the Shure SRH-840 though the Shure's are not hi-end and lack detail compared to better cans.... I haven't heard the LCD-2s...

 

[xaval]

I'm not a musician, but I listen quite a bit of live music. On my system the HD600 do timbre quite well... I mean, they sound really good. In fact, one of the characteristics of these cans for me is precisely the quality of timbre they convey.
 
I've got stock cable with old drivers and the MG Head is currently driven with a NOS Mullard 17mm long plate (Blackburn code) ECC83 with a pair of 6P14P-ER.